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JANUARY/FEBRUARY  1 999         A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film      www.aivf.org 


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MM         M      M  M  at 

Hal  Hartley 

Joins  the  Digital  Revolution 


Dogma  99 

'  The  Facts  in  B&W 

The  Sundance  Channel 

P.J.  Harvey  as  Magdelena  in  Hal  Hartley's  The  Book  of  Life 


Select  from  the  greatest  sources  on  the  planet! 

Over  30,000  hours  of  historic  footage 

and  musical  performance  clips. 

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A  Century  of  Images 


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AMERICANA  •  COMMERCIALS 

CONTEMPORARY  NEWS  •  NEWSREELS 

VINTAGE  TELEVISION  •  BEAUTY  SHOTS 

WILDLIFE  •  NATURE  •  COMMERCIALS 

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JAZZ  &  BLUES  •  COUNTRY  &  WESTERN 

HOLLYWOOD  FEATURES 


STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 

Call  For  Free  Demo  Reel  •  1-800-249-1940  •  516-329-9200  •  516-329-9260  fax 
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^Independent 

M  B  FILM  &VBEO  MONTHLY 


Publisher:  Ruby  Lerner/EI izabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
lmdependent@aivf.org] 

Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.org] 

Contributing  Editors:  Lissa  Gibbs,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Barbara 
Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 

(212)807-1400x225; 

ldisplayads@aivf.org] 

Advertising  Rep:  Scott  Castle 

(212)807-1400x233; 

lscott@aivf.org] 


Articles  from  The  Independent  are  archived  online  at 
lwww.elibrary.com] 

• 

National  Distribution:  Total  Circulation 

(Manhattan)  (201)  342-6334; 

Ingram  Periodicals  (800)  627-6247 

Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly,  304  Hudson  St.,  NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  monthly 
except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  tor  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF),  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film.  Subscription  to  the  magazine  ($55/yr  individual;  $3 5/yr  student; 
$75/yr  library;  $100/yr  nonprofit  organization;  $150/yr  business/industry)  is 
included  in  annual  membership  dues  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video 
and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  involved  in 
independent  film  and  video,  304  Hudson  St.,  NY,  NY  10013,  (212)  807-1400,  fax 
(212)  463-8519;  independent@aivf.org;  wwwaivf.org 
Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY.  and  at  additional  mailing  offices. 

Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  funds  from  the 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  National  Endowment  for 
the  Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  The  Independent  does 
not  constitute  an  endorsement  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims  made  in 
an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor.  Letters  may  be  edited 
for  length  All  contents  are  copynght  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film, 
Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previ- 
ous appearance  in  The  Independent.  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Rim,  Inc.  1999 

AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director;  Michelle  Coe.  information  ser- 
vices director,  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  associate;  Eugene  Hernandez, 
webmaster;  Jodi  Magee,  development  consultant;  Vallery  Moore,  membership  direc- 
tor; Marya  Wethers,  membership  assistant. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel  Robert  I.  Freedman,  Esq.,  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Todd  Cohen*.  Lorn  Ding  (co-president),  Barbara 
Hammer,  Elizabeth  Pete-'-  (ex  officio),  Graham  Leggat.  Peter  Lewnes,  Richard 
Linklater,  Cynthia  Lopez*,  J  McKay,  Diane  Markrow  (secretary),  Laala  Mafias*, 
Robb  Moss  (chair),  Robert  Ril  -:  (treasured,  James  Schamus*,  Barton  Weiss  (co- 
president),  Susan  Wittenberg  (v.  ,e  president).  *  RVf  Board  of  Directors  only 


Features 


26 

There's  been  a  rash  of  black-and-white  films  recently.  Here's  a  look  at  the  pros  and  cons  of 
shooting  in  monochrome.  BY    Lynn    Ermann 

30  PigjtaJ.  Video:  C7s&*x:li  *.Tx.c  IWswg 

Digital  video  is  not  just  on  the  horizon;  it's  here.  Hal  Hartley  and  Todd  Verow  are  two  filmmak 
ers  who  have  put  DV  to  good  use.    BY    EUGENE    HERNANDEZ 

33  Checlsuig:  out  I^iXxxx.  -virith  Video 

Libraries  used  to  be  a  welcoming  home  for  independent  media,  before  education  budgets  were 
slashed.  Now,  it's  still  possible  to  sell  your  work  to  libraries — if  you  know  how. 

by  Steve  Montgomery 

Inspired  by  Lars  von  Trier  and  Thomas  Vinterberg's  controversial  Dogma  95,  The  Independent 
invited  a  number  of  cutting- edge  directors  to  write  their  own  Vows. 

by  Jan  Anania,  Matthew  Harrison,   Lynn  Hershmann- 
Leeson,  Scott  King,  Christopher  Munch,  Tommy  Pallotta, 
Esther  Robinson,  Lance  Weiler,   Stefan  Avalos,   Britta 
Sjogren,  and  Cauleen  Smith 


2     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


Upfront 


F.A.Q.  &  Info 


Publishers'  Notes 
Letters 


9      News 

Sundance  Cinemas  breaks  ground  for  its  first  theaters;  Sunny  Side  of 
the  Doc  announces  three  new  initiatives;  BET  becomes  a  new  source 
for  production  funding  for  black  directors;  the  National  Latino 
Communications  Center  and  the  CPB. 

by  Anthony  Kaufman,   Bethany  Hayes,   Rita 
Michel,   Mark  J.   Huisman 

16   Festival  Circuit 

Reviews  of  the  Hot  Springs  Documentary  Festival,  Virginia  Film 
Festival,  Hamptons  International  Film  Festival,  ResFest,  and  Short 
Film  Festival  of  Mexico  City. 

by  Tim  Schwab,  Pat  Aufderheide,  Scott 
Castle,  Ryan  Deussing,   Mary  Sutter 


41    Distributor  JT\.A..«Gfc. 

In  the  12  months  since  rising  from  the  ashes  of  LIVE  Entertainment, 
Artisan  Entertainment  has  grown  into  a  serious  contender  among 
theatrical  distributors.  BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

44   Funder  F.  A.Cfc. 

The  Jerome  Foundation  is  profiled  in  the  debut  of  this  new 
monthly  column  on  funders.  BY    MICHELLE    COE 

46   Festivals 

50   Notices 

56   Classifieds 


@AIVF 


60   Events 

64  Salons 

65  Trade  Discounts 


Cover:  RJ.  Harvey  as 
Magdalena  in  Hal 
Hartley's  digital 
biblical  fable,  The 
Book  of  Life.  Opposite: 
Harvey  with  Martin 
Donovan  as  Jesus. 

Courtesy  Steve 
Hamilton 


The  Sundance  Channel  has  recently  been  revamped,  adding  four 
new  series  to  its  thematic  programming  strands. 

by  Shelley  Gabert 


fahce 

Eh  a 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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A  Note  of  Farewell 

Dear  AIVF  members  and  Independent  readers: 

As  you  may  already  know,  after  six  years  I'm 
leaving  AIVF  to  head  up  a  brand  new  founda- 
tion that  will  provide  financial  and  promotion- 
al support  to  innovative  artists'  projects  in  the 
media,  performing,  and  visual  arts.  It  is  such  an 
exciting  development  for  the  arts  field  that  I 
couldn't  say  no. 

One  of  my  last  official  acts  as  publisher  of 
The  Independent  is  to  proudly  introduce  this 
redesign  of  the  magazine.  We've  been  working 
on  these  changes  for  the  past  year,  and  we're 
very  excited  about  the  magazine's  new  look. 
The  reconceived  departments  and  sections 
make  the  magazine  easier  to  read  and  utilize  as 
a  reference.  You  will  also  notice  a  new  synergy 
between  what's  in  the  magazine  and  our  activi- 
ties both  in-house  and  on-line. 

Under  Patricia  Thomson's  extraordinary 
leadership,  The  Independent  has  grown  from  an 
average  of  44  pages  to  68  pages.  We  have  intro- 
duced regional  spotlights  and  experimental 
issues;  we  added  distributor  profiles,  which 
have  become  one  of  the  most  widely  read  fea- 
tures, and  with  this  issue,  we  are  adding  hinder 
profiles  as  well.  Both  advertising  and  newsstand 
sales  more  than  doubled  during  my  six  years 
here.  The  magazine  is  constantly  evolving,  and 
I  have  continued  to  be  increasingly  proud  of  it. 

While  I'm  sad  to  be  leaving,  I  want  you  to 
know  what  a  privilege  it's  been  to  be  at  AIVF 
these  past  six  years,  and  how  wonderful  it's 
been  to  get  to  know  and  work  with  so  many  of 
you.  There  are  so  many  achievements  in  which 
we  can  all  take  pride.  A  few  highlights  for  me 
are:  the  creation  of  the  Millennium  Campaign 
Fund,  now  more  than  60  percent  of  the  way  to 
its  $150,000  goal;  our  wonderful  office  space, 
which  has  truly  become  a  community  resource; 
the  development  of  the  AIVF  Salon  Network, 
with  more  than  1 50  events  a  yearl  in  more  than 
20  communities  nationwide,  and  now  involving 
more  than  1,000  people;  the  evolution  of  our 
website  [www.aivf.org]  into  what  will  eventual- 
ly be  a  comprehensive  information  resource  for 
the  field;  the  publication  of  two  new  self-distri- 
bution resources;  the  establishment  of  Reel  NY, 
an  annual  series  of  independent  work  on 
WNET,  now  in  its  fourth  year;  and  our  advo- 
cacy partnership  with  Libraries  for  the  Future. 

There  are  many  challenges  ahead.  Perhaps 
there  is  no  greater  challenge  than  that  of 
reclaiming  the  idea  of  "independence"  at  a 
moment  when  its  meaning  has  become  so  con- 
fused. John  Cassavetes  said  it  well: 

I  didn  t  choose  to  he  an  independent,  but  I  do  like  being 
my  own  buss.  1  liave  no  respect  for  people  who  ask  for 
freedom  but  don't  reAly  want  it  .  .  .  I've  kiwwn  a  lot 


of  filmmakers  who  started  out  with  enormous  talents 
and  lost  momeritum.  I  don't  say  they're  sellirig  out,  but 
somehow  if  you  fight  the  system,  you're  going  to  lose  to 
it.  In  my  mind,  if  you  fight  the  system,  it  only  means 
you  want  to  join  it  ...  You  have  to  have  your  own 
values.  You  have  to  want  to  make  your  own  picture. 
You  have  to  have  your  own  image  of  making  a  picture, 
otherwise  you're  no  help  to  anyone  or  to  yourself .  .  . 
The  idea  of  making  a  film  today  is  to  package  a  life- 
time of  emotion  and  idea  into  two  hours  where  some 
images  flash  across  the  screen,  and  in  that  two  hours 
the  hope  is  diat  the  audience  will  forget  everything  and 
that  celluloid  will  cliange  lives.  Now  that's  insane, 
that's  a  preposterously  presumptuous  assertion,  and 
yet,  that's  the  hope  of  every  filmmaker. " 

There  are  many  makers  who  still  believe  in 
the  power  of  independent  media  to  change 
lives,  not  just  create  careers.  It  is  those  makers 
who  will  help  to  redefine  and  reclaim  the  field. 

AIVF  and  The  Independent  will  be  at  the 
center  of  this  work  as  well.  I  could  not  be  more 
delighted  to  pass  the  torch  to  Elizabeth  Peters. 
I  have  known  and  worked  with  Elizabeth 
throughout  her  tenure  as  managing  director  of 
the  Austin  Film  Society.  She  is  tenacious,  a 
really  hard  worker,  deeply  knowledgeable  about 
the  field,  and  passionately  committed  to 
AIVF's  unique  role  within  it. 

I  know  that  you  will  offer  Elizabeth  and  the 
conscientious  AIVF  staff  and  board  the  same 
generous  support  you  have  given  me. 

Thank  you  again  for  a  great  six  years. 

Ruby  Lemer,  outgoing  AIVF  executive 
director  and  publisher  of  The  Independent 


Greetings,  AIVF 

Dear  AIVF  members  and  Independent  readers: 

In  January  I  will  join  AIVF  as  executive  direc- 
tor: which  means  that  as  you  read  this  I  will  be 
in  medias  re,  learning  the  ins  and  outs  of  man- 
aging the  organization  while  grappling  with  the 
considerable  task  of  following  someone  for 
whom  there  is  no  replacement.  Ruby  Lerner 
has  achieved  remarkable  things  for  AIVF  over 
her  tenure.  As  an  advocate  for  independents, 
she  has  been  a  veritable  force  of  nature;  as  a 
director,  Ruby  leaves  AIVF  in  a  state  of  stabili- 
ty that  is  rare  among  nonprofits. 

But  as  I  write  these  words,  it  is  October.  I  am 
in  Austin,  Texas,  immersed  in  teaching  a  16mm 
film  class,  leading  a  university  internship  pro- 
gram, beginning  to  sort  through  my  life  and 
imagine  how  I  will  possibly  pack  up  and  move 
to  the  big  city.  In  the  back  of  my  mind  resides  a 
growing  awareness  of  how  much  more  I  need  to 
learn  about  AIVF,  its  programs,  and  con- 
stituents. The  prospect  of  leading  this  organiza- 
tion into  the  next  millennium  is  alternately 


thrilling  and  terrifying. 

For  the  past  three  years  I  have  served  as 
managing  director  of  the  Austin  Film  Society 
(AFS),  during  which  time  I  oversaw  a  period  of 
enormous  growth.  In  1995  AFS  inaugurated  a 
variety  of  artists'  services  while  expanding  our 
exhibition  programs  and  formalizing  a  year- 
round  weekly  Free  Cinema  series.  Perhaps  most 
visibly  we  developed  the  Texas  Filmmakers' 
Production  Fund,  an  annual  direct  grant  for 
film  and  video  artists  initiated  to  redress  the 
vacuum  left  by  the  loss  of  the  NEA  regional 
regrants  program  in  1994-  Although  the  TFPF 
and  the  excellence  of  AFS  film  series  have  gar- 
nered national  attention,  no  less  important  is 
the  work  that  AFS  does  day-to-day,  assisting 
artists  and  developing  collaborative  partner- 
ships with  community  organizations. 

I  initially  came  to  Texas  to  attend  graduate 
school  and  earn  an  MFA  in  production;  since 
doing  so  I  have  taught  a  number  of  production 
classes  for  the  University  of  Texas  Department 
of  RTF,  served  on  myriad  committees,  and 
coordinated  the  undergraduate  internship  pro- 
gram. Between  semesters  I  have  picked  up  posi- 
tions on  feature  films,  working  my  way  through 
the  editing  department  from  PA  to  Avid  assis- 
tant. 

My  prior  experience  ranges  from  composit- 
ing type  and  stripping  negatives  (in  the  days 
before  desktop  publishing)  to  preparing  equip- 
ment packages  for  checkout  to  singing  for  a 
Velvet  Underground  cover  band.  I  have  experi- 
ence managing  everything  from  a  print  shop  to 
an  organic  farmers'  cooperative  to  independent 
film  productions.  The  synthesis  of  these  dis- 
parate experiences  positions  me  well  to  under- 
stand the  varied  needs  of  the  AIVF  communi- 
ty of  independents. 

This  is  a  remarkable  time  in  our  field. 
Already  we  have  seen  incredible  advances  in 
the  technologies  of  photography  and  informa- 
tion dissemination  that  make  video  and  film 
affordable  and  accessible  to  a  greater  body  of 
artists.  The  devastating  loss  of  much  of  the 
public  funding  for  the  media  arts  has  been  par- 
tially offset  by  the  energy  of  a  new  generation  of 
indie  producers  and  their  d.i.y.  aesthetic.  In  the 
midst  of  all  this  excitement  and  reorientation, 
AIVF's  mission  is  as  relevant  as  ever.  A  con- 
certed, broad-reaching,  collective  presence 
continues  to  be  critical  to  keep  access  to  the 
tools  for  media  literacy,  production,  and  distri- 
bution available  to  independent  artists. 

So  as  executive  director  of  the  organization, 
my  personal  challenge  will  be  to  keep  the  orga- 
nization just  as  it  is:  only  more  so.  AIVF  is  an 
essential  national  resource,  and  I  will  be  hon- 
ored to  serve  as  its  custodian. 

Elizabeth  Peters,  incoming  AIVF  executive 
director  and  Independent  publisher 


4     I  fl  E    !  N  0  E  P  E  N  D     h  T     January/February  1999 


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6     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


LETTERS 


To  the  editor, 

Thanks  so  much  to  The  Independent  and  Richard 
Baimbridge  for  the  article  on  me  and  my  film 
SlamNation  ["Talking  Heads,"  November  1998]. 
I  do  want  to  clarify  one  point,  though:  Marc 
Levin  filmed  all  the  Washington  D.C.  prison 
footage  for  the  tape  that  pitched  the  concept  of 
Slam.  I  contributed  performance  footage  of  Saul 
Williams  from  SlamNation  and  had  the  pleasure 
of  working  with  Marc  on  the  edit  of  Slam's  pitch 
tape. 

Paul  Devlin 
Producer/director,  SlamNation 


To  the  editor: 

Mark  J.  Huisman's  article  "docfest  Debuts" 
[October  1998)  highlighted  the  success  of  the 
New  York  International  Documentary  Film 
Festival  which  premiered  last  May.  Huisman's 
glowing  review,  however,  neglected  one  of 
docfest's  leading  men,  program  director,  David 
Leitner.  I  attended  many  of  the  films  at  docfest 
and  consistently  was  impressed  by  the  program 
design.  Leitner  moderated  insightful  discussions 
with  each  filmmaker,  edited  the  festival  cata- 
logue (a  wonderful  collection  of  reviews),  and 
selected  a  wide  array  of  films,  many  of  which  may 
never  have  been  seen  by  a  New  York  audience 
Clearly  the  success  of  such  a  provocative  festiva 
relies  on  the  spirit  and  energy  of  its  founders 
Given  Leitner's  orchestration  of  the  docfest  pro- 
gram, Huisman's  article  singing  its  praises  needed 
an  additional  refrain. 

Christianna  P  Hannum 
Director/producer,  Swim  Pictures,  New  York 

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EDITED    BY     PAUL     POWER 

EXHIBITION 

SUNDANCE 
SEATS  UP 

New  Cinema  Chain 
Finally  Breaks  Ground 

After  over  a  year  of  waiting,  Robert  Redford 
has  finally  made  good  on  his  promise  to  open  an 
independent  theater  chain  under  the  Sundance 
banner.  Sundance  Cinemas,  a  joint  venture  with 
75-year-old  exhibition  giant  General  Cinema 
Theatres,  begins  construction  in  January  on  its 
first  theater,  which  is  due  to  be  completed  before 
the  end  of  the  year.  Located  in  University  City, 
adjacent  to  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
Philadelphia,  the  arthouse  venue  plans  to  exhib- 
it "only  independent  and  other  specialty  films," 
according  to  the  cinemas. 

At  a  press  conference  in  October,  Redford 
called  the  Philadelphia  area  location  "an  ideal 
choice,  and  we  look  forward  to  our  collaboration 
with  Penn."  Although  not  explicitly  noted  by 
Redford,  college  populations  are  a  common  tar- 
get audience  for  independent  films.  University  of 
Pennsylvania  president  Judith  Rodin  gave  her  full 
support  to  the  project  and  a  willingness  to  work 
with  Redford  and  Sundance  Cinemas.  "We 
explored  a  number  of  options  for  this  prime  loca- 
tion adjacent  to  our  campus,"  said  Rodin,  "and 
we  felt  that  the  Sundance  Cinema  concept  was 
the  strongest  and  most  creative  we  could  imag- 
ine." 

Redford  also  commented  that  the  university 
site  "is  a  great  model  for  integrating  ourselves 
into  local  communities  in  a  way  that  will 
enhance  both  Sundance  Cinemas  and  the  cultur- 
al life  of  the  cities  in  which  we  will  be  located." 
Other  cities  slated  for  Sundance  Cinemas 
include  Portland,  Oregon,  which  was  announced 
last  August,  Chicago,  and  Boston,  all  cities  noted 
for  their  high  student  populations.  Additionally, 
Redford  noted  his  wishes  to  bring  independent 
film  to  "communities  where  it  already  exists,  as 
well  as  in  places  where  the  audience  exists,  but 
the  theaters  don't." 

Although  Redford  claimed  that  "no  two 
Sundance  Cinemas  will  be  alike,"  the  planned 
Penn  theater  will  be  a  good  standard  by  which  to 
judge  the  scope  of  the  project.  According  to 
General  Cinema  Theatres  President  and  CEO 
Bill  Doeren,  the  first  theater  in  the  proposed 


chain  will  be  a  state-of-the-art,  multiple-screen 
complex  in  excess  of  40,000  square  feet,  which 
will  include  stadium  seating,  digital  sound,  a 
restaurant,  and  an  outdoor  garden  cafe.  Doeren 
also  added,  "The  cinema  will  also  have  other 
space  where  a  range  of  special  events  and  com- 
munity gatherings  can  take  place." 

"Our  goal  is  twofold,"  outlined  Redford.  "To 
create  Sundance  Cinema  centers  which  will 
serve  artists  by  expanding  the  opportunity  for 
their  work  to  be  seen,  and  to  provide  audiences 
the  chance  to  see  fresh  and  original  films  and 
enjoy  other  cultural  experiences." 

In  his  announcement,  Redford  also  noted  that 
independent  film  has  been  the  fastest  growing 
segment  of  the  U.S.  box  office  over  the  past  five 
years.  With  this  increased  interest  in  specialty 
films,  Redford  sees  the  Sundance  chain  as  a  "log- 
ical extension  of  our  efforts  over  the  past  18  years 
to  expand  the  opportunities  for  independent 
filmmakers  to  reach  the  broadest  possible  audi- 
ence." 

What  films  will  get  screened  at  Sundance 
Cinemas?  The  theater  promises  to  showcase  a 
full  range  of  independent  film  programming  with 
an  emphasis  on  leading  American  independent 
films,  but  will  also  offer  foreign  films,  documen- 
taries, and  "other  cutting-edge  films  which  tradi- 
tionally have  had  a  limited  opportunity  for  the- 
atrical release."  The  announcement  also  indicat- 
ed that  films  from  the  Sundance  Festival  could 
also  be  showcased. 

Anthony  Kaufman 

Ant/ion^  Kaufman  is  features  editor  of  indiewire.com 


DOCS 

SUNNY  SIDE  GIVES 

DEBUT  DIRECTORS  A 

LEG  UP 

Since  its  inception  in  1990,  France's  Sunny 
Side  of  the  Doc  documentary  market  and  confer- 
ence has  been  a  pioneering  force  in  internation- 
al factual  film  production  and  distribution.  Five 
years  ago,  it  launched  the  terrifically  popular 
Ateliers  de  Co-production  (Co-production 
Workshops),  where  producer-director  teams 
meet  face-to-face  with  a  panel  of  commissioning 
editors  to  pitch  their  projects. 

In  1998  the  market  and  the  festival,  Vue  sur 
les  Docs  (held  in  September  instead  of  June  to 
steer  clear  of  World  Cup  fever),  launched  two 
new  initiatives,  'Premieres'  and  'Side  by  Side',  as 
well  as  significantly  altering  existing  activities. 

In  its  1998  edition,  Sunny  Side  joined  Vue  Sur 
les  Docs  in  kicking  off  'Premieres',  a  new  prize 
category  within  the  competition  dedicated  to 
first  films  by  new  filmmakers.  By  highlighting 
quality  new  work,  the  festival  is  bidding  to 
become  a  breeding  ground  for  new  talent  and 
Sunny  Side  is  providing  the  nitty-gritty  commer- 
cial support.  Beyond  prize  money  (a  token 
lO.OOOFF— $1,750— for  'Premieres')  and  an  air- 
ing on  a  major  network  for  the  main  competition 
winners,  all  directors  whose  films  are  selected  for 
the  section  are  taken  under  the  Sunny  Side  wing. 
They're  then  put  in  contact  with  commissioning 


January/February  f  999    THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


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INSURANCE 


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WWW.WALTERRY.COM 


editors  and  programmers 
attending  the  market,  and 
their  films  are  made  avail- 
able for  viewing  at  the 
videotheque,  the  market's 
permanent  video  screening 
room. 

Back  on  the  purely  mar- 
ket side,  the  Ateliers  de  Co- 
production  have  mutated 
into  three  different  produc- 
er/director-friendly activi- 
ties— 'Trendy  Side  of  Co- 
Production',  'Meeting 
around  Co-Production'  and 
'Side  by  Side' — the  last  two 
being  an  expansion  of  the  Ateliers  de  Co-pro- 
duction. 

Sunny  Side's  general  director  Olivier  Masson 
explains  that  Trendy  Side  of  Co-Production  looks 
at  countries  or  regions  (France,  Germany,  UK, 
and  Scandinavia  this  year)  and  lets  programmers 
present  their  current  production  tendencies  and 
scheduling  needs.  "In  these  sessions,  we  focused 
specifically  on  projects  that  had  real  merit  but 
were  problematic  for  one  reason  or  another:  their 
content,  the  way  they  approached  a  particular 
subject,  even  the  technical  means  or  the  format 
of  the  film,  anything  that  might  make  it  hard  to 
get  it  financed  and  aired,  and  the  broadcasters 
suggested  ways  of  getting  round  the 
problem." 

The  Ateliers  had  always  been 
closed  to  all  but  those  participating. 
"The  producer-director  teams  were 
privy  to  valuable  input  from  the 
commissioning  editors,  but  others 
were  left  out  of  this  particular  activ- 
ity," Masson  explains.  "We  started 
Meeting  around  Co -Production  in 
order  to  share  the  benefits  with  a 
wider  group  of  professionals."  These 
meetings  are  still  pitching  sessions 
for  pre-selected  projects,  but 
Masson  confirms  that  the  former 
requirement  that  selected  projects 
have  25%  of  financing  in  place  and 
at  least  one  broadcaster  signed  on  as 
a  co-producer  have  been  softened. 
Some  financing  is  still  required,  and 
a  letter  of  intent  rather  than  a  con- 
tract from  a  broadcaster  will  do. 
Also  new  is  that  the  meetings  are 
themed  — one  afternoon  was  devot- 
ed to  nature  programs  this  year, 
another  to  history — so  that  the 
right  projects  are  being  pitched  to 
the  right  commissioning  editors.  Jan 


In  1998  Sunny  Side 

of  the  Doc  initiated 

"Premieres,"  a  new 

prize  category  within 

the  competition 

dedicated  to  first 

films  by  new 

filmmakers. 


Rofekamp,  producer  and 
head  of  Transit  Films  of 
Toronto,  moderated  the 
meetings  last  year. 
The  principle  of  the 
pitching  sessions  is  what 
it  always  has  been:  the 
projects'  defenders  have 
20  minutes  to  make  their 
case  and  the  commission- 
ing editors  respond,  cit- 
ing what  they  liked,  did- 
n't like,  or  would  like  to 
see  further  developed 
about  the  projects. 
What's  new  is  that  now 
an  audience  can  ask  questions  about  the 
responses  of  the  programmers,  or  about  their 
own  projects  where  they  see  a  link.  "We  aim  to 
make  these  sessions  as  interactive  as  possible," 
Masson  comments.  "The  deal  with  commission- 
ing editors  is  that  they  are  there  to  inform  mem- 
bers of  the  documentary-making  community. 
The  idea  is  that  they  should  talk."  Listening  in 
on  the  pitches  and  the  question  and  answers 
afterward,  "people  should  come  away  with  a  con- 
crete idea  of  what  broadcasters  want  in  that  spe- 
cific domain,"  he  continues. 

Aware  that  some  privacy  is  necessarily  lost 
with  the  new  arrangement,  Masson  added  the 


r 


John  Burgan  of  Germany, 
whose  Memory  of  Berlin 
competed  in  the  new 
"Premieres"  section. 

Photo:  Matthias  Olmeta 


all-new  Side  by  Sides.  These  are  privileged  half- 
hour  sessions  with  three  commissioning  editors 
of  a  producer's  choice.  Project-pushers  must  sub- 
mit their  embryonic  films  in  advance,  but  there  is 
no  weeding-out  process:  all  of  last  year's  100 
requests  were  met.  Two  weeks  before  the  market, 
producers  registered  with  Sunny  Side  received  a 
list  of  some  20  commissioning  editors  due  in 
Marseilles  for  the  market,  with  a  paragraph  on 
each  about  their  channel,  themselves,  and  exam- 
ples of  the  sort  of  films  they  co -produce  and  air. 
The  producers  selected  three  from  the  list  and 
Sunny  Side  set  up  one-to-one  meetings  with 
each.  The  meetings  were  set  in  a  bistro  in  town, 
away  from  the  high-pace  of  the  docu  market. 
Privacy  was  assured.  "I  was  surprised  at  the 
extent  to  which  commissioning  editors  got 
involved,"  Masson  remarks.  "Even  when  the  pro- 
jects were  not  what  they  were  looking  for,  they 
often  suggested  who  else  might  be  interested  in 
them.  And  when  they  were  frankly  not  good  or 
not  well-presented,  they  gave  advice  on  how  to 
make  them  better." 

"The  direction  we  want  to  pursue  with  Sunny 
Side  of  the  Doc  is  away  from  the  theoretical,  the 
general,  and  toward  the  concrete,"  he  empha- 
sizes. One  senses  that  stimulating  direct  dialogue 
between  producers  and  broadcasters  is  a  sort  of 
mission  at  Sunny  Side.  "The  better  producers 
understand  programmers'  needs,  the  more  effec- 
tive  they   can   be   in 
meeting  them,"  con- 
_^^^^.  eludes  Masson.  "This 

is  good  for  the  pro- 
duction side,  but  it  is 
also  a  big  help  for 
programmers.  They 
end  up  with  a  lighter 
load  of  misdirected 
projects  to  sort 
through  and  a  real 
choice  among  more 
relevant  work  in 
development." 

Sunny  Side  of  the  Docs 
can  be  contacted  at  3 
Square  Stalingrad, 

13001  Marseilles, 

France,  or  by  fax:  01133 
4  91  84  38  34. 

Bethany  Haye 

Bethany  Haye 

[bhaye@ 

compuserve.com]  is  a 

Paris-based  freelance 

writer. 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


THE  SMALL  SCREEN 


A  New  Star  Rising: 
BET  MOVES  INTO  PRODUCTION 


With  the  recent  completion  of  its  fourth 
feature,  Loving  Jezebel,  the  cable  channel,  BET 
Movies/STARZ!3  (BET  Movies)  has  firmly 
established  itself  as  a  major  funder,  as  well  as 
being  a  broadcaster  of  African  American  cinema. 
BET  Movies,  launched  in  January  1997,  is  a  joint 
venture  of  BET  Holdings,  Inc.  and  Encore  Media 
Group  LLC  (EMG).  BET  Holdings,  Inc.  is  a 
multi-media  entertainment  company  that  owns 
and  operates  Black  Entertainment  Television 
(BET),  the  first  national  cable  network  (founded 
in  1991)  aimed  exclusively  at  an  African 
American  audience,  which  is  currently  available 
in  54  million  cable  households.  EMG  is  the 
largest  provider  of  cable  and  satellite-delivered 
premium  movie  channels  in  the  United  States 
through  its  ownership  of  1 1  domestic  networks, 
and  has  a  total  basic  subscriber  base  of  nearly  five 
million. 

Robert  Leighton,  senior  vice  president,  pro- 
gramming, for  EMG,  oversees  all  functions  of 
EMGs  programming  division  and  his  avowed 
commitment  to  diversity  is  apparent  from  the 
four  original  programs  that  BET 
Movies/STARZ!3  will  broadcast:  Melvin  Van 
Peebles'  Classified  X,  Funny  Valentine,  Loving 
Jezebel,  and  Scandalize  My  Name.  (BET  was  exec- 
utive producer  on  Jezebel  and  Scandalize.)  "It  is 
anticipated  that  we  would  be  funding  and  devel- 
oping at  least  a  few  a  year  of  these  original  films, 
[which  will]  all  be  in  the  one  million  to  four  mil- 
lion range,"  says  Leighton,  "although  we're  open 
in  both  directions.  Ultimately,  it  will  come  down 
to  the  projects." 

BET  Movies/STARZ!3's  first  fully-financed 
film,  Loving  Jezebel,  stars  Hill  Harper  (Get  on  the 
Bus,  He  Got  Game)  and  is  planned  for  theatrical 
release  in  1999.  The  story  revolves  around  a 
helpless  romantic  (Harper)  who  repeatedly  finds 
himself  falling  in  love  with  other  mens'  women. 
The  project  marks  the  directorial  debut  of  Kwyn 
Bader  and  is  produced  by  David  Lancaster 
('Night  Mother),  with  an  ensemble  cast  that 
includes  Laurel  Holloman  (The  Myth  of 
Fingerprints)  Nicole  Parker  (Boogie  Nights),  David 
Moscow  (Big),  and  Phylicia  Rashad    (Cosrry). 

Bader  and  Lancaster  were  accepted  into  the 
International  Film  Financing  Conference,  which 
accepts  maybe  50  projects  per  annum.  "Nobody 
was  responding  to  the  project"  says  Bader.  "The 
buyers  were  coming  up  with  these  excuses  like 


'black  films  aren't  doing  well  overseas,'  so  we'd 
say,  'Well  this  is  multi-racial,'  and  then  they'd 
come  up  with  another  excuse.  But  BET  Movies 
really  stepped  up  to  the  plate  for  us  and  by 
springtime  [1998]  they  had  financed  the  film." 


According  to  Marc  McCarthy,  Vice  President  of 
Communications  at  BET,  Jezebel  came  in  at  "just 
under  two  million." 

In  terms  of  acquisition,  the  cabler's  first  doc 
was  a  completely  different  process  because  it 
already  had  a  foreign  home.  Melvin  Van  Peebles' 
Classified  X  was  more  or  less  completed,  having 
been  funded  principally  with  foreign  funding 
from  Les  Films  d'Ici,  Arte,  and  YEAH  Inc.,  but  it 
did  not  have  a  domestic  home.  "There  were 
additional  funds  required  to  bring  it  back  to  the 
United  States,"  says  McCarthy. 

Alexandra  Isles,  director  of  the  second  docu- 
mentary acquisition,  Scandalise  M}  Name, 
explained  that  her  project  was  "on  life  support 
because  I  couldn't  afford  to  buy  the  archival 
material  and  photographs"  prior  to  her 
encounter  with  BET.  Leighton  notes  how  this 
was  a  case  "in  which  we  put  up  the  completion 
funding  for  the  picture,  in  exchange  for  the  right 
to  play  it  on  our  channel;  in  fact  we  retained  all 
rights."  With  regards  to  Funny  Valentine,  "We 
have  a  relationship  with  Universal — we  have 
exclusive  so-called  output  deals  by  which  we  get 
all  of  Universale  movies.  My  Funny  Valentine 
actually  is  the  eleventh  picture  we've  made  with 
them." 


"We're  looking  for  the  independents  who  have  a 
good  idea,  like  Kwyn  Bader  with  Loving  Jezebel  or 
Melvin  Van  Peebles  with  Classified  X  or  an 
Alexandra  Isles  with  Scandalize  M;y  Name,  to 
come  to  us,"  says  Leighton.  "We  want  to  get 
scripts  because  if  we  see  a  project  we  like,  we  can 
go  to  a  Studio  USA  [Universal's  TV  movie  divi- 
sion] to  help  us  produce  it."  Leighton  hastens  to 
add  that  BET  is  adding  a  development  program, 
which  will  become  active  in  1999.  What  is  not  to 
be  taken  for  granted  is  the  exposure  for  the  direc- 
tor and  high  profile 
platforming  of  a 
film  that  HBO, 
Showtime,  TNT, 
and  now  BET 
Movies  can  offer,  to 
help  ensure  the  vis- 
ibility of  future  pro- 
jects, as  directors 
such  as  Ernest 
Dickerson 
(Rosewood)  and 
Forrest  Whittaker 
(Strapped)  have 
proved. 

McCarthy  is  also 
clear  on  promotion- 
al plans  for  the  nar- 
ratives slated.  "The 
first  film  we  are  sub- 
mitting for  consideration  to  Sundance  is  Jezebel. 
We're  currently  looking  at  the  other  film  festivals 
to  see  where  we  should  place  Jezebel  and  secon- 
darily Funny  Valentine." 

The  first  of  the  four  original  programs  to  air 
was  Melvin  Van  Peebles'  Classified  X,  which  had  its 
U.S.  TV  premiere  on  BET  Movies  on  November 
13.  Written  and  narrated  by  Van  Peebles, 
Classified  X  explores  the  movie  images  that  have 
helped  sustain  racism  throughout  the  decades. 
Van  Peebles'  film  was  the  beginning  of  a  month- 
long  celebration  of  his  work  on  BET  Movies  in 
an  effort  to  fill  a  need  which  he  believes  BET 
Movies  addresses.  "What  I  think  the  urban  film 
needs  right  now  is  an  infrastructure,  not  only  in 
production  but  in  distribution,"  states  Van 
Peebles. 

BET  Movies/STARZ!3  can  be  contacted  at 
(303)  771-7700. 

Rita  Michel  is  an  independent  producer 

and  promotions  director,  and  writes  for  the  New 

York  Independent  Film  Monitor. 


12     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

GEN  ART  FILM  FESTIVAL  1999 

NEW  YORK  CITY  /  APRIL  28TH  -  MAY  4TH  1999  /  7  PREMIERES  7  PARTIES 

CELEBRATING  A  NEW  GENERATION  OF  FILMMAKERS 

For  mare  submission  information  call  GEN  ART  at  212.290.0312  or  http://iniiflfini.genart.org 

FINAL  DEADLINE  FOR  ENTRIES  IS  FEBRUARY  15, 1999 

All  genres  of  short  and  feature  film  including  narrative,  documentary,  experimental  and  animated  work  are  accepted.  (No  video  or  works-in-progress  please) 


GEN 


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-  Jerry  Ziesmer,  1st  AD,  "Jerry  Maguire",  "Apocalypse  Now" 


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-  Todd  Hallowell,  Executive  Producer,  "Apollo  13",  "Ransom" 


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PUBLIC  FUNDING 


WHAT'S  UP  WITH  NLCC? 


Dispute  with  CPB  shuts  down  Latino  consortium 


The  independent  filmmaking  community  was 
shocked  last  spring  to  discover  that  the  National 
Latino  Communications  Center  (NLCC),  a  non- 
profit programming  organization  funded  largely 
by  the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting 
(CPB),  had  closed  its  doors.  The  NLCC  has  co- 
funded  and  co-produced  dozens,  if  not  hundreds, 


Chicano!  A  History  of  the  Mexican- 
American  Civil  Rights  Movement,  a 
landmark  film  co-produced  by  the  now 
defunct  NLCC. 

Courtesy  Archives  of  Labor  and  Urban 
Affairs,  Wayne  State  University 


of  pro- 
grams 
about 

Latino  culture  since  it  was  founded  in  1975  (it 
was  incorporated  in  1989),  including  1996's 
vaunted  Chicano!  History  of  the  Mexican  American 
Civil  Rights  Movement.  The  NLCC  is  one  of  five 
non-profits  dedicated  to  minority  programming 
known  as  the  minority  consortia,  including  the 
National  Black  Programming  Consortium, 
National  Asian  American  Telecommunications 
Association,  Native  American  Public 
Telecommunications,  Inc.,  and  Pacific  Islanders 
in  Communication.  All  five  are  funded  primarily 
by  CPB.  (ITVS,  which  is  also  funded  by  CPB,  is 
not  considered  part  of  the  minority  consortia.) 

According  to  the  NLCC,  the  shutdown  was 
necessitated  by  the  fact  that  CPB  had  withheld 
one  of  its  annual  payments.  The  absence  of  that 
funding  prevented  the  organization  from  paying 
operational  expenses  and  staff  salaries,  forcing  it 
"temporarily"  to  shut  its  doors. 

But  according  to  Miriam  A.  Crawford, 
Director  External  Affairs  and  System 
Development  at  CPB,  a  routine  audit  of  the 
NLCC  in  late  1997  uncovered  "financial  discrep- 
ancies" that  resulted  in  a  larger  audit  than  the 
typical  bi-annual  audits  that  minority  consortia 
must  submit  to  CPB's  Office  of  the  Inspector 


General,  covering  the  fiscal  years  1995-1997.  A 
press  release  issued  March  12,  1998,  by  CPB 
read,  in  part,  "CPB  has  repeatedly  asked  the 
NLCC  to  provide  explanations  for  discrepancies 
in  reported  salary,  finance,  and  expense  state- 
ments. We  have  had  no  adequate  response. 
Future  funding  of  the  NLCC  is  contingent  upon 
results  of  that  audit  and  satisfacto- 
ry answers  to  our  questions." 
A  seemingly  unconcerned  Jose 
Luis  Rodriguez,  then  the  NLCC's 
Executive  Director,  told  the  Los 
Angeles  Times  last  March,  "This 
isn't  anything  that  hasn't  hap- 
pened before — although  we  have 
never  had  to  close  our  doors." 
Rodriguez  has  not  responded  to 
numerous  queries  by  The 
Independent  for  comment. 
In  late  March,  CPB's  Inspector 
General  issued  its  final  audit 
report,  a  blistering  3  2 -page  array  of 
improprieties  about  the  NLCC's 
misuse  of  funding.  Programming 
funds,  reserved  "exclusively"  by  contract  for  the 
"funding  of  development,  production,  postpro- 
duction  and/or  acquisition  of  programs"  were 
used  for  administrative  costs  like  salaries  and 
travel.  Employee  expenditures,  including  credit 
card  charges  to  the  Los  Angeles  Dodgers  and 
other  retail  vendors,  from  liquor  stores  to  dry 
cleaners,  could  not  be  linked  to  legitimate  busi- 
ness activities.  The  NLCC's  accounting  methods 
were  sharply  criticized  in  the  audit  report  and 
conflict  of  interest  charges  were  leveled  against 
several  board  members  who  had  also  received 
grants,  violating  what  CPB  called  the  normal 
"separation  of  responsibilities"  between  board 
members  and  grant  recipients. 

The  Independent  also  learned  that  CPB  even 
audited  the  private  business  records  of  indepen- 
dent producers  who  received  NLCC  funding,  like 
Hector  Galan,  even  though  they  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  NLCC's  internal  business  practices. 
Galan  told  The  Independent  that  the  experience 
was  a  nightmare.  "They  were  in  here  for  weeks, 
going  through  books  and  records,  occupying  an 
entire  office,"  he  said  of  CPB's  auditors.  "It  was 
terribly  disrupting."  Other  producers  who  would 
not  speak  on  the  record  out  of  fear  their  NLCC 
or  CPB  funding  be  jeopardized,  suggested  CPB 
was  flexing  its  muscles  to  keep  the  minority  con- 
sortia from  seeking  a  bigger  piece  of  the  funding 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


pie.  "There  has  been  conflict  between  the  con- 
sortia and  CPB  forever,"  said  one  filmmaker. 
"And  it's  always  about  money." 

When  first  contacted  for  a  response,  board 
member  Bea  Stotzer  assured  The  Independent  that 
the  NLCC  was  eager  to  cooperate  with  press 
inquiries  and  to  put  their  position  about  the 
sequence  of  events  squarely  on  the  record. 
According  to  Stotzer,  the  NLCC  had  filed  sup- 
plementary materials  with  CPB  and  the  Inspector 
General  who,  again  according  to  Stotzer,  "accept- 
ed the  NLCC's  arguments."  But  despite  over  two 
dozen  inquiries  between  March  and  October, 
including  e-mails,  phone  messages,  and  letters 
faxed  to  both  the  NLCC  and  Ms.  Stotzer 's 
offices,  no  further  information  or  supporting  doc- 
umentation has  been  made  available  to  The 
Independent.  While  CPB  eventually  released  the 
payment  and  the  NLCC  reopened,  Rodriguez  is 
no  longer  with  the  organization  and  a  replace- 
ment has  not  been  hired. 

[Editor's  note:  At  press  time,  Charles  Fancher, 
vice  president,  communications  at  CPB  contact- 
ed The  Independent  to  say  that  the  CPB  was  near- 
ing  a  solution  to  the  NLCC  debacle.  Interviews 
had  been  carried  out  "some  time  ago"  with  inter- 
ested and  appropriate  bodies,  according  to 
Fancher,  with  a  view  towards  reaching  "an  inter- 
im arrangement  with  an  organization  to  get  dol- 
lars flowing  into  the  Latino  community  again  .  .  . 
in  a  timely  and  professional  way."  If  the  funds  for 
1998  aren't  spent,  the  CPB's  budget  allocation  for 
the  NLCC  can  be  rolled  over  to  the  next  finan- 
cial year,  but  the  CPB  was  keen  to  see  the  funds 
allocated  before  the  year  was  out.] 

The  NLCC  can  be  contacted  at  (213)  663-8294- 
The  CPB  is  at  (202)  879-9600.  See  p.TK  for  details  of 
the  NLCC  meeting  at  AIVF  in  January. 

Mark  J.  Huisman  [cinemark(a  mindspring.com],  a 
contributing  editor  at  The  Independent,  is  a  free- 
lance journalist  and  independent  producer. 


OBITUARY 

Albert  Johnson,  former  artistic  director  of  the 
San  Francisco  Film  Festival,  died  of  a  heart  attack 
on  Oct.  17th.  He  was  74-  A  graduate  of  Berkeley 
and  Oxford,  he  was  a  contributor  to  Sight  & 
Sound  before  moving  to  San  Francisco  and  co- 
founding  Film  Quarterly.  After  seven  years  with 
the  SFFF,  he  spent  from  1974  until  his  death  at 
UC  Berkeley  lecturing  on  minority  and  Third 
World  cinema,  and  on  screen  musicals.  — PP 


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January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       15 


AL  CIRCUIT 


n  Ozark  Outing 

The  Hot  Springs 
Documentary  Film 
Festival 

by   Tim   S  ch  wab 


Nestled  in  the  Ozark  Mountains  in 
Arkansas,  Hot  Springs  is  a  picturesque  town 
catering  to  tourists,  weekenders  from  Dallas, 
Memphis,  and  Little  Rock,  and  a  growing 
retirement  community.  Designated  as  a 
National  Park,  the  town  is  noted  for  its  natural 
hot  water  mineral  haths,  a  charming  historic 
downtown,  and  a  storied  past  as  an  "open 
town"  once  frequented  by  gamblers,  bootleg- 
gers, and  gangsters — not  to  mention  the  most 
famous  graduate  of  the  local  high  school,  Bill 
Clinton.  In  recent  years,  the  town  has  also 
become  known  in  the  film  world  for  hosting  the 
Hot  Springs  Documentary  Film  Festival, 
which,  despite  its  somewhat  obscure  location, 
has  quietly  developed  a  strong  reputation. 
Judging  by  this  year's  festival,  this  reputation  is 
richly  deserved. 

The  festival  started  in  1992  when  members 
of  the  active  arts  community  decided  to  host  a 
screening  of  Academy  Award-nominated  docu- 
mentaries. From  that  beginning,  the  festival 
and  its  parent  organization,  the  Hot  Springs 
Documentary  Film  Institute,  now  operates  with 
a  substantial  budget.  While  it  now  owns  the 
downtown  Malco  Theatre  and  screens  docu- 
mentary programs  year-round,  the  festival  is 
still  the  institute's  main  reason  for  being.  It  still 
shows  all  the  Academy  Award-nominated  docs 
and  the  International  Documentary  Associa- 
tion winners.  But  it  has  steadily  broadened  its 
scope,  this  year  screening  over  70  films  and 
hosting  41  filmmakers  to  a  stay  at  the  historic 
Arlington  Hotel  and  an  impressive  series  of 
receptions,  parties,  dinners,  and  screenings. 

"Without  really  knowing  it,  we  found  a  seg- 
ment of  the  film  world  that  was  waiting  to  be 
showcased,"  says  HSDFI  president  Lorraine 
Benini.  "The  filmmakers  are  the  heart  of  the 
festival.  Our  whole  effort  is  to  support  film- 
makers, and  the  filmmakers  love  us.  They  tell 
us  time  and  again  that  the  best  part  of  the  fes- 
tival is  being  able  to  meet  and  spend  time  with 
other  documentary  filmmakers  in  a  noncom- 
petitive atmosphere.  They  don't  get  too  many 
opportunities  to  do  that.  We  have  in  the  past 


suggested  the  idea  of  giving  awards,  and  they 
shot  that  down.  It's  really  their  festival." 

The  festival  runs  10  days  in  mid-October, 
with  most  invited  films  screening  twice,  once 
during  the  first  week,  and  usually  again  on  the 
final  weekend,  when  the  majority  of  the  visiting 
filmmakers  are  in  attendance  and  most  of  the 
major  social  events  are  held.  In  addition,  the 
festival  features  a  celebrity  guest — this  year  was 
actress/singer  Connie  Stevens  with  her  docu- 
mentary A  Healing,  a  tribute  to  the  women  who 
served  in  Vietnam — as  well  as  a  series  of 
humanities  forums,  which  included  a  retrospec- 
tive consideration  of  Pare  Lorentz  presided 
over  by  the  venerable  Erik  Barnouw,  and  a  trib- 
ute to  the  "legacy  on  film"  of  Dr.  Martin  Luther 
King. 

But  the  heart  of  the  festival  is  the  screening 
of  contemporary  documentaries  and  Q&A  ses- 
sions. Since  the  festival  has  a  high  profile  in  the 
community,  audiences  for  even  the  most 
obscure  works  can  be  quite  large,  made  up  of 
locals,  filmmakers,  tourists,  and  members  of 
nearby  retirement  communities.  This  mix 
means  that  questions  can  range  from  mundane 
nuts-and-bolts  queries  to  profundity  ("What 
are  the  things  that  give  sustenance  to  the  soul?" 
one  woman  asked  a  befuddled  filmmaker), 
making  the  festival  a  great  place  to  gauge  reac- 
tion and  exchange  ideas  with  "real  folks."  And 
yes,  people  in  Arkansas  are  as  friendly  as  you've 
heard. 

The  striking  thing  about  the  weekend  roster 


was  the  dominance  of  lighter,  crowd-pleasing 
films.  From  Oscar-nominated  shorts  like 
Andrea  Baugrund's  Still  Kicking:  The  Fabulous 
Palm  Sprmg  Follies  and  Terri  Randall's  Daughter 
oj  the  Bride  to  Harry  Lynch  and  Jeff  Fraley's 
slick,  wry  Bull  Riders:  Cluising  the  Dream,  there 
was  an  abundance  of  fun,  character-driven 
entertainment.  One  suspects  this  has  less  to  do 
with  the  programmers  and  more  to  do  with  a 
generational  change  among  documentary  film- 
makers and  the  all-pervasive  influence  of  tele- 
vision— or  maybe  documentary  has  finally 
developed  a  sense  of  humor.  But  there  were 
also  a  number  of  good  films  for  the  more  seri- 
ous-minded, notably  the  emotionally  powerful 
Colors  Straight  Up,  by  Michele  Ohayon  and 
Julia  Schacter,  Can't  You  Hear  the  Wind  Howl?, 
Peter  and  Constance  Meyers'  fascinating  por- 
trait of  legendary  blues  man  Robert  Johnson,  as 
well  as  such  widely- screened  titles  as  the  Long 
Way  Home,  Human  Remains,  and  4  Little  Girls. 
For  many,  the  highlight  was  the  Shorts 
Program.  From  first-time  director  Lisa  Kohn's 
charming  Apart  from  M}  Doll  to  Chris 
Sheridan's  surprisingly  hilarious  account  of  life 
before  and  after  the  accident  that  put  him  in  a 
wheelchair,  Walk  This  Way,  they  were  all  great 
and  the  diverse,  packed  audience  loved  them, 
leading  one  to  wonder  anew  why  television  and 
many  festival  programmers  steadfastly  refuse  to 
show  shorts.  The  question  gains  added  signifi- 
cance when  one  thinks  of  television  viewers  all 
over    the    planet   routinely   clicking    through 


16     THE     INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


channel  after  channel  of  contemptible  swill; 
what's  wrong  with  this  picture? 

The  festival  is  amazingly  well-organized, 
considering  it  is  run  almost  entirely  by  volun- 
teers under  the  always  competent  and  gracious 
supervision  of  festival  director  Gretchen  Miller. 
The  facilities  at  the  two-screen  Malco  Theatre 
were  adequate,  but  given  the  age  of  the  build- 
ing and  equipment,  still  left  something  to  be 
desired.  That's  why  the  institute  is  embarking 
on  an  ambitious  fund-raising  campaign  to 
finance  a  major  renovation.  When  that  is  com- 
pleted, this  festival  has  the  potential  to  rival 
any  other  film  showcase  in  the  country. 

But  rather  than  rival  other  documentary  fes- 
tivals, such  as  Toronto's  HotDocs  and  Duke 
University's  DoubleTake,  Hot  Springs  would 
rather  work  arm  in  arm.  "We  love  the  fact  that 
there  are  these  other  documentary  festivals 
and  would  like  to  see  more  networking  and 
cross-promoting  between  them,"  says  Benini. 
"Our  spirit  is  very  much  one  of  cooperation." 
She  imagines  working  together  to  package  a 
traveling  show,  create  a  speaking  circuit,  or 
even  push  for  the  creation  of  a  documentary 
archive. 

The  final  formal  event  in  the  festival  was  a 
gala  banquet,  where  attending  filmmakers  were 
wined,  dined,  praised,  and  applauded  to  an 
extent  that  would  have  been  downright  embar- 
rassing, had  it  not  been  so  much  fun. 
Afterwards,  the  festival  staff  and  board  sat 
down  with  the  filmmakers  for  a  private  post- 
mortem. After  a  brief  discussion,  the  festival 
people  once  again  raised  the  idea  of  giving 
awards.  The  filmmakers,  once  again,  strongly 
resisted  the  idea,  favoring  instead  the  current 
format,  which  allows  documentary  makers  to 
meet,  talk,  screen,  schmooze  and  party  in  a 
relaxed  and  collegial  atmosphere,  without  the 
pressure  of  constantly  feeling  they  should  be 
handing  out  flyers  or  trying  to  meet  Mr. 
Megabucks  at  the  next  table.  What  it  came 
down  to  was  that  the  festival  organizers  rightly 
feel  they  have  a  great  event  that  should  be 
more  widely  recognized,  and  giving  awards 
would  help  do  that.  Filmmakers  countered  that 
they  could  all  tag  their  films  as  "Official 
Selection  of  the  Hot  Springs  Film  Festival"  and 
accomplish  the  same  thing.  It  seems  that,  hav- 
ing been  here  once,  most  filmmakers  were 
eager  to  repeat  the  Hot  Springs  experience. 

Tim  Schwab  is  a  filmmaker  and  teacher  based  in 
Montreal.  Schwab  and  Christina  Craton's  IDA  award- 
winning  The  Burning  Barrel  previously  screened  at 

Hot  Springs. 


Virginia  is  for  Film  Lovers 


by    Pat   Aufderheide 


The  Virginia  Film  Festival  was  launched  1 1 
years  ago  to  attract  celebrities  to  horse -country 
Virginia;  to  boost  tourism;  and  to  add  cultural 
cachet  to  the  University  of  Virginia.  Under  the 
curatorial  aegis  of  Richard  Herskowitz,  it  has 
evolved  over  four  years  into  a  film  lovers'  event 
with  a  socially  critical  bite  and  an  experimental 
edge — as  well  as  a  horse  country  party. 

Each  year  at  Halloween,  the  festival  unrolls 
over  four  days,  loosely  organized  around  a 
theme.  This  year,  it  was  "Cool";  in  the  past  two 
years,    it   has   been   "U.S.    and   Them"    and 


*•**.*- 


I^-UJ-UIA 


"Caged."  Films  can  range  from  silent  classics  to 
hot-outta-the-Avid  student  shorts,  contextual  - 
ized  with  lectures,  workshops,  art  exhibits,  and 
receptions. 

The  festival  makes  so  many  improbable  con- 
nections that  one  person's  festival  is  almost 
guaranteed  not  to  be  another's.  This  year,  many 
attendees  seemed  baffled  why  films  such  as  the 
lurid  1928  Louise  Brooks  vehicle,  Pandora's  Box, 
the  insider  portrait  of  country  music  Payday 
(1973),  starring  Rip  Torn,  and  experimental 
film  artist  Lynn  Hershman-Leeson's  1997  fea- 
ture Conceiving  Ada  were  all  under  the  "cool" 
rubric.  "For  me,  cool  is  about  the  contrast 
between  a  tough  exterior  and  a  vulnerable  core, 
and  the  fascination  is  watching  the  different 
valuation  given  each  in  different  periods  of 
American  culture,"  Herskowitz  explains. 

One  easy  connection  was  with  Beat  and 
Beat-influenced  films,  as  evidenced  especially 
in  jazz  scores.  The  festival  featured  visits  from 
jazz  composer  David  Amram  and  Beat-era 
poets  Diane  di  Prima  and  Ed  Sanders,  attending 
among  other  things  a  screening  of  Robert  Frank 
and  Alfred  Leslie's  of-its-time-and-place  1958 
Pidl  M\  Daisy.  Director  Arthur  Penn  and  actor 
Rip  Torn  attended   a   tribute   to   the   Actors 


Studio,  including  a 
screening  of  the  1965 
paranoid  classic  Micke)1 
One,  starring  Warren 
Beatty  as  a  comic  fleeing 
"the  mob"  (a.k.a.  McCarthyism).  Penn  found 
inspiration  to  resist  Big  Brotherism,  he  said,  in 
Beat  spontaneity.  In  a  focus  on  "New  American 
Cinema"  and  underground  film,  scholar  Ray 
Carney  suggested  that  the  work  of  John 
Cassavetes — the  too-little-seen  film  Shadows 
was  screened — resisted  Big  Hollywoodism. 

Just  as  filmgoers  were  beginning  to  get 
restive  with  negative  and  absent  images  of 
women  in  Beat-influenced  work,  feminist 
Carolee  Schneeman  presented  her  experimen- 
tal films.  The  discussion,  facilitated  by  critic  B. 
Ruby  Rich,  spoke 
both  to  the  era's 
misogyny  and  to 
the  way  early  femi- 
nist film  shared  in 
Beat  celebration  of 
carnal  spontaneity. 
Current  indepen- 
dent work  exposed 
ocal  viewers  to  a 
wide  range  of 
visions.  Shorts 

ranged  from  the 
promising  (Adam 
Collis'  teen 

romance  "MAD"  Boy,  I'll  Blow  Your  Blues  Away. 
Be  Mine.)  to  the  self-indulgent  (Larry  Fishman's 
one -joke  Zchlom,  about  masturbation  and  the 
art  market).  Showcased  features  included 
Spencer  Nakasako's  documentary  Kelly  Loves 
Tony;  Susanna  Styron's  Shadrach,  on  the  legacy 
of  slavery  on  one  plantation;  Tom  Musca's 
Melting  Pot,  about  ethnic  politics  at  election 
time;  and  first  feature  Thirteen.  Richmond- 
based  Euro -American  David  Williams  made 
Thirteen  on  a  hyperlow  budget,  with  and  about 
his  working-class  African-American  neighbors. 
The  neo-realistic  film,  which  follows  one  young 
girl  as  she  struggles  through  a  difficult  teen  year, 
captures  details  of  daily  lives  that  are  largely 
unimagined  on  screen.  Having  made  a  splash  at 
Berlin  and  Toronto,  the  film  was  well-received 
at  home. 

In  one  weekend,  you  could  debate  African- 
American  culture  in  American  independent 
cinema;  chart  advertising's  embrace  of  "cool"; 
look  back  at  American  independent  film  histo- 
ry; and  sample  current  work.  Or  you  could 
admire  the  autumn  leaves  while  antique  hunt- 
ing in  the  hills. 

Pat  Aufderheide  is  Professor  irt  the  School  of 
Communication,  American  Uriiversity  in  DC. 


January/February  1999   T  H  E    I  N  D  E  P  E  N  0  E  N  T      17 


FESTIVAL  CIRCUIT 


Hamptons  Come  Alive! 


by   Scott   Castle 


East  Hampton's 
quaint  buildings 
and  upscale 
boutiques  still 
bore  the  tricolor 
decorations 
from  the  town's 
350th  anniversary  cele- 
bration as  filmmakers 
rolled  in  for  the 
Hamptons  Film  Festival 
(October  14-18),  one  of 
the  village's  newest  tra- 
ditions. Although  cele- 
brating its  sixth  year,  the 
festival  is  still  searching  for  an  iden- 
tity. Having  had  four  different  pro- 
gramming directors  in  the  last  four 
years,  it's  been  a  challenge  for  this 
perpetually  promising  festival  to  find  its  groove. 
Incoming  programming  director  David 
Schwartz,  along  with  a  triumvirate  of  co-pro- 
grammers— Deena  Juras,  Lynda  Hansen,  and 
Linda  Blackaby — were  able  to  bring  new  depth. 
The  team  tripled  the  number  of  archival  films, 
added  more  discussions  with  filmmakers,  and 
spotlighted  one  film  on  each  of  the  festival's 
five  nights. 

Though  Schwartz  acknowledges  the  growing 
pains  caused  by  the  variety  of  programming 
styles  and  identities  the  festival  has  gone 
through,  he's  bullish  about  its  future.  "It's 
important  for  the  Hamptons  to  find  itself  in 
relation  to  all  these  other  festivals,"  he  says. 
"It's  going  to  grow  year  by  year.  I  think  it'll  take 
some  time  before  it  gets  to  that  really  high  level." 
In  the  meantime,  the  Hamptons  has  plenty 
of  bumps  to  work  out.  While  the  majority  of 
events  took  place  within  walking  distance  of 
the  village  center,  one  theater  was  a  15-minute 
drive  away,  nightly  parties  were  even  further, 
and  some  guest  lodgings  were  out-of-town.  In 
combination  with  a  virtually  all-new  festival 
staff,  logistical  nightmares  ensued.  Some  morn- 
ings began  with  a  45 -minute  wait  on  the  road- 
side for  a  shuttle  into  town.  At  night,  some  par- 
ties let  you  in  without  a  pass,  while  others 
turned  you  away  with  the  proper  pass,  leaving 
one  with  the  infuriating  task  of  procuring 
return  transportation.  Other  festival-goers 
complained  of  puzzling  tasks  like  deciphering 
which  screenings  included  discussions  and  who 


was  to  be  featured  on  a  breakfast 
panel.  Too  often,  fulfilling  your  day's 
schedule  was  a  matter  of  luck. 
Attempts  to  inform  festival  workers 
of  the  difficulties  were  treated  cor- 
dially enough,  but  with  an  air  of  disbelief  that 
things  might  not  be  running  smoothly.  This 
gave  the  impression  that  all  the  old  problems 
would  soon  be  new  again. 

From  the  filmmakers'  perspective,  however, 
acclaim  for  the  festival  was  overwhelmingly 
positive.  Director  Max  Makowski,  there  with 
The  Pigeon  Egg  Strategy,  began  his  long  festival 
crawl  at  Sundance  1998  and  is  "quasi  wrapping 
it  up"  with  his  first  visit  to  the  Hamptons.  "If 
film  festivals  were  relationships,  Sundance 
would  be  a  very,  very  good  hooker.  Great  sex, 
no  love,"  he  says.  "[The  Hamptons]  is  all  about 
love,  and  the  sex  is  okay."  Makowski  wasn't 
always  so  positive.  "The  last  festival  in  the 
world  I  would  have  applied  to  was  here;  I 
thought  it  was  all  about  stars  and  celebrities. 
All  form,  no  substance.  But  filmmakers  are 
treated  with  respect,  and  that's  really  rare. 
They  care  about  us." 

In  the  end,  the  questions  begin:  Will 
Schwartz  return  next  year?  Will  the  other  pro- 
grammers? Will  the  staff?  Will  the  festival 
emerge  as  a  source  for  premieres?  With  its  prox- 
imity to  Manhattan  and  one  of  the  largest 
prizes  on  the  circuit  ($165,000  in  goods  and 
services),  the  Hamptons  Film  Festival  is  here  to 
stay.  This  year's  record  attendance  reinforces 
that.  But  if  the  flux  in  staff  continues,  it'll  be 
difficult  for  the  festival  to  learn  from  its  mis- 
takes and  live  up  to  its  potential. 

Scott  Castle  is  the  listings  editor  at  The  Independent. 


18     THE    INDEPENDENT     January /February  1999 


/  /  I  THINK  1998  WAS  THE  YEAR  THAT  PEOPLE 
stopped  scratching  their  heads  when 
you  used  'digital  filmmaking'  in  con- 
versation," says  ResFest  director 
Jonathan  Wells,  as  the  festival's  sec- 
ond  successful   season   comes   to   a   close   in 


October.  A  touring  celebra- 
tion of  the  romance 
between  technology  and 
storytelling,  ResFest's  1998 
program  of  shorts,  features, 
and  panels  drew  crowds  in 
London,  Los  Angeles,  San 
Francisco,  and  New  York.  But  while  last  year's 
debut  of  ResFest  [www.resfest.com]  and  its 
companion  magazine,  Res,  pointed  to  a  future 
in  which  independents  get  "wired,"  this  year's 
fest  suggests  that,  in  many  regards,  the  future  is 
now. 

"Never  before  has  the  opportunity  existed 
for  so  many  creative  people  to  have  the  access 


top  auteurs  and  new  ways  of  disseminating  their 
work  (from  streaming  video  to  Shockwave 
[www.shockwave.com]  to  DVD 

[www.dvdresource.com]),  it's  not  lost  on 
ResFest's  organizers  that  without  compelling 
films,  their  event  might  come  off  as  a  trade 


ResFest 


by    Ryan    Deussing 


and  the  means  available  to  express  themselves 
in  the  motion  picture  arts,"  writes  Wells  in  the 
festival's  literature.  With  three  times  as  many 
submissions  (over  300)  as  last  year,  the  fest 
responded  by  expanding  its  programming,  cre- 
ating three  programs  of  shorts  and  showcasing 
three  digital  features:  Iara  Lee's  Modulations, 
Stefan  Avalos  and  Lance  Weiler's  The  Last 
Broadcast,  and  Bennett  Miller's  The  Cruise. 
Most  notably,  the  features  have  attracted 
attention  not  only  from  festival  audiences,  but 
from  theatrical  distributors,  who  seem  to 
believe  that  digital  films  are  not  only  hip,  but 
sellable  (Artisan  Entertainment  released  The 
Cruise,  while  Modulations  was  recently  picked 
up  by  Strand  Releasing). 

While  the  festival  undoubtedly  owes  its 
niche  to  the  digital  revolution  of  the  past  few 
years,  which  has  created  both  masses  of  desk- 


show.  Hi-tech  vendors  did 
show  off  their  wares  in  the 
lobby  in  San  Francisco,  but 
relatively  few  of  the  festival 
films  were  just  showing  off 
what  could  be  done  with 
After  Effects  and  a  lot  of  free 
time.  The  strongest  were  evidence  of  what  can 
be  achieved  when  filmmakers  take  advantage  of 
new  tools  without  making  a  fetish  of  the  tech- 
nology. 

"The  real  value  of  the  MiniDV  format  is  not 
just  the  quality  of  the  tape  but  that  the  cameras 
are  small  and  inconspicuous,"  says  Bennett 
Miller,  whose  popular  doc  follows  an  outcast 
genius  tour  guide  through  the  streets  of  New 
York.  "This  simplicity  also 
allows  for  more  intimacy.  All  of 
these  advantages  were  impor- 
tant while  shooting  The  Cruise 
and  reasons  why  I  believe  the 
MiniDV  format  will  help  revo- 
utionize  documentary  film- 
making." 
Smell  of  Horror,  Mitch  Butler's 
black-and-white  animated 
story  of  a  handyman's  run-in 
with  a  demented  hermit,  was 
the  best  short  without  being 
the  best-looking.  Cre-ated  with 
Lightwave  3D  and  PhotoShop, 
Smell  of  Horror  stood  out  from 
the  crowd  of  tricked-out  shorts,  a  few  of  which 
looked  like  promos  for  software  plug-ins.  "I've 
received  phone  calls  from  development  people 
and  producers  who  have  gone  to  the  show,"  says 
Butler.  "ResFest  is  a  great  place  to  get  your  work 
shown;  that's  the  function  it  serves  for  the  film- 
maker." 

Also  hilarious  was  Dave  Foss's  irreverent 
Homed  Gramma,  60  seconds  of  psychotic  ram- 
bling by  an  old  lady  with  a  horn  in  her  forehead. 
Created  on  a  laptop  with  consumer  video  soft- 
ware, it's  a  perfect  example  of  what  can  happen 
when  the  tools  that  sit  on  any  advertising 
agency's  hard  drive  are  employed  for  less  busi- 
nesslike purposes. 

"Our  roster  of  filmmakers  includes  anima- 
tors, traditional  filmmakers  who've  turned  to 
digital,  graphic  designers  who've  turned  their 
designs  to  motion,  and  fine  artists  who've  done 


0  @  $  1 

umtefi 


AfK 


€veriithirig     far 
Post     Production 

FULL  LABORATORY    $€RVIC€$ 

T€L€Cin€ 

€DIT0RIAL 

Past  Prod.  Supervisors 

Dailies  Suncing 

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of  Businesses  that  make  uaur 

Past  Production  nightmare  a 

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For  more  Information  call 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


iH 


Ann  Arbor 

FILM 

Festival 

MARCH   16-21 


1999 


Call 

for 

Entries 


16mm  independent  & 

experimental  films  of  all 

genre: 

documentary, 

animation,  narrative, 

experimental, 

personal  documentary 


FILM  ENTRY  DEADLINE 
FEBRUARY  1,  1999 


ENTRY  FEES 

per  film  entered: 

$32  US 

$37  Canadian  &  overseas 


AWARDS  JURORS 

Mike  Hoolboom  Canadian 
experimental  filmmaker 
/      Lynne  Sachs  experimental  & 
documentary  filmmaker 
Chel  White  Portland, 
OR-based  animator 


*m 


ENTRY  INFORMATION 

phone  734.995.5356    fax  734.995.5396 
vicki@honeyman.org  http://aafilmfest.org 

ANN  ARBOR  FILM  FESTIVAL 

PO  Box  8232 
Ann  Arbor,  Ml  48107  USA 


the  same,"  says  Wells.  "We  also  get  an  audience 
that  doesn't  attend  other  film  festivals,  includ- 
ing broadcast  designers,  creative  directors,  and 
new  media  producers." 

"One  of  the  huge  dangers  of  working  in  this 
medium  is  getting  trapped  up  trying  to  stay  cur- 
rent with  all  the  latest  digital  tricks,"  said 
Michael  Tucker  during  a  panel  on  "The  Future 
of  Filmmaking."  "It's  important  to  establish 
your  own  identity  through  what  you  do.  My 
advice  to  aspiring  filmmakers  is  not  to  spend 
time  and  money  on  film  school — I  have  a 
G.E.D. — but  to  buy  some  equipment  and  some 
plane  tickets."  The  Last  Cowboy,  Tucker's 
direct-to-DVD  film  about  a  forgotten  East  and 
an  elusive  West,  was  shot  on  MiniDV  in 
Germany,  Bosnia,  and  the  U.S.  and  is  billed  as 
an  "ambient  narrative/stream  of  conscious- 
ness." 

The  buzz  at  this  year's  ResFest  that  wasn't 
about  individual  films  involved  ways  of  har- 
nessing technology  to  get  around  the  current 
distribution  bottleneck.  While  Wavelength 
Releasing  is  beaming  The  Last  Broadcast  to  the- 
aters across  the  country  via  satellite,  there  are 
more  reasonable  means  of  self-distribution  at 
filmmakers'  disposal.  "There  has  been  talk 
about  using  DVD  or  some  variation  of  it  to 
replace  the  print  that  gets  sent  to  theaters," 
says  Wells.  In  fact,  the  audience  was  rather 
impressed  when  portions  of  The  Last  Cowboy 
were  projected  using  ResFest's  Digital 
Projection  system 

[www.digitalprojection.com],  which  uses  thou- 
sands of  micro-mirrors  to  project  individual 
pixels.  Already  a  common  part  of  production, 
perhaps  the  day  is  not  far  off  when  digital  imag- 
ing technology  changes  the  way  films  are  dis- 
tributed and  exhibited.  Until  then,  ResFest 
does  a  commendable  job  of  programming  pro- 
jects that  represent  both  the  DIY  spirit  of  inde- 
pendent filmmaking  and  the  technological 
innovations  that  make  new  things  possible. 

Ryan  Deussing  [ryan(a  thing.net]  is  a  filmmaker  and 
former  managing  editor  of The  Independent. 


Mexican  Overture 

by   Mary   Sutter 

While  Mexico 
used  to  be  the 
center  of  Latin 
American  film 
production,  the 
local  industry 
has  fallen  on 
hard  times. 

Production  has 
dropped  to  a  60- 
year  low,  with 
fewer  than  1 5 
features  in  pro- 
duction. As  even  established  filmmakers  have 
trouble  drumming  up  financing,  short  films  and 
videos  have  managed  to  keep  the  local  scene 
alive  and  are  virtually  the  only  form  of  truly 
independent  or  experimental  production. 

"If  there  were  more  money,  people  would 
make  features,"  acknowledges  Enrique  Ortiga, 
organizer  of  the  first  International  Shorts 
Festival  of  Mexico  City,  held  Oct.  1-7  [cor- 
tomex@dfl. telmex.net. mx|.  "But  the  short 
format  has  evolved  into  a  recognized  move- 
ment." The  fest  acknowledged  this  by  taking 
form  in  1994  as  a  showcase  of  Mexican  shorts 
from  the  years  1990-1994-  A  second  showcase 
for  1995-96  productions  was  held  two  years 
later.  Given  the  success  of  the  1998  festival, 
organizers  are  planning  to  go  annual.  This  year 
attendance  reached  9,500,  helped  by  the  fact 
that  regular  screenings  were  held  at  four  the- 
aters around  the  city  and  in  several  alternative 
spaces.  And  a  new  component  was  added  this 
year:  a  U.S. -Mexican  conference  on  shorts, 
which  organizers  hope  will  help  nudge  the 
event's  profile  and  industry  attendance  up  a 
few  notches  in  the  future. 

The  festival  was  open  to  any  Mexican  work 
made  at  home  or  abroad,  as  well  as  to  foreign- 


20    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


ers  dealing  with  Mexican  themes.  Twenty-five 
films  were  in  competition,  including  works  that 
have  already  been  internationally  recognized, 
such  as  Ariel  Gordon's  Adios  Mama  (Good-bye 
Mom) ,  Rene  Castillo  and  Antonio  Urrutia's  Sin 
Sosten  (No  Means  of  Support),  and  Carlos 
Salces'  En  el  Espejo  del  Cielo  (In  the  Mirror  of  the 
Sky),  winner  of  the  Mexican  Film  Institute 
prize.  A  total  of  53  videos  were  in  competition, 
with  works  in  animation,  fiction,  documentary, 
and  experimental.  The  two  video  prizes  went  to 
independent  videomaker  Carlos  Martinez 
Suarez  for  his  Casos  de  Violencia  Contra 
Comunidades  lndigenas  en  Chiapas  (Cases  of 
Violence  against  Indigenous  Communities  of 
Chiapas)  and  Alejandro  Cantu's  Pelicula  Perdida 
y  Encontrada  (Movie  Lost,  Movie  Pound). 

While  video  winner 
Martinez  Suarez  was  con- 
tacted by  a  potential  sales 
agent,  the  fest  lacks  the 
resources  to  promote  sales 
actively.  "To  date,  the  festi- 
val serves  to  promote  the 
short  format  and  to  provide 
a  forum  for  this  work,"  says 
Ortiga. 


That  may  change  if  the  four-day  interna- 
tional conference  grows.  On  hand  this  year 
were  festival  reps  Shannon  Kelley,  co-program- 
mer of  Los  Angeles'  Outfest  and  a  short-film 
consultant  for  Sundance;  Bryan  Poyser  from 
Cinematexas;  and  Flicker  Film  Festival  founder 
Norwood  Cheek.  A  total  of  17  Mexican  and 
American  professionals  participated  as  pan- 
elists. While  the  fest  itself  was  open  to  the  pub- 
lic, the  conference  was  geared  more  to  profes- 
sionals, and  Ortiga  plans  to  expand  it  next  year. 
"The  idea  is  that  at  future  festivals  we  will  dou- 
ble the  presence  of  foreigners,  especially  those 
in  acquisitions,"  he  says.  He  also  hopes  the 
interaction  among  filmmakers  may  set  the  stage 
for  future  collaborations. 

Mary  Sutter  is  a  freelance  journalist 
based  in  Mexico  City. 


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January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       21 


Sundance  on  Prime  Time 

The  cable  channel  adds  new  strands. 


A  by  Shelley 
G abert 
FTER  THREE  YEARS  OF  OPERATION, 
the  Sundance  Channel  seems 
finally  to  have  found  its  voice  and 
in  the  process  become  a  haven  for 
risk-taking  filmmakers  who  often 
don't  have  anywhere  else  to  go. 
In  recent  months,  the  Sun- 
dance Channel  has  spotlighted  a 
diverse  group  of  works  from  film- 
makers like  Cheryl  Dunye,  an 
African  American  lesbian  who  wrote  and 
directed  Watermelon  Woman,  a  pseudo-docu- 
mentary that  follows  her  search  for  an  African 
American  lesbian  actress  from  the  1930's. 
While  Dunye's  film  had  a  limited  arthouse 
release  prior  to  its  cablecast,  others,  like  Allison 
Burnett's  Red  Meat,  premiered  on  the  channel. 
A  brutal  treatment  of  the  sexual  relationships 
between  men  and  women,  the  controversial 
and  serious  film  lacks  a  star  and  ends  ambigu- 
ously, all  of  which  made  finding  a  distributor 
very  difficult.  Even  Cinque  Lee,  Spike's  broth- 
er, couldn't  get  a  break  distribution-wise  with 
his  directorial  debut.  Nowhere  Fast,  about  a 
group  of  aimless  New  Yorkers,  is  also  an  apt 
description  of  where  Lee's  film  was  going  until 
the  Sundance  Channel  stepped  in  and  gave  it 
an  audience  of  14  million  homes. 

'See  it  here  or  don't  see  it  at  all'  is  very 
much  the  spirit  of  the  Sundance  Channel,"  says 
Tom  Harbeck,  Executive  Vice  President  of 
Programming  and  Creative  Director.  "We  feel 
we  are  truly  delivering  on  the  promise  of  diver- 
sity and  variety  in  our  programming.  Our  phi- 
losophy is  that  a  good  film  isn't  about  having 
so-and-so  in  your  movie,  it's  about  having  a 
great  story  and  doing  it  well." 

Harbeck  along  with  Liz  Manne,  Senior  Vice 
President,  Programming  and  Creative 
Marketing,  are  part  of  a  new  leadership  team 
that  came  on  board  in  early  '98  and  are  respon- 
sible in  part  for  the  channel's  new  direction  in 
the  past  year.  Manne  came  to  Sundance 
Channel  from  Fine  Line,  where  she  headed  up 
marketing  for  eight  years,  and  Harbeck  brings 


Guinevere 
Turner  & 
Cheryl  Dunye 
in  Watermelon 
Woman,  a  les- 
bian feature 
that  stirred  up 
a  fuss  with 
conservatives 
but  was  aired 
without  cuts 
on  the 
Sundance 
Channel. 
Courtesy  First 
Run  Features 


his  experience  as  creative 
director  for  Nickelodeon. 
Robert  Redford  was  instrumental  in  putting 
the  team  together  in  hopes  that  they  could 
reinvigorate  the  channel  from  a  distribution 
and  marketing  standpoint,  as  well  as  a  pro- 
gramming one. 

"When  we  came  on  board,  the  Sundance 
Channel  was  somewhat  remote,"  says  Harbeck. 
"We  wanted  to  give  it  a  personality  and  a  point 


of  view  and  to  give  the 
films  some  type  of  over- 
all context.  To  do  that, 
we  began  to  look  for 
cutting-edge  films  and 
instead  of  running  them 
cold  we  now  surround 
them  with  interviews  or 
information  we've  dug 
up  about  the  filmmak- 
ers or  the  actors 
involved." 

In  November,  the 
channel  premiered  four 
new,  weekly  primetime 
slots  designed  to  show- 
case the  gamut  of  inde- 
pendent filmmaking. 
Fridays  at  9:00  p.m. 
brings  Something  New, 
which  features  the  TV, 


WHO  TO  CALL 


Larry  Greenberg  can  be  reached  at 
Larry.Greenberg@showtinte.net  or  by  fax  at 

(310)234-5396. 

The  Sundance  Channel  office  is  within  the 

Showtime  offices  at  10880  Wilshire  Blvd,  Ste  1600, 

LA.,  CA  90024. 


All  submissions  to  the  Sundance  Channel  should  be 
made  to  Larry  Greenberg  in  Los  Angeles.  Someone 
from  the  acquisitions  team  will  respond  individually 
to  all  feature  and  documentary  submissions, 
according  to  Liz  Manne,  but  not  shorts,  because  of 
the  "daunting"  volume.  "It  also  really  helps  if  the 
short  has  gotten  into  a  film  festival,"  she  says. 
"While  that  isn't  a  prerequisite  for  features,  there 
are  so  many  shorts  that  come  in,  some  culling 
helps."  She  urges  filmmakers  to  make  sure  all  of 
their  clearances  are  done  legally  and  to  have  a  digi- 
tal Beta  master.  While  Harbeck  didn't  want  to  dis- 
cuss how  much  the  Sundance  Channel  pays  per 
minute,  Burnett's  comment  was  "they  pay  okay." 


world,  or  U.S.  premiere  of  a  film.  This  program- 
ming block  includes  international  cinema, 
including  that  from  emerging  film  industries  in 
Iran,  Vietnam,  and  Latin  America.  "Something 
New  is  really  exciting  for  all  of  us,"  says 
Harbeck.  "It's  a  place  for  films  like  Red  Meat, 
which  may  have  generated  some  buzz  at  festi- 
vals but  was  never  released,  or  was  released  for 
a  short  time  but  didn't  receive  much  attention 
or  exposure." 

Saturday  Night  Special, 
airing  on  Saturdays  at 
9:00  p.m.,  is  a  place  for 
what  Manne  refers  to 
as  films  that  the 
Sundance  Channel 
team  loves  or  deem 
important  statements 
in  independent  film- 
making. "These  are 
films  that  are  old,  new, 
borrowed,  and  blue 
and  span  the  range 
from  American  classic 
to  foreign  film,"  she 
says.  "Or  [the  series] 
might  include  a  docu- 
mentary or  a  new 
American  film.  Films 
that  our  staff  may  have 
a  personal  passion  for." 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


The  weekly  destination  for  shorts  is  called 
Shorts  Stop  and  airs  on  Sundays  at  8:00  p.m. 
"We  already  show  more  shorts  than  any  other 
network  on  television,"  says  Harbeck.  "It's  part 
of  our  heritage  and  mission.  So  many  people 
don't  get  to  see  them  outside  of  film  festivals, 
and  we  want  to  give  them  a  home." 

Matter  of  Fact  on  Mondays  at  9:00  p.m.  fea- 
tures documentaries.  "I  have  a  deep  personal 
passion  for  documentaries,"  says  Manne,  who 
worked  on  Hoop  Dreams  while  at  Fine  Line. 

Manne  says  the  Sundance  Channel  will  he 
looking  for  completed  personal  films  or  docs. 
"We  are  still  a  start-up  channel  and  our  agenda 
doesn't  include  financing  nonfiction  films.  The 
cost  of  original  programming  is  still  beyond  our 
scope  right  now,"  says  Harbeck.  "But  the 
amount  of  money  we  have  for  acquisitions 
allows  us  to  pick  and  choose  from  the  1,000 
independent  feature  films  being  made  each 
year,  in  America  alone. 

The  Sundance  Channel  utilizes  an  acquisi- 
tion team  of  executives  from  Showtime 
Networks  Inc.,  one  of  the  venture  partners  in 
the  Sundance  Channel  along  with  Redford  and 
Polygram  Filmed  Entertainment.  In  addition  to 
Harbeck  and  Manne,  the  core  acquisitions 
team  is  made  up  of  Matthew  Duda,  Executive 
V.R,  Program  Acquisition  and  Planning  for 
Showtime  Networks  Inc.;  Gary  Garfinkel,  Vice 
President  of  Acquisitions;  Larry  Greenberg, 
Supervisor  of  Acquisitions  for  Showtime  and 
Sundance  Channel;  and  Michael  Horowitz, 
director  of  acquisitions  for  Showtime.  Geoff 
Gilmore,  Director  of  the  Sundance  Film 
Festival  and  Special  Events,  is  also  part  of  the 
team;  although  he  acts  in  the  capacity  of  pro- 
gramming consultant.  Says  Manne  of  the  team, 
"We  track  things,  we  attend  all  the  major  film 
festivals,  we  go  to  screenings,  we  view  our  sub- 
missions [see  box],  and  we  have  vigorous 
debates,  but  the  buck  falls  here  with  Tom 
[Harbeck]." 


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January/February  1999    THE     INDEPENDENT       23 


Relation  to  the  festival 

The  Sundance  Channel  shares  the  same  mis- 
sion as  the  Sundance  Film  Festival,  hut  the 
channel  operates  completely  independently  of 
it  and  the  Sundance  Institute. 

"If  we  see  a  film  at  Sundance  that  we  want, 
we  compete  like  everyone  else,"  says  Harbeck. 
"We  certainly  don't  limit  our  choices  to  only 
those  films  included  in  the  festival.  It's  not  fair 
to  say  to  a  filmmaker,  you  have  to  get  into  the 
festival  before  we'll  consider  your  film." 

In  fact,  many  of  the  films  running  on  the 
Sundance  Channel  were  rejected  by  the  festi- 
val. "The  festival  needs  a  consensus,  so  some- 
times movies  that  are  really  dark  or  controver- 
sial might  displease  or  horrify  certain  members 
of  the  festival,"  says  Burnett,  whose  Red  Meat 
was  rejected  by  the  festival.  "Whereas  In  the 
Company  of  Men  shows  a  beautiful  deaf  woman 
who  is  truly  the  victim  of  male  treachery, 
women  in  my.  film  are  active  participants  in 
their  own  abuse.  That  can  be  very  painful  to 
watch  and  very  offensive  to  many  women." 

Red  Meat  was  screened  at  the  Writers  Guild 


in  L.A.  in  September  1996,  resulting  in  several 
distributors  coming  forward.  "Their  offers  were 
totally  exploitative,  maybe  a  release  in  one  or 
two  cities.  And  we  heard  over  and  over,  'How 
do  we  market  it.'"'  says  Burnett.  "What  I  found 
out  is  that  it's  more  difficult  to  sell  a  good,  seri- 
ous, independent  film  than  it  is  to  create  one. 
In  fact  it's  brutal.  There's  so  much  luck  and  art 
involved  in  selling  it."  Fortunately,  Burnett  had 
some  luck.  Greenberg  was  in  the  audience  at 
the  WGA  screening  and  loved  the  film. 

"The  Sundance  Channel  is  much  more  will- 
ing to  take  risks,  and  it  doesn't  require  such  a 
widespread  consensus,"  says  Burnett.  "Liz 
Manne  is  absolutely  fearless  and  not  lily-liv- 
ered. She's  not  frightened  of  controversy  or 
taking  a  chance." 

The  channel  took  a  chance  with  at  least  one 
film  that  had  already  been  a  political  hot  pota- 
to in  the  halls  of  Congress.  After  winning  the 
Teddy  Award  at  the  Berlin  Film  Festival, 
Watermelon  Woman  was  mired  in  controversy 
sparked  by  an  article  in  the  conservative 
Washington  Times  about  the  film  and  its  $3 1,500 
grant  from  the  National  Endowment  for  the 
Arts.   Jesse    Helms   described   the   film    (sight 


unseen)  as  "flotsam  floating  in  the  sewer." 
During  hearings  over  NEA  appropriations, 
Michigan  Republican  Congressman  Peter 
Hoekstra  called  for  an  amendment  decreasing 
the  NEA's  budget  by  $31,500. 

Ultimately  First  Run  Features  did  a  limited 
theatrical  release  of  the  film  in  1997,  and  later 
made  the  deal  with  the  Sundance  Channel, 
which  aired  Watermelon  Woman  last  August  as 
part  of  a  "Representing  Soul"  festival  featuring 
the  works  of  13  African  Americans. 

The  channel  has  also  run  a  Chinese  Indie 
Film  Festival  and  in  general  makes  abundant 
use  of  programmatic  themes.  It  has  featured  a 
"Parker  Poses"  series  (films  with  indie  actress 
Parker  Posey);  a  line-up  of  dysfunctional  family 
films  on  Thanksgiving  Day;  gay-themed  films 
on  World  Aids  Day;  and  shorts  on  the  shortest 
day  of  the  year.  "The  themes,  trends,  and  pack- 
aging decisions  emerge  out  of  the  choosing,  not 
the  other  way  around,"  says  Manne. 

Interstitial  programming  has  also  become  a 
bigger  part  of  the  channel's  identity.  The  chan- 
nel has  produced  short  segments  on  "Actors 
Behind  the  Camera"  and  collaborated  with 
GLAAD  on  four  editorials  on  the  History  of 


24    THE    IND-ENDENT    January/February  1999 


Gay  Cinema  that  aired  during  Gay  Pride 
Month.  A  weekly  foray  into  current  indepen- 
dent film  news — what's  in  release,  what's  not, 
as  well  as  filmmaker  profiles — premiered  this 
fall,  produced  hy  Adam  Pincus. 

Subscriber  growth 

Fueling  these  programming  efforts  are  gains  the 
channel  has  made  in  cable  subscribers.  In  a  few 
short  years,  the  Sundance  Channel  has  almost 
caught  up  with  the  Independent  Film  Channel 
(IFC),  which  reaches  15  million  homes.  Among 
the  major  markets,  the  Sundance  Channel  is 
now  in  Los  Angeles,  Boston,  Marin  County 
(north  of  San  Francisco),  Houston,  and  New 
York.  Redford  was  instrumental  in  the  deal  with 
Time  Warner  Cable  in  Manhattan,  where  the 
Sundance  Channel  is  available  every  Sunday 
for  a  monthly  or  yearly  subscription. 

"Our  carriage  limitations  in  the  past — not 
being  on-air  in  New  York  and  L.A. — really 
affected  our  ability  to  expand  and  do  more," 
says  Harbeck.  "But  now  we've  got  those  mar- 
kets; we're  in  the  face  of  so  many  members  of 
the  creative  community,  and  we'll  continue  to 
expand  what  we  do." 

For  the  independent  world,  what  singles  out 
the  Sundance  Channel  is  its  support  for  films 
that  the  rest  of  the  movie  world  had  pro- 
nounced unmarketable.  "Independent  film  dis- 
tributors are  becoming  the  minor  league  of  the 
Hollywood  studio  system,  and  that's  unfortu- 
nate," says  Burnett.  "So  many  independent 
films  are  trendy,  lighthearted,  derivative,  and 
ingratiating  because  the  distributors  need  The 
Full  Monty  or  a  Brothers  McMidlen  to  make 
everyone  smile.  For  those  serious  and  truly 
artistic  filmmakers  aiming  to  have  a  profound 
effect,  they're  going  to  need  a  home — and  it's 
going  to  be  cable  venues  like  Sundance 
Channel  and  HBO,"  continues  Burnett,  whose 
screenplay  about  racism,  Bleeding  Hearts,  was 
turned  into  a  film  directed  by  Gregory  Hines 
that  premiered  on  Cinemax  this  fall.  "The 
Sundance  Channel  gave  clear  and  unambiva- 
lent  support  to  Red  Meat  all  the  way  through," 
he  says.  "The  executives  even  helped  me  find  a 
distributor  for  its  theatrical  release."  He  con- 
cludes, "The  Sundance  Channel  is  the  wave  of 
the  future." 

Cheryl  Dunye  concurs:  "As  an  independent 

filmmaker,  to  know  that  the  Sundance  Channel 

exists  makes  me  hopeful." 

Shelley  Gabert  is  a  freelance  writer  living  in  St.  Louis, 
who  wrote  about  cable  in  the  Dec.  '97  issue  on  HBO. 

Meet  Tom  Harbeck  and  Liz  Manne  at  AIVF's 
February  Meet  &  Greet!  See  @AIVF  (page  60)  for 
details. 


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January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


THE  FACTS  IN  BLACK  8c  WHITE 


by   Lynn   M .    Ermann 


hen  The  General  screened 

at  Cannes,  festival -goers  all  agreed:  great  movie,  distribution  sui- 
cide. John  Boorman  s  biographical  story  of  Martin  Cahill,  while  witty  and 
moving,  was  also  in  black  and  white.  This  was  a  risky  choice  even  for 
Boorman,  who  is  often  considered  the  greatest  living  British  director. 


There  is  still  an  overwhelming  bias  in  the  industry  against  black- 
and-white  films.  Yes,  there  has  recently  been  a  spate  of  highly  publi- 
cized success  stories:  Pi,  TwentyFourSeven,  The  Cruise,  Following, 
Celebrity.  And  The  General  was  eventually  picked  up  by  Sony  Classics. 
Yet  these  are  the  exceptions.  "There  is  a  feeling  that  black  and  white 
may  be  chic  again,  but  it  is  still  a  tough  sell,"  says  Charlotte  Mickie, 
vice  president  of  independent  films  and  acquisitions  at  Alliance 
Atlantis  Corporation  in  Toronto,  Canada.  There  are  countless  tales  of 
black-and-white  films  that  were  highly  lauded  on  the  festival  circuit, 
but  struggled  for  distribution.  Not  one  of  the  black-and-white  films  at 
the  1997  Independent  Feature  Film  Market  has  found  a  distributor. 

Fact  is,  the  average  filmmaker — not  Spielberg,  Woody,  or 
Boorman — needs  to  think  hard  before  shooting  in  black  and  white. 
"You  really  have  an  uphill  struggle,"  says  Boorman  (Deliverance,  Hope 
and  Glory),  who  adds  that  he  "won't  do  it  again  in  a  hurry."  Going  this 
route  involves  difficulties  at  all  stages,  not  just  distribution  but  also 
financing,  production,  and  postproduction. 

The  core  problem  is  audience  attitudes  (or  perceived  attitudes). 
The  industry  party-line  goes  like  this:  Until  studios  went  completely  to 
color  in  the  late  sixties,  audiences  were  used  to  seeing  their  movies  in 
black  and  white.  Now  audiences  don't  have  the  patience.  "Black  and 
white  is  still  seen  by  most  people  as  an  oddity,  "  says  George  Lentz, 
director  of  film  acquisitions  for  the  Independent  Film  Channel.  It  just 
doesn't  play  in  Peoria.  "Turn  on  the  TV  and  see  something  in  black  and 
white,  and  [the  average  viewer]  will  think  it  is  boring  and  difficult," 
says  Mickie.  The  medium  makes  an  audience  'work.'  It  has  become  a 
symbol  for  three  things:  artsy,  classic,  historical.  Pleasantville,  the 
Turneresque  story  of  a  fifties  TV-land  that  goes  to  color,  says  it  all: 
black  and  white  is  drab  and  dead,  color  is  beautiful  and  alive.  And  can 
anyone  forget  the  Federal  Hill  fiasco?  More  recently,  cynical  Gus  Van 
Sant  even  banked  on  the  public's  supposed  dislike  of  black-and-white 
movies.  His  (is  it  really  his?)  Psycho  is  a  shot-by-shot  exact  duplicate  of 


the  original,  only  in  color.  As  he  told  Movieline,  "Why  not  redo  in  color 
a  brilliant  successful  film  nobody's  seeing  because  it's  in  black  and 
white?" 

But  indie  films  don't  play  in  Peoria,  so  Joe  i  want  my  color  TV 
doesn't  count.  Not  exactly.  The  problem  is  that  video  and  television 
buyers,  for  the  most  part,  are  vehemently  resistant  to  black  and  white. 
The  only  television  opportunities  for  black-and-white  films  are  on 
channels  like  the  Independent  Film  Channel  or  the  Sundance 
Channel,  and  Arte  overseas.  All  of  these  pay  much  less  (perhaps 
$40,000  less)  than  the  biggies.  Plus  there  are  "fewer  and  fewer  [televi- 
sion programs]  around"  that  deal  with  black  and  white,  according  to 
Mickie.  (An  odd  historical  note:  According  to  David  A.  Cook's  A 
History  of  Narrative  Film,  television  led  to  the  decline  in  color  film  pro- 
duction between  1955  and  1958  due  to  the  fact  that  television  was  in 
black  and  white,  and  studios  were  targeting  that  market.) 

Video  is  an  even  tougher  sell.  It  is  "really  a  mass  market"  medium, 
according  to  Amy  Sprecher,  vice  president  of  acquisitions  and  produc- 
tion at  Polygram  Video,  which  handles  more  'esoteric'  titles  like  Fargo 
or  The  Usual  Suspects.  Smaller  video  companies  like  New  Video  and 
Fox  Lorber  handle  some  black-and-white  titles.  Television  buyers  here 
and  overseas  tend  to  share  this  attitude.  Foreign  output  deals  often 
exclude  black-and-white  films,  according  to  Michael  Stremel,  New 
York  director  of  productions  at  Fox  Searchlight  Pictures.  (This  means 
that  companies  will  buy  all  of  Searchlight's  films  only  if  they  don't 
include  any  black-and-white  pics.) 

Without  an  ancilliary  market  safety  net  in  place,  most  distributors 
don't  want  to  take  a  chance.  Another  deterrent  is  the  high  price  of 
making  black-and-white  prints  for  theatrical  releases.  Black-and-white 
film  is  thinner,  so  the  prints  wear  out  more  quickly  (which  was  appar- 
ently a  major  problem  when  Schindler's  List  was  in  the  theaters).  For 
the  most  part,  "the  only  companies  open  to  embracing  black-and- 
white  films  are  the  little  ones,"  says  Artisan  executive  vice  president 


26     THE    INDEPENDENT     January /February  1999 


John  Hegeman.  Artisan  picked  up  two  black-and-white  films  last  year: 
Pi  and  The  Cruise.  Many  small  indie -friendly  distributors  face  a  Catch 
22:  they  want  to  pick  up  black-and-white  films,  but 
they  also  need  to  stay  in  business  and  "don't  have 
the  power  to  get  [the  film]  out  there,"  according  to 
Megan  O'Neil,  vice  president  of  Forefront  Films. 

To  insure  the  success  of  the  film,  a  company  must 
be  able  to  launch  a  significant  marketing  campaign, 
which  is  costly.  Filmmaker  Darren  Aronofsky  came 
up  with  a  cheap,  guerrilla-style  publicity  campaign 
using  spray  paint  and  the  universal  71  symbol.  It  was 
an  approach  Artisan  subsequently  exploited,  turn- 
ing Pi  into  a  "destination  movie"  that  hipsters  want- 
ed to  be  seen  seeing,  according  to  John  Pierson,  who  h^hh 
once  helped  get  the  black-and-white  She's  Gotta 
Have  It  and  Stranger  than  Paradise  out  of  the  station.  O'Neil  says  that 
"a  black-and-white  film  has  to  be  really  special  for  us  to  pick  it  up." 
They  were  lucky;  Pi  has  done  phenomenally  in  the  theaters,  grossing 
over  $3  million  in  15  weeks. 


GETTING  FINANCING  FOR  A  BLACK-AND-WHITE  FILM  IS  AN  EVEN  TOUGHER 
prospect.  Mark  Tusk,  senior  vice  president  of  productions  at  New  Line 
says,  "No  one  in  their  right  mind  working  in  this  industry  would  back 
a  black-and-white  film."  The  seasoned  Boorman  did  his  own  financing: 


Black-and-white 

makes  an  audience 

"work/  It  has  become 

a  symbol  (or  three 

things:  artsy,  classic, 

historical. 


"If  [The  General]  had  been  for  a  studio,  they  probably  wouldn't  have 
let  me  do  the  film,"  he  explains.  Paul  Griffin,  director  of  the  much 
acclaimed  (but  still  floating)  LaMastas,  lost  his  first 
backer  who  said  he  wouldn't  give  him  the  $500,000 
if  they  shot  in  black  and  white.  Griffin  declined  the 
offer  and  took  another  year  to  get  the  funds.  The 
Good  Machine  execs  couldn't  recall  one  black-and- 
white  film  that  they  had  ever  produced. 

The  same  indie  business  that  nurtured  so  many 
up-and-coming  filmmakers  is  also  getting  mighty 
cutthroat.  Back  in  1992,  producer  Steve  Hegyes 
sold  a  black-and-white  film  to  German  television, 
but  says  they  definitely  wouldn't  buy  it  today. 
^^m  Nowadays,  a  good  (but  not  spectacular)  black-and- 

white  comedy  will  be  knocked  out  of  the  running  by 
a  color  one  at  the  same  level.  A  case  in  point  is  Hegyes'  Live  Bait,  a 
comedy  that  won  the  Toronto  City  Award  but  couldn't  find  a  distribu- 
tor. "One  distributor  said  to  me  that  if  it  had  been  in  color,  he  would 
buy  it  on  the  spot"  and  that  black  and  white  was  for  experimental  films 
or  dramas.  For  Black  and  White  and  Red  All  Over,  the  fact  that  it  was 
shot  in  black  and  white  (mixed  with  some  color)  may  have  been  the 
final  strike  against  the  film.  "We  also  had  black  people  in  the  film,  and 
none  of  them  were  lead  actors,"  explains  DeMaine  Davis  and  Khari 
Streeter,  cowriters  and  directors.  While  you  never  know  for  sure  why  a 
film  has  been  rejected,  being  in  black  and  white  doesn't  help. 


immigrant  life  in  New 
thematically  &  stylisti 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


took  a  really  long  time."  Since  there's  competition  for  limited 
resources,  development  can  take  a  week  or  more.  "Everything  is 
geared  towards  color,"  says  Boorman.  The  only  way  to  cut  costs 
is  to  shoot  on  16mm,  which  means  that  you  will  be  paying  later 
to  blow  it  up  to  35mm. 

Shooting  in  black  and  white  is  also  a  sizable  technical  chal- 
enge.    "It   is    more    complex 

and  time  consuming,"  accord-  m^^^^^^^m 

ing  to  Boorman.  "It  is  also 
something  of  a  lost  art."  How 
many  cameramen  out  there 
are  proficient  in  black-and- 
white  cinematography?  Does 
anyone  know  the  tricks  of  the 


The  development 
process,  which 
involves  spraying 
rather  than  soak- 
ing the  negatives, 
allows  for  greater 
control.  You  can  fix 
a  lot  of  mistakes. 


In  fact,  black  and  white  isn't  even  cheap  these  days.  Remember 
when  it  used  to  be  the  starving  students'  medium?  Now  due  to  the 
shrinking  market  in  black-and-white  films,  only  two  major  labs — 
DuArt  in  New  York  City  and  Alpha  Cine  in  Seattle — have  the  right 
equipment  to  deal  with  black-and-white  film.  (Technicolor  in  New 
York  Cits'  is  now  starting  to  develop  black-and-white  film  as  well.) 
While  the  stock  is  still  cheaper  and  black-and-white  development  is 
about  the  same  price  as  color  (14  cents  per  foot),  there  are  hidden 
costs.  "There  are  more  answer  prints  to  get  it  right,"  says  Griffin.  "It 


trade  anymore?  Boorman  had  to 
turn    to    cameraman    Seamus 
Deasy  who  "was  old  enough  to 
have  shot  a  lot  of  black-and- 
white  before  color  came  along, 
and  he  began  to  dust  off  his  old 
technique."  In  black-and-white 
the  background  and  foreground 
can   blend    together.    "In   color 
you  can  create  depth  with  the 
colors;  a  guy  is  in  a  green  shirt 
standing  in  front  of  a  gray  wall; 
in  black  and  white  this  blends  together," 
says  Elia  Lyssy,  DP  on  LaMastas.  "You 
have  to  separate  the  planes  and  use  lots 
of  shots  with  backlighting,"  according 
to   Boorman.    Exposure    is    also   key, 
according   to    Kent    McGrew,    a   color 
timer  at  DuArt  Film  &  Video  who  is 
known  for  his  proficiency  with  black- 
and-white  stock.  "If  it  is  underexposed 
by    one    stop,    it    falls    apart,"    says 
McGrew. 

With  all  these  obstacles,  there  is  still  a 
great  reason  to  shoot  in  black  and 
white:  the  story  can't  be  told  any  other 
way.  "[The  General]  was  about  very 
recent  events,  about  people  who  are  still  alive,"  explains  Boorman.  "I 
wanted  to  make  it  a  distancing  effect,  to  take  it  away  from  the  imme- 
diate reality,  and  that  is  what  black  and  white  suggests."  Furthermore 
it  adds  a  "mythic  dimension"  to  the  film  and  to  Cahill  himself. 
Likewise,  it  is  hard  to  imagine  the  black-and-white  film  La  Ciudad,  an 
earnest  and  touching  portrayal  of  Latin  American  immigrant  life,  any 
other  way.  It  is  "simply  a  part  of  the  fabric  of  the  film,"  says  director 
David  Riker.  It  works  well  with  the  Neorealist  style  and  message  of  this 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT    January  February  1999 


ITVS -funded  film.  In  The  Cruise,  black  and 
white  gives  New  York  City  a  stunning  grandeur 
like  that  described  by  the  tour  guide  in  the  film. 

"The  subject  asks  you  to  see  things  through  different  eyes,"  says  direc- 
tor Bennett  Miller.  "Black  and  white  does  the  same  thing."  Pi  too  cre- 
ates a  new  language  with  black  and  white:  a  fast-cutting,  almost  MTV 
style  that  we  don't  usually  see  with  this  medium.  It  too  needs  to  be  in 
black  and  white. 

There  are  advantages  to  using  black-and-white  film  as  well. 
"Shooting  in  black  and  white  gives  you  some  easy  beauty  for  your  dol- 
lar," says  Eric  Tretbar,  producer  and  director  of  Snow,  a  black-and- 
white  film  that  played  at  the  Toronto  Film  Festival.  It  reduces  the  cost 
of  production  design  because  you  can  "shoot  on  location  without  con- 
trolling all  of  the  elements  of  the  background,"  agrees  Riker.  With  a 
film  that  portrays  bleak  poverty,  it  can  also  give  a  kind  of  grandeur  to 
surroundings  that  would  look  just  plain  seedy  in  color.  "If  you're  deal- 
ing with  the  kind  of  floral  wallpaper  [in  the  Irish  slum  in  The  General] 
and  things  that  these  people  like,  it's  ghastly  in  color,"  says  Boorman. 
Plus  you  have  some  advantages  with  black  and  white  on  the  develop- 
ment end.  The  process,  which  involves  spraying  rather  than  soaking 
the  negatives,  allows  for  greater  control.  You  can  fix  a  lot  of  mistakes. 

The  trick  is  to  start  seeing  in  black  and  white.  Riker  suggests  taking 
black-and-white  Polaroids  of  the  scenes  in  advance  to  get  a  feel  for  the 
medium.  Or  you  can  watch  your  TV  in  black  and  white  like  Griffin,  so 
you  can  see  how  colors  translate  on  the  screen. 

Another  alternative  is  to  shoot  half  black-and-white  and  half  color, 
which  opens  up  the  film  a  bit  more  for  distribution.  Many  filmmakers 
are  now  playing  with  draining  the  color  out  of  color  film,  so  it  has  a 


muted  effect  like  in  Saving  Private  Ryan  or  Lars 
von  Trier's  The  Kingdom.  Printing  color  onto 
black-and-white  stock  is  another  route  and  is 
also  complex.  Boorman  actually  shot  The  General  this  way.  (He  had  no 
intention  of  staying  with  color.)  In  the  Company  of  Men  was  shot  the 
same  way  with  the  same  intention — LaBute  was  going  to  print  on 
black  and  white.  The  film  was  submitted  to  Sundance  in  black  and 
white,  but  shown  at  the  festival  in  color.  In  the  interlude,  LaBute  and 
his  producer  agonized  over  the  decision.  Ultimately  they  decided  to  go 
with  color  because  "it  is  easier  to  distribute  and  a  little  more  accessible 
to  audiences,"  says  In  the  Company  of  Men  producer  Stephen  Pevner. 
Fortunately  for  them,  the  film,  even  though  it  was  lit  for  black-and- 
white,  looks  fine  in  color. 

"If  you  make  a  film  worth  something,  eventually  it  finds  a  place," 
says  John  Cooper,  associate  director  of  programming  at  Sundance.  The 
Independent  Film  Channel's  Lentz,  for  example,  recently  picked  up  a 
film  that  he  saw  at  the  festival,  "one  of  those  small  character  studies 
that  falls  through  the  cracks,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  in  black  and 
white  didn't  help  distributors."  Mr.  Vincent  premiered  on  IFC  in 
December.  Black  and  White  and  Red  All  Over  also  found  a  home  recent- 
ly: it  was  picked  up  by  Spectrum  Video  and  is  sold  at  Blockbusters 
everywhere  and  will  screen  on  the  BET  Movie  channel.  "I  would  do  it 
again  [in  black  and  white]  if  I  had  to,"  says  Davis. 

Lynn  Ermann  is  a  freelance  writer  in  New  York  City.  She  Iws  written  for  the 
Washington  Post,  the  Wall  Street  Journal,  and  the  New  York  Daily  News, 

among  other  publications. 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


ithout  a  doubt,  1998  was  a  breakthrough  year  for  digital  filmmaking.  Makers  took 
notice  as  digital  video  (DV)  projects  such  as  Thomas  Vinterberg's  The  Celebration 
and  Bennett  Miller's  documentary  The  Cruise  secured  theatrical  releases  from 
major  distributors  (October  Films  and  Artisan  Entertainment  respectively). 
Miramax  released  Michael  Moore's  The  Big  One,  which  included  DV  footage. 


Zeitgeist  unveiled  Ulrike  Koch's  powerful  DV  documentary,  The 
Saltmen  of  Tibet.  Stefan  Avalos  and  Lance  Weiler's  feature  The  Last 
Broadcast  and  Tommy  Pallotta  and  Bob  Sahiston's  short  Roadhead 
broke  through  via  less  mainstream  outlets  (both  were  showcased  on 
the  popular  ResFest  tour,  and  The  Last  Broadcast  was  released  in  art- 
houses  by  satellite  delivery  to  digital  projectors).  Paul  Wagner's  dra- 
matic feature  Windhorse,  shot  surreptitiously  in  Tibet  with  a  palm-sized 
DV  camera,  screened  at  the  Florida,  Toronto  and  Hawaii  film  festivals 
in  1998. 

These  works  are  no  longer  an  anomaly.  The  level  of  interest  in 
DV  among  filmmakers  of  all  stripes  is  picking  up  speed,  as  was 
clearly  evident  during  a  panel  on  the  subject  during  last 
fall's  Independent  Feature  Film  Market  in  New  York 
About  one  third  of  the  audience  raised  its  hand  when 
asked  how  many  had  used  digital  video.  And  this  audi- 
ence had  very  specific  and  detailed  questions — about 
aspect  ratios,  in-camera  effects,  the  pros  and  cons  of 
various   manufacturers'   cameras,   and   post   require- 
ments. Clearly,  many  were  already  knee -deep  into 
it.  If  1998  seemed  a  boom  year  for  DV,  it's  safe  to 
say  we  ain't  seen  nothing  yet. 

Two  of  the  people  in  that  room  fielding  questions 
were  panelist  Todd  Verow,  an  underground  filmmak- 
er who  has  made  three  digital  features  in  less  than  18 
months,  and  editor  Steve  Hamilton,  a  longtime  col- 
laborator with  Hal  Hartley.  For  his  most  recent  pro- 
ject, the  hour-long  The  Book  of  Life,  Hartley  opted  to 
shoot  on  digital  video.  Both  Verow  and  Hamilton 
offered  no-nonsense  explanations  of  the  digital  film- 
making process  at  IFFM  and  subsequently  agreed  to 
talk  with  The  Independent  about  their  experiences. 


H 


"^*. 


Ial  Hartley  caught  the  eye  of 

THE  indie  world  following  the 
debut   of  his   feature   film 
The  Unbelieveable  Truth  in 
1989,   and  he   has  influ- 
enced   countless    makers 
over  the  past  decade  with 

such  acclaimed  features  as  Trust,  Simple  Men,  Flirt,  and 
Henry  Fool.  A  true  member  of  the  vanguard  within  the 
nineties  alternative  film  scene,  he  is  now  poised  to 
have  an  impact  on  a  new  generation  of  filmmakers 

30    THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


with  The  Book  of  Life,  a  stylized  take  on  the  year  2000  and  the  end  of 
the  world.  The  Book  of  Life  came  about  after  an  invitation  from  French 
television  channel  La  Sept/Arte.  Hartley  was  the  American  selected  to 
participate  in  their  series  on  the  upcoming  Millennium,  dubbed  "2000 
Seen  by  .  .  ."  Filmmakers  from  various  countries  were  asked  to  create 
something  set  on  the  last  day  of  the  Millennium — New  Year's  Eve 
2000.  Since  Hartley  had  already  been  working  on  a  play  about 
Christian  Millennialists,  the  coincidence  was  perfect.  Hartley  was  pre- 
sented with  a  modest  budget  and,  given  what  he  wanted  to  do, 
decided  the  only  way  to  go  was  with  digital  video.  (It  took 
some  persuading  to  convince  Arte,  which  preferred 
film.) 

"Aesthetics  and  economics  have  a  lot  to  do  with 
each  other,  and  I  see  no  need  for  that  to  be  a 
drag,"    Hartley    explained    in    an    interview 
accompanying  press  materials  for  The  Book  of 
Life.   "It   is   hard   to   make 
work  that  is  not  com- 
fortable     within 
the    realms    of 
acceptable 
behavior 
unless      you 
make    it    for 
almost  no 

money.      Okay, 
I'm  not  going  to 
roll  over  and  die. 
I'm  going  to  figure 
out    how    to    make 
work    that    interests 
me — in    a   way   that 
interests      me — for 
small    amounts    of 
cash.     I     actually 
experiment. 
Trying     to     find 
what   it   is   this 
new      medium 
does  well   and 
how        those 
things  that  it 
does       well 
cause  me  to 


change   my  habits 
of  working." 

Longtime 
Hartley  actor 

Martin  Donovan 
and  acclaimed 
rocker  RJ.  Harvey 
star  as  Jesus  and  Magdalena  in  a 
rough  interpretation  of  the  Book  of 
Revelation  set  on  the  eve  of  the 
turn  of  the  century  in  New  York 
City.  After  Jesus  and  Magdalena 
arrive  in  the  city,  they  encounter 
the  Devil  himself  and  Jesus  struggles 
with  his  own  prophesied  responsibil- 
ities as  the  end  of  the  world 
approaches.  Employing  a  driving 
electronic  soundtrack  that  is  pep- 
pered with  music  by  RJ.  Harvey, 
David   Byrne,   and  Yo   La   Tengo, 

Hartley  tweaked  the  shutter  speed  on  his  Sony  DVX-1000  to  create 
boldly  colorful  streaking  images  that  provide  dreamlike  shots  and 
underscore  the  project's  would-be  prophetic  subject  matter.  As  New 
York  Times  critic  Stephen  Holden  wrote,  "Shot  on  digital  video,  blown 
up  to  35mm  film,  pastel-hued  and  filled  with  feathery  digital  afterim- 
ages, the  movie  has  a  floating,  ethereal  look  that  oddly  matches  its 
lofty  subject." 

One  stylistic  trait  that  DV  enables  is  a  wider  variety  of  color  tem- 
peratures within  a  shot.  "In  most  films  there's  a  tremendous  amount  of 
energy  spent  on  creating  lighting  continuity,"  says  Hamilton,  "with  gels 
and  florescents  used  to  carefully  control  the  color  temperatures.  "Here 
[in  The  Book  of  Life],  the  tendency  is  to  let  color  temps  do  what  they 
do.  There  might  be  three  different  temperatures  from  different  light 
sources  in  a  single  room." 

That's  a  difficult  feat  on  film,  because  the  effect  can't  be  seen  until 
dailies  are  processed.  While  some  film  directors  take  the  risk  (like  the 
ever- adventurous  Wong  Kar-Wai),  "color  continuity  is  the  safe  way  to 
go,"  says  Hamilton.  But  DV  provides  a  safety  net.  "You  can  monitor  it 
in  real  time;  you  can  see  it.  In  film,  you're  never  quite  sure  how  it's 
going  to  match  up.  DV  allows  you  more  freedom;  you  can  be  more 
experimental,  because  you  can  see  if  you're  fucking  up." 

In  addition  to  such  stylistic  flourishes,  DV  also  enabled  Hartley  to 
adopt  a  shooting  style  that  he  had  long  been  dreaming  about,  one  that 
enabled  him  to  pare  down  his  crew  to  a  bare  minimum.  On  his  35mm 
features,  Hartley  used  "easily  30  to  40  people,"  according  to  Hamilton. 
With  The  Book  of  Life,  there  were  only  seven  or  eight,  sometimes  less, 
and  no  lock-ups  on  location.  "Hal  and  I  had  spoken  about  it  for  years," 
says  Hamilton,  and  they  eyed  the  work  of  director  Jon  Jost  as  a  model. 
"We've  always  really  strived  for  self-dependence  and  empowerment," 
he  says.  A  small  crew  "allows  you  to  be  more  flexible,  with  a  longer 
rehearsal  period.  It  lends  itself  to  a  more  cohesive  and  focused  art." 


D 


V'S  LOW  COST,  COMPACT  SIZE,  AND  THE  FLEXIBILITY  AND  MOBILITY 
this  allows  are  also  factors  that  led  Todd  Verow  to  enthusiastically 
embrace  digital  video.  Cinematographer  on  Jon  Moritsugu's  Terminal 
USA  and  Mod  Fuck  Explosion,  Verow  debuted  as  a  feature  director  with 
Frisk,  which  he  shot  on  film  and  which  screened  in  Sundance,  Berlin, 


and  Toronto.  Verow  and  producing/writing  partner  Jim  Dwyer 
launched  their  Boston-based  Bangor  Films  in  1997  with  their  first 
video  feature,  Little  Shots  of  Happiness.  Shot  on  Hi-8  and  bumped  to 
16mm  for  a  screening  in  the  Forum  section  at  the  Berlin  Film  Festival, 
Little  Shots  was  the  first  in  Verow's  "Addiction  Trilogy."  Part  two  is 
Shucking  the  Curve,  which  previewed  at  the  New  York  Underground 
Film  Festival,  and  part  three,  The  Truth  about  Perpetual  Deja  Vu, 
wrapped  late  last  summer  in  Cape  Cod.  Also  recently  wrapped  is  the 
'80s  teen  feature,  A  Sudden  Loss  of  Gravity,  set  in  Verow's  hometowns 
of  Bangor  and  Brewer,  Maine.  He  has  a  number  of  other  digital  projects 
up  his  sleeve  (he  hopes  to  finish  10  by  the  year  2000). 

"I  started  out  with  the  idea  of  shooting  a  feature  project  in  video  as 
a  way  of  working  with  the  actors  more  intimately,"  Verow  explains.  By 
working  without  a  crew,  "[I  was]  able  to  do  a  lot  of  improvisation  and 
work  in  real  locations."  Verow's  crew  is  even  smaller  than  Hartley's;  he 
is  usually  on  set  with  just  Jim  Dwyer  and  editor  Jared  Dubrino. 

Striving  for  fictional  narratives  that  "feel  real,"  Verow  uses  video  to 
"document"  the  actors'  characters.  "Video  speaks  to  us  in  the  image 
and  style  of  the  evening  news  and  the  soap  opera,"  he  explains  in  "A 
Statement  on  Digital  Video  and  Indie-Wood,"  published  on  his  com- 
prehensive website  [www.bangorfilms.com].  "As  Americans  raised  in  a 
totally  televised,  up-to-the  minute,  live  global  history,  video  is  the  syn- 
thesis of  reality.  When  we  see  video,  we  see  'truth'  in  a  way  that  film 
once  conveyed  as  newsreels." 

What's  more,  "Because  it's  just  me  and  the  actors,"  Verow  tells  The 
Independent,  "[bystanders]  don't  think  we're  making  a  movie,  so  they 
don't  look  at  the  camera;  they  just  think  I  am  a  tourist.  That  is  a  real- 
ly great  advantage  with  shooting  on  video." 

Generally  shooting  in  sequence,  Verow  often  uses  only  available 
light  and  handheld  camera.  Without  the  crew  and  time-outs  for  light- 
ing, "It  is  easier  to  get  more  intimate  with  the  characters  and  to  feel 
like  you're  really  there  with  them,"  he  says.  "The  camera  becomes  sort 
of  another  character  because  of  the  way  I  shoot  it."  These  shifts  are  a 
major  departure  for  Verow,  who  previously  handled  lighting  duties  on 
Gregg  Araki's  Totally  Fucked  Up.  Like  Hartley,  Verow  clearly  experi- 
ments with  color  temps — sometimes  to  indicate  the  altered  states  of 
his  actors.  By  changing  the  frame  rate  and  "pushing  the  gate,"  Verow 
manipulated  the  look  and  affected  the  lighting  in  Deja  Vu. 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


For  sound, 
V  e  r  o  w 
keeps  it 
equally  sim- 
ple and 
pared 
down.  He 
simply  uses 
a  shotgun 
m  i  c 
attached  to 
the    top   of 

his  camera.  While  admitting  that  he  has  considered  getting  a  sound 
person,  Verow  ultimately  felt  that  it  was  "better  for  me  to  have  the 
freedom  to  move  around.  A  lot  of  the  times  when  I  am  shooting,  I 
don't  know  where  I  am  going  to  end  up,  because  I  am  involved  with 
the  scene.  So  I  decided  it  would  be  cumbersome  to  have  a  sound  per- 
son there.  [The  sound]  is  not  as  good  as  it  could  be  with  someone 
booming,  but  that  is  a  compromise  I  am  willing  to  make  to  have  the 
freedom. 

"I  think  it's  great  that  people  are  going  to  be  able  to  make  movies 
now  that  weren't  able  to  before,"  Verow  states.  "They  can  get  a  really 
cheap  camera  and  edit  it  on  their  computer.  They  don't  have  to  rely  on 
anyone  else  to  do  it." 


Like  most  DV  converts,  Hamilton  is  optimistic  when  imagining 

the  potential  for  work  shot  digitally.  "I  just  wouldn't  be  surprised  if  film 
began  to  propagate  in  the  ways  that  techno  music  has,"  he  says.  "I 
would  hope  that  what  it  does  is  inspire  people  to  not  be  so  theatrical 
feature  release  focused.  If  the  proper  distribution  channels  support 
this,  then  we've  got  a  new  revolution  in  independent  filmmaking." 
(On  that  note,  Hamilton  thinks  the  The  Book  of  Life  screens  best  on  a 
25"  monitor.  Although  he's  happy  with  the  35mm  blow-up  shown  at 
the  New  York  Film  Festival,  "it  was  designed  to  be  seen  on  TV.  I  think 
the  best  screening  was  the  one  for  the  actors,  when  everyone  was 
crammed  into  my  studio  watching  it  on  monitors.")  Hamilton  suggests 
that  filmmakers  try  to  see  DV  as  a  new  medium,  with  its  own  proper- 
ties. "Hal  was  trying  to  explore  that  new  medium;  this  mini-DV  medi- 
um has  a  different  texture  to  it,  so  a  different  sensibility  is  in  order." 

Verow  concurs.  "You  just  have  to  think  of  it  as  a  different  medium. 
You  can't  mix  your  oils  and  acrylics,  because  it  is  going  to  fall  apart." 
He,  too,  cautions,  "A  lot  of  people  just  see  it  as  a  cheap,  easy  way  to 
get  their  movie  done,  but  really  they  want  their  project  to  be  in  film. 
They  talk  about  things  like  doing  a  'film  look'  in  the  computer.  But  if 
you  really  want  your  film  to  be  on  film,  you  are  never  going  to  be  sat- 
isfied [with  DV],  so  just  wait  and  try  to  get  enough  money  to  make  it 
on  film."  Perhaps  best  summing  up  the  way  in  which  digital  production 
has  inspired  some  makers,  Hamilton  says.  "[It  is]  enabling  me  to  recon- 
nect with  the  avant  garde  or  the  alternative — having  always  eschewed 
the  term  'independent.'  To  me,  it's  a  road  back  into  what  feels  new  and 
exciting  and  revolutionary." 

Eugene  Hernandez  is  co-founder  &  editor  m  chief  of  indieWIRE,  as  well  as  a  staffer 
at  AWE  where  he  is  coordinating  the  organization's  new  Internet  site  [www.aivf.org]. 

See  The  Book  of  Life  and  partake  in  a  discussion  with  its  key  creative  team  as 
part  of  AIVFs  new  events  series:  Up  Close:  Conversations  with  Filmmakers. 
See  @  AIVF  (page  60)  for  details. 


While  producing  The  Book  of  Life,  producer  Matt  Myers  created  a  pro- 
duction diary  subtitled  How  to  Make  a  Digital  Video  Feature.  Intended  as 
an  internal  document  to  help  them  keep  the  process  straight,  the  diary 
can  serve  as  a  convenient  user's  guide  for  others  embarking  on  this  new 
set  of  procedures. 

Shooting  on  location  in  New  York  City  with  a  Sony  DVX-1000  handy- 
cam,  Hartley  maintained  a  small  seven-person  crew:  Jim  Denault  (DP), 
Clayton  Allis  (gaffer),  Jeff  Pullman  (sound),  Rich  Greenberg  (1st  AD), 
Pete  Thorell  (Key  PA),  Monica  Willis  (costumes),  and  Judy  Chin  (make- 
up/hair). 

Hartley  and  Denault  utilized  a  Sachtler  fluid-head  tripod  and  a  $100 
Cokin  camera  filter  package  along  with  no  more  grip  and  electrical 
equipment  than  would  fit  into  a  single  canvas  pushcart.  Sound  was 
recorded  on  DAT,  and  Pullman  employed  a  Denecke  time-code  generator 
plugged  directly  into  the  camera. 

Dailies  were  created  by  transferring  the  30  minute  Sony  Mini-DV  cam 
cassettes  to  both  Dl  and  3/4"  tapes.  The  offline  edit  was  done  on  an 
Avid  Media  Composer  after  time-code  issues  were  addressed.  The  online 
involved  both  an  auto-conform  assembly  edit  at  DuArt  with  the  Edit  Box 
system  and  color  correction  with  a  DaVinci  board  at  the  digital  tape-to- 
tape  phase.  This  is  a  more  cost  effective  option  than  color  correction 
during  the  transfer  to  film  or  at  the  answer  print  phase. 

Sound  was  edited  and  mixed  from  the  DAT  masters.  The  optical 
negative  was  shot  with  DATs  running  at  video  speed  to  accommodate 
the  transfer  to  film  at  the  Sony  High  Def  Center  in  Los  Angeles.  The 
nine-day  Sony  process  began  with  the  up-conversion  to  High  Definition, 
followed  by  a  conversion  from  30  fps  to  24  fps  for  film.  According  to 
the  production  diary,  by  using  a  proprietary  algorithm,  Sony's  system 
accomplishes  this  "by  mixing  and  throwing  away  fields  over  a  series  of 
frames"  as  opposed  to  the  traditional  method  of  simply  removing  20% 
of  the  frames  for  the  shift  to  film.  This  results  in  a  noticable  difference 
in  picture  quality.  (Bennett  Miller  used  the  Sony  process  for  coverting 
The  Cruise  to  film.) 

Since  the  Sony  DVX-1000  camera  does  not  have  a  switch  for  the 
16:9  aspect  ration,  cinematographer  Jim  Denault  made  a  frame  for  the 
viewfinder  to  compose  shots  appropriately,  although  this  still  resulted 
in  losing  significant  vertical  resolution  in  the  tape-to-film  transfer. 

According  to  The  Book  of  Life  diary,  the  initial  transfer  to  high  defin- 
ition video  at  Sony  cost  $500/hour,  while  the  tape-to-film  transfer  was 
about  $6  per  foot  (nearly  $35,000  for  a  63  minute  movie  like  The  Book 
of  Life ).  A  one-light  color  print  made  at  a  lab  in  LA.  cost  $6,292.  Total 
price  for  the  digital  video-to-film  transfer:  $40,612. 

—  E.H. 


32    THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  IS 


URINC      THE      PA  S  T      1 

MEDIAMAKING    HAS    SEE 

The  demise  of  16mm  as  a  distribution  and  exhibition 
format;  a  reduction  in  public  funding  for  production; 
fewer  opportunities  than  hoped  for  in  the  burgeon- 
ing cable  television  world. 

But  throughout  these  years,   independents  have 
had      a 
group  of 
stead- 
fast, 


though  low-profile,  sup- 
porters: media  librarians 
like  Mary  Keelan,  who 
enthusiastically  purchase 
and  promote  indepen- 
dent programming  for 
public  libraries.  Keelan 
acquires  work  for  the  Mid- 
Hudson  Library  System, 
where  she  is  Director  for 
Development  and  Resource 
Management.  She  search- 
es out,  purchases,  and 
publicizes  film  and  video 


5    years,    independent 

:n  tumultuous  change: 

Why  is  it  important  for  the  public  to  have  access  to  independent  media  through 
libraries,  versus  other  venues,  such  as  television,  video  stores,  or  universities? 

If  an  independent  film  is  shown  on  TV,  it's  usually  a  one  shot  deal. 
Video  stores  stock  things  that  will  sell  or  be  rented  and  that's  usually 
hot  stuff.  They  don't  like  to  keep  things  on  their  shelves  that  might  not 

go  out  regularly.  Univer- 
sities' collections  are  not 
available  to  the  general 
public.  In  tact,  the  public 
library  is  really  the  only 
place  I  can  think  of 
where  films  are  available 
free  of  charge — and 
where  you  can  have  a 
collection  of  all  kinds  of 
works  on  all  kinds  of  sub- 
jects that  would  appeal  to 
the  diversity  of  any  given 
community. 

What's  the  history  of  16mm 
in  the  libraries? 


Checking  0u(  Film  with  Media  Librarian  Mary  Keelan 


by   Steven    Montgomery 


titles  to  the  7 1  local  libraries  in  New  York  State  that  her  office  serves. 
Over  the  years,  Keelan  has  befriended  and  encouraged  independent 
producers  in  the  Hudson  Valley  area,  where  she  serves  on  the  boards 
of  the  Millbrook  Arts  Group  and  the  Hudson  Valley  Film  and  Video 
Festival. 

During  the  past  six  months  the  Mid-Hudson  Library  System  has 
acquired  such  titles  such  as  When  Billy  Broke  His  Head.. .and  Other  Tales 
of  Wonder,  Nobody's  Business,  Waco:  The  Rules  of  Engagement,  A  Healthy 
Baby  Girl,  I  Shall  Not  be  Removed:  The  Life  of  Marlon  Riggs,  and  When 
We  Were  Kings. 

Yet  Keelan's  profession  is  in  the  midst  of  change  as  well.  There  is  a 
national  trend  to  decentralize  library  systems  and  media  collections. 
The  Mid-Hudson  System's  media  collection  would  have  been  decen- 
tralized by  now  had  it  not  been  for  Keelan's  efforts.  This  change  is  like- 
ly to  hurt  independents,  who  have  a  better  a  chance  at  selling  higher- 
priced  work  (i.e.,  cassettes  priced  above  $19.95)  to  a  centralized  sys- 
tem than  to  a  local  library.  In  addition,  media  librarians'  once  vital 
national  organization  (the  Educational  Film  Library  Association,  or 
EFLA)  is  now  defunct.  And  enthusiasm  for  media  collections  in  the 
libraries  is  to  some  degree  being  supplanted  by  the  public's  interest  in 
new  media  and  computers. 

In  this  interview  Keelan  gives  an  overview  of  the  precarious  state  of 
her  profession,  but,  most  importantly,  offers  a  vision  for  its  future. 


16mm  was  programmed  in  libraries  as  long  as  35  years  ago.  Governor 
Rockefeller  was  a  great  supporter  of  the  arts  in  New  York  State.  One 
thing  libraries  began  to  develop  was  huge  art  print  collections.  They 
would  loan  out  reproductions  of  classic  paintings.  The  building  of 
16mm  collections  was  somewhat  analogous  to  that  kind  of  service. 
Libraries  were  seen  as  places  where  you  would  have  a  diversity  of 
materials,  not  just  books. 

The  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts  (NYSCA)  was  founded 
during  Rockefeller's  tenure  as  Governor.  NYSCA  supported 
[libraries']  purchasing  of  16mm  film  by  independents  from  the  late 
seventies  and  into  the  late  eighties.  That  was  very  important  in  New 
York  State,  because  it  meant  you  could  buy  avant-garde  things,  you 
could  take  chances. 

How  were  films  chosen  back  then? 

We  would  purchase  films  seen  at  the  Flaherty  Seminar,  or  prize  win- 
ners from  the  American  Film  and  Video  Festival,  which  went  on  for 
days.  Years  ago,  the  distributors  of  independent  films — Churchill, 
Bullfrog,  Direct  Cinema,  Cinema  Guild,  Filmmakers  Library — had 
representatives  that  you  would  meet  at  the  film  festivals.  They  would 
be  exhibiting  there.  You'd  get  to  know  them.  They'd  come  by  the 
library,  and  you'd  go  over  a  list  of  films  being  offered  for  sale.  There  was 
a  real  collegial,  trusting  relationship.  But  I  haven't  seen  a  distributor's 
representative  here  in  years. 

At  one  time,  the  public  library  system  structure  lent  itself  to  the 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


centralized  buying  of  16mm.  16mm  was  very 
expensive,  ranging  from  $250  to  $2,500  or 
more  for  a  film.  That  is  not  possible  for  most 
local  libraries.  They  were  bought  centrally.  In 
New  York  State  we  have  23  public  library  sys- 
tems which  service  over  700  public  libraries 
throughout  the  state.  It  was  seen  as  economi- 
cal and  efficient  to  have  the  centralized  buy- 
ing. 

Today  that's  being  reexamined — is  that 
really  a  role  systems  should  play  in  New  York 
State?  For  the  most  part,  the  answer  is  no. 
And  that  is  having  an  effect  on  this  whole 
phenomenon  of  centralized  media  services. 
There  is  a  movement  away  from  supporting  it 
at  the  central  level. 

Has  the  buying  procedure  changed? 

Until  a  few  years  back,  it  was  just  the  distrib- 
utors in  the  16mm  market  that  approached 
me.  In  the  last  six  or  seven  years,  you  have 
production  companies,  distribution  compa- 
nies, jobbers  of  materials.  I  used  to  recognize 
all  their  names.  Now  50  percent  I  don't  recog- 
nize. 


Send  librarians  a  well-presented  publicity  package — it  makes  your  presen- 
tation appear  much  more  professional. 

Join  the  American  Library  Association  (ALA)  or  any  state  chapter  of  the 
ALA — this  is  a  good  way  to  meet  librarians. 

•  The  ALA  holds  a  huge  annual  trade  show.  Get  together  with  other  film- 
makers and  purchase  a  booth  or  table  at  ALA  events  to  publicize  your  work. 

Collection  development  is  happening  electronically..  Contact  state  libraries 
using  the  web.  Start  with  www.ALA.org 

•Involve  a  librarian  at  every  stage  of  your  production.  They  can  save  you  time 
by  pointing  you  toward  reference  and  resource  material  and  give  you  feedback 
on  content  and  the  programmability  of  your  work. 

•Libraries  are  an  ideal  space  for  exhibition.  Some,  like  the  Donnell  Media 
Center  in  New  York,  do  regular  programming,  discussion,  and  screenings  of 
independent  work. 

•  Librarians  are  trained  to  buy  film  and  video  from  review  catalogues.  There 
are  three  journals  that  are  widely  used  in  the  field:  Booklist,  Video  Librarian, 
and  Library  Journal.  Contact  the  reviewer  or  publication  and  send  your  pub- 
licity packet.  You  could  also  send  a  video  clip  on-line. 


Is  this  because  so  much  cheap  programming  has 
been  dumped  on  video? 

Yes.  It's  everything  from  the  Arthritis  Foundation  making  a  video  and 
trying  to  sell  it  to  libraries,  to  niche  companies  that  might  have  three 
videos  on  parenting  that  they're  pushing.  We  have  over  2,000  names 
of  distributors  and  filmmakers  we've  bought  from. 

How  do  filmmakers  reach  librarians  now? 

Getting  your  stuff  reviewed  is  critical  because  people  like  myself  always 
read  reviews.  The  key  journals  are  Video  Librarian,  Book  List,  Library 
Journal,  and  School  Library  journal.  In  addition,  I  receive  mail  from 
every  film  distributor  that  exists. 

Are  there  events  where  filmmakers  can  meet  librarians? 

At  the  American  Library  Association  convention,  there  are  10-12  dis- 
tributors who  exhibit  collectively.  Most  sell  independently-produced 
work.  Many  of  my  colleagues  attend  the  National  Educational  Media 
Market  [www.nemn.org]  in  Oakland.  The  yearly  National  Media 
Market  [www.nmm.net]  held  in  various  cities  is  a  market  for  librari- 
ans. That  involves  three  days  of  previewing.  This  year  they're  meeting 
in  Las  Vegas.  It's  a  good  place  to  learn  about  the  field. 

Should  a  producer  target  certain  libraries? 

It's  best  to  approach  the  library  systems,  the  state  library,  or  larger 
urban  libraries  or  persons  who  are  media  librarians.  In  any  of  the  big 
states,  such  as  New  York,  Illinois,  and  California,  they  have  systems 
which  are  centralized.  They  cover  a  lot  of  territory. 

A  few  years  ago,  in  selling  a  film  I  made  on  Morocco  to  librarians,  I  found  that 
writing  a  personal  note  got  the  best  result,  as  opposed  to  sending  just  a  flyer. 
Are  you  receptive  to  a  letter  from  a  filmmaker? 

I  would  always  read  a  letter  from  a  filmmaker  as  long  as  it  wasn't  a  form 
letter.  Yes,  this  does  get  my  attention. 

At  Christmas  time  my  >other  sent  a  flyer  for  my  film  to  my  cousins  all  over  the 


LaTrice  Dixon 
LaTrice  Dixon  is  advocacy  and  membership  associate  at  AIVF 


U.S.  Many  of  them  recommended  the  film  to  their  local  librarians.  It  was  sur- 
prising how  many  ordered  it. 

Really,  isn't  that  something!  We  always  try  to  respond  to  requests  from 
patrons.  I  do  think  that  the  general  public  has  a  role  to  play  in  acqui- 
sitions. I  have  an  idea  on  how  this  could  work.  For  instance,  let's  say 
an  independent  filmmaker  has  something  screened  on  television.  On 
PBS  sometimes  you'll  get  a  credit  that  says,  "Call  this  800  number  for 
a  copy  of  this."  That's  if  a  person  wants  to  buy  it.  How  about  a  line  that 
says,  "Or  request  it  at  your  local  library."  Lots  of  people  don't  have  $30 
to  buy  this  film  that  was  shown  on  TV.  If  you  can't  buy  a  film,  request 
that  your  local  public  community  library  buy  it;  then  more  people  can 
see  it. 

In  addition,  what  if  it  was  part  of  the  proposal  to  NEA,  NEH,  or 
NYSCA.7  Why  not  request  monies  for  distribution — up  front?  One 
portion  of  the  funding  might  be  used  to  place  a  copy  of  that  film  in  one 
library  per  state.  Maybe  you  would  pick  the  state  library  where  there  is 
a  centralized  collection. 

Why  do  you  see  placement  of  a  film  in  a  library  as  so  important? 

I'll  give  you  an  example.  Two  recent  documentaries,  Waco:  The  Rules  of 
Engagement  and  Affluenza  were  both  shown  on  television.  How  many 
people  watched  them?  Well,  maybe  a  lot,  but  a  lot  more  missed  them. 
These  are  two  very  important  documentaries  about  cutting  edge  issues. 
Isn't  it  important  that  the  public  see  those  films?  If  they're  not  pur- 
chased by  a  library  and  made  available — that's  it.  The  film  exists  in 
somebody's  mind  who  once  saw  it.  Then  it  gets  forgotten.  These  two 
films  raise  very  important  issues  for  discussion  in  a  democracy.  That's 
what  the  public  libraries  are  about.  They  provide  a  forum  for  that  dis- 
cussion. 

How  do  librarians  select  films  in  terms  of  subject  matter? 

Libraries  are  into  collection  development.  They  don't  buy  an  individ- 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


ual  film  necessarily.  They  buy  across  the  Dewey  decimal  system  on  sub- 
jects such  as  philosophy,  religion,  biography,  art,  dance,  science,  etc. 
For  instance,  if  you  made  a  film  on  Morocco,  you  might  appeal  to  a 
librarians  who  are  doing  ethnic  or  travel  collections. 

Are  there  subjects  that  are  not  well  covered  by  independents? 

Children's  films  are  always  popular  in  libraries.  It's  a  very  neglected 
field  by  independent  filmmakers.  There's  an  interest  in  aging.  And 
there's  always  an  interest  in  religion.  Let's  face  it,  the  United  States  has 
incredible  religious  diversity.  For  instance,  how  many  films  are  there 
that  really  deal  with  fundamentalism — with  a  diversity  of  points  of 
view?  That's  another  thing  for  filmmakers  to  understand:  libraries  need 
to  balance  their  collections  by  philosophy  and  by  policy.  A  public 
library  can't  exclusively  buy  everything  with  one  political  point  of  view. 
If  that  librarian  is  doing  his  or  her  job,  they're  going  to  try  to  balance 
it. 

How  do  films  on  controversial  issues  fare  in  library  acquisition? 

We  started  a  video  health  information  project  in  1987,  [which  includ- 
ed] documentaries  on  substance  abuse,  mental  health,  nutrition,  preg- 
nancy, etc.  It  also  happened  to  coincide  with  the  period  of  the  rising 
consciousness  about  AIDS.  There  were  no  ratings  on  these  films, 
which  were  educational,  but  some  were  sexually  explicit.  As  a  way  to 
deal  with  potential  controversy,  I  invited  the  authority  on  intellectual 
freedom  from  the  American  Library  Association,  Judith  Krug,  to  give  a 
workshop  on  video  and  intellectual  freedom,  specifically  focusing  on 
the  video  health  materials.  This  was  a  very  big  workshop — mostly 
attended  by  library  directors.  But  there  were  also  a  number  of  trustees. 
And  the  role  of  trustees  in  relation  to  collection  development  is  not  to 
be  diminished;  they  help  set  up  policy  and  budgets.  So  the  presentation 
was  made  with  a  number  of  videos  that  we  thought  might  raise  ques- 
tions. One  was  a  very  explicit  video  on  the  use  of  the  condom  with  a 
banana  being  used  for  demonstration  purposes.  Another,  Death  of  a 
Pom  Queen,  was  a  very  moving  film  about  what  happens  to  a  young 
woman  who  gets  involved  in  the  drug  scene.  But  it  has  some  scenes  in 
it  that  were  explicit.  The  films  were  discussed  very  thoughtfully  in 
terms  of  intellectual  freedom.  At  the  end  of  this  session,  I  was  standing 
in  the  back  with  three  of  our  trustees.  Two  are  from  the  Catskills  area. 
I  didn't  know  what  their  philosophy  was,  but  I  thought  it  was  probably 
very,  very  conservative.  They  came  up  to  me  and  thanked  me  for  this 
presentation  and  thought  it  was  one  of  the  best  things  we  had  done.  It 
contextualized  collection  development  in  a  broader  way,  and  I  think  it 
gained  a  tremendous  amount  of  support  for  the  development  of  the 
collection. 

Will  decentralization  of  collections  affect  the  acquisition  of  films  on  controver- 
sial subjects? 

This  is  a  real  concern  of  mine.  In  moving  the  purchasing  of  video  to 
the  local  level,  the  librarian  and  board  is  much  more  vulnerable  to  con- 
troversy and  censorship.  So  you  get  self-censorship.  You  get  librarians 
not  purchasing  films  on  controversial  subjects  so  as  to  avoid  any  prob- 
lems. There's  a  lot  of  stuff  that  has  come  out  of  the  gay  community  that 
deals  with  controversial  issues.  We  as  a  centralized  system  might  be 
able  to  purchase  some  of  that,  because  they're  terrific  films.  It's  highly 
unlikely  that  would  be  purchased  at  the  local  level. 

What  can  help  strengthen  your  field  for  the  future? 

We  need  new  equipment.  Years  ago,  if  you  bought  a  certain  number  of 
16mm  films,  the  distributors  used  to  give  you  projectors.  In  the  early 
days  of  video,  they  would  give  you  VCRs.  Today  that  is  not  happening 


at  all.  For  video,  we  need  good  large-screen  projection  systems.  People 
don't  want  to  come  and  look  at  television  in  the  library.  People  in  your 
field  should  be  helping  to  recommend  and  influence  the  manufactur- 
ers to  donate  video  projectors  to  the  libraries. 

What  are  your  other  ideas  for  the  future? 

In  1983  I  was  project  manager  for  the  New  York  State  Union  Catalog 
for  Film  and  Video  (NYSCAT),  funded  by  NYSCA.  It  pulled  together 
an  extraordinary  catalog  of  films  in  all  of  the  collections  of  the  Library 
systems  in  New  York  State,  including  descriptions  of  each.  The  purpose 
was  to  share  the  16mm  collections.  Films  were  sitting  on  the  shelf 
because  they  weren't  known  about. 

Could  this  project  be  done  again? 

It  wouldn't  take  a  lot  to  create  a  union  catalogue  of  New  York  State. 
One  could  create  a  search  engine  that  could  pull  down  quickly  all  the 
films  and  videos  that  are  available  in  all  the  public  libraries.  It  would 
be  a  service  to  the  patron  to  not  have  to  look  through  millions  of 
records — including  records  of  books — to  find  a  video.  Instead,  they 
could  search  in  a  format- specific  collection. 

It  would  help  filmmakers.  They  could  see  who  owns  their  film:  one 
library  or  three  hundred.  They  could  see  if  someone  has  made  a  film  on 
the  Adirondacks,  for  instance.  Are  there  50  films  on  that  subject  or 
nothing?  You  could  see  which  films  are  in  distribution,  which  are  not. 

Right  now,  there  is  no  across-the-web  search  engine  that  is  exclu- 
sively for  independent  film  and  video.  There's  no  way  to  search  into  all 
the  nooks  and  crannies  of  the  independent  film  world.  I  think  there's 
a  real  need  for  that.  It's  do-able.  I  propose  putting  together  a  coalition 
of  people — librarians,  educators,  filmmakers,  university  people — and 
come  up  with  a  way  to  approach  this  so  that  it  would  be  easy  and  use- 
ful. 

What  about  the  next  generation? 

We've  created  a  pilot  project  called  Teenage  Interns  Video  Reviewers. 
Last  summer  we  had  36  teenagers  who  were  paid  interns  at  local 
libraries  and  were  trained  in  reviewing  films.  They  reviewed  all  of  our 
collection  to  weed  out  things  that  were  out  of  date.  This  year  the 
teenagers  evaluated  a  hundred  tapes  on  health-related  issues.  The  sub- 
text is  not  just  about  getting  teenagers  busy  in  libraries  for  the  summer, 
but  it's  also  about  a  new  generation  connecting  with  the  library  and 
film,  and  that  it  isn't  just  the  video  store  that  provides  film. 

How  would  you  place  the  importance  of  independent  film  and  video  to  our  cul- 
ture? 

It's  very  important.  The  whole  culture  is  coopted  by  commercialism 
and  the  bottom  line.  The  independent  filmmaker  provides  an  oppor- 
tunity for  a  broader-based  look  at  things.  We're  talking  about  democ- 
racy. We're  talking  about  a  culture  that's  incredibly  diverse.  The  inde- 
pendent can  take  the  risks  that  commercial  producers  cannot  because 
they're  being  driven  by  marketing.  And  marketing  shouldn't  drive  what 
a  film  is  about.  There's  a  real  need  to  explore  other  ways  of  looking  at 
things  and  issues.  It's  a  big  world.  We  have  to  break  out  of  the  insular- 
ity and  have  a  sense  of  the  global. 

Steven  Montgomery  has  produced  the  documentaries  Hobie's  Heroes  and 

Morocco:  The  Past  and  Present  of  Djemma  el  Fna.  From  1983- 1990,  he  studied 

the  Aesthetic  Realism  of  Eli  Siegel,  a  philosophy  concerning  mankind's  relationship 

to  the  world. 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       35 


i'SffP 


3t  began  almost  as  a  lark. 
Sireb  of  tl)e  routines  of  tf)e  filmmaking 


process,  four  Danish  directors  decided  to  set  themselves  a  challenge.  "We  talked  about  all  that  bored  us  in  filmaking, 
all  that  we  normally  do — and  then  we  forbade  it.  It  was  liberating,"  recalls  29-year-old  director  Thomas  Vinterberg, 
one  of  the  authors  of  what's  grandiosely  dubbed  "Dogma  95." 
In  a  half-hour's  time,  the  quartet  came  up  with  10  "Vows  of  Chastity."  No  artificial  lighting,  no  manipulative 
musical  scores,  no  historical  settings  or  genre  films.  Absolutely  no  guns.  Only  location  shooting  and  hand-held 
cameras  are  permitted.  "Dogma  95  desires  to  purge  film,  so  that  once  again  the  inner  lives  of  characters  justify  the 
plot,"  proclaimed  the  four,  who  include  Vinterberg  and  Lars  van  Trier 
(whose  Dogma  creation  The  Idiots  opens  this  spring). 

Qvery  Sogma  $as  %ts  Say 

Last  fall,  the  first  of  the  Dogma  films  burst  out  of  the  gate:  Vinterberg's  dysfunctional  family  drama,  The 
Celebration.  The  vows  behind  this  highly  praised  film  might  have  been  forgotten  except  for  the  pains  taken  by 
Vinterberg  to  play  the  Dogma  card.  The  Celebration  opens  with  an  ornate  certificate  before  the  credits,  certifying  its 
status  as  a  bona  fide  Dogma  95  film.  Vinterberg  even  submitted  a  "Confession"  about  his  lapses  from  the  Vows  of 
Chastity.  (It's  in  this  plea  for  absolution  that  one  catches  the  self-mocking  humor  of  the  endeavor — an  essential 
ingredient  that  seemed  to  elude  many  critics  who  get  stuck  on  the  filmmakers'  gleeful  arrogance.) 
The  lark  is  now  full  of  Pomp  and  Circumstance.  But  what's  important  to  remember  is  Dogma  95's  impetus. 
"We  felt  the  routines  and  normalcy  of  filmmaking  created  laziness,  rather  than  freshness,"  says  Vinterberg. 
"This  is  about  making  a  renewal."  It's  about  undressing  filmmaking  of  its  conventions  and 
forcing  oneself  as  a  director  to  think  anew. 
"This  has  taught  me  that  going  all  the  way,  making  some  sort  of  risk,  is  how  I  want  to  make  films,"  says  Vinterberg. 
"I'm  not  sure  I'm  able  to  every  time.  But  it  has  been  very  inspiring." 
In  that  spirit,  The  Independent  asked  a  number  of  feature  directors  to  put  forth  their  own  Dogmas. 
All  have  created  work  that  challenges  the  tone,  narrative  structure,  or  production  techniques  of  conventional  cine- 
ma. And  all,  we  hope,  will  inspire  others  to  take  the  risks  they  choose. 
—  Patricia  Thomson 


W^^.  -y  ■*-:::::  I 


^^--'ii^SiL--- _^^-^^Sv^iiiJ>/A<^ '  _ 


dogma  95:  The  Vow  of  Chastity 


I  swear  to  submit  to  the  following  set  of  rules  drawn  up  and  con- 
firmed by  Dogma  95: 

1.  Shooting  must  be  done  on  location.  Props  and  sets  must  not  be 
brought  in.  (If  a  particular  prop  is  necessary  for  the  story,  a  location 
must  be  chosen  where  this  prop  is  to  be  found.) 

2.  The  sound  must  never  be  produced  apart  from  the  images  or  vice 
versa.  (Music  must  not  be  used  unless  it  occurs  where  the  scene  is 
being  shot.) 

3.  The  camera  must  be  hand-held.  Any  movement  or  immobility 
attainable  in  the  hand  is  permitted.  (The  film  must  not  take  place 
where  the  camera  is  standing;  shooting  must  take  place  where  the 


film  takes  place.) 

4-  The  film  must  be  in  color.  Special  lighting  is  not  acceptable.  (If 
there  is  too  little  light  for  exposure,  the  scene  must  be  cut  or  a  single 
lamp  be  attached  to  the  camera.) 

5.  Optical  work  and  filters  are  forbidden. 

6.  The  film  must  not  contain  superficial  action.  (Murders,  weapons, 
etc.,  must  not  occur.) 

7.  Temporal  and  geographical  alienation  are  forbidden.  (That  is  to 
say  that  the  film  takes  place  here  and  now.) 

8.  Genre  movies  are  not  acceptable. 

9.  The  film  format  must  be  Academy  35mm. 


36     THE     INDEPENDENT     January  February  1999 


10.  The  director  must  not  be  credited. 

Furthermore,  I  swear  as  a  director  to  refrain  from  personal  taste!  I  am 
no  longer  an  artist.  I  swear  to  refrain  from  creating  a  "work,"  as  I 
regard  the  instant  as  more  important  that  the  whole.  My  supreme 
goal  is  to  force  the  truth  out  of  my  characters  and  settings.  I  swear  to 
do  so  by  all  the  means  available  and  at  the  cost  of  any  good  taste  and 
any  aesthetic  considerations. 

Thus  I  make  my  VOW  OF  CHASTITY. 
Copenhagen,  Monday  13  March  1995 
Lars  von  Trier    Thomas  Vmterberg* 

•  Vinterberg  wrote  the  following  after  completion  of  The  Celebration,  the  first  "Dogma 
95"  film  with  a  theatrical  release: 

Confession 

As  one  of  the  Dogma  95  brethren  and  co-signatory  of  The  Vow  of  Chastity,  I  feel  moved 
to  confess  the  following  transgressions  of  the  aforesaid  Vow  during  the  production  of  The 
Celebration.  Please  note  that  the  film  has  been  approved  as  a  Dogma  work,  as  only  one 
genuine  breach  of  the  rules  has  actually  taken  place.  The  rest  may  be  regarded  as  moral 
breaches. 

•  I  confess  to  having  made  one  take  with  a  black  drape  covering  a  window.  This  is  not 
only  the  addition  of  a  property,  but  must  also  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  lighting  arrange- 
ment. 

•  I  confess  to  having  knowledge  of  a  pay  raise  that  served  as  cover  for  the  purchase  of 
Thomas  Bo  Larsen's  suit  for  use  in  the  film. 

•  Similarly,  I  confess  to  having  knowledge  of  purchases  by  Trine  Dyrholm  and  Therese 
Glahn  of  the  same  nature. 

•  1  confess  to  having  set  in  train  the  construction  of  the  non-existent  hotel  reception 
desk  for  use  in  The  Celebration,  It  should  be  noted  that  the  structure  consisted  solely  of 
components  already  present  at  the  location. 

•  I  confess  that  Christian's  mobile  or  cellular  telephone  was  not  his  own.  But  it  was  pre- 
sent at  the  location. 

•  I  confess  that  in  one  take,  the  camera  was  attached  to  a  microphone  boom  and  thus 
only  partially  hand-held. 

I  hereby  declare  that  the  rest  of  The  Celebration  was  produced  in  accordance  with  The 
Vow  of  Chastity.   Pleading  for  absolution,  I  remain 

Thomas  Vmterberg 


Dogma  9  9 


Jay  Anania 


"Dogma  95  seeks  to  strip  cinema  naked,"  explained  Thomas 
Vinterberg  when  introducing  his  thoroughly  engaging  The  Celebration 
at  the  Toronto  International  Film  Festival. 

While  I  agree  that  drastic  measures,  dogmas  even,  are  a  fine  idea, 
I  think,  rather,  that  cinema  needs  more  clothes,  not  less.  If  these  par- 
ticular dogmatic  types  had  their  way,  what  would  be  left  naked  would 
be,  presumably,  pure  drama,  actors  performing  lines  unmediated  by 
what  I  take  to  be  the  essential  tools  of  the  medium — manipulated 
light  (photographic  arts),  acting  styles  ranging  from  naturalistic  to 
stylized  (dramatic  arts),  sound  tracks  blending  real  and  foleyed 
effects,  silence  and  the  sounds  of  instruments  and  the  human  voice 
(musical  arts),  "dressed"  spaces  (design),  speech  (literary  arts),  and, 
most  important,  the  experience  of  shifting  rhythms  and  "times" 
(especially  the  glorious  flashback  and  its  impossible  twin,  the  flashfor- 
ward),  invoked  by  the  grand  shaper  of  all  of  these  materials:  editing 
(the  essential  cinematic  art). 

Take  away  these  celebrations  of  artifice,  as  Dogma  95  recom- 
mends, and  you  are  left  with  .  .  .  theater,  which  I  prefer  to  see  on 
stage,  with  live  actors,  in  the  room,  actually  there.  Cinema,  on  the 
other  hand,  should  be  fully  clothed,  in  a  darkened  room  where  no 
live  actors  breathe  the  still  air  lit  only  by  the  shadowy  light  on  a 
screen,  where  one  can  see  and  hear  a  mysterious  and  suggestive 
blending  of  the  numerous  arts  (as  in  artifice)  that  is  cinema. 

]ay  Ancmw  is  a  producer,  director,  writer,  and  editor  who  has  worked  m  film  and  television  for 
more  than  20  years,  in  forms  ranging  from  documentary  ti  i  experimental  and  dramatic 


January/February  1999    T  H  E    I  N  D  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T      37 


Matthew  Harrison 

10  real-life  rules  of  movie  making  that  I  have  witnessed. 

1.  Always  have  a  dog  or  a  cat  in  your  movie. 

2.  Never  believe  actors/actresses  when  they  say  they  have 
"no  problem  with  nudity." 

3.  Always  have  an  Israeli  above  the  line  somewhere  to  keep 
everyone  scared. 

4-  Always  tell  your  leads  you  will  fire  them  it  they  start  hav- 
ing sex  with  each  other. 

5.  Never  have  sex  with  your  lead. 

6.  Always  start  the  film  with  something  quiet  so  that  the 
projectionist  will  turn  it  up,  then  bust  out  your  really  loud 
stuff. 

7.  Always  have  a  boring  scene  around  reel  8  (just  before  the 
third  act)  so  that  people  can  go  take  a  leak  before  the  excit- 
ing finale. 

8.  Always  have  a  character  who  is  playing  a  film  director 
explaining  to  a  character  who  is  playing  a  film  critic  what  to 
write  about  the  film. 

9.  Never  allow  anyone  to  screen  your  film  unless  4,000 
screaming  teeny-boppers  are  mobbing  the  theater. 

10.  Always  get  some  really  sexy  young  person  to  travel 
everywhere  with  you  telling  everyone  that  you  are  a  genius. 
People  will  believe  it. 

Matthew  Harrison  is  director  of  the  films  Spare  Me,  Rhythm  Thief,  and  Kicked 
in  the  Head. 


Lynn  Hershman-Leeson 

Manifesto  for  Nondogma 

1.  Maintain  a  sense  of  humor. 

2.  Seduce  public  opinion,  question  everything. 

3.  Use  historical  methods  and  craft  as  references. 

4-  Mutate,  mutilate,  or  manipulate  genres  or  formats  if  necessary,  in 
the  service  of  story  enhancement  or  character  development.  This 

includes  linear  and  nonlinear,  film  and  digital 

technologies. 

5.  Employ  improvisational  techniques  that 
engender  spontaneous  eruptions  as  an 
enhanced  means  toward  creating  authentic 
narrative  language. 

6.  In  a  world  environment  of  compromise, 
pollution,  and  chaos,  art  works  can  no  longer 
be  politically  indifferent.  Censorship,  self  cen- 
sorship, propriety,  racism,  gender  bias,  or  any  type  of  repression  can- 
not be  tolerated. 

7.  Each  frame  will  be  a  microcosmic  reflection  of  the  construction  of 
the  work. 

8.  Use  risk  as  a  creative  force  towards  revitalizing,  restoring,  and 
expanding  aesthetic  constrictions. 

9.  In  order  to  adapt  to  unforseen  opportunities  of  chance  and  vision, 
all  art  must  remain  dogma  free. 

Lynn  Hershman-Leeson  has  worked  for  the  past  30  years  in  many  media,  including  photogra- 
phy, site-specific  public  art,  and  video.  She  is  credited  as  being  the  first  artist  to  create  an  inter- 
active art  videodisk.  Her  first  feature  film,  Conceiving  Ada,  will  be  released  by  Fox  Lorber  this 
spring. 


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Scott  King 


1.  The  director  is  the  eighth  most  important  person  in  the  making  of 
a  film.  The  ranking  is  as  follows: 

1 )  The  writer 

2)  The  editor 

3)  The  casting  director 

4)  The  composer 

5)  The  cinematographer 

6)  The  script  supervisor 

7)  The  producer. 
The  credits  should  reflect  this. 

2.  Have  a  reason  for  making  the  film.  Driving  people  from  their  seats 
with  a  revolutionary  view  of  hegemony  is  a  reason.  "I  want  to  be  a 
director"  is  not.  If  you  don't  know  why  you  want  to  make  the  movie, 
become  a  cheese  maker.  People  like  cheese. 

3.  You  know  what  ?  I've  seen  naked  women  before.  Let's  move  on. 

4.  When  I  see  the  word  "handgun"  in  a  script,  I  reach  for  the  inciner- 
ator. 

5.  Read  Ebert's  Little  Movie  Glossary:  A  Compendium  of  Movie  Cliches 
and  Stereotypes  .  .  .  (Andrews  and  McMeel,  1994)  very  carefully.  Stop 
doing  everything  in  it. 

6.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  realism. 

7.  Coverage  is  for  stupidheads. 

8.  Movies  made  by  a  committee  decision-making  process  are  better 
movies.  Most  of  the  time.  I'm  pretty  sure  about  this.  Let  me  check 
with  my  boss. 

9.  Take  all  the  establishing  shots  in  a  movie.  Put  them  in  a  pile.  Light 
them  on  fire.  Step  away. 


38    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


Do  you  swear  to  make  the 
film,  the  whole  fim,  and 
nothing  but  the  film?  Nick 
Offerman  and  Lance  Baker  in 
Scott  King's  Treasure  Island. 
Courtesy  filmmaker 

Inset:  David  Angus  (left)  and 
Ian  Hart  as  Epstein  and 
Lennon  in  The  Hours  and 
Times,  by  Christopher  Munch. 
Courtesy  filmmaker 


10.  Everything  is  gratuitous.  I  will  always  he  making  the  greatest 
movie  ever  made.  Not  to  be  doing  so  would  be  a  waste  of  my  time 
and  yours,  gentle  reader.  Hence,  Treasure  Island  is  currently  the  great- 
est movie  ever  made.  That  is  all. 

Scott  King,  under  the  auspices  of  King  Pictures,  lias  executive  produced  three  independent  films: 
Shotgun  Freeway:  Drives  thru  Lost  L.A.  (a  documentary  on  the  history  of  his  Angeles  with 
James  Ellroy  and  Dawd  Hockney),  Star  Maps  (the  feature  debut  of  writer/director  Miguel 
Arteta  and  a  nominee  for  Best  Picture  for  the  Independent  Spirit  Awards),  and  Olympia  (the 
feature  debut  of  Robert  Byington,  which  closed  this  year's  Slamdance  film  festival  and  closed  this 
year's  South  hy  Southwest  film  festival)   With  Treasure  Island,  Mr.  King's  debut  as  a  writer 
and  cinematographer,  Mr.  King  continues  his  support  of  films  that  might  otherwise  not  be  made. 
Mr.  King's  superpower  is  his  ah/lity  to  guess  how  well  a  piece  of  clothing  will  fit  a  woman.  He 
discovered  this  power  during  a  stint  as  a  retail  clerk.  He  lias  never  guessed  lining. 


Christopher  Munch 


Thoughts  about  my  current  work. 

1 .  It  cannot  be  written  other  than  by  its  own  timetable.  The  material 
must  be  ripe  before  it  can  be  plucked. 

2.  The  form  that  the  material  takes  should  emerge  out  of  an  overall 
preoccupation  that  has  matured  over  time,  not  a  desire  for  effect. 

3.  The  material  should  illuminate  aspects  of  the  world  that  no  longer 
exist,  even  while  being  fully  "contemporary." 

4-  Money  concerns  should  not  enter  into  the  film's  planning.  The 
material  must  dictate  the  scale  and  proportion  of  the  undertaking.  At 
the  same  time,  money  that  comes  with  strings  attached  that  will 
dilute  the  material  should  be  resisted. 

5.  Filmmaking  should  take  place  in  corners  of  the  world  of  which  I 
would  like  to  see  more,  and  the  cast  be  international.  Cast  must  be 
available  for  thorough  and  intensive  rehearsal  that  cannot  be 


reduced. 

6.  No  lens  shorter  than  40mm  should  be  employed  unless 
there  is  no  other  way  to  make  the  shot.  Further,  lenses 
must  be  selected  for  their  appropriateness  and  not  for  their 
apparent  sharpness. 

7.  Our  negative  must  be  made  to  function  appropriately  for 
the  material  and  our  taste;  it  must  be  impregnable  not  only 
by  light  but  by  what  cannot  be  seen.  It  should  print  with 
very  few  light  changes. 

8.  Video  dailies  must  be  resisted.  Editing  by  computer 
should  be  used  only  as  a  supplemental  organizing  tool.  No 
less  than  nine  months  should  be  allocated  to  editing. 

9.  Stereo  sound  should  be  used  only  if  absolutely  appropri- 
ate. 

10.  No  ugly  posters  or  asinine  trailers  should  be  made. 

Christopher  Munch  has  written  ami  directed  Backwards  Looks,  Far  Corners  (in 
post) ;  Color  of  a  Brisk  and  Leaping  Day  ( 1 996)  about  the  Yosemite  Valley  Rail- 
road which  was  awarded  Best  Cinematography  at  Sundance;  and  the  short  feature 
The  Hours  and  Times  (J99IJ,  based  on  the  friendship  of  Brian  Epstein  and 
John  Lennon.  Born  in  1962  and  self-taught  m  filmmaking,  he  was  a  Guggenheim 
Fellow  m  1994  and  received  the  Swatch  Someone  to  Watch  Award  m  1996. 


Tommy  Pallotta,  Esther 
Robinson,  Lance  Weiler, 
Stefan  Avalos 

Digital  '99 

1.  Distribution,  not  production,  will  determine  the  future  of  film- 
making. 

2.  Distribution  will  become  global.  Broadband  delivery  (Internet, 
satellite...)  will  provide  artists  with  direct  access  to  their  audience. 

3.  We  will  end  the  indentured  servitude  to  film  and  traditional  the 

atrical  distribution. 

4-  Venues  can  be  anywhere  people  gather 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


worked  exclusively  in  video  and  digital  formats  and  produced  the  award 
winning  short  Roadhead.  He  is  co-founder  of  the  Conduit  Digital  Festival. 
•  Esther  Robinson  served  as  the  event  co-producer  for  the  Fuel  Tour,  is  co- 
producing  Doug  Block's  feature  documentor}  Home  Page,  and  is  co- 
founder  of  Wavelength  Releasing  which  presented  the  first  theatrical 
release  of  a  digital  feature  film  via  satellite.  •  Lance  Weiler  and  Stefan 
Avalos  made  the  digital  film  The  Last  Broadcast  and  are  cofounders  of 
Wavelength  Releasmg,  which  is  in  ^reproduction  on  three  feature  projects. 


Britta  Sjogren 


- 


Toby  Smith  discovers  her  worst  nightmare  in 
Drylongso  by  Cauleen  Smith. 

Courtesy  filmmaker 


Guided  by  voices:  Britta  Sjogren's  Jo-Jo  at  the 
Gate  of  Lions.    Courtesy  filmmaker 


because 
digital  projection  will 
become  smaller,  brighter, 
cheaper  and  better. 

5.  All  formats  are  accepted;  we  will  not  privilege  any  media  over 
another. 

6.  We  will  privilege  ingenuity,  invention,  and  vision. 

7.  The  more  people  who  make  films,  the  better.  Abundance  through 
technology. 

9.  We  will  continually  exploit  the  advances  in  new  and  affordable 
technology  as  tools  for  self-expression. 

10.  All  above  rules  must  be  broken. 

Recent  technology  has  opened  a  window  of  opportunity  for  filmmak- 
ers unlike  any  that  has  come  before.  The  ability  to  create  without 
compromise,  together  with  the  tools  to  exhibit  one's  work,  have 
given  birth  to  a  digital  wave  of  filmmaking. 

Eschewing  traditional  film  methods  since  his  feature  The  High  Road,  Tommy  PalliMa  has 


Credo 

Remember  there  is  no  right  way  to  shoot  a  scene. 

When  in  doubt,  simplify. 

Welcome  to  the  unforeseen. 

Kill  your  darlings. 

Take  pleasure. 

Be  true. 

Pray. 

Britta  Sjogren's  first  feature  Jo-Jo  at  the  Gate  of  Lions  was  honored  at 
numerous  festivals.  Her  short  film  A  Small  Domain  won  the  Grand  ]ury 
Prize  at  Sundance.  She  is  currently  shooting  a  feature  called  Green  and 
Dimming,  costing  a  second  film,  and  has  a  third  in  development.  She  is  a 
professor  at  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  Chapel  Hill,  teaching  femi- 
nist film  theory. 


Cauleen  Smith 


■ 


Dogma:  The  process  &  practice 

1 .  I  submit  to  the  plasticity  of  film  and  the 
ephemeral  nature  of  video.  I  will  tweak,  high- 
light, diffuse,  and  distort  to  the  extreme  para- 
^  meters  of  my  chosen  film  stock. 

2.  I  will  test  and  shoot  only  with  film  stocks 
that  demonstrate  a  sensitivity  to  dark  skin 
tones. 

3.  I  will  not  use  any  effect  that  I  cannot 
H  make  myself  on  an  Oxberry  camera  stand. 

4-  The  form  of  the  film  must  be  directly 
related  to  the  content.  I  will  not  impose  a 
single  aesthetic  arbitrarily  on  varied  subject  matter. 

5.  I  vow  to  shoot  only  in  locations  over  which  I  have  total  control, 
including  painting,  removing,  and  adding  walls  and  windows. 

6.  I  will  no  longer  engage  in  revisionist  filmmaking,  i.e.,  that  which  is 
a  reaction  to  current  trends  that  may  offend  or  oppress  me.  Instead,  I 
vow  to  tell  a  personal  and  critical  truth. 

7.  It's  my  world. 

8.  I  respect  and  honor  the  craft  of  filmmaking.  A  craftsperson  may  be 
commissioned  to  build  an  outhouse  or  a  cathedral  in  his  backyard. 
He  may  build  a  masterpiece. 

9.  I  vow  to  be  fearless. 

10.  I  vow  to  be  brazen  in  my  agenda  to  deify  black  women  with  every 
image.  Her  complete  humanity  must  be  pushed  to  the  surface  while 
the  story  devices  and  character  constructions  recede. 

11.  Make  it  pretty. 

12.  Every  day,  hour,  minute,  spent  laboring  on  a  film  is  pure  bliss.  I 
vow  to  drink  it  up. 


Cauleen  Smith  currentN  lives  in  L.A.,  hut  prefers  the  light  m  the  Bay  Area.  She's  writing  a 
screenplay  while  watching  what  happes  with  her  first  feature,  Drylongso.  She's  also  in  postpro- 
ductirm  on  an  experimental  short  science  fiction  love  story  entitled  The  Changing  Same. 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


mW, 


www.aivf.org 


Artisan 
Entertainment 

BY     LlSSA    GIBBS 


Artisan  Entertainment:  West  Coast  office:  2700 
Colorado  Blvd.  2nd  fl.,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90404; 
(310)  449-9200;  fax:  255-3890;  www.artisanent. 
com;  East  Coast  office:  157  Chambers  St,  12th  fl., 
NY,  NY  10007;  (212)  577-2400;  fax:  577-2890. 

What  is  Artisan? 

Artisan  is  a  new  leader  in  indepen- 
dent film  and  is  a  fully  integrated 
diversified  entertainment  company 
which  develops,  produces,  markets 
and  distributes  motion  pictures 
directly  in  the  domestic  market  (in 
theatrical,  home  entertainment  and 
all  television  markets)  and  through 
distributors  internationally. 

Who  is  Artisan? 

Artisan  is  a  privately  held  company 

managed  by  Mark  Curcio  (Chief 

Executive  Officer,  formerly  head  of 

Bain  and  Company's  entertainment 

consulting  practice),  Amir  Malm 

(President,  formerly  a  founding 

partner  of  October  Films),  and  Bill 

Block  (President,  formerly  head  of 

West  Coast  operations  for  ICM).  The  company's  titles 

range  from  its  vast  library  of  6,000  titles  (including 

everything  from  It's  a  Wonderful  Life  to  Terminator  2: 

Judgment  Day)  to  its  dynamic  new  production  slate 

including  Darren  Aronofsky's  Pi  (which  won  Best 

Director  at  last  year's  Sundance  Film  Festival)  to 

Roman  Polanski's  upcoming  thriller  The  Ninth  Gate, 

starring  Johnny  Depp. 

Total  number  of  employees? 

180  and  growing  rapidly. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  Artisan  come  into  being? 


Artisan  was  formed  in  July  of  1997  when  a  group  of  pri- 
vate investors  took  over  LIVE  Entertainment  and 
installed  Messrs.  Curcio,  Malin  and  Block  as  its  new 
management  team.  The  principal  belief  behind  the  ven- 
ture was  that  there  is  a  place  in  the  market  for  a  strong 
independent  and  that  since  the  acquisitions  of  Miramax 
and  New  Line  and  their  subsequent  changes  in  strate- 
gy, there  has  not  been  a  strong  independent  "mini- 
major". 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

Artisan  controls  a  library  of  approximately  6,000  titles 
and  currently  releases  between  10  and  15  new  films 


Films  and  filmmakers  you  distribute: 

Our  1999  release  slate  includes  The  Ninth  Gate,  Steven 
Soderbergh's  The  Limey,  Atom  Egoyan's  Felicia's 
Journey,  David  Koepp's  Stir  of  Echoes,  and  Ken  Loach's 
Name  Is  Joe.  In  addition  to  our  own  productions 
and  acquisitions,  we  have  a  distribution  agreement 
with  The  Shooting  Gallery. 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 

Artisan  is  a  fully  functional  studio  capable  of  releasing 
a  wide  range  of  product  with  unique  care  and  attention, 
from  specialized  art  house  films  like  Pi  and  The  Cruise 
to  wide  release  product  like  The  Ninth  Gate  and  Jerry 
Springer:  Ringmaster.  We  are  the  only  independent 
capable  of  releasing  this  range  of  product. 

What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  films  you  do? 

A  commitment  to  independent  cinema.  An  ability  to 
define  our  direction. 

Is  Artisan  also  involved  in  co-production  or  co- 
financing  of  works? 

We  produce  films  internally  and  are  also  involved  in  co- 
production/co-financing.  For  example,  we  are  currently 
working  on  Darren  Aronofsky's  Requiem  for  a  Dream, 
the  follow-up  to  Pi,  under  such  a  structure. 

Is  there  such  a  thing  as  an  "Artisan"  film? 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


DISTRIBUTOR  F.A.Q, 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 


FEATURES 

SHORTS 

DOCUMENTARIES 

BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

DEMO  REELS 

MUSIC  VIDEOS 

CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services 

with  experienced 

cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


Other  Services  Include: 

•  Post  Production  Supervision 

•  Script  Evaluation 

•  Budgeting 

•  Avid  Training  Courses 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/675  1497 

FAX:  212/675  0749 

mercient@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


An  Artisan  film  is  one  that  is  true  to  the  vision  of  the 
filmmaker  and  that  entertains  and  challenges  the  view- 
er. 

Best-known  title  in  Artisan's  collection: 

Terminator  2:  Judgment  Day. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

Each  title  is  given  individual  care  and  a  detailed  mar- 
keting and  release  plan  is  developed  with  the  filmmak- 
er to  ensure  that  all  efforts — publicity,  marketing,  and 
distribution — are  uniquely  tailored  to  the  genre,  philos- 
ophy and  vision  of  the  film.  By  focusing  on  10  to  15 
films  per  year,  we  can  give  each  project  an  optimal 
amount  of  attention. 

Where  do  Artisan  titles  generally  show? 

Depending  on  the  title,  we  might  open  it  in  only  a  few 
cities  and  expand  it  or  we  might  open  on  2,000  screens 
or  more.  As  mentioned,  our  broad  distribution  capabili- 
ties are  tailored  to  each  individual  title  based  on  the 
characteristics  of  that  film  and  the  distribution  and 
marketing  methodology  to  which  it  is  best  suited. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles  and  how  should  film- 
makers approach  you  for  consideration? 

Artisan  is  active  at  film  festivals  and  markets  world- 
wide and  is  extremely  aggressive  in  acquisitions.  Let  us 
know  about  your  film  and  we  will  come  see  you! 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  collec- 
tion: 

Our  current  production  slate  ranges  from  $2.5  to  $30 
million.  Most  of  our  acquisitions  are  at  the  lower  end  of 
that  range. 

Biggest  change  at  Artisan  in  recent  years: 

This  is  an  entirely  new  company.  The  only  common 


thread  from  the  many  years  of  LIVE 
Entertainment's  existence  is  the  library 
which  LIVE  enjoyed  and  which  is  being 
rapidly  expanded  and  more  efficiently 
marketed  by  the  Artisan  team. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  what 
would  you  be  doing? 

Writing  and  directing  them.  Either  that,  or 
serving  as  Lt.  Governor  under  the 
Honorable  Jesse  "The  Body"  Ventura. 

You  knew  Artisan  had  made  it  as  a  company  when... 

In  the  span  of  one  week  we  were  the  feature  story  in 
major,  multi-page  articles  in  the  LA  Times  and  the  trade 
papers  which  were  both  complimentary  and  extremely 
critical. 

Best  distribution  experience  you've  had  lately: 

I  believe  the  job  Artisan  did  in  acquiring,  marketing,  and 
distributing  Darren  Aronofsky's  Pi  was  outstanding. 
This  became  one  of  the  best-performing  specialized 
releases  of  the  year  and  given  the  challenges  of  releas- 
ing it — its  format  (black  and  white)  and  quirky  content 
(in  the  words  of  the  director,  "God,  Math,  and  bad-ass 
Jews") — it  was  very  rewarding  to  see  it  become  a  com- 
mercial success.  Again,  this  is  indicative  of  the  tremen- 
dous attention  we  give  to  each  Artisan  release  and  we 
look  forward  to  duplicating  this  success  with  each  film 
under  our  care. 

Where  will  Artisan  be  10  years  from  now? 

If  we  are  able  to  fulfill  our  promise  and  continue  down 
the  path  we  are  currently  forging,  Artisan  will  be  the 
premier  independent  motion  picture  company  in  the 
world,  and  we  will  be  the  place  where  independent 
filmmakers  go  to  realize  their  vision. 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


Other  distributors  you  admire: 

Miramax  and  New  Line  wrote  the  book  on  how  to  suc- 
ceed as  independents.  While  their  strategies  have 
changed  (thus  creating  the  market  need  for  a  company 
like  Artisan)  their  early  steps  were  highly  admirable. 

The  difference  between  Artisan  and  other  distribu- 
tors of  independent  films  is . . . 

the  attention  we  give  to  each  film,  our  ability  to  market 
and  distribute  a  film  on  two  or  2,500  screens,  and  our 
outstanding  and  fully  integrated  ancillary  distribution 
capabilities. 

If  you  could  give  independent  filmmakers  one  bit  of 
advice  it  would  be  to  . . . 

be  true  to  your  creative  vision  and  make  the  movie  you 
want  to  make — the  integrity  and  honesty  of  a  film  to 

itself  and  its 
creator  is  one 
of  its  most 
visible 
assets. 

Upcoming 
titles  to 
watch  for: 

The  Limey 
(starring 
Terence 
Stamp,  Peter 
Fonda,  Leslie 
Ann  Warren), 

Stir  of  Echoes  (Kevin  Bacon),  The  Ninth  Gate  (Johnny 
Depp,  Lena  Olin,  Frank  Langella),  Felicia's  Journey. 

The  future  of  independent  film  distribution  in  this 
country  is  one  . . . 

which  has  great  promise  as  big  studio  pictures  contin- 
ue to  converge  on  similar  budgets  and  special  effects- 
driven  stories  that  make  for  "event  movies." 

Famous  last  words: 

Artisan  means  business.  By  working  with  today's  and 
tomorrow's  most  talented  filmmakers  and  by  helping 
them  be  true  to  their  creative  vision,  we  will  become  the 
acknowledged  leader  in  independent  film. 

Distributor  F.A.Q.  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
profiling  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent  film  and 
video.  If  you  are  a  distributor  and  want  to  be  profiled  or  are  a 
maker  and  want  to  find  out  more  about  a  particular  distributor, 
contact  Lissa  Gibbs  c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th 
fl.,  NY,  NY  10013,  or  drop  an  e-mail  to:  lissag@earthlink.net 

Llssa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent 
and  former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


/ 


AVID  rental 

large  rooms 

with  a  view 

in  mid-town 

24  hr  building 


AVID  1000/AVR77 
AVID  800  Film  Composer 


X 


/ 


X 


As  long-time 

AIUF  members 

our  goal  is  to  help 

other  independent 

^producers  and  editors  y 

Our  rates  are 
competitive 


DIVA  Edit 
1-800-324-AVID 

V  330  W  42nd  St  NYC  Z' 


SCREENPLAY 


June  15th,  1999 

ROSARITO  BEACH, 
BAJA  CALIFORNIA 

The  filming  location  of  the  movie  epic,  "TITANIC" 


TST  PRIZE  $2,000  plus 
2ND  PRIZE  $1, 000  phis 
3RD  PRIZE    $500   plus 


FOR  INFORMATION  &  APPLICATION 
Send  S.A.S.E.  to  our  U.S.  Border  address 

BISC 

P.O.Box  439030 

SanYsidro,  CA  92143 

(619)  615-9977 


29 


TH  STREET  VIDEO 


A  full  service  video  editing  and  production  company. 
Formed  by  independent  producers  who  saw  the  need 
for  a  hi-quality,  fair  priced  facility.  Fifteen  years  of 
experience  in  Broadcast,  Documentary  and  Corporate 
video.  We  know  how  to  do  it. 

PRODUCTION:  29th  Street  Video  is  a  full 


service  video  production  house.  One  camera  or  multi- 
camera,  we  do  it  the  best,  and  we  do  it  for  less. 

POST  PRODUCTION:  full  service 


BET  AC  AM  SP  ON-LINE  EDITING  S95/HR.  Included:  Sony 
DSF500  3D  digital  effects,  Tascam  10  ch.  mix,  a  very 
comfortable  room.  More  flash,  less  cash. 

DUPLICATION:  Talk  is  cheap.  Send 
something  to  dub  and  you  won't  regret  it.  We  use  high 
grade  tape  and  the  best  SONY  machines. 

212.594.7530 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


CP-rHilJHP- 


JEROME  FOUNDATION 


by   Michelle   Coe 


projects,  and  interactive  media.  Production  grants  are 
awarded  to  emerging  artists  showing  promise  ot  excel- 
lence who  may  not  have  had  the  support  needed  to  fully 
display  their  work.  ("Emerging"  refers  to  career  level 
and  recognition,  not  to  ongoing  stylistic  evolution.) 

Do  you  support  projects  at  specific  stages  of  pro- 
duction (e.g.,  script  stage,  development,  produc- 
tion, distribution,  etc.)? 

We  prefer  to  support  projects  in  the  beginning  stages  of 
actual  production  (which  does  not  include  scripting  or 
development).  However,  we  have  been  known  to  sup- 
port projects  in  later  stages  of  production,  or  even  the 
beginning  of  postproduction.  We  do  not  fund  distribu- 
tion, marketing,  tape-to-film  transfers,  etc. 

What  are  some  of  the  best  known  project  titles 
and/or  artists  the  Jerome  Foundation  has  funded? 

She's  Gotta  Have  It,  by  Spike  Lee;  Poison,  by  Todd 
Haynes;  Paris  Is  Burning,  by  Jennie  Livingston; 


Jerome  Foundation,  125  Park  Square  Court,  400 
Sibley  Street,  St.  Paul,  MN,  55101;  from  NY  (800) 
995-3766;  from  MN  (612)  224-9431;  fax  (651)  224- 
3439;  www.jeromefdn.org;  Contact:  Robert  Byrd, 
Program  Officer. 

What  is  the  Jerome  Foundation? 

The  Jerome  Foundation  is  a  nonprofit,  philanthropic, 
grantmaking  organization  that  provides  funding  to  arts 
organizations  and  individual  artists. 

What's  the  driving  philosophy  behind  the  Jerome 
Foundation? 

Through  its  various  funding  activities,  the  Jerome 
Foundation  is  dedicated  to  promoting  artistic  excel- 
lence, and  affirming  that  excellence  is  determined  by 
broad  and  diverse  aesthetic  criteria.  The  focus  of  our 
programs  is  designed  to  make  effective  and  strategic 
use  of  the  organization's  resources. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  the  Jerome  Foundation 
come  into  being? 

The  foundation  was  created  by  artist  and  philanthropist 
J.  Jerome  Hill  (1905-1972)  in  1964.  It  was  originally 
known  as  the  Avon  Foundation  and  became  the  Jerome 
Foundation  in  1973. 

Your  funding  programs  exist  for  media  artists  living 
in  the  five  boroughs  of  New  York  City  or  in  the  state 
of  Minnesota.  What's  the  connection? 

Jerome  Hill  was  born  and  grew  up  in  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota.  Later  in  life  he  moved  to  New  York  City, 
where  he  thrived  as  a  painter,  filmmaker,  composer,  and 
photographer.  He  wanted  to  give  financial  assistance  to 
enable  numerous  artists  to  continue  their  work. 


Applicants  must  reside  in 
Minnesota  to  be  considered  for  the 
Minnesota  program,  or  one  of  the 
five  boroughs  of  New  York  City  to  be 
considered  for  the  New  York  pro- 
gram. 

What  percentage  of  your  overall 
funding  goes  towards  film  or 
video? 

Approximately  17%. 

How  many  media  awards  are 
given  out  per  year? 

There  is  no  set  number.  The  New  York  City  and 
Minnesota  media  arts  panels  determine  the  number  of 
awards  during  their  panel  sessions.  However,  in  New 
York,  where  panelists  meet  three  times  per  year,  the 
foundation  has  been  known  to  give  as  many  as  21 
grants  per  year  and  as  few  as  perhaps  10-12.  In 
Minnesota,  where  panelists  meet  only  once  per  year,  as 
many  as  9-10  grants  may  be  awarded. 

What  is  the  average  size  of  a  Jerome  grant?  And 
what  is  the  total  amount  awarded  annually? 

We  don't  like  to  think  in  terms  of  the  average  size  of  a 
grant,  but  grants  generally  range  from  $8,000  to 
$15,000.  The  approximate  total  in  New  York  for  1998- 
1999  is  $257,000,  and  in  Minnesota  $95,000  for  1998. 

What  is  the  ratio  of  applicants  to  recipients? 

Approximately  15%  of  applicants  are  funded. 

What  types  of  projects  does  Jerome  fund? 

Primarily  film  and  video  artists,  however,  we  welcome 
other  forms,  such  as  film/video  installation,  on-line 


Moment  of  Impact,  by  Julia  Loktev;  Swoon,  by  Tom 
Kalin. 

What  are  some  of  your  personal  favorites? 

All  of  the  above. 

Explain  your  funding  cycle  and  deadlines. 

In  Minnesota,  our  panel  meets  once  per  year  (spring), 
with  a  deadline  of  late  winter.  In  New  York,  the  panel 
meets  three  times  per  year  (winter,  spring,  and  sum- 
mer) with  no  application  deadlines. 

Who  are  the  Program  Officers  of  Jerome? 

The  program  staff  is  Cindy  Gehrig  (President),  Vickie 
Benson,  and  myself. 

Who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 

Our  panels  make  recommendations  for  grants  which 
then  require  the  approval  of  our  Board  of  Directors. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  putting  forth  a  strong 
application? 

First  and  foremost,  follow  directions.  Do  not  send  too 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


little  or  too  much;  send  exactly  what  is  requested  in  our 
guidelines.  Second,  build  a  case  for  convincing  the 
panel  that  your  film  must  be  made.  What  is  the  film  or 
project  about?  What's  unusual  about  it7  What's  your 
personal  attraction  to  the  subject  matter?  What  will  be 
your  take  on  it,  both  substantively  and  stylistically? 

Submit  a  clear,  concise,  and  realistic  budget. 
Budgets  too  large,  and  especially  too  small,  will  be 
frowned  upon  by  the  panel.  On  that  note,  we  like  to  see 
that  filmmakers  plan  on  paying  themselves  for  their 
labor.  Also,  make  sure  work  samples  are  the  best  they 
can  be.  Always  show  your  best  sample  material  right 

away;    do 

not  expect 

that     the 

panel  will 

eventually 

get  to   it. 

Make  sure 

your  tapes 

a    r    e 

cued  to 

the  best 


Julia  Loktev's  Moment 
of  Impact. 

Courtesy  filmmaker 


material. 

Installation,  on-line,  and  interactive  artists  should 
speak  in  a  very  clear  language  that  a  lay  person  can 
understand.  Don't  assume  a  panelist  will  understand 
highly  technical  language. 

Resumes  should  be  clear  and  give  enough  back- 
ground information  to  convince  a  panel  that  the  appli- 
cant can  indeed  do  the  work  he/she  is  proposing.  If  you 
are  proposing  a  project  outside  a  genre  in  which  you 
have  traditionally  worked,  it  is  important  that  you  con- 
vince the  panel  that  you  can  make  the  leap.  This  is 
extremely  important.  I've  seen  many  requests  get 
declined  because  applicants  failed  to  address  this 
question. 

What's  the  most  common  mistake  applicants  make? 

Not  reading  directions.  All  too  often  applicants  fail  to 
read  our  guidelines. 

What  would  people  most  be  surprised  to  learn 
about  the  Jerome  Foundation  and/or  its  founders? 

That  we  looooove  controversy! 

Famous  last  words  for  filmmakers: 

Never  give  up  on  your  dream,  even  if  you  are  constant- 
ly denied  funding  from  grantmaking  institutions. 

Funder  F.A.Q.  is  a  new  column  profiling  foundations,  funding 
organizations,  and  financiers  of  independent  film  and  video 
projects.  If  you  are  a  funder  and  would  like  your  organization  or 
company  to  be  profiled,  contact  Michelle  Coe  at  AIVF,  304 
Hudson  St.,  6th  fl„  NY,  NY  10013,  or  send  an  email  to 
michelle@aivf.org. 

Michelle  Coe  is  program  and  Information  sen/Ices 
director  at  AIVF. 


Intrigue  Entertainment 


Proudly  Presents 

The.  1999  Silver  ScreenVlzy  Awards 

Call  For  Entries 

This  competition  was  formed  by  an  independent 
production  company,  in  order  to  discover  your 
voice.  You  an  never  be  Wend,  if  you  never  try. 

Any  den  re/Form  Accepted  (Including  Manu- 
scripts) 

Top  2  Winners  Recieve  Cash  Awards  of  $3,000/ 
Possible  Option 
Showcase  Readings  by  Professional  Actors,  for 
Managers  and  Producers 

Early  Bird  Entry  Fee  (Feb.  IS,  1999):  $45 
Final  Deadline  Entry  Fee  (March  1, 1999):  $65 
Contact  Intrigue  Entertainment  for  Further  Information: 

Phone:  (310)28!  5589 
E-Mail:  DocMar!ey<s>msn.com 


THE  SCH001  OF  THE  ART  INSTITUTE  OF  CHICAGO 

ANIMATION/3D  VISUALIZATION 

The  School  of  the  Art  Institute  of 
Chicago  seeks  practicing  artist  to 
teach  and  help  expand  animation 
courses  in  art  &  technology  and  film- 
making. Animator-filmmakers,  3D  ani- 
mators, and  real-time  3D  visualization 
artists  are  encouraged  to  apply.  Ability 
to  work  with  beginning  and  advanced 
students.  School's  open  curriculum 
nurtures  experimentation  and  interdis- 
ciplinary work  in  art  &  technology,  film, 
video,  sound,  painting,  sculpture,  etc. 
Full-time,  tenure-track,  rank  open. 

Send  letter  of  application;  resume; 
statement  of  teaching  philosophy; 
sample  of  work;  names/addresses  of 
three  references  and  SASE  by 
February  1,  1999  to: 

Animation  Search  Committee/IND 
SAIC,  Dean's  Office 
37  South  Wabash  Avenue 
Chicago,  IL  60603 

AA/EOE/WMA 


437  Madison  Avenue  New  York,  N.Y.  10022  TEL:  212.415.2617  FAX:  212.415.3500  www.cdpweb.com 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


by   Scott   Castle 

listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  15th  of  the  month  two-and-a-half 
months  prior  to  cover  date  (jan.  15  for  april 
issue).  include  festival  dates,  categories, 
prizes,  entry  fees,  deadlines,  formats  &  con- 
tact info.  send  to:  festivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 

ATHENS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  April  30- 
May  7.  OH.  Deadline:  Feb.  15.  26th  annual  festival  acknowledg- 
ing current  technical  possibilities  in  film/video  production.  The 
Athens  Festival  defines  "film"  as  a  work  whose  primary  intended 
viewing  context  is  as  a  projected  celluloid  image  &  "video"  as  a 
work  whose  primary  intended  viewing  context  is  as  a  video  image 
on  a  monitor/TV,  or  as  presented  via  video  projection.  Each  entry 
is  pre-screened  by  a  pre-screenmg  committee  comprised  of  film- 
makers, videomakers  &  other  artists  associated  w/  the  Athens 
Center  for  Film  &  Video.  All  works  that  evidence  a  high  regard  for 
artistic  innovation,  sensitivity  to  content  &  personal  involvement 
w/  the  medium  will  be  welcomed.  Cash  prizes  will  be  awarded  to 
competition  winners  in  each  category.  Cats:  narrative,  doc, 
experimental  &  animation.  Entry  fee:  $25  plus  pre-paid  return 
shipping/insurance.  Formats:  16mm,  3/4",  1/2";  For  preview  pur- 
poses, 1/2"  NTSC,  3/4"  U-matic  &  16mm  prints  are  acceptable. 
Contact:  Athens  Center  for  Film  &  Video,  Box  388,  Rm.  407, 75  W. 
Union  St.,  Athens,  OH  45701:  (614)  593-1330:  fax:  597-2560; 
bradley@oak.cats.ohiou.edu,  www.cats.ohiou.edu/~filmfest/ 

CONDUIT  DIGITAL  FEST,  mid-Mar,  TX.  Deadline:  Feb.  15.  Conduit 
celebrates  the  convergence  of  various  media  &  computing  tech- 
nologies by  offering  a  showcase  of  cutting  edge  digital  technolo- 
gy from  around  the  world.  Entering  its  third  year  of  innovative 
programming,  Conduit  features  digital  shorts,  animations  &  fea- 
ture films  of  any  genre  &  will  spotlight  computer  games  in  '99! 
Any  full  motion  video  sequences  from  computer-gaming  will  be 
considered.  Conduit  will  showcase  these  highly  original  works  in 
a  cinema  setting  utilizing  a  digital  projector.  This  celebration 
includes  panels,  Q&A  sessions,  screenings  &  parties  featuring 
electronic  music  video  selections  &  live  performances.  Entries 
must  be  submitted  on  1/2"  VHS-NTSC.  Entry  fee:  none.  Contact: 
Conduit  Digital  Fest,  906  E.  5th  St.  Suite  103,  Austin  TX,  78765; 
(512)  485-3147;  www.conduitfest.com 

HUDSON  VALLEY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  27-31,  NY.  Deadline: 
March  1.  This  collaborative,  noncompetitive  fest  celebrates  the 
screenwriter  w/  screenings  of  features,  shorts  &  docs,  as  well  as 
screenplay  readings,  a  panel  discussion  &  a  closing  night  tribute 
to  a  screenwriter's  work.  Fest  also  includes  two  unique  events  w/ 
deadline  of  Mar.  1:  The  Drive-In  Film  Fest,  currently  seeking 
35mm  genre  films  to  be  screened  at  a  drive-in  theater  &  Scored 
Shorts,  which  seeks  films  under  20  min.  to  be  scored  by  mem- 
bers of  Hudson  Valley  Philharmonic.  All  entries  must  be  submit- 
ted on  VHS  or  Screenplay.  Formats:  Features  &  docs-35mm  & 
16mm.  Shorts-16mm  or  Beta.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  fea- 
tures/drive-in/doc.:  $25.  Shorts:  $20.  Screenplays:  $15.  Contact: 
Nancy  Cozean,  Hudson  Valley  Film  &  Video  Office,  40  Garden  St., 
Poughkeepsie,  NY  12601;  (914)  473-0318;  fax:  473-0082; 
hvfo@vh.net;  www.sandbook.com/hvfo 

JOHNS  HOPKINS  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  15-18,  MD.  Deadlines: 
Feb.  1  (early);  March.  1  (final).  2nd  annual  festival  presented  by 
Johns  Hopkins  Film  Society,  is  a  4-day,  3-venue  extravaganza, 


taking  place  on  the  Hopkins  Homewood  Campus  during  the  leg- 
endary Spring  Fair.  Last  year's  fest  drew  over  2,200  attendants, 
showed  over  100  films,  received  a  Mayor's  Proclamation,  was 
voted  Baltimore  Magazine's  Best  Film  Event  &  received  unprece- 
dented East  Coast  coverage.  This  year's  fest  will  feature  panels, 
speakers,  independent  distributors  &  lots  of  parties.  We  "show- 
case new  talent  &  remember  that  film  is  all  about  having  fun." 
Cats:  narrative,  doc,  animation,  experimental,  short.  Formats: 
16mm,  35mm,  all  video  &  DV  Entry  fees:  $25  (early);  $35  (final). 
Contact:  JHFF  3501  St.  Paul  St.  Apt.  619,  Baltimore,  MD  21218; 
(410)  889-8324;  fax:  516-5048,  seether@jhu.edu; 
www.seether.com/filmfest 

KANSAS  CITY  FILMMAKERS  JUBILEE,  April  14-18,  MO/KS. 
Deadline:  Jan.  31.  This  is  the  Jubilee's  third  year  &  over  $10,000 
in  cash  &  prizes  will  be  awarded.  There  are  two  divisions  this 
year:  1)  Kansas  City  Metro  Division  (13  county,  bi-state  KC  metro 
area  residents  only):  Features  &  shorts  completed  since  Jan.  31, 
1996;  Entry  fee:  $15.  Cats:  narrative,  experimental,  animation, 
doc,  music  video.  2)  Natl  Short  Film  Division:  films  under  15 
min.  in  length  completed  since  July  31, 1997.  Entry  fee:  $20.  All 
formats  eligible.  Preview  on  VHS.  Cats:  narrative,  experimental, 
animation.  Contact:  KCFJ:  4826  W.  77th  Terrance,  Prairie  Village, 
KS  66208;  (913)  383-8551;  KCJubilee@aol.com;  www.ifckc.com 

MINNEAPOLIS/ST.  PAUL  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April 
16-May  1,  MN.  Deadline:  March  1.  17th  annual  festival  was 
started  by  University  Film  Society  Artistic  Director  Al  Milgrom.  It 
is  the  largest  film  event  in  the  upper  midwest,  bringing  in  more 
foreign  films  to  Minnesota  than  any  other  film  organization  or 
event.  The  program  is  predominantly  foreign,  w/  focuses  on 
Scandinavian  &  Baltic  films.  The  emerging  filmmakers  section  is 
showcase  for  self-distributed,  independent  filmmakers;  entries 
are  selected  from  submitted  VHS  tapes  by  a  panel.  Awards: 
Emerging  Filmmaker  awards,  Audience  "Best  of  the  Fest" 
Awards.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  University  Film  Society,  2331  University  Ave  SE,  Ste. 
130B,  Minneapolis.  MN  55414;  (612)  627-4431;  fax:  627-4111; 
filmsoc@tc.umn.edu;  www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/g023/  filmsoc 


NANTUCKET  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June  14-19,  MA.  Deadlines:  April  9 
(film);  March  12  (screenplay  competition).  Festival  focuses  on 
screenwriters  &  their  craft,  presents  feature  films,  short  films, 
docs,  staged  readings,  Q&A  w/ filmmakers,  panel  discussions  & 
the  Morning  Coffee  With...  series.  Writers  are  encouraged  to  pre- 
sent their  films  &  works-m-progress  &  get  feedback  from  other 
screenwriters  &  filmmakers.  Film  Submissions:  entry  must  not 
have  had  commercial  distribution  or  US  broadcast.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm;  preview  on  1/2".  Entry  fee:  $40  features;  $25 
shorts  (35  minutes  or  less).  Screenplay  Competition:  The  Tony 
Cox  Award  for  Screenwntmg  Competition,  sponsored  by  Showtime 
Networks,  entry  must  be  screenwriter's  original,  unproduced 
work.  Entry  fee:  $40.  Contact:  Jill  Goode,  Artistic  Director, 
Nantucket  Film  Festival,  PO  Box  688,  Prince  St.  Station,  New  York, 
NY  10012;  (212)  642-6339;  www.nantucketfilmfestival.org 

NEW  YORK  ANIMATION  FESTIVAL,  April  21-24.  Deadline:  Jan  4 
(early),  Feb.  1  (final).  First  annual  comprehensive  festival  for  all 
types  of  animation,  incl.  film,  video  &  digital  animation  of  any 
genre.  Student  &  int'l  entries  encouraged.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry 
fees:  $25-$35.  Contact:  NYAF,  Box  1513,  Peter  Stuyvesant 
Station,  New  York,  NY  10009;  (212)  982-7781;  fax:  260-0912; 
NYAFest@yahoo.com;  www.members.tripod.com/~nyafest 
/home,  html 

NEWARK  BLACK  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July,  NJ.  Deadline:  early  March. 
6-wk  summer  fest  of  films  by  African-American  filmmakers  & 
films  featuring  history  &  culture  of  Black  people  in  America  & 
elsewhere.  Fest,  now  over  2  decades  old,  has  screened  over  500 
films  before  total  audiences  of  almost  85,000.  Paul  Robeson 
Awards  are  biennial,  next  competition  is  2000.  Fest  accepts  non- 
commercial, ind.  films  &  videos  completed  in  previous  2  yrs  in 
cats  of  doc,  non-doc,  animation  &  experimental.  Original  16mm 
films  &  videos  released  w/in  previous  2  yrs  considered;  industri- 
al, commercial  or  studio  prods  ineligible.  Committee  representing 
sponsors  &  community  arranges  fest  &  selects  films.  Cash  prizes 
awarded  at  discretion  of  judges.  Fest  is  free  to  public  &  co-spon- 
sored by  Newark  Museum,  Newark  Public  Library,  Newark 
Symphony  Hall,  New  Jersey  Inst,  of  Technology  &  Rutgers  Univer- 


SAN  FRANCISCO  INTERNATIONAL  LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  FESTIVAL 


Frameline  presents  the  23rd  year  of  the  SFIL&GFF,  the 
Grand  Old  Dame  of  the  international  gay  fest  circuit, 
in  June  of  '99.  Fest  attracts  large  &enthusiastic  audi- 
ences (1998's  fig- 
ure was  75,000)  and 
is  a  prime  showcase 
for  queer  films  and 
their  makers.  1998's 
110  screenings  took 
place  at  the  city's 
Castro  &  Victoria 
Theatres  and  at  the 
Roxie  Cinema  where 
audience  award- 
winners  included 
Tim  Kirkman's  Dear 

Jesse  (best  doc),  Laurie  Schmidt's  Sleep  Come  Free 
Me  (best  short),  and  Todd  Downing's  Dirty  Baby  Does 
Fire  Island  (animation).  Bold  &  eclectic  programming 


last  year  included  Lisa  Cholodenko's 
High  Art,  Barbara  Hammer's  The 
Female  Closet,  P.I.  Castellaneta's 


Relax  ...  It's  Just  Sex,  and  a  side- 
bar presentation  on  intersexuals  enti- 
tled 'Hermaphrodites  with  Attitude'. 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


sity/Newark.  Entry  fee:  $25  (Robeson  com- 
petiton).  Contact:  Jane  B.  Stein,  Newark 
Black  Film  Festival,  Newark  Museum,  49 
Washington  St.,  Box  540,  Newark,  NJ 
07101;  (973)  596-6550;  fax:  642-0459 


1  or  2  PLAYERS 


Conduit 


NOT  STILL  ART  FESTIVAL,  April  23-24,  NY. 
Deadline:  March  15.  4th  annual  test 
invites  entries  for  its  int'l  screening  of 
abstract  &  non-narrative  video  art  & 
music/sound  design.  The  1999  NSA 
Screening  will  be  featured  at  Cyberarts  '99 
Boston  May  8,  as  well  as  on  cable  televi- 
sion this  year.  The  NSA  Festival  was  creat- 
ed as  a  forum  for  artists  working  abstract 
&  non-narrative  forms  &  features  a  panel 
discussion  &  a  live  video/music  perfor- 
mance, in  addition  to  the  screening. 
Subsequent  screenings  around  the  country 
are  scheduled  after  initial  festival.  It  is 
requested  that  programs  be  around  5  min. 
in  length.  Formats:  S-VHS,  Hi8  or  3/4".  For 
more  info  contact:  The  Not  Still  Art 
Festival,  Box  496,  Cherry  Valley,  NY  13320; 
fax:  (607)  264-3476;  nsa_fest@hotmail.com;  www.impro 
vart.com/nsa.htm 

OUTFEST  '99,  July  8-18,  CA.  Deadline:  March  1.  Held  at  the 
Directors  Guild  of  America  &  nearby  venues,  Outfest  seeks  films 
&  videos  by  &/or  about  gay  men,  lesbians,  bisexuals  &  trans- 
genders.  Open  to  narrative  &  doc  features  &  shorts  on  35mm, 
16mm,  3/4"  or  1/2"  video.  Twelve  awards  ranging  from  $500  to 
$2,000.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $10-$20.  For  more  info  con- 
tact: Outfest,  1125  N.  McCadden  PL,  #235,  Los  Angeles,  CA 
90038;  (323)  960-9200;  fax:  960-2397;  outfest@outfest.org 

PALM  BEACH  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  9-18,  FL. 
Deadline:  Feb.15.  Now  in  its  fourth  year,  festival  is  considered 
the  southeast's  most  prestigious  event.  The  '99  festival  will  host 
a  series  of  events  incl.  Awards  Gala  (last  year  honorees,  Burt 
Reynolds  &  Sylvester  Stallone),  World  &  U.S.  premieres  &  par- 
ties, panel  discussions  &  symposia,  a  student  film  showcase  & 
10  full  days  of  int'l  films  previewing  in  theaters  throughout  Palm 
Beach  County.  All  test  net  proceeds  provide  grants  to  enhance 
existing  high  school  &  college  film  programs,  as  well  as  scholar- 
ships for  deserving  film  students — over  $90,000  awarded  last 
April.  Open  to  any  genre,  incl.  doc,  animation,  experimental, 
drama  &  comedy,  etc.  Entry  fees:  Features  $45;  shorts  $30 
(under  60  minutes  in  length).  Contact:  J.R  Allen,  Executive 
Director  or  Mark  Diamond,  Artistic  Director,  PBIFF,  1555  Palm 
Beach  Lakes  Boulevard,  Ste.  403,  West  Palm  Beach,  FL,  33401; 
(561)  233-1044;  fax:  683-6655;  pbfilmfest@  aol.com;  www. 
pbifilmfest.org 

SAN  ANTONIO  CINEFESTIVAL,  June  16-20,  TX.  Deadline:  March 
1.  Now  in  its  22nd  edition,  this  is  the  country's  longest  running 
Int'l  Chicano/Latmo  film  &  video  festival.  Seeks  works  by,  for  & 
about  the  Chicano  &  Latino  experience  &  fosters  discussion  of 
topics  affecting  media  arts.  Festival  exhibits  programmed 
entries  at  the  historic  Guadalupe  Theater  &  other  venues. 
Includes  public  forums/discussions  &  media  arts  workshops. 
CineFestival's  Premio  Mesquite  &  honorable  mention  awards  will 
be  given  in  the  following  categories:  narrative,  doc,  experimen- 
tal, First  Work/Emerging  Artist  &  will  include  a  special  Jury  Award 
to  entry  that  best  exhibits  the  spirit  of  CmeFestival.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4"  &  1/2"  video.  Preview  on  NTSC  video  only. 
Entry  fees:  $25;  $10  students  (high  school).  Note:  As  of  Jan.  1st 
Call  For  Entries  can  be  downloaded  at  the  Guadalupe  Cultural 
Arts  Center's  webpage.  Contact:  Ray  Santisteban,  Director  of 
Media  Arts,  Guadalupe  Cultural  Arts  Center,  1300  Guadalupe  St. 
San  Antonio,  TX  78207;  (210)  271-3151;  fax:  271-3480; 


Computer  games  and  intro/outro 

interstitials  are  spotlighted  at  the 

third  Conduit  Digital  Fest,  held  in 

Austin.  TX,  mid-March  (deadline: 

)  &  coin- 

with  the 

South  by  South- 

.     west  fest.  The 

'-st  showcases 

g-edge 

I  technol- 


e  convergence 
of  media  &  computing  technolo- 
gies. Digital  shorts,  animations  & 
features  of  any  genre  accepted. 


guadarts@aol.com;     www.guadalu- 
peculturalarts.org/media.html 

Hi  pita  I   pOCt       SAN    FRANCISCO    INTERNATIONAL 
LHgliai  rOOl       LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June, 

CA.  Deadline:  Late  Feb.  Founded  in 
1976,  this  is  one  of  world's  largest  & 
oldest  events  of  its  kind.  Many  works 
premiered  in  fest  go  on  to  be  pro- 
grammed or  distributed  nat'ly  &  mt'ly. 
3  diverse  pre-screening  committees 
review  submissions  from  Feb-Apr. 
accepting  works  at  1:3  ratio.  Rough- 
cuts  accepted  for  preview  if  submitted 
on  3/4"  or  1/2".  Fest  especially  encour- 
ages appl.  from  women  &  people  of 
color.  Entries  must  be  San  Francisco 
Bay  Area  premieres.  Awards:  Frameline 
Award,  Audience  Award.  Fest  produced 
by  Frameline,  nonprofit  arts  organiza- 
tion dedicated  to  lesbian  &  gay  media 
arts.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4", 
1/2".  Entry  fee:  $20.  Contact:  Jennifer 
Morris,  Festival  Director,  Frameline, 
346  Ninth  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  703-8650;  fax: 
861-1404;  info@framelme.org;  www.framelme.org 

SAN  FRANCISCO  JEWISH  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  15-Aug.  1,  CA. 
Deadline:  March  15.  Estab.  in  1980,  noncompetitive  fest  (under 
annual  theme  Independent  Filmmakers:  Looking  at  Ourselves) 
showcases  new  Independent  American  Jewish-subject  cinema  & 
diverse  selection  of  foreign  films.  Fest  presents  dramatic,  doc, 
experimental  &  animated  shorts  &  features  about  Jewish  history, 
culture  &  identity.  Filmmakers  need  not  be  Jewish;  films  select- 
ed by  subject.  Special  programs  vary  yearly  &  have  include 
Russian,  Sephardic  &  Latino  programs.  35-40  films  showcased 
each  yr.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm  &  Beta.  Contact:  Jams  Plotkm, 
director  or  Sam  Ball,  associate  director,  Jewish  Film  Festival,  346 
9th  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  621-0556;  fax:  (510) 
548-0536;  Jewishfilm@aol.com;  www.sfjff.org 

SEATTLE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  13-June  6,  WA. 
Deadline:  March  1.  Founded  in  1974,  fest  one  of  largest  non- 
competitive festivals  in  US,  presenting  more  than  170  features  & 
75  short  films  to  audience  of  over  130,000.  Known  for  its  eclec- 
tic programming  encompassing  all  genres  &  styles,  from  latest  in 
contemporary  world  cinema  to  premieres  of  American  ind.  & 
major  studio  releases.  Special  programs  include  New  Directors 
Film  Showcase/Award,  Independent  Filmmakers  Forum, 
American  Independent  Filmmakers  Award,  Golden  Space  Needle 
Awards  given  in  cats  of  feature  film,  director,  actress,  actor,  doc 
&  short  story.  Inclusion  qualifies  participants  for  entry  in 
Independent  Feature  Project's  Independent  Spirit  Awards. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm;  preview  on  1/2".  Contact:  Michele 
Goodson/Film  Entry  Coordinator,  Seattle  Int'l  Film  Festival,  801 
E.  Pine  St.,  Seattle,  WA  98122;  (206)324-9996;  fax:  324-9998; 
entry@seattlefilm.com;  www.seattlefilm.com 

US  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  June  3-4,  IL. 
Deadline:  March  1.  Founded  in  1968,  this  is  the  world's  leading 
competition  devoted  exclusively  to  business,  television,  industri- 
al &  informational  productions.  Entries  are  grouped  within  68 
categories  or  10  production  techniques  where  they  are  judged  in 
a  two-tiered  system.  The  mt'ly  known  Gold  Camera  Award  & 
Silver  Screen  Award  plaques  recognize  the  top  productions  along 
w/  certificates  &  special  industry-sponsored  awards. 
Productions  must  have  been  created  during  the  18  months  pre- 
ceding the  deadline.  Entry  fees:  $125-$200.  Late  entry  avail.  For 
complete  info  contact:  USIFVF,  841  North  Addison  Ave.,  Elmhurst, 
IL  60126;  (630)  834-7773;  fax:  834-5565;  filmfestinfo@film- 
festawards.com;  www.filmfestawards.com 


"It's  one  of  the  best  organized, 

best  functioning  film  festivals  I've 

ever  been  at.  But  at  the  same 

time,  on  a  much  more  important 

level,  there's  a  warmth,  there's 

friendliness,  there's  a  love  of 

film  that  I  truly  appreciate." 

-  Roger  Corman.  legend 


^ 


\| 


"Thanks  for  the  best 
time  I've  ever  had 
at  a  film  festival!" 

-  Chris  Gore,  Film  Threat 


"The  audience  they've 
developed  reflects  a 
broad  and  valuable 
demographic.  Festivals 
such  as  Sundance  cater 
to  the  industry,  but  the 
Florida  Film  Festival  is 
particularly  useful  in 
gauging  how  the  gener- 
al market  will  respond 
to  a  film.  It  served  as  an 
effective  vehicle  for  the 
domestic  launch  of 
Unmade  Beds." 

-  Steve  Wax,  producer 


the  southeast's 
premier  independent  film  event 


the  eighth 
florida  film  festival 

June  11-20,  1999 
enzian  theater,  orlando 

features,  documentaries,  shorts,  animation 

juried  competition  &  audience  awards 

plus  a  cool  trailer  from  bill  plympton 

entry  deadline  •  february  26 
late  deadline  •  march  : 

p  407»629»1088  •  f  407»629«6870 
filmfest@gate.net  •  www.enzian.org 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


FESTIVALS 


F  LMMAKER 


MindSpring 


"Fast  gaining  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  most  innovatively 
programmed  of  the  indie  festivals... "  -  Adam  Longer  the  film  festival  guide 

Featuring: 

The  Annual  Taos  Land  Grant  Award 

sponsored  by  Taos  Land  &  Film  Company  -  Five  acres  of  Taos  Land 
for  best  feature  length  film 

The  George  Mies  Cinematography  Award 

-  Film  stock  and  production  services 

For  Information  and  entry  form  send  SASE  to: 
Taos  Talking  Pictures  -  Entries 
7217  NDCBU,  1337  GUSDORF  STE.  F 
Taos,  nm  87571 


1999 

TAOS 

TALKING 

PICTURE 

FESTIVAL 

APRIL 

15-18 


WW  CALL  FOR  ENnTROES 

DEADLINE: 

JANUARY   IS,   1999  -w^ 

Phone  (505)  751-0637  •  Fax  (505)  751-7385 

email:  ttpix@taosnet.com  •  www.taosnet.com/ttpix/ 


TOWN  OF  TAOS 


PSjfflflil) 


A  Delta  Air  Lines 

Official  Airline  of 
Taos  Talking  Pictures 


USA  FILM  FESTIVAL.  April,  IX,  Deadline:  early  March.  Fest  has 
3  major  components:  noncompetitive  feature  section  (now  in 
28th  yr);  Nat'l  Short  Film  &  Video  Competition  (in  20th  yr)j 
KidFilm  (held  in  mid-Jan).  Feature  section  incl.  premieres  of 
major  new  films,  new  works  from  ind.  &  emerging  filmmakers, 
special  tributes,  incl.  Great  Director  award  &  retro,  panel  discus- 
sions. To  enter,  send  preview  cassette  w/  publicity  &  production 
info.  Short  film  &  video  competition  showcases  new  &  significant 
US  work.  Entries  should  be  under  60  min.,  completed  after  Jan. 
1, 1998.  Cash  prizes  awarded  in  cats  of  narrative  ($1,000);  non- 
fiction  ($1,000);  animation  ($1,000);  experimental  ($1,000); 
Texas  Award  ($500);  Student  Award  ($500);  advertising  promo 
award;  Family  Award  ($500);  4  special  jury  awards  ($250). 
Grand  Prize  Winner  flown  to  Dallas.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
3/4",  1/2".  Entry  fee:  $40.  Contact:  Alonso  Duralde,  USA  Film 
Festival,  2917  Swiss  Ave.,  Dallas,  TX  75204;  (214)  821-6300; 
fax:  821-6364. 

THE  VIDEOGRAPHER  AWARDS,  TX.  Deadline:  March  19.  Awards 
in  Excellence,  Distinction  &  Honorable  Mention  for  video  produc- 
tion. Cats:  Productions,  Creativity,  Talent,  Government, 
Weddings,  Special  Events,  Legal,  Sports,  Cable  TV 
Commercials/Programs  &  Videos  for  Sale.  Judges  chosen  on 
basis  of  extensive  experience  &  proven  creativity  in  the  video 
field.  Entries  on  VHS,  SVHS,  3/4",  Betacam,  BetaSP  &  CD-Rom 
(PC).  Entry  fee:  $37.50.  Contact:  The  Videographer  Awards, 
2214  Michigan,  Ste  E,  Arlington,  TX  76013;  (817)  459-0488;  fax: 
795-4949;  tca@imag  m.net;  www.videoawards.com 

Foreign 

ALGARVE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  25-31, 
Portugal.  Deadline:  March  15.  27th  annual  fest  is  longest  run- 
ning event  of  its  kind  held  in  Portugal.  Films  must  be  produced 
1997  or  later  &  no  longer  than  30  min.  Format:  35mm  only. 
Preview  on  VHS  (PAL  or  NTSC)  Entry  Fee:  None.  Contact:  Carlos 
Manuel,  General  Director,  Festival  Internacional  de  Cinema  do 
Algarve,  Box  8091, 1801  Lisboa  Codex,  Portugal;  teh  011  351 1 
851  36  15;  fax:  011  351  1  852  11  50;  algarvefilmfest® 
mail.telepac.pt;  www.algarvefilmfest.com 

CANNES  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  12-23,  France. 
Deadline:  March  15.  Largest  mt'l  film  fest,  attended  by  over 
30,000  professionnals,  stars,  directors,  distributors,  buyers  & 
journalists.  Round-the-clock  screenings,  parties,  ceremonies, 
press  conferences  &  one  of  world's  largest  film  markets. 
Selection  committee,  appointed  by  Administration  Board,  choos- 
es entries  for  Official  Competition  (about  20  films)  &  Un  Certain 
Regard  section  (about  20  films).  Films  must  have  been  made 
w/in  prior  12  mo.,  released  only  in  country  of  origin  &  not  entered 
in  other  tests.  Official  component  consists  of  3  sections:  1)  In 
Competition,  for  features  &  shorts  competing  for  major  awards; 
2)  special  Out  of  Competition  accepts  features  ineligible  for  com- 
petition (e.g.  by  previous  winners  of  Palme  d'Or);  3)  Un  Certain 
Regard,  noncompetitive  section  for  films  of  mt'l  quality  that  do 
not  qualify  for  Competition,  films  by  new  directors,  etc;  4) 
Cinefondation,  new  competition  (since  '98)  to  present  &  promote 
short  &  medium-length  fiction  or  animation  films,  final  year  stu- 
dent films  or  first  productions  which  show  artistic  qualities  that 
deserve  to  be  encouraged,  thus  helping  young  filmmakers  who 
are  at  the  start  of  their  career.  Film  market  administered  sepa- 
rately, screens  film  in  main  venue  &  local  theater.  Parallel  sec- 
tions incl.  Qumzame  des  Realisateurs  (Director's  fortnight),  main 
sidebar  for  new  talent,  sponsored  by  Assoc,  of  French  Film 
Directors  (deadline  mid  April);  La  Semame  de  la  Critique  (Int'l 
Critic's  Week),  1st  or  2nd  features  &  docs  chosen  by  French  Film 
Critics  Union  (selections  must  be  completed  w/in  12  mos  prior  to 
fest).  Top  prizes  incl.  Official  Competitions  Palme  d'Or  (feature  & 
short),  Camera  d'Or  (best  first  film  in  any  section)  & 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


Cinefondation  (best  final  year  student  film).  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Cannes  Int'l  Film  Festival,  99, 
boulevard  Malesherbes,  75008  Paris,  France;  Oil  33  1  45  61  66 
00;  fax:  Oil  33  1  45  61  97  60.  For  press  accreditation,  contact: 
Christine  Aime,  Oil  33  1  45  61  66  08;  fax:  Oil  33  1  45  61  97 
61.  Cannes  Film  Market,  contact:  Jerome  Paillard,  99  bd 
Malesherbes,  75008  Paris,  France;  Oil  33  1  45  61  66  09,  fax: 
Oil  33  1  45  61  97  59.  Add 'I  info:  Quinzaine  des  Realisateurs, 
Societe  des  Realisateurs  de  Films,  14  rue  Alexandre  Parodi, 
75010  Paris,  France;  Oil  33 1  44 89  99  99, fax:  Oil  33  1  44 89 
99  60.  Semaine  Internationale  de  la  Critique,  attn:  Eva  Roelens, 
73,  Rue  de  Lourmel,  75015  Paris,  France;  teh  Oil  33  1 45  75  68 
27;  fax:  Oil  33  140  59  03  99 

IT'S  ALL  TRUE  INTERNATIONAL  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FESTI- 
VAL, April  9-18.  Brazil.  Deadline:  Jan.  15.  Festival  takes  place 
simultaneously  in  San  Paulo  &  Rio  de  Janeiro  &  intends  to  exhib- 
it fresh  &  original  documentaries  &  to  promote  meetings  aiming 
to  improve  the  int'l  discussion  about  the  genre.  Brazilian  &  Int'l 
competitions  &  special  retros.  Formats:  35mm  &  16mm.  No 
entry  fee.  Contact:  Amir  Labaki,  Festival  Director,  IATIDFF, 
Associacao  Cultural  Kinoforum,  Rua  Simao  Alvares,  784/2, 
05417.020,  San  Paolo  -  SR  Brazil;  tel/fax:  Oil  55  11  852  9601; 
itstrue@ibm.net;  www.kmofor/itstrue 

SUNNY  SIDE  OF  THE  DOC  MARKET  &  VUE  SUR  LES  DOCS  FES- 
TIVAL, May  10-13.  France.  Deadline:  Mar  27.  Independent  pro- 
ducers, distributors,  commissioning  editors,  heads  of  television 
programming  departments  &  buyers  from  all  over  the  world  will 
gather  again  in  Marseilles  for  the  9th  annual  Sunny  Side  of  the 
Doc  Market.  Attended  last  year  by  some  1,650  producers  from  45 
countries  &  over  200  buyers  &  commissioning  editors  represent- 
ing 31  countries.  Contact:  Sunny  Side  of  the  Doc  &  Vue  Sur  Les 
Docs,  3  Square  Stalingrad,  13001  Marseilles,  France;  teh  Oil  33 
4  91  08  43  15;  fax:  Oil  33  4  91  84  38  34;  100560.1511@com- 
puserve.com;  www.film-fest-marseilles.  com 

TOKYO  INTERNATIONAL  LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTI- 
VAL, July  16-20.  Japan.  Deadline:  Jan.  15.  Ninth  annual  event  is 
the  largest  lesbian  &  gay  festival  in  Asia  drawing  8,000  viewers 
to  70  films  last  year.  Festival  is  maior  event  in  Tokyo  cultural 
scene  &  receives  nat'l  &  int'l  media  coverage.  Formats:  16mm, 
35mm,  Betacam,  1/2"  VHS  (NTSC  or  PAL).  Contact  (inquiries 
only — no  tapes  or  films)  Elyssa  Faison;  tel/fax:  (213)  381-7132; 
efaison@ucla.edu.  Main  contact  &  entries  to:  TILGFVF,  5-24-16 
#601  Nakano,  Nakano-ku,  Tokyo,  Japan  164-0001;  Oil  81  3 
5380  5760;  fax:  Oil  81  3  5380  5767;  lgff@tokyo.office.ne.jp; 
www.gender.ne.jp/L-GFF/ 

TORONTO  JEWISH  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  29-May  6,  Canada. 
Deadline:  Feb.  28.  Now  in  its  seventh  year,  festival  is  the  second 
largest  Jewish  film  festival  in  North  America.  It  is  devoted  to 
chronicling  the  diversity  of  Jewish  life  &  experiences  from  around 
the  world.  Well-supported  by  the  Toronto  Jewish  community,  the 
festival  had  a  record  attendance  of  12,000  last  year.  Cats:  fea- 
ture, doc,  short.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta-SR  VHS  (Secam, 
PAL).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Shlomo  Schwartzberg,  Director  of 
Programming,  33  Prince  Arthur  Ave,  2"^  fl.,  Toronto,  Ontario, 
Canada  M5R  1B2;  (416)  324-8226;  fax:  324-8668;  tjff@inter- 
log.com;  www.tjff.com 

YORKTON  SHORT  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  May  13-16, 
Canada.  Deadline:  March  5  (Int'l);  March  19  (domestic).  Now  in 
its  52nd  year,  this  is  the  longest  running  festival  of  its  kind  in 
Canada.  Awards  avail,  in  18  genre  categories,  9  craft  cats  &  4 
int'l  cats.  Festival  includes  public  screenings,  mini  cinema, 
workshops  &  activities.  Contact:  YSFVF,  49  Smith  St.  E„  Yorkton, 
SK  S3N  DH4;  (306)  782-7077;  fax:  782-1550;  info@yorkton- 
shortfilm.org;  www.yorktonshortfilm.org 


CALL 


F    O    R 


ENTRIES 


4TH   ANNUAL  STONY  BROOK   FILM   FESTIVAL 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts 

State  University  at  Stony  Brook,  New  York 

Competitions  in  1 6mm  and  35mm  films 
including  features,  shorts,  documentary 
and  animation.  Largest  film  screen  in  the 
region  (40  ft.  wide)  in  dolby  stereo  sound! 
Previous  guests  and  honorees  include 
Steve  Buscemi,  Rod  Steiger,  Eli  Wallach 
and  Cliff  Robertson. 

For  more  information,  call  516-632-7233 

or  email  pcohen@notes.cc.sunysb.edu 

Entry  forms  are  available  online  at  www.stallercenter.com/festival 

or  write  to:  Stony  Brook  Film  Festival,  Staller  Center  for  the  Arts, 

rm  2032,  SUNY  Stony  Brook,  Stony  Brook,  NY  1 1 794-5425. 


m  Call  for  Entries 


FIL7W    FESTIVAL 

iitk  Annual  Fill/Video  F c s t i v a 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts/Stony  Brook  & 

Westhampton  Beach  Performing  Arts  Center 

May  20th-July  30th,  1999 

Call    or    Write    for    Entry    Forms    (Due  4/1/99) 

Christopher  Cooke,  Director 

Long  Island  Film  Festival 

c/o  P.O.  Box   13243 

Hauppauge,  NY   11788 

1-800-762-4769  .  (516)  853-4800 

From   10:00am-6pm,  Mon-Fri 

or  visit  our  website  at  www.lifilm.org 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


NOTICES 


NOTICES  OF  RELEVANCE  TO  AIVF  MEMBERS  ARE  LIST- 
ED FREE  OF  CHARGE  AS  SPACE  PERMITS.  THE 
INDEPENDENT  RESERVES  THE  RIGHT  TO  EDIT  FOR 
LENGTH  AND  MAKES  NO  GUARANTEES  ABOUT  THE 
NUMBER  OF  PLACEMENTS  FOR  A  GIVEN  NOTICE.  LIMIT 
SUBMISSIONS  TO  60  WORDS  &  INDICATE  HOW  LONG 
INFO  WILL  BE  CURRENT.  DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE 
MONTH,  TWO  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G., 
MAY  1  FOR  JULY  ISSUE).  COMPLETE  CONTACT  INFO 
(NAME,  ADDRESS  &  PHONE)  MUST  ACCOMPANY  ALL 
NOTICES.  SEND  TO:  INDEPENDENT  NOTICES,  FIVE  304 
HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  WE  TRY  TO  BE  AS 
CURRENT  AS  POSSIBLE,  BUT  DOUBLE-CHECK  BEFORE 
SUBMITTING  TAPES  OR  APPLICATIONS. 


Competitions 

1998  DGA  AWARDS:  DGA  announces  competition  for  outstand- 
ing directorial  achievement  in  feature  film,  doc  &  TV.  Open  to  DGA 
&  non-DGA  directors.  Deadline:  Jan.  4.  For  more  info  contact: 
Laraine  Savelle.  DGA  Awards,  7920  Sunset  Blvd.,  6th  fl„  LA,  CA 
90046;  (310)  289-2038;  fax:  289-5398;  laraine@dga.org; 
www.dga.org 

2nd  ANNUAL  FILM  IN  ARIZONA  SCREENWRITING  COMPETI- 
TION introduces  new  material  that  can  be  filmed  regionally  to 
entertainment  industry.  Winning  screenwriter  receives  profes- 
sional script  notes,  introductory  meetings  w/  agents  &  develop- 
ment reps.  Contact:  Linda  Peterson  Warren.  Arizona  Film 
Commission,  3800  North  Central  Ave.,  Bldg  D,  Phoenix,  AZ 
85012;  (602)  280-1460  or  (800)  523-6695. 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screenwrit- 
mg  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible.  Contact: 
American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690;  www.afionline.org 

ESTABLISHED  NONPROFIT  GALLERY  reviewing  membership 
applications.  Benefits:  local,  nat'l,  int'l  exhibition  opportunities 
curatmg  &  arts  mgmt  experience,  participation  in  a  dynamic  pro- 
fessional network.  Categories:  local,  national,  video/perfor- 
mance. Submit  16-20  slides,  video,  vitae,  SASE  to:  Membership 
Chair,  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W  Huron,  Chicago,  IL  60622. 

F.O.C.U.S.  INSTITUTE  OF  FILM  call  for  screenplays:  "original, 
compelling  human  stories  that  promote  positive  values  &  social 
responsibility — material  that  endeavors  to  stir  the  human  spir- 
it." Deadline;  May  7.  2-5  screenwriters  selected  for  mentorship 
program  &  one  script  will  go  into  production.  Proceeds  from 
release  of  films  produced  by  F.O.C.U.S.  will  est.  academic  & 
vocational  scholarship  funds  for  underprivileged  foster  children. 
Info  &  applic.  materials  available  by  faxing  name,  address,  ph 
no.  to  (310)  472-1481  or  at  www.focusinstituteoffilm.com 

MONTEREY  COUNTY  FILM  COMMISSION  SCREENWRITING 
CONTEST  Open  to  writers  who  have  not  yet  sold  scripts  to 
Hollywood.  All  genres  &  locations  accepted.  First  prize:  $1,500. 
Entry  fee:  $40.  Rules  &  entry  forms  under  "local  events"  at: 
http://tmx.com/mcfilm;  or  send  SASE  to;  MCFC,  Box  111, 
Monterey,  CA  93942;  (408)  646-0910. 

NEW  CENTURY  WRITER  AWARDS:  Competition  open  to  screen- 
writers, playwrights.  &  writers  of  short  fiction.  Seeking  "charac- 
ter-driven" stones  in  any  genre.  $4,000  in  cash  prizes  awarded 
to  top  three  entries.  Application  fee:  $25.  Deadline:  December 
31,  1998.  For  app.,  contact:  New  Century  Writer  Awards,  43  B 
Driveway,  Guilford,  CT  06437;  (203)  469-8824;  ommcron- 
world@snet.net 


They'll  SyfiSll 


Seattle's  911  Media  Arts  Center  continues  to  expand  its 
activities,  services  &  member  events,  as  it  has  done  for 
nearly  20  years.  It  is  currently  in  the  process  of  adding  a 
^^ffl  for  public 

exhibition  of  downloadable  media  files  and.  in  conjunction 
with  a  new  AvidMediaComposer8000  intends  to  become 
"the  world's  first  fully  integrated  digital  and  analog  screen- 
ing space."  Contact:  117  Yale  Ave.  N,  Seattle,  WA  98109; 
(206)  682-6552;  fax:  682-7422;  911media@media.org 


SET  IN  PHILADEL- 
PHIA: Screenwnting 
competition,  open  to  all 
screenwriters  &  all 
genres.seeks  feauture 
length  screenplays  set 
primarily  in  the  Greater 
Philadelphia 
Metropolitanarea. 
Submissions  will  be 
judged  upon  overall 
quality  and  extent  to 
which  they  tell  a  gen- 
uine Philadelphia  story. 
Deadline:  Jan.  26. 
Contact:  Philadelphia 
Festival  of  World 
Cmema.3701  Chestnut 
St..  Philadelphia,  PA 
19104;  (215)  895- 
6593,  fax:  895-6562; 
pfwc@libertynet.org; 
www.libertynet.org/ 
pfwc  /sip 

SOUTHERN  CIRCUIT,  a  tour  of  six  artists  who  travel  on  an  11- 
day,  nine-city  route,  is  now  accepting  applications  from 
film/video  artists.  Artists  are  asked  to  submit  an  appl.  form  &  a 
VHS,  3/4",  BETA  or  16mm  film  program  of  between  45  mins  &  2 
hours  in  length  (can  be  cued  for  a  30  mm  section  for  judging  pur- 
poses) in  addition  to  resume,  any  press  packet  materials  &  a  $20 
entry  fee.  Performance  &  installation  art  will  not  be  accepted,  nor 
will  any  works  in  progress.  After  a  pre-screening  process,  40 
finalists  will  be  judged  by  a  selection  panel  in  April.  Deadline  for 
submission  is  Jan.  15.  For  appl.  form  &  more  info  contact:  South 
Carolina  Arts  Commission,  Attn:  Brian  Newman/Susan  Leonard, 
Media  Arts  Center.  1800  Gervais  St.,  Columbia,  SC  29201;  (803) 
734-8696;  fax:  734-8526;  newmanbr@arts.state.sc.us  or 
leonarsu@arts. state. sc. us 

VIDEO  SHORTS  ANNUAL  COMPETITION  seeks  short  videos  for 
juried  screenings  open  to  public.  Ten  entries  chosen  as  winners; 
top  two  receive  $100,  other  eight  receive  $50.  plus  any  revenue 
received  from  rental  or  sales.  Max.  length:  7  minutes.  Entry  fee: 
$20.  add  $10  for  each  additional  entry  on  same  cassette;  max.  3 
entries  per  entrant.  All  entries  must  include  entry  form.  Tapes  & 
boxes  must  be  labeled  w/  name,  titles  &  running  times.  Tapes 
must  be  in  3/4"  or  3/4"  SP  VHS  or  S-VHS  or  DV.  VHS  tapes  also 
accepted  in  PAL  &  SECAM.  Include  SASE  if  want  tapes  returned. 
Two  categories:  General,  open  to  all  subjects,  &  Student,  open  to 
documentary,  animation/FX,  music  &  drama  with  the  theme  of 
"Space."  Deadline:  Feb.  7.  For  entry  form,  contact:  Video  Shorts, 
Box  20295,  Seattle,  WA  98102;  (206)  322-9010. 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AFI  announces  free  Kodak- sponsored  Professional  Training 
Division  (PTD)  Open  House,  Jan.  23.,  llam-5pm.  Itinerary 
includes  lectures,  hands-on  computer  demonstrations  &  AFI  Film 
Conservatory  screenings,  class  previews,  early  registration  dis- 
counts &  class  consultation  for  novices  &  professionals  alike. 
Contact;  (213)  856-7690;  Event  Hotline:  (213)  856-7664;  www. 
afionline.org 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1998  &  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature  films  & 
shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  the  supervision  of  an  experi- 
enced feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple  Avid  Media 
Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  features  &  four 


shorts  will  be  accepted  before  the 
end  of  1999.  Principal  photogra- 
phy &  transfer  must  be  completed 
on  feature-length  film  (70+  min.) 
or  short  (under  70  min.).  Can  be 
doc,  narrative,  or  experimental. 
Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC  direc- 
tor: (503)  297-2324;  www.film- 
camp.com 


CONTENT  '99:  May  19-21,  CA. 
Deadlines:  March  15  (early),  April 
27  (regular).  The  Nat'l  Educational 
Media  Network  presents  its  13th 
Annual  Media  Market  and  biennial 
conference  for  producers  &  dis- 
tributors. Market  only  one  in  the 
nation  devoted  to  educational 
works,  is  seeking  submissions  by 
film/video  producers.  Conference 
attendees  learn  the  latest  trends 
in  production,  distribution  &  exhi- 
bition. Early  bird  deadline:  April 
19.  Rates  vary;  discounts  avail,  for 
'99  Apple  Awards  competition  entrants.  CONTENT  will  culminate 
in  the  29th  Annual  Apple  Awards  Film  &  Video  Festival  (May  21- 
22)  at  the  Oakland  Museum  of  CA.  For  info  &  forms,  contact: 
NEMM,  655  13th  St.,  Ste.  100,  Oakland,  CA  94612;  (510)  465- 
6885;  fax:  465-2835;  content@nemn.org 

CPB  Community  Forums:  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  to 
host  community  forums  with  Latino  producers  &  public  television 
programmers.  Purpose:  To  discuss  funding  mechanism  for  Latino 
productions  for  public  television.  Forums  to  be  held  in  selected 
U.S.  cities.  Space  is  limited.  To  apply:  call  Anna  Santariano  at 
(202)  879-9686. 

Films  •  Tapes  Wanted 

AIR  YOUR  SHORTS:  new  public  access  cable  show  seeks  short 
films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No  pay,  just  satisfaction 
&  publicity  of  having  films  aired.  Sean:  (714)  723-6740; 
http://members.aol.com/ShortFilmz 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its  ongoing 
program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for  Independent  Film 
Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on  1/2"  VHS  tape. 
Feature-length  independent  film,  doc  &  new  media  projects 
wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Suite  717,  LA,  CA  90028.  More  info, 
call  (213)  466-FILM. 

ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All  media 
including  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for  prospectus 
to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL  60622  or  call  (312) 
733-2787. 

ASHLAND  CABLE  ACCESS  seeks  video  shows.  VHS,  S-VHS  & 
3/4"  OK,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient  SASE. 
Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide,  Southern 
Oregon  State  College,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR 
97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

BALLYHOO!:  Central  Florida  TV  show  featuring  independent  film 
&  filmmakers  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30  mm.  Hour- 
long  community  access  show  produced  by  Frameworks  Alliance, 
nonprofit  organization  that  also  produces  Central  Florida  Film  & 
Video  Festival.  Each  Ballyhoo!  episode  aired  twice  weekly  for  one 
month  to  over  700,000  viewers.  Send  VHS  tape  &  return  postage: 
Frameworks  Alliance,  c/o  Thor  Neureiter,  1906  E.  Robinson  St., 
Orlando,  FL  32803.  (407)  839-6045;  fax:  898-0504. 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     January  /February  1999 


BIG  FILM  SHORTS  is  now  accepting  short  films,  any  genre,  for 
worldwide  distribution.  Details  at  (818)  563-2633;  www.big- 
filmshorts.com/ 

THE  BIT  SCREEN  premiers  original  short  films,  videos  &  multi- 
media works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  We're  looking  for 
original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  &  screen  ratio  for  the  Internet; 
films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  bandwidth  limitations. 
Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium?  For  submission  guide- 
lines check  out  www.lnPhiladelphia.com/The  BitScreen 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS  accepting  video,  film  &  computer- 
art  submissions  on  ongoing  basis  for  monthly  screening  program 
called  "Independent  Exposure."  Artists  will  be  paid  an  honorari- 
um. Looking  for  experimental,  narrative,  subversive,  animation  & 
doc  works,  but  will  screen  anything.  Submit  a  VHS,  clearly 
labeled  with  name,  title,  length,  phone  number  along  with  a  SASE 
(for  work(s)  to  be  returned).  We  will  get  back  to  you!  Send  sub- 
missions to:  Blackchair  Productions,  2318  Second  Ave.,  #313- 
A,  Seattle,  WA  98121.  Info/details:  (206)  977-8281, 
joeal@speakeasy.org;  www.speak  easy.org/blackchair 

CABLE  SHOWCASE  SEEKS  PRODUCTIONS.  Send  1/2"  or  3/4" 
tapes  to:  Bob  Neuman,  Program  Director,  Laurel  Cable  Network, 
8103  Sandy  Spring  Road,  Laurel,  Maryland  20707.  Tapes  cannot 
be  returned. 

CHICAGO  ADULT  AMATEUR  VIDEO  FESTIVAL  celebrates  the 
worldwide  free  speech  of  diverse  sexually-oriented  lifestyles 
through  showcasing  all  genres  of  erotic  video.  Accepting  all  gen- 
res, under  40  min.,  1/2"NTSC  or  PAL  versions.  Request  info: 
CAAVF,  2501  N.  Lincoln  Ave.,#198,  Chicago,  IL  60614- 

2313;  (312)910-5224;  caavf@juno.com;www.elbsentertain- 
ment.com/xxx 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  &  feature-length  European 
films  on  video  for  language  project,  preferably  without  subtitles. 
We  desire  only  limited  rights.  Contact:  Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892, 
Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970)  925-2805;  fax:  925-9880;  bnann 
@rof.net;  www.rof.net/yp/cinelingua.html 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS  seeks  short  films  for  monthly  showcases 
highlighting  works  by  up  &  coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene 
Williams  or  Marceil  Wright,  Doboy's  Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga 
Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (213)  293-6544. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S-VHS, 
&  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie  Rudman, 
DUTV-Cable  54,  Drexel  University,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg.  9B, 
Rm.  4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-  2927; 
dutv@post.drexel.  edu 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  for  the  99-00  exhibition  season. 
All  media  considered,  including  2-D,  3-D,  performance,  video  and 
computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable  documen- 
tation, SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman  132,  Central 
Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

EXHIBIT  YOUR  FILMS  AT  GRAND  ILLUSION!  Seattle's  Northwest 
Film  Forum  seeks  16mm  &  35mm  shorts  (60  min.  or  less)  for  on- 
going exhibition.  Selected  works  shown  before  regular  program- 
ming at  Seattle's  only  ind.  arthouse  theater.  Send  video  &  SASE 
to  NWFF  c/o  Grand  Illusion,  1403  NE  50th  St.,  Seattle,  WA  98105. 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  &  works-in-progress 
seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial  resources  for  CLIPS, 
a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invited  audience  of  industry 
professionals.  Deadline:  ongoing.  Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino, 
(212)971-5846. 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for  pub- 
lic/commercial TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to  Floating  Image 


MERCER  STREET 


Pro    Xools 
TVIedia    lOO 

Sound  Design  •  Original  Music  •  Sound  Effects 

Voice  Over  and  ADR  •  Sound   Editing  and   Mixing 

Non  Linear  Video  Editing  •  Multimedia  and  Internet 

Alan  Berliner  •  Lisa  Lewenz  •  Jem  Cohen  •  Cathy  Cook 
Maria  Venuto  •  Shelley  Silver  •  Brett  Morgen  •  Tony  Oursler 
Peggy  Ahwesh  •  Kathy  High  •  Ellen  Spiro  •  Lewis  Klahr 
Ardele  Lister  •  Hillary  Brougher  •   Adam  Cohen   •   Greg  Bordowitz 

Discount  Rates  for  Independents 


76  MERCER  ST.    NYC  10012  •  212.966-6794    •    E-mailmercerst@aol.com 


s 


M.   X 
DIGITAL  AUDIO 
-  PRODUCTION  - 

for  Film  and  Video 
and  Multimedia 


^ 


October  21-24,  1999 


[  call  for  entries  ] 

features  •  documentaries*  shorts  •  animation 
entry  deadline  —  June  15,  1999 


For  entry  forms: 

Fort  Worth  Film  Festival 

P.O.  Box  17206 

Fort  Worth,  TX  76102-0206 

817.237.1008 

www.fortworthfilmfest.com 
e-mail:  fwff@fortworthfilmfest.com 


The  Fort  Worth  Film  Festival 
congratulates  the  1998  $500 
post-production  prize  winners: 

(courtesy  of  Allied  Digital  Technologies) 

Lowdown 

Director:  Michael  Scott  Myers 

Headless  at  the  Fair 

Director:  David  Blood 


Got  a  story  to  tell?  We'll  shoot  it  for  you. 
877  77  ABYSS 

We  provide  a  complete  range  of  services  which  include  concept  development,  scriptwriting, 

storyboard  services,  producing,  directing,  set  design  and  construction,  single  or  multiple  camera 

location  recording,  studio  recording,  and  much  more  ... 

ABYSS  FILMS,  Inc.  uses  the  latest  high-tech  equipment  with  specialized  crews  to  give  our 
customers  the  highest  quality  product,  on-time  and  on-budget,  period. 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


NOTICES 


Productions,  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica.  CA  90406  (include  SASE 
for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www.artnet.net/~floatingimage 

"FUNNY  SHORTS"  requests  submissions  of  funny  short  films  for 
new  syndicated  TV  show.  Shorts  may  be  on  film  or  video  &  must 
be  no  longer  than  20  min.  Students,  amateurs  &  professionals 
welcome.  Cash  &  prizes  awarded  for  films  chosen  for  broadcast. 
Tapes  not  returnable.  Send  entries  on  VHS  to:  Funny  Shorts  c/o 
Vitascope,  Box  24981,  New  Orleans.  LA  70184-4981. 

IN  THE  COMPANY  OF  WOMEN:  Public  access  TV  show  featuring 
the  works  of  women  filmmakers.  All  lengths  welcome.  Send  VHS 
copy,  filmmaker's  bio,  &  a  SASE  to:  In  the  Company  of  Women, 
139  E.  89th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11236 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  with  relevance  to  alterna- 
tive youth  culture  for  screenings  &  distribution  within  under- 
ground community.  DIY  exp.  &  activist  work  encouraged.  Tapes 
will  not  be  returned.  Send  VHS  to  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia.  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for  on- 
going bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/  brief 
bio  &  SASE  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220,  Canal  St. 
Station,  New  York.  NY  10013.  Info:  kf_vl@hotmail.com 

MIDNIGHT  MATINEE  seeks  alternative  videos  for  monthly  cable 
access  show  on  Maui.  Possible  Hawaiian  distribution.  Any  top- 
ics, genres;  the  more  "out  there",  the  better.  Send  S-VHS  or  VHS 
copy  &  release  w/  SASE.  Paradise  Productions,  326  Pukalani  St.. 
Pukalani,  HI  96768. 

NATIONAL  COLLEGE  TELEVISION  NETWORK  producers  seek 
creative  programming,  student  film  &  video,  animation,  music 
videos  &/or  clips  of  indie  bands.  Select  entries  broadcast  nation- 
ally &  bands  may  be  invited  to  perform  live  for  studio  audience. 
Contact:  Burly  Bear  Network.  254  West  54th  St.,  New  York.  NY 
10019;  (212)  293-0770;  fax  293-0771;  burlybear@burlybear. 
com;  www.burlybear.com 

NEW  BREED  FESTIVAL  seeks  student/ind.  shorts  (narrative 
only)  for  bi-monthly  cafe  screenings  in  Lambertville.  NJ  &  on  NJ 
&  PA  public  access.  Send  1/2"  VHS  &  info  w/SASE  to  New  Breed, 
217  N.  Union  St.,  Lambertville,  NJ  08530. 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  ongoing 
opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons.  Send 
submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  to:  New  York  Film  Buffs,  318 
W  15th  St..  New  York,  NY  10011;  (212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  considered 
for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that  evening's 
feature,  together  w/  brief  audience  Q  &  A.  Works  longer  than  15 
min.  considered  for  regular  group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers. 
Works  on  16mm  w/  optical  track  only.  Send  films,  together  w/ 
completed  entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short  Film 
Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th 
St..  Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax  (718)  388-8713;  oculans@bill- 
burg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  ongoing  series 
showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at  MAKOR,  a 
place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  &  30s.  Now  accepting  shorts, 
features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  for  screening  considera- 
tion &  network  building.  PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by 
Steven  Spielberg's  Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  More  info:  Ken 
Sherman  at  (212)  792-6286;  kensherman@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE,  presented  by  Rodeo  FilmCo .,  is 
Portland-based  roving  showcase  &  distr.  co-op  for  exp  &  under- 
ground film/video.  Curated  shows  exhibited  bi-monthly.  Formats: 
16mm,  VHS.  $5  entry  fee.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce,  Rodeo 
Film   Co.,   Box  40835,   Portland,   OR   97240;   mattmppro 


duce@msn.com 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks  public 
access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay.  lesbian,  bi,  drag  &  trans 
subjects,  for  inclusion  in  an  academic  press  book  on  queer  com- 
munity programming.  All  program  genres  are  welcome.  Send  VHS 
tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Assistant  Professor,  Communication 
Dept,  Florida  Atlantic  University,  777  Glades  Rd.,  Boca  Raton.  FL 
33431;  (561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu;  Please  include 
information  about  your  program's  history  &  distribution. 

REAL  TV  looking  for  dynamic  videos:  news,  weather,  sports, 
bloopers,  busts,  "caught  in  the  act."  Real  TV,  syndicated,  daily 
video  magazine,  will  showcase  compelling  videos  from  around 
the  world — from  professionals  as  well  as  amateurs  who  capture 
video  snapshots  of  life  in  the  90s.  Tapes  will  not  be  returned. 
Contact:  Real  TV,  Hollywood  Center  Studios,  Stage  2, 1040  N.  Las 
Palmas,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90038;  (213)  860-0100. 

SUDDEN  VIDEO  call  for  entries.  Ind.  curators  seek  short  works. 
Looking  for  experimental  works  that  approximate  emotional  tone 
of  events  that  inspired  their  production.  Works  should  be  under 
10  min.  long  &  be  available  on  videotape  for  exhib./distnb.  Send 
submissions  on  VHS  &  SASE  to:  Gort/Raad,  17  Edward  Ave., 
Southampton,  MA  01073. 

UNDERGROUND  CINEMA  seeks  entertaining  short  films  for  pro- 
motional video  showcasing  new  black  talent.  If  your  short  is 
selected.  UC  will  help  finance  your  next  project.  Call  (212)  426- 
1723. 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  program  dedicated  to  exposing  innovative 
film  &  video  artists,  seeks  works  in  all  genres.  Seen  on  over  60 
cable  systems  nationwide.  Send  submissions  to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o 
DUTV,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg.  9B,  Rm.  4026,  Philadelphia,  PA 
19104. 

UPLOAD  YOUR  VISIONS:  The  Sync  Internet  Video  Gallery  seeks 
short  non-commercial  ind.  films  to  showcase  on  website. 
Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  music.  Send 
videos  &  written  permission  to  display  film  to:  Carla  Cole,  The 
Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  #301,  College  Park,  MD  20740;  (301) 
806-7812;  www.thesync.com 

VIDEO  IN  PARTICULAR  @  ART  IN  GENERAL:  Seeks  videos 
addressing  formalism,  cultural  self-representation,  existential- 
ism &  political  media.  Contact:  Laurie  Brown,  Art  in  General.  79 
Walker  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)  219-0473. 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors  inter- 
viewed, tape  returned  w/  audience  feedback.  Accepting  VHS/S- 
VHS,  15  mm.  max.  SASE  to;  Box  1042,  Nantucket,  MA  02554; 
(508)  325-7935. 

VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment.  Send 
VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  with  description,  name,  phone,  &  SASE  to: 
Videospace,  General  Submissions,  9  Myrtle  St.,  Jamaica  Plain, 
MA  02130. 

VIDEOSPACE    AT    DECORDOVA    MEDIA    ARTS    ARCHIVE 

DeCordova  Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of  video 
art  &  documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  &  new  gen- 
res from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new  media  arts 
archive.  Info  &  guidelines:  Videospace  at  DeCordova,  DeCordova 
Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd.,  Lincoln,  MA  01773-2600. 

WORLD  OF  INSANITY  looking  for  videos  &  films  to  air  on  local 
cable  access  channel,  particularly  anything  odd,  bizarre,  funny, 
cool.  Any  length.  One  hour  weekly  show  w/  videos  followed  by 
info  on  the  makers.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to:  World  of  Insanity,  Box 
954,  Veneta,  OR  97487;  (541)  935-5538. 

WXXI  Public  Television's  "Independent  Film  Series"  wants  short 
films/videos,  animation,  art  films  &  longer-length  documentaries 
for  possible  screenings  on  weekly  primetime  series.  Topics  are 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


your  choice,  but  should  be  suitable  for  viewing  by  general  TV 
audience.  Submit  entries  on  VHS.  It  chosen,  broadcast  quality 
version  will  be  required.  More  info/entry  forms,  call:  (716)  258- 
0244. 

Publications 

ART  ON  SCREEN  DATABASE  offers  free  listings.  Have  you  pro- 
duced films,  videos,  CD-ROMs  on  art  or  architecture?  Send  info 
for  inclusion  in  database  of  over  25,000  prods  on  visual  arts  top- 
ics. Prods  about  artists  of  color  &  multicultural  arts  projects  are 
welcomed.  Send  info  to:  Program  for  Art  on  Film,  Inc.,  c/o  Pratt 
SILS,  200  Willoughby  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  NY  1 1205;  (718)  399-4506; 
fax:  399-4507;  artfilm@sils.pratt.edu;  www.artfilm.org 

CANYON  CINEMA'S  25th  Anniversary  Catalog  (including  1993-5 
supplements)  with  over  3,500  film  &  video  titles  available  for 
$20.  Call  or  fax  (415)  626-2255;  canyon@sj.bigger.net 

FILMMAKER'S  RESOURCE:  A  Watson-Guptill  publication  by  Julie 
Mackaman.  A  veritable  "supermarket  of  great  opportunities — 
more  than  150  of  them — for  a  wide  variety  of  filmmakers .  .  . 
from  feature  to  documentary  to  educational  to  animated  films." 
Contact:  Watson-Guptill,  Amphoto,  Whitney  Library  of  Design, 
Billboard  Books,  1515  B'way,  New  York,  NY  10036. 

GUIDE  TO  TAX  EXEMPTIONS  FOR  FILMS  SHOT  IN  NY  STATE  is 

available  for  producers  who  want  clear  instructions  on  how  to 
claim  the  numerous  tax  exemptions  available  in  NY  state  for  film, 
television  &  commercial  production.  Put  together  by  Empire  State 
Development  Corp.,  51-page  reference  guide  can  be  obtained  by 
contacting  NY  State  Governor's  Office  or  the  Tax  Office.  NY  State 
Governor's  Office  for  Motion  Picture  &  Television  Development, 
633  3rd  Ave.,  33rd  fl„  New  York,  NY  10017-6706;  (212)  803- 
2330;  fax:  803-2369;  www.empire.state.ny.us/mptv.htm 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION— Save  the  Ideas!  Without 
independent  sources  of  ideas  &  discussion,  democracy  &  dissent 
cannot  thrive.  The  IPA  works  to  nurture  &  encourage  indie  publi- 
cations committed  to  justice  for  all.  To  find  out  more:  IPA,  Box 
191785,  San  Francisco,  CA  94119;  (415)  896-2456;  indy- 
press@igc.org;  www.indypress.org 

INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FINANCING  CONFERENCE  transcripts 
now  available.  Topics  discussed  by  international  financiers,  com- 
missioning editors  &  producers  include:  Foreign  TV  as  a  Source 
for  Funding,  International  Distributors,  Finding  US  Dollars  &  How 
to  Pitch  Your  Idea.  Send  $41  to  IFFCON,  360  Ritch  St.,  San 
Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  281-9777. 

MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  THE  ULTIMATE  GUIDE  FOR  THE 
INDEPENDENT  PRODUCER:  annual  guide  published  by  Bay  Area 
Video  Coalition.  Includes:  nat'l  &  int'l  film  festival  listings,  dis- 
tributors, exhibition  venues,  media  funding  sources,  TV  broad- 
cast venues,  film  &  video  schools.  For  more  info,  call:  (415)  861- 
3282 

MEDIA  MATTERS,  Media  Alliance's  newsletter,  provides  compre- 
hensive listings  of  New  York  area  events  &  opportunities  for 
media  artists.  For  a  free  copy,  call  Media  Alliance  at  (212)  560- 
2919  or  visit  their  website  at  www.mediaalliance.org 

Resources  •  Funds 

ARTIST  FELLOWSHIP  PROGRAM  offered  by  California  Arts 
Council  to  individual  California  artists  involved  in  Media  Arts  & 
New  Genre.  Artists  must  show  10  years  of  previous  professional 
experience  to  be  eligible.  Must  be  primary  creators  of  their  work. 
Matching  funds  not  required  &  no  specific  project  must  be  car- 
ried out  with  CAC  funds.  Deadline:  Jan.  9,  1999.  Contact:  Carol 
Shiftman  or  Wayne  Cook,  California  Arts  Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste. 
930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916)  322-6555;  www.cac.ca.gov 


Pro  Tools  •  Sound  Editing 

•  Surround  Sound  •  ADR  • 
Automated  Mix  to  Picture  • 
Foley  •  SFX  •  Sound  Design 

•  Custom  Music 


Media  100  XR  •  HDR  Real 
Time  FX  •  Adobe  After 
Effects  •  Photoshop  •  D3 
Digital  •  Betacam  SP  • 
Off-Line  •  On-Line  •  Ani- 
mation •  Full  On-Location 
Services 


601  Gates  Road  •  Vestal,  NY  13850 
SERVING  INDEPENDENTS  SINCE  1971 

1-800-464-9754 


DlPUCATIO\ 


212-242-0444 


POST  PRODlCTIO\ 


Media  100  Editing 

Voice  Overs 

Quicktime  to  Tape 

Digital  File  Transfers 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 

145  West  20th  St. 

New  York,  NY  10011 

Fax:  212-242-4419 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


V 


o 


REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM    SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —   3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)   219-9240 
Fax  (212)   966-5618 


AVID  EDIT  SUITES 

OFF  LINE /ON    LINE/3DFX 

Grafix  Suite/After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O.  Booth /Read  To  Picture 


VOICE 


1D4  WEST  29TH  ST     NY  1DDD1 


212. 244. 0744 


212.244.0690 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       53 


NOTICES 


NEW  DAY  FILMS  is  the  premiere  distrib- 
ution cooperative  for  social  issue  media. 
Owned  and  run  by  its  members,  New 
Day  Films  has  successfully  distributed 
documentary  film  and  video  for  twenty- 
five  years. 

Call  415.332.7172 


http: //www.  newday.com 


Context  Studios 

Film  &  Video  Services 


Seeking  energetic 
independent  makers 
of  social  issue 
documentaries  for 

~f  MEMBERSHIP. 


THE 


LOW  COST 


film-to-video 

transfer 

•  double  system 

•  time  coded  transfers 

precise  drop  frame  sync  for  computer  editing 
and  original  picture  matchback 

•  mag  track  recording 

PLUS: 

•  non-linear  editing 

•  1 6  track  digital  recording  studio 

•  film  and  video  screening 

•  theater  with  lights,  sound  system,  multiple 
camera  video  recording  and  live  switching 

•  10,000  Sf  Of  Space  for  rehearsal, 
shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  StudiOS    •  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009*  (212)505-2702 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
— ■  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  — 


•  interformat  Online  Edit  $  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit  $l  20/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions  Inquire 

Contact     us      for     other     services, 
prices  and  access  information. 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:  (212)  219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  Inc. 


Your  Avid  Film  Composer  Matchback  Specialists 


Negative  cutting  &  Conforming 

y  35mm 
>  16mm 
y      Super  16mm 


the*1 


u#mzL&*p* 


******** 


k» 


owledge 


;rience! 


413-736-2177  rS4 13-734-12 11  •  800-370-CUTS 


25  Riverview  Terrace 
Springfield,  MA  0 1 1 08- 1 603 


www.nenm.com 
e-mail:  nenm@nenm.com 


ASIAN  AMERICAN  ARTS  ALLIANCE  offers  two  grant  programs: 
Technical  Assistance  &  Regrant  Initiative  (TARI)  &  Chase 
Manhattan  SMARTS  Regrants  Program.  Total  of  $75,000  in 
awards  available  to  NYC  Asian  American  arts  organizations  with 
annual  budgets  of  $100,000  or  less.  Contact:  Marli  Higa,  (212) 
941-9208  for  application  details  &  deadlines. 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  programs 
for  film  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  CA  Arts  Council,  1300 1  St..  Ste. 
930.  Sacramento,  CA  95814:  (916)  322-6555;  (800)  201-6201; 
fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  Inc..  501[c]3  nonprofit  arts  education  organi- 
zation dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking  is  planning  to 
establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  &  is  looking  for 
donated/used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  lighting  &  editing  equip- 
ment in  good  working  order.  Donations  of  equipment  are  grate- 
fully accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan  Blanchfield, 
Executive,  at  (201)  444-9875. 

CPB  COMMUNITY  FORUMS:  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting 
to  host  community  forums  with  Latino  producers  and  public  tele- 
vision programmmers.  Purpose:  To  discuss  funding  mechanism 
for  Latino  productions  for  public  television.  Forums  to  be  held  in 
select  U.S.  cities.  Space  is  limited.  Contact:  Anna  Santanano, 
(02)879-9686. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  interfor- 
mat &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  md.  creative  projects.  Doc.  political, 
propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  ineligible. 
Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done  in  combination 
w/  super  8,  Hi8,  audio,  performance,  photography,  artists,  books, 
etc.  Studio  includes  Amiga,  special  effects,  A&B  roll  transfers, 
dubbing,  etc.  Send  SASE  for  guidelines  to:  The  Media  Loft,  727 
6th  Ave..  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  924-4893. 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals  for 
new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on  an  on- 
going basis.  No  finished  works  or  applications  for  development. 
Contact:  ITVS,  51  Federal  St.,  Suite  401,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94107;  (415)  356-8383. 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  government, 
foundation  or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
nonprofit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape  restora- 
tion must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara  Meyers- 
Kingsley.  (212)  563-1999  x  111. 

MEDIA  ACTION  GRANTS  available  to  organizations  for  confer- 
ences, workshops  &  events  designed  to  strengthen  upstate 
media  arts  communities  &  networking  at  a  state-wide  level. 
Events  should  take  place  between  Feb.  16  &  June  30.  Grant  not 
intended  to  duplicate  funds  from  other  sources,  particularly 
NYSCA.  Deadline:  Feb.  16,  1999.  Contact:  Media  Alliance  c/o 
WNET,  450  W.  33rd  St.,  New  York,  NY  10001;  (212)  560-2919. 

NEW  DAY  FILMS:  premier  distribution  cooperative  for  social 
issue  media,  seeks  energetic  independent  film  &  videomakers  w/ 
challenging  social  issue  docs  for  distr.  to  nontheatrical  markets. 
Now  accepting  applications  for  new  membership.  Contact:  New 
Day  Films  22D  Hollywood  Ave.,  Ho-Ho-Kus,  NJ  07423;  (201) 
332-7172;  www.newday.com 

NEW  YORK  STATE  COUNCIL  ON  THE  ARTS,  Electronic  Media  & 
Film  Program  announces  the  availability  of  up  to  $25,000  in 
funds  for  production  of  independent  film  by  NY  State  artists. 
Deadline:  March  1.  For  more  info:  (212)  387-7063;  NYSCA- 
Individual  Artists  Program,  915  Broadway,  8th  fl„  New  York,  NY 
10010;  www.nysca.org;  dpalmer@nysca.org 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel,  offers 
finishing  funds  of  up  to  $100,000  for  up  to  four  films/year. 
Budgets  must  be  under  $200,000.  Contact:  Mark  Stolaroff,  Next 
Wave  Films.  2510  7th  St.,  Ste.  E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310) 
392-1720;  paradigm@earthlmk.net 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     Januatr/February  1999 


OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  program  offers 
access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system  for  first  serious 
new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or  narrative  form.  Purely 
commercial  projects  not  considered.  Provides  camera  on  year- 
round  basis.  No  appl.  deadline,  but  allow  10  week  mm.  for  pro- 
cessing. Contact:  Dana  Meaux,  Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S. 
Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA  98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467- 
9165;  dana@oppenheimercamera.com 

PEN  WRITERS  FUND  &  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDITORS  WITH 
AIDS.  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  grants  &  interest-free  loans  of 
up  to  $1,000  given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary 
writers,  including  screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's 
emergency  funds  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects. 
Contact:  PEN  Amercian  Center,  568  Broadway,  NY,  NY  10012- 
3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/  awards 
averaging  $15,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  &  provocative 
takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian  issues,  have 
strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard  TV  lengths  (i.e.,  30 
mins.,  1  hr„  etc.).  Contact:  Charles  McCue,  NAATA  Media  Fund, 
346  Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863- 
0814;  fax:  863-7428;  charles@naatanet.org;  www.naatanet.org 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  awards  $1,000-8,000  grants  to  emerg- 
ing West  Coast  (CA,  OR,  WA)  documentary  film  &  videomakers  w/ 
non-profit  fiscal  sponsorship.  Student  projects  ineligible;  "spon- 
sor pending"  applications  not  accepted.  Deadline:  Feb.  1.  For 
form,  send  SASEto:  Film  Arts  Foundation,  346  Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl., 
San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  552-8760. 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides  16mm 
camera  pkgs  to  short,  non-profit  film  projects  of  any  genre,  incl. 
student  thesis  films.  Contact:  Kelly  Simpson,  New  Filmmaker 
Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto  Ave..  Woodland  Hills,  CA 
91367-2601;  (818)  316-1000  x  220;  fax:  316-1111. 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  Illinois  Arts  Council. 
Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  IL  artists  for  specific  projects. 
Examples  of  activities  funded:  registration  fees  &  travel  for  con- 
ferences, seminars,  workshops;  consultants  fees  for  the  resolu- 
tion of  a  specific  artistic  problem;  exhibits,  performances,  publi- 
cations, screenings,  materials,  supplies  or  services.  Funds 
awarded  based  on  quality  of  work  submitted  &  impact  of  pro- 
posed project  on  artist's  professional  development.  Applications 
must  be  received  at  least  8  weeks  prior  to  project  starting  date. 
Call  for  availability  of  funds.  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W. 
Randolph,  Ste.  10-500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570  toll- 
free  in  IL  (800)  237-6994;  ilarts@artswire.org 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  mt'l  doc.  films  &  videos 
on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  freedom  of 
expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Three  project  cate- 
gories considered  for  funding:  initial  seed  funds  (grants  up  to 
$15,000),  projects  in  preproduction  (grants  up  to  $25,000),  pro- 
jects in  production  or  postproduction  (average  grant  $25,000,  but 
max.  is  $50,000).  Highly  competitive.  Proposals  reviewed  quar- 
terly. More  info.,  contact:  Soros  Documentary  Fund,  Open  Society 
Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10019;  (212)  548-0600. 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants  avail- 
able for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  narrative, 
documentary  &  experimental/ammation/multimedia.  For  applica- 
tion info  contact:  Prof.  Julie  Simon,  UFVA  Grants,  U.  of  Baltimore, 
1420  N.  Charles  St.,  Baltimore,  MD  21201. 

WOMEN'S  FILM  PRESERVATION  FUND  of  New  York  Women  in 
Film  &  Television  is  seeking  proposals  for  the  funding  &  preser- 
vation or  restoration  of  American  films  in  which  women  have  had 
significant  creative  positions.  Application  deadline:  March  15. 
Contact:  NYWIFT,  6  E.  39th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10016;  (212)  679- 
0870;  fax:  679-0899. 


DM 


AJL 


CAN    MONTAGE   INC 


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i=;vnm  \u'jE.?=i\'j=nri,  'Jiuce  l-JU-l 


Award  Winning  Clients  And 
Productions  at  Reasonable  Rates 


A  V 


9    0    0  &  4    0    0 

Film  &  Video  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

Time  Coded  Duplication 

Hi-8,  VHS,  3/4SP,  Betacam  SP 
Editing  &  Dubbing 

Mac  Graphics  &  Digital  Effects 


375  West  B'way  3R,  NY,  NY  10012 

3    3    4-8283 


We're  a  Full-Service  Post- 
Production  facility  for  the 
alternative  filmmaker.  We  have 
an  ADR/Foley  Studio,  AVIDs, 
AudioVisions,  ProTools,  and  a 

high-speed,  8-plate, 
supercharged  steenbeck.  We 

provide  creative  editors, 
experienced  technical  support 
and  expert  post  supervision  at 

competitive  rates.  For  more 

information,  contact  Jeanette 

King  at  (212)  679-2720.  Or  Fax  at 

(212  679-2730. 

SPIN  CYCLE  POST,  INC. 

12  West  27th  St.,  6th  Floor 

New  York,  NY  lOOOl 


ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR,  FILM-VIDEO 


The  University  of  Miami 
seeks  a  full-time  tenure  trac 
teach  motion  picture  producti 
commencing  in  August,  1999. 
expected  to  teach  beginning, 
16  mm  production  at  the  under 
els,  be  competent  in  all  aspe 
postproduction,  and  be  active 
tion.   A  specialization  in  di 
ematography  is  desirable  but 
degree  or  MFA  in  motion  pictu 
teaching  experience  is  prefer 
tive  and  commensurate  with  qu 
ience.   The  search  will  remai 
tion  is  filled.   Send  resume 


School  of  Communication 
k  assistant  professor  to 
on  for  the  academic  year 
The  applicant  will  be 
intermediate  and  advanced 
graduate  and  graduate  lev- 
cts  of  production  and 
ly  engaged  in  film  produc- 
gital  technology  and  cin- 
not  required.   Master's 
res  required.   Prior 
red.   Salary  is  competi- 
alifications  and  exper- 
n  open  until  the  posi- 
to: 


Professor  Paul  Lazarus 

University  of  Miami 

School  of  Communication 

P.O.  Box  248127 

Coral  Gables,  Florida    33124-2030 


An  Equal  Opportunity/Affirmative  Action  Employer 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


iSttiAjSSiriEDS 


[scott@aivf.org] 

DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH  MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR 
TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  JAN  1  FOR  MARCH  ISSUE). 
CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240  CHARACTERS  (INCL. 
SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST  $25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF 
MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEMBERS;  240-480  CHAR- 
ACTERS COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65 
FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER  ID#. 
ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE  EDITED. 
ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPANIED  BY  A 
CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF,  304 
HUDSON  ST.,  NY,  NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY  CREDIT  CARD, 
INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD  NUMBER; 
NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING  ADDRESS 
&  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5+  TIMES  RECEIVE 
$5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics. 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  &  great 
service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226-2429; 
lloewinger@earthlink.net 

SYSTEM  FOR  SALE:  D-Vision  Pro  2.2  Digital  Editing  system 
includes:  486-50  computer.  9  Gig  drive.  20"  monitor  for  dis- 
play, 14"  monitor  for  control,  DV  Pro  2.2  software,  1  mixing 
board.  1  Altec  Lansing  speaker  set.  $5,000  neg.  Call:  (212) 
794-1982 

VIDEO  DECKS  /  EDIT  SYSTEMS  FOR  RENT  I  deliver'  All 
types/best  prices:  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW-1800)  $150/day, 
$450/week.  D/Vision  nonlinear  offline  $450/week.  S-VHS 
offline  $350/week.  Canon  digital  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Call 
David  (212)  362-1056 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Respected  distributor  of 
award-winning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disability  & 
related  issues,  seeks  new  work  Fanlight  Productions,  47 
Halifax  St.,  Boston,  MA  02130;  (800)  937-4113;  www.fan- 
light.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  consideration. 
Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr.,  Derry,  NM 
03038.  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS  Leading  distributor  of  out- 
standing videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join  our 
collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging,  nursing, 
psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For  education- 
al/health markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5  Powderhouse  Lane, 
Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963;  www.aquariusproduc- 
tjons.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP  ,  actively  &  successfully  distributing  inde- 
pendent products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  programming  of 
all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets.  Contact: 
(212)  594-6460;  fax  594-6461. 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR?  Consider  the 


University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  successful 
marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510)  643- 
2788  or  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribution. 
Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk 
Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99-YOUTH  x.  210. 

Freelancers 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra  . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  forthe  low 
budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking  (201)  807-0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent  fea- 
tures. Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time-code  video,  the 
works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to  collab- 
orate in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862;  circa@inter- 
port.net 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo:  (781) 
932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

AVID  EDITOR  w/  or  without  Avid.  Exp  w/  features,  docs,  trail- 
ers, episodic  TV.  Low  budget  indie  rates  available.  Dnna  (212) 
561-0829. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish.  English,  Catalan.  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  videographer  w/  new  Sony  Betacam  SR  mics  &  lights. 
Very  portable,  lightweight  &  I'm  fast.  Experience  includes: 
docs,  interviews,  industrials,  fashion  shows  &  comedy  clubs. 
Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand-held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SP  cool 
sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel.  Yitzhak 
Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/  15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417.  ela292@aol.com.  Credits:  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire-, 
wwwdp-brendanflynt.com 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  productivi- 
ty to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/  Std.16  Aaton 
XTR  prod  pkg.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass@concentric.net 

CAMERAPERSON:  Straight  from  Europe,  bicontmental  experi- 
ence in  features  and  feature-length  documentaries.  Ambitious, 
unusual,  awarded.  Call  Wolfgang  at  (718)  596-3907; 
lewo@compuserve.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 


RS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel.  Email:  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mm  pkg  w/  video  tap 
&  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER/TV  PRODUCER:  Prof.  &  exp  filmkr/ 
videographer.  Owner  super  dgtl.  cam.  pkgs.  nonlinear  dgtl.  edit 
sys,  known  for  hi.  qual.  features,  comm,  doc.  MTVs.  Best 
rates/serv.  in  S.  Cal.  LTS  Studio,  Box  3531,  Rsmd,  CA  91770; 
tel/fax:  (626)  287-5028 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to  tech- 
no— you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance,  Absolut. 
Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiappetta  (718) 
383-6607;  qchiap@el.net 

COMPOSER  for  film/video,  new  media  projects.  Innovative 
sounds  that  won't  strain  your  pocketbook.  For  a  free  demo  & 
brochure,  contact  Progressive  Media  Arts  at:  (415)  550-7172; 
pma@progmedia.com;  www.progmedia.com 

COMPOSER:  Affordable  original  music  in  any  style  that 
enhances  the  mood/message  of  your  project.  Save  money 
without  compromising  creativity.  Full  service  digital  recording 
studio,  Yale  MM.  FREE  demo  CD/initial  consultation/rough 
sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242-2691;  joe56@earth- 
link.net 

COMPOSER  FOR  FILM/TV:  Academy  Award  winning. 
Broadcast:  PBS,  NBC,  ABC,  CBS.  Highly  experienced  &  dedi- 
cated. Music  in  all  styles  w/  an  original  touch.  Complete  digi- 
tal studio.  Reasonable  rates.  Leonard  Lionnet  (212)  980-7689. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/DP  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  docu- 
mentation for  dance  and  performace,  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065;  or  e-mail: 
365892@newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking  for 
interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  commercials 
in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton  Super  16  pkg 
&  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or  (917)  794- 
8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  awards,  talent  &  experience. 
Credits  include  features,  commercials,  docs,  shorts  &  music 
videos.  Owner  of  Aaton  16mm/Super  16mm  pkg,  35mm  pkgs 
also  available.  Call  for  reel.  Bob  (212)  741-2189. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arnflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  pager  (917)  953- 
1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  features, 
shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  commercials, 
industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S-16  pkg 
avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     january/Fehninry  1999 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  and  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  include:  Features, 
shorts,  promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based, 
will  travel.  Carolyn  (888)  602-1774. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  35mm,  S16mm/16mm. 
Creative,  experienced,  award  winning,  w/  teature,  ads,  docs, 
music  videos  &  industrial  credits.  Own  Am  SR  1  S16/16mm 
pkg w/Zeiss  lens,  tungstens,  sound  pkg;  LKB  Prod.:  (718)  802- 
9874. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  with  Am  SR  II  w/  tap,  and 
Panavision  filters,  Sony  Beta  SR  HMIs,  Kino  Flos,  Jimmy  Jib  & 
grip  truck.  I  make  great  pictures,  work  fast  &  have  tons  of 
experience.  Call  for  reel  (203)  254-7370;  pager:  (917)  824- 
3334. 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award-winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/  new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg.  Trilingual  in  English,  Spanish  & 
German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project.  Reasonable  rates. 
Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7201. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle  rates. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/ 18  years  expe- 
rience in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  projects. 
Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952-0848; 
Ruvn@aol.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID,  14  years  experience,  including  4  features. 
Full  featured  Avid  MC1000  w/  AVRs  3-77,  3D  DVE,  Ultimatte  & 
film  matchback.  Low  price  package  deals  for  independent  pro- 
jects. Contact  Dan  Lantz  at  (610)  337-3333. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at  rea- 
sonable rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec,  at 
NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadm  (718)  768-4142. 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  projects. 
Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music  video  & 
documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246-8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  interna- 
tional network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LINE  PRODUCER/PM/AD/CONSULTANT  will  prepare  script 
breakdown,  prod  boards,  shooting  schedule,  budget.  Full 
investor  pkg  avail.  Also  avail,  for  production.  Low  budget  indie 
rates  avail.  Call  (212)  340-1243. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/time  code  Nagra 
&  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  projects. 
Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  beeper  (800)  796- 
7363  (ext./pin  1021996);  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

SONY  VX1000  DIGITAL  CAMERA  w/  cameraman.  Kenko  wide 


IDEOHH 

ON  PEARL  ST. 


minutes  from 

Tribeca 
East  Village 
Washington  Square 


DOCUMENTARY 
■  COMMERCIAL 
ADVERTISING 


BROADCAST  QUALITY  BVU900  system 

2  slow-motion  sources  w/frame  accurate  matchbacks 

digital  audio  record  and  layback 

CMX  style  editing  21 2.952.0848 

edls  saved  to  ascii  files  filmtape@aol.com 


Learn 

Film 

Making 

in  Vermont 


B.A.  Degree  program. 

Learn  from  successful  independent 

filmmakers  in  beautiful  Burlington, 

Vermont.  Call  for  more  information. 


infffi  Burlington 
S§g§  College 

Dept.  MM,  95  North  Ave.  Burlington  IT  05401 
1-800-862-9616    www.  burlcol.edu 


ANCHOR/ 

NEWS  DESK 

SETS 


VIDEO- 
CONFERENCING 


SATELLITE 
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CORPORATE 
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contact: 

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NTV  STUDIO  PRODUCTIONS 

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Digital  Betacam,  Avid 
MC  8000s  PCI  AVRs  ls- 
77,  Film  Composers, 
Betacam  SP,  5/4  U-Matic 
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post 

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Mackie  mixers,  Genelec 
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No.  200  Varick  St.  Room  501  NYC  10014 


Onune\Offline  Suites 

Post  Production  Support 

Digital  Betacam 

Editorial 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       57 


WE  HAVE  MOVED 

632  broadway   473-3040 


New  facilities  include: 


MORE  AVIDS:  400S-8000S  On-/Off-Line 
DUPLICATION:  Dubs  and  Transfers 
SOUND  BOOTH:  Voice  Over,  ADR,  Foley 
AUDIO  POST:  ProTools  24  Digital  Edit/Mix 
Still  at  B'way  &  Houston.        Still  Fri 


PRODUCTIONS 


Experienced,  &  Helpful. 


(    Y£jCl¥&  in  the  comfort 
of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Hanley,  Editor 

212.254.1106 


Classes  offered  monthly 

Introduction  to  Media  Composer, 
Tips  and  Techniques,  and  Media 
Composer  Effects. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts  is  an 
Avid  Authorized  Education  Center 
serving  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
Western  Pennsylvania  and  Kentucky. 

Call  for  more  information 

Maria  Troy,  674  292-7617 

Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts 

The  Ohio  State  University 
1871  North  High  Street 
Columbus,  Ohio  43210 


44&f\   All  In  One  Productions 

*-■    •  "**•  Your  Low  Budget  Production  Paradise 

Newest  Software  V4.5 —  Real  Time  Audio  Effects! 

MOCl 1 3    100    All  You  Can  Play!  As  low  as  $200/Day 
Non-Linear  Digital  Editing  System  FOR  RENT 


Digital 
video 


Up  to  72  GB  A/V  Array,  300  MB  of  RAM,  InsertyAssemble  Editing... 
After  Effects,  Boris  Effects,  Photoshop.  Illustrator,  ProTools,  Mini  Disk... 
Betacam  SP,  3/4",  DVCPP.O.  DVCAM,  Mini  DV.  SVHS,  Hi-8,  DAI. 

Digital  Cameras,  Lighting  &  Sound  Equipment  for  Rent 
Cameraman  &  Crew  Available  <CjTow  rates~" 
(212)  334  4778        401  Broadway.  Suite  2012.  New  Y. 
No   Job   too    Big  IMo    Budget  Too 


angle  lens,  Sennheiser  ME  66  shotgun  mic,  boom,  XLR 
adapter,  pro  tripod,  3  Bescor4  hour  batteries.  $150/day.  (212) 
677-6652. 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hick-hop 
collages/ambient  sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  pro- 
ductions (212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro;  Lynch;  S.  Shepard 
types  pref.  Animation! 

WHY  SHOOT  BETA?  Documentary  DP  with  Panasonic  DV  cam- 
era available  $450/day.  Will  also  shoot  short  films  (16mm)  for 
free.  Lisa  (212)  406-1297;  pager:  (917)  874-1021. 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

DEPT.  OF  MEDIA  STUDY  at  SUNY/Buffalo  is  seeking  to  fill  two 
tenured/tenure  track  positions  (assistant/associate  professor) 
in  fall  1999;  a  Digital/Media  Artist  and  a  Film/Media  Theory 
position.  Both  positions  are  contingent  on  funding.  We  prefer 
applications  received  by  March  15,  but  the  positions  will 
remain  open  until  filled.  Send  letter  of  application,  work  sam- 
ple (accompanied  by  SASE),  curriculum  vitae  (including 
names  of  3  references)  and,  if  avail.,  a  published  writing  sam- 
ple to:  Roy  Roussel,  Interim  Chair,  Dept  of  Media  Study,  231 
Center  for  the  Arts,  State  Univ.  of  NY  at  Buffalo,  Buffalo,  NY 
14260;  roussel@acsu.buffalo.edu;  (716)  645-6902  x.  1493. 
Women  and  minorities  encouraged  to  apply  E0/AA  employer. 
For  more  info  on  the  two  positions,  visit  our  website: 
http://wings.buffalo.edu/academic/department/AandL 
/media_study/ 

OPPORTUNITY  AVAILABLE:  Graduate  Fellowships  and 
Graduate  Assistantships  tuition  and  stipend  in  Computer 
Graphics,  Film,  Photography  &  Video  available  to  qualified 
individuals  in  Art  Media  Studies,  School  of  Art  &  Design, 
Syracuse  University  for  fall  1999.  Deadline:  Jan.  10.  Write:  The 
Graduate  School,  303  Bowne  Hall,  Syracuse  University, 
Syracuse,  NY  13244 

PRODUCTION  FACULTY,  Asst.  Prof.,  Univ.  of  TX  at  Austin. 
Demonstrated  film/video  expertise,  esp.  location  sound,  sound 
design  &  post.  Strong  production  record,  teaching  experience 
undergrad/grad.  MFA  or  equal.  Salary  commensurate  w/  expe- 
rience. Minorities  urged  to  apply.  Cover  letter,  resume,  work 
sample(s),  names  of  refs.  (postmarked  by  2/15/99)  to:  Paul 
Stekler,  Dept.  of  Radio-TV-Film,  UT  Austin,  Austin,  TX  78712. 
For  detailed  job  description:  berth@mail.utexas.edu 

ROCHESTER,  NY  seeks  Film  Office  Director.  Salary  $35-45K, 
Bachelor's  Degree  required.  Resume  to:  Thomas  F.  Hall, 
President,  Greater  Rochester  Visitors  Association,  126 
Andrews  St.,  Rochester,  NY  14604 

SEEKING  TO  HIRE  proposal  writer  experienced  with  cable  and 
foreign  documentary  TV  markets.  Please  call  (212)  431-4428; 
J12R@aol.com 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
shooters  and  sound  recordists  with  Betacam  video  experience 
to  work  with  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news  magazine  clients. 
If  qualified,  contact  C0A  immediately  at  (212)  505-1911. 


58     THE     INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


Preproduction  •  Development 

DIRECTOR:  Looking  for  short  (under  15  min.)  film  scripts.  Will 
co-produce  or  provide  financing.  Esp.  alternative  viewpoints, 
art  or  humor.  Email  treatment  or  synopsis  to:  Iisal31@ 
erols.com 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

VIETNAM  NOVEL  Long  Ride  Back  now  OP  after  three  printings 
in  the  US.  Film  rights  have  reverted  to  the  author.  Available  for 
option/purchase  from  John  Jacob,  417  S.  Taylor,  Apt.  3B,  Oak 
Park,  IL  60302. 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High  Quality" 
optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical  Sound  Chicago, 
Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL  60610;  (312)  943- 
1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

1GMM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture  & 
tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post  ser- 


vices: picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft)  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call  Tom 
(201)807-0155. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less'  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!'  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal  only. 
Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Betacam  SR 
We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by-scene  only. 
Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

FOR  RENT  OFF-LINE  AVID   In  a  spacious  air-conditioned 

suite,  located  at  180  Vanck.  Avid  1000;  AVR  3-77;  69  GB 
Storage;  Beta  Deck;  Media  Composer  6.5.3.;  Power  Mac  9600. 
Available  Oct.  1998.  Please  call  Moxie  Films,  Inc.  (212)  620- 
7727. 

MEDIA  100  for  rent  in  Boston:  Excellent  rates!  Top  of  the  line 
XR  system  with  300  KB  resolution;  32  gigs  hard  drive  space; 
Beta  SP  deck;  private  office  with  24-hour  access  and  beautiful 
garden.  Call  Liz  Canner  (617)  266-2418. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software.  Huge 
storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS,  Hi-8. . . 
Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech  support, 
talented  editors  &  FX  artists  available  212-431-9299. 


GEZ; 


MEDIA  100  EDITOR:  Accomplished  visual  storyteller  will  edit 
on  your  equipment  or  in  my  fully-equipped  project  studio. 
Credits:  several  narrative  projects,  major  ad  agencies  (Young  & 
Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neill,  Seiden  Group),  accounts 
(Johnson  &  Johnson,  Arm  &  Hammer,  PSE&G),  and  corp.  pro- 
jects (The  Equitable,  USA  Today,  CUNY,  SUNY).  Studio  w/  Media 
100XS  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  Beta,  Scanner,  DAT,  Photoshop, 
Illustrator,  AfterEffects.  John  Slater  (800)  807-4142. 

MEDIA  100  PCI,  broadcast  quality,  real  time  suite:  Beta-SR 
Hi8,  3/4",  VHS,  AfterEffects,  Elastic  Reality,  PhotoShop, 
Illustrator,  Hi  Res  Scanner.  Short-  &  long-term  TV  or  feature 
projects  in  comfortable  Tribeca  setting.  (212)  941-7720. 

THE  MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices1"  VHS  & 
3/4"  suites,  Hi8  video,  Super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services. 
Call  Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2.  Lots 
of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates,  free 
coffee.  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 


POST  OFFICE  EDIT  SUITES:  Avids  (400S  &  8000)  at  low  sub- 
sidized rates  for  indies  from  $500/wk.  Cut  in  a  creative  film 
community  in  Tribeca/Soho.  Also  complete  VX-1000  digital 
cam/audio  pkg$150/day.  (212)  685-7166;  (917)  687-7166. 


To  place  a  Classified,  call 
(212)  807-1400  x.  229 


North  Carolina. 
School  of  the  Arts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina. 


rMEDIA 


ARTS       i 

PRODUCTION 


sxtary 
ficti' 
cross-genre 

,  interactive 
digital 
media 


vw-tm 
Lp://ww. 


for  fall  '98 

"50-6448, 
'.cuny.edu/cfv/ 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       59 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe    & 
Vallery   Moore 


Happy  New  Year!  The  staff  and 
board  of  AIVF  are  optimistic  that 
1999  will  prove  to  be  an  eventful 
year  with  the  launch  of  new  pro- 
grams, services,  and  discounts.  (For 
one,  in  terms  of  insurance  benefits, 
we  are  currently  involved  in  discus- 
sions with  C&S  International 
Insurance  Brokers  to  expand  our  existing  poli- 
cies.) We  are  also  looking  forward  to  building  a 
stronger  online  community  through  the  redesign 
of  www.aivf.org.  Members  can  access  online 
areas  and  events  exclusive  to  AIVF.  Eugene 
Hernandez  of  IndieWIRE  is  overseeing  this  pro- 
ject. Speaking  of  community,  some  of  the  AIVF 
salons  are  really  on  the  move.  For  example,  the 
914  Salon  (in  Westchester,  New  York)  never  fails 
to  amaze  us.  They  keep  busy  hosting  packed  pan- 
els such  as  "The  Making  of  an  Independent  Film" 
and  publishing  a  newsletter.  Check  out  the  pic  of 
co-organizer  Jonathan  Kaplan,  director/writer 
Mary  Harron  (I  Shot  Andy  Warhol),  director  John 
Walsh,  and  film  critic  Marshall  Fine  in  our  Salons 
list  [p.  64],  as  they  take  time  out  to  become 
acquainted. 

If  you  have  any  good  news  or  AIVF  salon  pic- 
tures to  share,  please  send  them  to  me.  Don't  for- 
get to  include  a  short  description  along  with  all 
photos  submitted.  Who  knows,  maybe  you'll  be 
highlighted  in  the  next  issue  of  The  Independent. 
Until  next  time! 

Val  Moore,  membership  director 

As  Program  and  Information  Services 
Director,  I  am  honored  to  be  able  to  introduce 
myself  within  the  context  of  the  new  issue.  I  feel 
the  new  look  of  The  Independent  symbolizes  a 
turning  point  of  AIVF.  We  are  expanding  the 
existing  programs  while  offering  new  ones  in  our 
mission  to  present  the  best  possible  information 
resources  to  independent  film-  and  videomakers. 
Here's  a  preview  of  what's  in  the  works  for 
AIVF  members: 

•  An  updated  and  expanded  Resource  Library; 

•  A  mentoring  program  wherein  questions  can 
be  answered  directly  by  the  pros; 


•  One-on-one  sessions  with  attorneys  to  assist 
members  with  legal  issues  and  with  grant  writers 
to  advise  on  proposals. 

We  plan  to  offer  more  events — informative, 
networking,  and  otherwise — on  a  regular  basis, 
including  launching  such  series  as:  Up  Close: 
Conversations  with  Filmmakers  (see  Feb.),  In 
Brief:  Informative  Sessions  with  Industry 
Professionals;  and  TechSpeak,  which  will  cover 
technical  aspects  of  production/postproduction 
and  include  visits  to  equipment  and  post  houses. 
Keep  an  eye  out  for  these  new  and  exciting 
opportunities  to  expand  your  knowledge — and 
your  rolodex! 

Michelle  Coe 
program  and  information  services  director 


January/February  Events 

Many  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  office:  304 
Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam)  6th  floor, 
in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  Street); 
C,  E  (Spring  Street);  A  (Canal  Street). 

We  encourage  people  to  RSVP  for  events  (larger 
events  require  50%  fee  deposit  to  save  seats)  as  well 
as  check  in  for  updates  and  potential  time  changes. 

Note:  The  following  is  a  listing  of  events  whose 
details  were  being  confirmed  at  press  time.  Please 
visit  our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event 
Hotline:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest  info. 

JANUARY 

EVENTS  PENDING:  check  www.aivf.org 

FEBRUARY 

New  Events  Series! 

Up  Close:  Conversations  with  Filmmakers 

This  series  presents  personal  insight  and  advice 
from  one  filmmaker  to  another.  Featured  guests 
will  discuss  their  processes  and  styles,  and  reflect 
on  their  careers  in  the  industry.  Clips  may  be 
shown  of  their  latest  work,  with  full  screenings 
when  possible. 

Going  Digital  (in  Two  Parts) 

Part  I:  Hal  Hartley's  The  Book  of  Life,  present- 
ed by  producers  Matthew  Myers  and  Theirry 
Cagianut,  and  editor  Steve  Hamilton 


Moderated  by  Eugene  Hernandez 
Wlien:  February  (date/time  TBA) 
Where:  TBA 

Cost:  $10  AIVF  members;  $15  general  public 
To  register/for  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 
Don't  miss  this  rare  screening  of  Hal 
Hartley's  latest  work,  The  Book  of  Life,  shot 
entirely  on  digital  video.  Following  the 
screening,  the  key  creative  team  will  give  an 


in-depth  case  study  of  how  they  produced  the 
film  and  reflect  on  their  decision  to  work  in 
the  digital  medium.  Space  is  limited,  so  don't 
miss  the  launch  of  this  exciting  new  series! 


Workshop — Trench  Warfare: 
Surviving  Independent  Film 

with  In  the  Company  of  Men  producer 
Mark  Archer 

When:  Saturday,  Feb.  13,  9  a.m.  to  5  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  office 

Fee:  $95  AIVF  members;  $115  general  public 
To  register:  RSVP  to  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 
50%  min.  deposit  required  to  reserve  space; 
cash,  checks,  Visa/Mastercard  acceptable. 

Get  in  on  one  producer's  strategies  in  the 
business  of  low-budget  producing  as  Mark 
Archer  presents  a  case  study  of  the 
acclaimed  In  the  Company  of  Men.  Knowing 
production  basics  isn't  enough;  find  out 
which  tactics  work  and  which  do  not. 
Archer,  who  has  produced  and  directed 


60    THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


fiction  and  nonfiction  projects  for  film  and  tele- 
vision for  nearly  six  years,  will  discuss  producing 
from  A  to  Z,  including  budgeting  the  no-budget 
film;  targeting  potential  buyers  before  the  film  is 
in  the  can;  and  working  outside  the  system  with 


what  resources  you  have.  Attendees  will  receive 
a  comprehensive  reference  binder  with  valuable 
reference  materials. 

Meet  &  Greet. 

The  Sundance  Channel 

with  Tom  Harbeck  (Exec.  VR  Programming 

&  Creative  Director)  and  Liz  Manne 

(Senior  VR  Programming  &  Marketing) 

When:  Tuesday,  Feb.  9th,  6:30  -  8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10  general  public 

To  register/for  details:  RSVP  to  (212)  807-1400  x. 

301.  Tickets  also  at  the  door. 

The  Sundance  Channel  is  a  prime  outlet  for  cut- 
ting-edge filmmakers.  Films  like  Watermelon 
Woman,  Red  Meat,  and  Nowhere  Fast  are  a  few  of 
the  new  acquisitions  in  the  spotlight.  The  chan- 
nel has  announced  four  new  programming  blocks 
featuring  emerging  filmmakers,  shorts,  and  docu- 
mentaries. Meet  the  executives  and  get  the 
details  on  what  the  Sundance  Channel  can  offer 
you!  (For  more  on  the  Sundance  Channel,  see 
pg.  22) 

AIVF  Hosts:  CPB  Community  Forum 

When:  January/February  (date/time  TBA) 
Where:  AIVF  office 

For  more  information  contact:  Anna  Satariano  at 
the  CPB  (202)  879-9686. 

The  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  will 
host  a  community  forum  with  Latino  producers 
and  public  television  programmers  at  the  AIVF 
office.  The  purpose  is  to  discuss  the  future  direc- 
tion for  Latino  productions  for  public  television, 
in  the  light  of  the  newly  appointed  Latino  Public 
Broadcasting  Project.  For  more  information,  call 
Anna  Satariano  at  the  number  listed  above. 
Note:  Space  is  limited  to  20. 

OUTSIDE  NEW  YORK: 

Advocacy  forum: 


Production  and  Post 
Non  Linear  Offline  &  Online 

Beta  to  Beta  From  All  Sources 
A  Professional  Facility 

Intelligent  Solutions 

(And,  oh,  in  case  you  need  to  space  out, 

we've  got  a  cool  view  of  the  city,  too) 

New  York  City  (Union  Square) 

212.529.2875  www.pixbiz.com 


mm 

BUSINESS 

PRODUCTIONS  INC 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 
Component  Editing 

Transfers,  Window  Dubs 
45/hr    340/day    175/night 


1 123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


Avid  Non-Linear  Editing,  available  in 
both  PAL  &  NTSC  for: 
Short  Films/Documentaries/ 
Music  Videos  &  Commercials 
Demo  Reels 

Post  Production 


Video  Tape  Transfers  in  all  formats, 
including:  DV  Cam  &  DVC  Pro 

■  International  Standards  Conversion, 
PAL  &  SECAM 

1  High  Quality  Duplication  from  any 

Source  Master 
1  Film  to  tape  Transfer 


ANALOG  DIGITAL  INTERNATIONAL 

20  East  49th  Street,  2nd  floor 

New  York,  NY  10017 

Tel:  (21 2)  688-51 1 0  Fax  (212)  688-5405 

E-MAIL  address:  adidigital@aol.com 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

«s-  Free  Consultation  0  Fair  Rates  «" 


FELDMAM  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41s1  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


{P@sft  jj®slh 

AVID    EDITING 

AVR77  &  a  brain 

$1K  /  day 

Joshua  Schwarz 

Editor 

Tribeca  Film  Center 

212  965-4632 

www.postjosh.com 

scriptserve,  inc 


KEEP  YOUR  ENTIRE 

SCRIPT  ON  THE 

INTERNET    FOR 

ONE    YEAR. 

FOR    DETAILS    SEE: 
www .scriptserve. com 


INDEPENDENT  PRODUCERS  MEET  LIBRARIANS 
AND  CURATORS 

When:  Tuesday,  February  2 
Where:  Walker  Art  Center,  Minneapolis,  MN 
Contact:  Corie  Zimmerman  at  Libraries  for  the 
Future  (800)  542-1918  or  LaTrice  Dixon  (212) 
807-1400  x.  236. 

This  panel  discussion  will  examine  the  way  inde- 
pendent film-  and  videomakers  use  the  Internet 
to  exhibit  and  distribute  their  work,  how  public 
libraries  and  museums  work  together  to  create 
digital  media  and  information  collections,  and 
how  we  can  preserve  public  access  to  the 
Internet.  This  is  the  fourth  in  the  series  of 
national  Communications  Forums  on  telecom- 
munications policy  sponsored  by  AIVF  and 
Libraries  for  the  Future. 

MARCH  PREVIEW 

Up  Close: 
Conversations  with  Filmmakers 


Going  Digital  (in  Two  Parts) 

Part  II:  Three  Filmmakers  Discuss  Their 
Recent  Work  in  the  Digital  Domain 

When:   March  (date  TBA) 

Where:  TBA 

Cost:  TBA 

To  register/get  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Tickets  also  at  the  door. 

Join  in  on  this  conversation  among  accom- 
plished filmmakers  who've  made  digital 
video  their  medium  of  choice.  Directors  and 
key  creative  personnel  will  present  clips  of 
their  work  and  reflect  on  their  creative  and 
technical  processes,  and  on  their  experi- 
ences in  the  independent  realm  today. 
Discussion  will  be  moderated  by  producer 
Esther  Robinson.  Filmmakers  will  be 
announced  at  a  later  date. 


NFORMATION    RESOURCES 


RESOURCE  LIBRARY  UPDATE 

Check  out  the  new  titles  on  our  shelves! 

New  reference  guides: 

•  The  New  York  Production  Guide  (NYPG) 

The  essential  aid  for  your  every  production 
need — from  crewing  up  and  renting  equipment 
to  securing  permits  in  the  New  York  area. 

•  The  BIu-Boolc 

The  directory  to  the  film  and  television  industry! 
Listings  include  production  and  distribution 
companies,  effects  and  post  houses,  and  more. 
Published  by  The  Hollywood  Reporter. 

•  Hollywood  Creative  Directory 

Over  1,000  listings  of  production  companies, 
studios,  and  networks,  with  selected  credits  and 
contact  information. 

•  Hollywood      Distributors      Directory:      The 
Independent  Filmmaker's  Gateway  to  Distribution 
2,000  names  and  titles  of  sales,  acquisitions,  pub- 
lic relations,  and  marketing  staffs  of  domestic  dis- 
tributors and  foreign  sales  agents. 

•  The  Foundation  Center's  National  Guide  to 
Funding  in  Arts  &  Culture 

A  concise  directory  of  grants  available  to  artists 
and  arts  organizations. 

New  books: 

•  The  Variety  Guide  to  Film  Festivals,  by  Steven 
Gaydos 

•  International  Film  Festival  Guide  1998,  by  Shael 
Stolberg 

•  Multimedia  Producer's  Handbook,  by  Mark 
Litwak 


•  The  Complete  Film  Production  Handbook,  by 
Eve  Light  Honthaner 

New  subscriptions: 

•  Ross  Reports  (Monthly  listings  of  film  and  tele- 
visions productions) 

•  Back  issues  of  Filmmaker  Magazine 

The  Resource  Library  is  available  to  members  for 
in-house  research  Monday  through  Friday  from 
1 1  a.m.  to  6  p.m.  It  is  continually  being  updated 
with  books,  magazines,  and  reference  guides 
ranging  from  production  and  distribution  to 
screening  events  and  job  listings. 

We  are  always  taking  requests  of  titles  you 
would  like  to  see  made  available.  Email  or  fax 
suggestions  to:  Michelle  Coe,  program  and  infor- 
mation services  director,  at  (212)  463-8519  (fax) 
or  michelle("  aivf.org. 

LET  AIVF  DO  THE  NETWORKING  FOR  YOU 

We  get  an  average  of  20  walk-ins  per  week  of 
filmmakers  looking  to  crew  up  or  get  involved  in 
projects.  Our  resume  bank  and  bulletin  boards 
are  filled  with  listings  of  talented  cast  and  crew 
looking  for  projects  and  collaborators.  We  are 
currently  updating  our  resources,  so  send  us  your 
resumes  or  business  cards! 

Likewise,  if  you  are  looking  to  crew  up  your 
project,  mail  or  fax  us  your  posting.  (Please 
include  a  deadline  or  announcement  date  on  the 
flyer  to  help  keep  our  boards  current.)  Send 
information  to  the  attention  of  Michelle  Coe, 
program    and    information    services    director, 


62     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


^BMUm 

Find  information,  technical  tips,  advocacy 

updates,  and  member  gossip,  questions  &  news 

on  AIVF'S  website: 

•      f           . 

lis! 

CHECK  IT  OUT: 
AIVF'S  EVER-EXPANDING  WEB  SITE 

ww.aivf.org  is  being  reborn  as  the 
quintessential  resource  for  inde- 
pendent film-  and  videomakers.  We 
have  expanded  and  are  continuing 
to  expand  sections  to  serve  our 
membership  more  thoroughly, 
including  Bulletin  Boards  for 
posting  project  updates  and  calls 
for  crew;  Salon  Updates  to  better 
connect  filmmakers  nationwide; 
and  most  of  all,  our  Information 
Databases,  which  will  house  con- 
tact information  for  festivals,  dis- 
tributors, cable  and  broadcast  com- 
panies, funders,  and  exhibitors.  Be 
sure  to  browse  the  site  and  keep  an 
eye  out  for  upcoming  features! 

RESUME  BANK  c/o  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th 
fl.,  NY,  NY  10013. 

FILM  BYTES 

Every  third  Friday  of  the  month  at  7  p.m.  at 
www.pseudo.com,  AIVF  hosts  FILM  BYTES,  a 
webcast  series  about  independent  media  produc- 
tion. Produced  by  Kinotek  &  Pseudo  Network. 
Check  out  our  website  for  further  details 
[www.aivf.org]. 


NOT  RECEIVING  YOUR  INDEPENDENT! 

If  you  have  any  problems  receiving  The 
Independent  or  questions  regarding  your  AIVF 
membership,  please  call  LaTrice  Dixon  or  Marya 
Wethers  x.  236. 


«  film  west 

IRELAND'S  FILM  QUARTERLY 


"Film  West  is  an  excellent  quarterly:  a  must  for  anyone  with 
an  interest  in  contemporary  Irish  cinema"       Neil  Jordan 

Film  West  is  Ireland's  premier  film  quarterly,  covering  all 
the  issues  relating  to  both  national  and  international  film. 
If  you  are  interested  in  film,  and  especially  film  in  Ireland, 
then  Film  West  is  essential  reading. 

PAYMENT  TO: 

Film  West  Magazine,  Galway  Film  Centre, 

Cluain  Mhuire,  Monivea  Road,  Galway.  Ireland. 

Tel:  +353-91-770758    Fax:  +353-91-770746. 

e-mail:  galfilm@iol.ie  web  site:  http://www.iol.ie/-galtilm 


SUBSCRIPTION  DETAILS 

J  Europe:  1  year/4  issues:  -  £18.00  IR 

J  USA  &  others:  1  year/4  issues:  -  £22.00  IR 

Name:    


Address 


□  I  enclose  a  cheque  lor  IR£ made  payable  to  Film  West 

lJ  Please  chaige  IRE to  my  Visa/Mastercard 


Card  No: 
Expires 


Signature: 


Date: 


40  West  27th  Street 
New  York,  NY  10001 

y  "•"■ 

Sound  Stage  Rentals: 
34  x  28  x  14 

200  Amps 
Hard  Cyc  /  Blue  Screen 

$500  /  day 

On  Line  Editing: 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  3/4",  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

DVE:  Pinnacle  Alladin 

w/lots  of  Effects 

Video  Toaster  4. 1 

$85  /  hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages: 
SONY  DVCAM: 

DSR-130 $380 /day* 

DSR-300 $280  /  day* 

*  Including  Cameraperson 

Audio  Services: 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55  /  hr. 

In-house  Sound  Design  &  Scoring 

also  available. 

Tel:  212-679-9779 
Fax:  212-532-0444 

7 


Editorial  services 

for  film  and  television. 

EDITOR  WITH  MEDIA  100X1?, 
forage,  BetaSP,  3/4",  SHVS, 
DAT,  CD,  Scanner, 
After  Effects,  Commotion 


Documentary  and  feature  credits, 

TV  commercials,  and 

vinning  corporate  video. 
• 

_  ongratulations  to  our  client 

Roger  Summerhayes,  whose 


cted  for  the  1999 
e  Film  Festival. 


John  Slater 


(800)      807-4142 

www.johnslater.com 

MAJOR     CREDIT     CARDS     WELCOME 


^ 


Mini-DV  and  DVCAM  dubs  to  BETA 

...at  prices  independent 

filmmakers  can  afford 


212-765-6600  Lichtenstein  Creative  Media 

1600  Broadway  Suite  601  New  York,  N.Y.  10019 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      63 


SALONS 


STUDENTS:  CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

How  is  POPULATION  GROWTH  affecting 

CONSUMPTION  •  ENVIRONMENT  •  SUSTAINABIUTY 

$10,000  IN  PRIZES 

NO  ENTRY  FEE 

TV  EXPOSURE  •  NATIONAL  TOUR 

For  more  information,  a  resource  guide  and 
a  copy  of  the  video  Best  of  Festival ,  contact: 
WPFVF  •  46  Fox  Hill  Road,  Bernardston,  MA 

01337  •  TL:  800  638-9464  •  FX:  413  648-9204 

eM:  info@wpfvf.com  •  www.wpfvf.com 

Sponsored  by  Sopris  Foundation,  Searchlight 

Films  &  Population  Communications  International 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


VIII 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  gig  MicroNet  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -  Mackie  1 402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  •  NYC 
212  253  9472 


his  is  an  opportunity  tor  members  to 
discuss  work,  meet  other  indepen- 
dents, share  war  stories,  and  connect 
with  the  AIVF  community  across  the 
country.  Note:  Since  our  copy  dead- 
line is  two  months  before  the  meet- 
ings listed  below,  be  sure  to  call  the 
local  organizers  to  confirm  that  there 
have  been  no  last-minute  changes. 


Albany,  NY: 

When:  1st  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30  p.m 

Where:    Borders   Books   Cs.  Music, 

Wolf  Rd. 

Contact:  Mike  Camoin,  (518)  895- 

5269;  video4c(5  concentric.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:    Second    Monday    of    the 
month,  6:30  p.m. 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam 
Outlets  off  of  Monroe  Dr. 
Contact:    Genevieve   McGillicuddy, 
IMAGE  (404)  352-4225    x.  8 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday  of  the  month, 

8  p.m. 

Where:  Electric  Lounge,  302  Bowie 

Street 

Contact:    Ben    Davis,    (512)    708- 

1962 


Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Houston  Film  Commission  Hotline, 

227-1407 


(713) 


Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wed.  of  every  month,  5:30  p.m. 
Where:  Carlos  O'Kelly's,  4455  N.  27th  St. 
Contact:  (402)  782-2081 

Kansas  City,  MO: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  John  Sjlobom  (816)  333-7574 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each 
month,  call  for  time. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet 
Cafe,  Colonial  Village  Rte.  27 
&  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (908) 
756-9845   or  www.passionriv- 


AIVF  IMBED  SALON 


to  R)  The  Westchester  salon 
co-organizer  Jonathan  Kaplan, 
director  Mary  Harron  {I  Shot  Andy 
Warhol),  director  John  Walsh,  and 

author/  film  critic/moderator 
Marshall  Fine  meet  at  Westchester 
Community  College  to  discuss 
lie  Making  of  a  Feature  Film." 


Birmingham,  AL: 

When/Where:   Call   for   date   and 
location. 

Contact:  Michele  Foreman,  (205)  298-0685 

Boston,  MA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Susan  Walsh,  (508)  528-7279 

Brooklyn,  NY: 

When:  4th  Tuesday  of  each  month;  call  for  time. 
Where:  Ozzie's  Coffeehouse,  7th  Ave.  ck  Lincoln  PI. 
Contact:  Glenn  Francis  Frontera,  (718)  646-7533 

Chicago,  IL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  &.  location. 

Contact:  Oscar  Cervera,  (773)  751-8000  x.  2564 

Cleveland,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Annetta  Marion,  (216)  781-1755 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  3rd  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Diane  Markrow,  (303)  449-7125  or  Jon  Stout 

(303)  442-8445. 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 


New  Haven,  CT: 

When/Where:   Call   for   date 

and  location. 

Contact:   Jim   Gherer,   ACES 

Media  Arts  Center,  (203)  782- 

3675 


San  Diego,  CA: 

When/Where:    Call   for   date 

and  location. 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619) 

284-9811 

Seattle,  WA: 

When/Where:   Call   for  dates 
and  locations. 
Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  282-3592 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  The  first  Monday  of  each  month  from 

6-8pm    at    Club    Congress,    311    E.    Congress,    in 

Downtown  Tucson. 

Contact:  Beverly  Seckinger,  (520)  621-1239,  Robert 

Ashle;   robertC"access. tucson.org  or   visit   http://ac- 

cess.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4 

Westchester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538; 
aol.com  or  Jonathan  Kaplan  (914) 
jkap3(«  juno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  times. 

Contact:       Art       Byrd,       The       Flick       Clique, 

www.cboss.com/flickclique 

For  updates  or  changes   to   this   listing,   contact  Marya 
Wethers  x.  236 


recll  1(3 
948-3447; 


64    THE    INDEPENDENT    January/February  1999 


THE    ASSOCIATION 


J    OF    I 

FILMI 


IDEPEN 
AKERS 


Inverse,  committed  opinionated,  and 
fiercely  independent— these  are  the 
video  and  filmmakers  who  make  up 
the  national  membership  of  AIVF. 
Documentary  and  feature  filmmakers, 
animators,  experimentalists,  distribu- 
tors, educators,  students,  curators— all 
concerned  that  their  work  make  a  dif- 
ference—find the  Association  of 
Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers,  the 
national  service  organization  for  inde- 
pendent media  producers,  vital  to  their 
professional  lives.  Whether  it's  our 
magazine,  The  Independent  Film  <§• 
Video  Monthly,  or  the  organization 
raising  its  collective  voice  to  advocate 
for  important  issues,  AIVF  preserves 
your  independence  while  letting  you 
know  you're  not  alone. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  So  join  with  more  than 
4,500  other  independents  who  rely  on 
AIVF  to  help  them  succeed.  JOIN  AJVF 
TODAY! 

Uete's  what  AIVF  membership 
offers: 


**i  independent 

>nrtt_>ly' 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 


L  mr-»nrtt-iK 


Membership  provides  you  with  a 
year's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
Thought-provoking  features,  news,  and 
regular  columns  on  business,  technical, 
and  legal  matters.  Plus  festival  list- 


ings, distributor  profiles,  funding  dead- 
lines, exhibition  venues,  and  announce- 
ments of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS,  AND 
SEMINARS 

Members  get  discounts  on  events  cov- 
ering the  whole  spectrum  of  current 
issues  and  concerns  affecting  the  field, 
ranging  from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase  dis- 
counted personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  AIVF  suppli- 
ers. A  wide  range  of  health  insurance 
options  is  available,  as  well  as  E&O 
and  production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

More  than  SO  businesses  across  the 
country  offer  AIVF  members  discounts 
on  equipment  and  auto  rentals,  film 
processing,  transfers,  editing,  and 
other  production  necessities.  Plus 
long-distance  and  overnight  courier 
services  are  available  at  special  rates 
for  AIVF  members  from  national  com- 
panies. Members  also  receive  discounts 
on  hotels  and  car  rentals. 

INFORMATION 

We  distribute  a  series  of  informational 
resources  on  financing,  funding,  distri- 
bution,    and    production;     members 


receive  discounts  on  selected  titles. 
AIVF's  staff  can  also  provide  informa- 
tion about  distributors,  festivals,  and 
general  information  pertinent  to  your 
needs.  With  over  600  volumes,  our 
library  houses  information  on  every- 
thing from  distributors  to  sample  con- 
tracts to  budgets.  We're  working  on  a 
comprehensive  information  system 
that  will  be  available  on-line  only  to 
members. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons,  occur  in  cities  across  the 
country.  These  member-run,  member- 
organized  salons  are  a  unique  opportu- 
nity for  members  and  non-members 
alike  to  network  exhibit,  and  advocate 
for  independent  media  in  their  local 
area.  To  find  the  salon  nearest  you 
check  the  back  pages  of  The 
Independent,  the  ATVF  website 
[www.aivf.orgl,  or  caU  the  office  for 
the  one  nearest  you.  If  you  can't  find 
one  in  your  area  then  start  one! 

CONFERENCE/SCREENING 
ROOM 

Members  can  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings  and 
small  private  screenings  of  work  for 
friends,  distributors,  programmers,  flin- 
ders, and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field,  holding  forums  around 
the  country  to  keep  independent 
mediamakers  abreast  of  the  latest 
issues  concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INPIVIPUAL/STUPENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  One  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent      Access  to  all  insurance  plans  and  discounts  _ 
On-line  or  Over-the-Phone  Information  Services  _  Discounted  admission  to  seminars  _  Book  discounts 
_  Advocacy  action  alerts  _  Eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's  sub- 
scription to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both 

NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATIONAL/BUSINESS  &  INDUSTRY  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  and  3  one-year  subscriptions  to  The 
Independent  _  Representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  _  Special  mention  in  The 
Independent 

LIBRARY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  only  JOIN  AJVF  TOPAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES 

$3S/Student  (enclose  copy  of  student  ID) 
$SS/Individual 
$9B/Supporting 
$100/Non-profit  Organization 
$1B0/Business  8t  Industry 
LIBRARY  SUBSCRIPTION 
$75  domestic 
$90  foreign 

Name 

Organization 

Address 

City 

State  


ZIP 


Country 

Weekday  teL 
Fax 


Email: 


URL: 


MAILING  RATES 

U.S.  -  magazines  are  mailed  second-class; 
add  $20  for  first-class  mailing. 
Canada  -  add  $15 
Mexico  -  add  $20 
All  Others  -  Add  $45 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  Costs  (if  applicable) 

ContHkutiOn   tO    FIVF  (make  separate  tax  deductible  check  payable  t 

Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 
Or  please  bill  my Visa MC 


Acct  # 


Exp.  date         I 


I 


Signature 


Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  Floor,  NY,  NY  10013;    Or  charge  by  phone  (212)  207-1400  x236,  by  fax  (212) 

463-5519,  or  download  from  our  website  www.aivf.org 


E  DISCOUNTS 


Discounts  are  available  to  current  AIVF  members  with  card. 


ARIZONA 


FX  Factory 

Tucson,  AZ;  (520)623-3175;  FXFactory@aol.com 
Special  effects  production  studio  specializing  in  film 
effects,  prosthetics  &  makeup  effects  for  film,  TV  &  the- 
ater. AIVF  members  receive  15%  to  30%  discount  on 
labor. 

CALIFORNIA 

Aries  Post 

1680  Vine  St.,  Ste.  216,  Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (213)  463- 
6296;  ariespost@aol.com;  Contact:  Kevin  Glover 
10%  discount  off  rate  card  for  all  video  postproduction 
services  incL  Beta  SP,  Hi8,  3/4",  SVHS  &  DVC  to  Beta  SP 
analog  A/B  editing  &  Avid  non-linear  suite. 

Mill  Valley  Film  Group 

104  Eucalyptus  Knoll,  Mill  Valley,  CA  94941;  (415)  381- 
9309;  fax:  389-9110;  MVFG@aol.com 
Contact:  Will  Parrinello 

Independent  doc  producers,  established  &  award-win- 
ning provide  free  consultation  when  you  rent  from  us  wl 
35%  discounts  on  Media  100SX,  Media  lOONubus,  Avid 
400s,  VHS  cuts  only  system  &  Beta  SP  production  pack- 
age. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

1215  N  Highland  Ave,  Hollywood,  CA  90038;  (800)  824- 
3130;  fax:  (213)  463-2121;  SFTSERVICE@SPTWEB.COM; 
Contact:  Richard  Kaufman 

10%  discount  on  new  Fuji  16  mm  film,  llford  16mm  b&w 
film,  Maxwell  videotape  in  all  formats,  all  editorial  sup- 
plies mcl.  leader,  mag  stock,  splicing  tape  &  computer 
data  storage  media. 

Virgin  Moon  Post 

56  E.  Main  St.,  Ste.  207,  Ventura,  CA  93001;  (805)  652- 
6890;  fax:  652-6899;  Contact:  Ken  Finning 
10%,  discount  on  all  postproduction  services:  Media 
100XS,  Betacam  SP,  Adobe  After  Effects.  Adobe 
Photoshop,  Boris  Effects,  online/offline,  Fresh  Music 
Library,  DLT  Back-up,  Quick  Time. 

COLORADO 

MovieMaker 

4730  Table  Mesa  Dr,  Ste.  B-100,  Boulder,  CO  80303;  (303) 

449-6300;  fax:  499-7245 

Contact:  Susan  Lyle  Kinney 

15%  discount  on  video  production  services  mcl.  shooting 

editing  script  consultation. 

WASHINGTON  D.C. 

Yellow  Cat  Productions 

505  11th  St.  SE,  Washington,  D.C.  20003;  (202)  543-2221; 

fax:  543-2287;  yellowcat@yellowcat.com;  Contact:  Mary 

Flannery 

15%  off  a  full  day  video  shoot  wl  a  2  person  crew-,  15% 

off  any  Avid  editing  in  charming  townhouse  on  Capitol  Hill. 

FLORIDA 

Film  Friends 

729  NE  71st  St.,  Miami,  FL  33138;  (305)  757-9038;  fax: 

757-9795;  mikcamera@earthlink.net 

Contact:  Mik  Cribben 

20%  discount  on  extensive  range  of  equipment  rentals-. 

camera,  video,  lighting,  sound,  grip  &  Steadicam. 

ILLINOIS 


Cybertech  Media 

26  W  482  Blair,  Winfield,  IL  60190;(630)  690-7611;  fax: 
690-2143;  MEDIA@CYBERTECHMEDIA.COM;  www.cyber 
techmedia.com/aivf.html;  Contact:  Larry  Spiegel 
10%  discount  on  all  videotape  conversions  to  streaming 
video  formats  such  as  Real  Video,  NetShow,  or  Vivo  for  use 
on  the  Internet,  or  Quicktime  &AVI  formats  for  use  on  CD- 
ROM. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

10  W.  Kinzie  St.,  Chicago,  IL  60610;  (800)  467-0070;  fax: 

(312)  467-0074;  SFTchi@Ameritech.net 

Contact:  Max  Good 

10%  discount  on  new  Fuji  film  &  llford  B/W  film. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  Inc. 

25  Riverview  Terrace,  Springfield,  MA  01108;  (413)  736- 

2177;  fax:  734-1211;  nenm@nenm.com 

Contact:  Ins  Girard 

10%  minimum  discount  on  negative  cutting  services  on 

any  format.  FREE  use  of  16mm  or  35mm  8- plate 

Steenbeck  editing  suites.  Call  for  details. 

MARYLAND 

The  Sync-online  network 

4431  Lehigh  Rd,  College  Park,  MD  20746;  (301)  806-7812; 
fax:  474-5192;  info@the  sync.com 
Contact:  Carla  Cole 

10%  discount  on  live  &  on-demand  internet  video  encod- 
ing. We  can  put  up  a  trailer  or  an  entirety  of  a  film  work. 

NEW  JERSEY 

Ren  Media 

2011  St.  George  Ave,  Rahway,  NJ  07065;  (908)  382-5329; 

Contact:  Ruth  Kennedy 

Discounts  on  music  scoring  for  film/video. 

NEW  YORK 

Bee  Harris  Productions 

79  Putnam  St.,  Mt.  Vernon,  NY  10550;  (800)  811-2240; 
fax:  (800)  988-3939;  BeeHarnsl@aol.com 
Contact:  Robert  Bruzio 

10%  discount  on  all  editing  services  &  facilities  (Avid, 
Beta  SP  3/4",  16mm,  35mm,  transfers,  duplications). 
Producers  of  films,  commercials,  docs,  corporate  &  edu- 
cational videos. 

Diva  Edit 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  Ste.  1510, 15th  FL,  New  York,  NY  10036; 
(212)  947-8433;  Contact:  Robert  Richter 
10%  discount  on  all  editing  services  &  facilities:  Avid 
1000  &  Avid  800  wl  Film  Composer. 

Downtown  Community  TV  Center 

87  Lafayette  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)  966-4510; 
fax:  219-0248;  web@dctvny.org;  Contact:  Paul  Pittman 
10-20%  discount  on  DCTV  video  workshops  &  seminars; 
low-fee  Avid  &  DVC  camera  rental  for  nonprofit  projects. 

DV8Video,  Inc. 

738  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10003;  (212)  529-8204;  fax: 

982-5593;  lnbox@DV8designs.com 

Contact:  Morgan  Reese 

10%  discount  on  all  Avid  editing  services  &  duplication, 

Beta  SP  Digital  Betacam,  DVCPRO,  314",  Hi8&  VHS. 


ince  1988 


\A 


SOUND  DESIGN 


OMPOSITIN 


CGI 


12.691. 103 


WWW.  GL  C.  COM 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       65 


Media  100  Suites 

(with  or  without  editor) 

beta  sp  -  3/4"  -  Hi8  -  VHS  -  5VHS 

2d/3d  Graphics  Design 

photoshop,  illustrator, 
after  effects,  electricimage 

Voice-over  Booth 
Internet  and  CD-ROM 

integration  of  your  video  projects 
into  web  pages  and  cd-rom. 


Medialuna 
Productions 


636  broadway,  suite  214 

tel.  212.228.1133 

fax  212.228.1101 

www.medialuna.com 


WHEN  IT  COMES  TO 

ENTERTAINMENT  i 
MEDIA  INSURANCE 


WE  ARE 
THE  EXPERTS! 


DeWITT  STERN 
GROUP,  INC. 

NEW  YORK 

420  LEXINGTON  AVENUE 

NEW  YORK,  N.Y.  10170-0199 

TEL:  (212)  867-3550  •  FAX:  (212)  983-6483 

JOLYON  F.  STERN,  President 
CAROL  A.  BRESSI-CILONA,  SR.  Vice  Pres. 


AFFILIATES  IN:    LONDON  •  PARIS  •  MUNICH 


JUST  SOLUTIONS 

An  i81/2-hour  television  series 

of  independently  produced 

documentaries  about 

domestic  and  international 

human  rights  abuses  and  the 

communities  fighting  to 

address  them.  Airing  on  Free 

Speech  TV  and  public 

television  stations.  y;m^^^- 

A  PIG'S  TALE  — US  intervention  in  Haiti^^ 

leads  to  poverty  and,  ultimately,  revolution." 
DIRTY  SECRETS— A  US  lawyer  exposes  CIA 

abuses  while  searching  for  her  missing  rebel  husband  in  Guatemala. 
POVERTY  OUTLAW— Organized  "welfare  mothers"  fight  for  economic  justice 

on  the  streets  of  Philadelphia. 
THE  LAST  GRADUATION  — College  programs  in  prisons  are  being  cut  as  the  prison 

industry  thrives. 


Please  call  your  PBS  station  to  receive  local  listings 
for  these  four  JUST  SOLUTIONS  programs^ 

For  the  complete  cable  line-up  and  a  free  |UST  SOLUTIONS  Human  Rights       ■  -cjl___ 
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Echo  Communications  Group,  Inc. 

179  Franklin  St.,  4th  Fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)  292- 

0900;  fax:  292-0909;  accounts@echonyc.com;    jchu@ 

echonyc.com;  www.echonyc.com 

Contact:  Josh  Chu 

25%  discount  on  all  Echo  conference  &  SLIP/PPP 

accounts.  Up  to  25%  off  commercial  &  non-profit  web 

hosting  packages. 

Film  Friends 

16  E.  17th  St.,  8th  FL,  New  York,  NY  10003;  (212)  620- 
0084;  Contact:  Jay  Whang 

20%  discount  on  extensive  range  of  equipment  rentals: 
camera,  video,  lighting  sound,  grip  &  Steadicam. 

GLC  Productions 

11  Weehawken  St.,  New  York,  NY  10014;  (212)  691-1038; 
fax:  242-4911;  stacy@glc.com;  Contact:  Stacy  Davidoff 
10-30%  discount  off  book  rate  for  audio  postproduction 
services.  ADR,  sound  design,  SFX/ Foley,  mix,  ISDN  phone 
patch. 

Image  Design  Studio 

16  W.  32nd  St.,  Ste.  807,  New  York,  NY  10001;  (212)  643- 

4283;  fax:  346-9255;  Lee@IMAGEDS.com 

Contact:  Michael  Lee 

25-30%  discount  on  videobox  design,  graphic  design, 

websites,  logos,  ad  design  &  desktop  publishing. 

Island  Media  International 

22  Prince  St.  #110,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212)  252-3522 
50%  discount  off  all  corporate  rates  on  Avid  editing  ser- 
vices: Avid,  Betacam  SP,  DV  cam-digital,  film  to  tape  & 
tape  to  film  transfers,  camera  packages. 

Lichtenstein  Creative  Media 

1600  Broadway,  Ste.  601,  New  York,  NY  10019;  (212)  765- 
6600;  fax:  765-6550;  lcm@lcmedia.com  Contact:  June 
Peoples 

15/o  discount  on  mmi-DV  &  DVcam  dubs  to  Beta  &  equip- 
ment rental. 

Moondance  Productions 

630  9th  Ave,  Ste.  1212,  New  York,  NY  10036;  (212)  315- 
2000;  fax:  586-1572 
Contact:  Bob  Schapir  or  Eileen  Conlon 
10-30%  discount  (depending  on  hrs)  on  all  editing  ser- 
vices: Avid,  AVR-77,  Media  Log.  All  formants:  Beta  SP  DVC 
Pro,  DV  cam,  3/4,"  VHS,  D-7,  Hi8. 

NTV  Studio  Productions 

50  Rockefeller  Plaza,  New  York,  NY  10020;  (212)  489-8390; 
fax:  603-4820;  entv@aol.com 
Contact:  Elyse  Rabinowitz 

10%,  discount  on  all  editing  services.  Our  edit  suite 
includes:  Sony  BVE  2000  Editor,  DVS  2000C  Switcher,  DME 
3000  Multi  Effects  unit,  MXP  2016  Mixing  Console  & 
Chyron  Max!  The  switcher  allows  for  digital  editing  wl  Beta 
or  Beta  SP  source  tapes. 

One  Art 

132  W.  21st  St.,  New  York,  NY  10011;  (212)  741-9155;  fax: 
675-5061;  0neArtFilm@aol.com 
Contact:  Valerie  Kontakos 
10%  discount  on  Avid  rentals. 

Open  Studios 

601  Gates  Rd.Vestal,  NY  13850;  (607)  729-0100  x.  356; 

fax:  729-7328;  eter_Bombar@WSKG.PBS.ORG 

Contact:  Peter  Bombar 

10-40%  off  digital  audio /video  editing  production  &  field 

shooting.  (Includes  audio  postproduction,  music,  SFX, 

sound  design,  surround  sound  automated  mixing,  full 

video  services  wl  Betacam  &  D3  etc). 


S6     THE    INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


Pharoah  Editorial,  Inc 

35  W.  44th  St.,  2nd  Fl„  New  York,  NY  10036;  (212)  398- 
7676;  tax:  398-1314;  Contact:  Peter  or  Richard 
10-15%  discount  on  audio  services  &  mixing,  editing, 
sound  design,  custom  music  &  labor  on  ADR  &  foley. 
(Excludes  stock,  website  downloads  &  audio-plus-picture 
packages). 

Picture  This  Music 

50  W.  34th  St.,  Ste.  9C,  New  York,  NY  10001;  (212)  947- 
6107;  Contact:  Paul  D.  Goldman 
10-30%   off  digital  audio   postproduction:    music, 
voiceovers,  sound  design,  SFX,  audio  mixing  (ProTools 
work  stations). 

PrimaLux  Video 

30  W.  26th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  206-1402 
Contact:  Judy  Cashman 

10%  or  more  discounts  (nonprofits  encouraged)  on  ser- 
vices mcl.:  studio  production  facilities,  remote  production 
packages  &  postproduction. 

Quark  Video 

109  W.  27th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10001;  (212)  807-7711;  fax: 
807-7016;  Contact:  Michael  Levin 
10%  discount  for  all  postproduction  services,  mcl.  3/4", 
3/4"  SP,  S-VHS,  VHS,  Betacam,  Beta  SP  A/B  Roll  editing  to 
3/4"  SP,  Betacam  SP  or  one  inch.  Also  10%  discount  for 
all  duplication  orders  over  $25. 

Rafik 

814  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10003;  (212)  475-7884;  fax: 
475-8411;  Contact:  Sales 

25%  discounts  on  used  cassettes  over  $100, 10%  on  sin- 
gle invoices  over  $100  for  video  services,  editing  duplica- 
tion, film-to-tape  transfers  &  foreign  video  conversion. 

Soho  Audio 

376  Broome  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)  226-2429;  fax: 

966-7650  sohoaud@mcimail.com 

Contact:  Larry  Loewinger 

10%  discount  on  all  daily  rentals.  Deeper  discounts  on 

longer  term  rentals. 

Sound  Dimensions  Editorial 

321  W.  44th  St.,  Rm.  500,  New  York,  NY  10036;  (212)  757- 
5147;  Contact:  Bernie 

15%  discounts  on  transfers,  effects  &  sound  studio  ser- 
vices: foley,  ADR,  narration,  mixing. 

Splash  Studios 

168  5th  Ave,  5th  fl.  North,  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  271- 

8747;  fax:  271-8748;  BPLPR0D@A0L.com  Contact:  Peter 

Levin 

35%  on  hrly  editing  fees.  Services  include:  dialog  &  sound 

effects  editing,  ADR  &  Foley  editing  &  recording,  music 

editing  &  transfers.  This  discount  does  not  apply  to  media. 

Star  Tech 

152  W.  72nd  St.,  Ste.  2R,  New  York,  NY  10023;  (212)  362- 
5338;  fax:  724-2980;  Contact:  John  Hampton 
Discounts  on  paging  equipment  &  services,  all  sound 
equipment,  modification  &  repair. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

630  9th  Ave,  New  York,  NY  10036;  (800)  444-9330;  fax: 
(212)  586-2420;  Contact:  Rudy  Benda 
5%  discount  on  film  stock  &  all  videotape  stock  avail,  in 
new  &  Ecotape. 

Terra  Firma  Media 

309  E.  4th  St.  #2A,  New  York,  NY  10009;  (212)  477-0688; 
fax:  477-0688;  lmontalvo@aol.com 
Contact:  lleana  Montalvo 


southern    Illinois    uniuersity    carbondale 


film   rest  in  a  I 

FfflRlM)  26  -  mflRCH  7 


C    Fi 


OR 


EN   T    R    I    E    S 


e  n  t  r&*m®mmW-\ne    is  ja  niiary    1  6 „    1  Q  Q  Q 


===  souThem  Illinois  uniuersity  carbondale 

^Zw        I  dept.  of  cinema  6  photography  618. 453. 1482 

*— 'IV;  maitcoda6610  fax:  618.453  2264 

Carbondale  carbondala  162901        httpV/ujiuuj. siu.edu/~films 


long  &  short  form  nonlinear  editing 

online/offline,  motion  graphics,  film 


affordable 

rates  for 

independents! 


65  st.  marks  place,  suite  16,  nyc  10003  David  Chmura,  editor 


T^--^.^,,  -**  FILM  &  VIDEO 
JUGuQLLJ-   212-228-1914 


January/February  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      67 


Statement  of  Ownership 
Management  and  Circulation 

(Required  by  39  U.S.C.  3685) 

! .  Tide  of  Publication:  77k.'  Independent  Film  &  Video  Mom/irv. 

2.  Publication  number:  011-708. 

3  Filing  date:  12-2-98. 

4-  Issue  frequency:  Monthly  (except  Feb.  &  Sept.). 

5.  Number  of  issues  published  annually:  10. 

6.  Annual  subscription  price:  $35/studenf,  $55/individual; 
$75/1ibrary;  JlOO/nonprofit  organization;  $  1 50/business  & 
industry. 

7-  Complete  mailing  address  of  known  office  of  publication: 
304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013-1015.  Contact 
person:  Paul  Power.  Telephone:  (212)  807-1400  x.  226. 

8.  Complete  mailing  address  of  headquarters  or  general  busi- 
ness office  of  publisher:  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York, 
NY  10013-1015. 

9.  Full  names  and  complete  mailing  addresses  of  the  publish- 
er, editor,  and  managing  editor:  Publisher:  Ruby  Lemer,  304 
Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013-1015.  Editor: 
Patricia  Thomson,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY 
10013-1015.  Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power,  304  Hudson  St., 
6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013-1015. 

10.  Owner:  The  Foundation  (or  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF),  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013-1015. 
(FIVF  is  a  nonprofit  organization.) 

1 1.  Known  bondholders,  mortgagees,  and  other  security 
holders  owning  or  holding  1  percent  or  more  of  total  amount 
of  bonds,  mortgages,  or  other  securities:  None. 

12.  Tax  status:  The  purpose,  function,  and  nonprofit  status  of 
this  organization  and  the  exempt  status  for  federal  income 
tax  purposes  has  not  changed  during  the  preceding  12 
months. 

1 3.  Publicanon  tide:  TJie  lndcpa\dem  Fibn  &  X'uleii  Mutu/ih. 

14.  Issue  date  for  circulation  data  below:  Jan/Feb  1999. 

15.  Extent  and  nature  of  circulation:  a.  Total  No.  Copies  (net 
press  run):  Average  no.  copies  each  issue  during  preceding  12 
months:  12,830;  actual  no.  copies  ot  single  issue  published 
nearest  to  tiling  date:  12,200.  b.  Paid  and/or  requested  circu- 
lation: (1)  Sales  through  dealers  and  carriers,  street  vendors, 
and  counter  sales  [not  miuled):  Average  no.  copies  each  issue 
during  preceding  12  months:  6,587;  actual  no.  copies  of  sin- 
gle issue  published  nearest  to  filing  date:  6,845;  (2)  Paid  or 
requested  mail  subscriptions.  Average  no.  copies  each  issue 
during  preceding  12  months:  4,600;  actual  no.  copies  ot  sin- 
gle issue  published  nearest  to  tiling  date:  4,547.  c.  Total  paid 
and/or  requested  circulation:  Average  no.  copies  each  issue 
during  preceding  12  months:  11,187;  actual  no.  copies  of  sin- 
gle issue  published  nearest  to  filing  date:  1 1,392.  d.  Free  dis- 
tribution by  mail:  Average  no.  copies  each  issue  during  pre- 
ceding 12  months:  680;  actual  no.  copies  of  single  issue  pub- 
lished nearest  to  tiling  date:  0.  e.  Free  distribution  outside  the 
mail  (carriers  or  other  means):  Average  no.  copies  each  issue 
during  preceding  12  months:  200;  actual  no.  copies  of  single 
issue  published  nearest  to  tiling  date:  300.  f.  Total  free  distrib- 
ution: Average  no.  copies  each  issue  during  preceding  1 2 
months:  880;  actual  no.  copies  of  single  issue  published  near- 
est to  tiling  date:  300.  g.  Copies  not  distributed:  (1)  Office 
use,  leftovers,  spoiled:  Average  no.  copies  each  issue  during 
preceding  12  months:  754;  actual  no.  copies  of  single  issue 
published  nearest  to  filing  date:  508.  (2)  Returns  from 
newsagents:  Average  no.  copies  each  issue  during  preceding 
12  months:  9;  actual  no.  copies  of  single  issue  published  near- 
est to  tiling  date:  Not  available,  h.  Total:  (sum  of  15  g.  h(l) 
and  h(2)  Average  no.  copies  each  issue  dunng  preceding  12 
months:  12,830;  actual  no.  copies  ot  single  issue  published 
nearest  to  filing  date:  12,200. 

Percent  paid  and/or  requested  circulation:  Average  no.  copies 
each  issue  dunng  preceding  12  months:  94-27%;  actual  no. 
copies  of  single  issue  published  nearest  to  filing  date:  97.43%. 

16.  Publication  of  Statement  of  Ownership:  Publication 
required.  Will  be  published  in  the  Jan/Feb  1999  issue  of  this 
publication. 

17.  I  certify  that  the  statements  made  by  me  above  are  cor- 
rect and  complete. 

(Signed) 

Paul  Power,  Managing  Editor.   December  2nd  1998. 


68     THE     INDEPENDENT     January/February  1999 


FILM  VIDEO  ARTS 


The  Stomping  Ground  for 
Independent  Giants! 

since  1968 


Courses 
Camera  Rentals 

Avid  1000 

Digital  Studio 

Video  Edit  Suites 

Flatbeds 

Dubs  &  Transfers 

Affordable  Rates 


212.673.9361 

817    Broadway    NYC 


TRULY    MODERN 


W 


!°  '|4O0J 


V 


5F\ 


•  AATON  XTRprod  SUPER  16/16mm 

•  ARRI  SR2  16mm 

•  SONY  DVW-700  DIGITAL  BETACAM 
WITH  FILM-STYLE  ACCESSORIES 

•  SONY  BVW-D600  BETACAM  SP 

•  STEADICAM  PRO 

•  1  &  3-TON  GRIP  &  LIGHTING  /  HMI'S 

•  FIELD  AUDIO  FOR  FILM  &  VIDEO 

•  INDIE  FRIENDLY-LOW  WEEKLY  RATES 


MODERN  M9UIE 

MACHINE! 


QUALITY   PRODUCTION   EQUIPMENT  RENTALS 

281-561-7200 

888-569-7200 

mmm@insync.net 

www.modernmovie.com 

HOUSTON,  TEXAS 


Provides  foreign  language  services  for  motion  pictures  & 
interactive  media.  10%  discount  on  translations, 
voiceovers  &  on  location  interpreters. 

The  Post  Office  at  Filmmaker's  Collaborative 

29  Greene  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013  (212)  966-3030  x.  244; 
fax:  965-0812;  Contact:  Jonathan  Berman 
20-35%  off  rates  for  Avid  Media  Composer  offline  Edit-ing 
&  Digital  Camera  Rental. 

Tiny  Lights,  Inc 

286  Spring  St.  #404,  New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)691- 
3358;  fax:  691-3548;  dance@tinylights.com 
Contact:  Michael  Momm 

Music  &  sound  design  studio  offering  15%  discount  on  all 
services.  Digidesign  protools,  SonyLynx  video  lock  com- 
plete music  &  audio  post  packages-will  work  w  I  your  bud- 
get. 

Video  Decks  To  Go 

45  W.  85th  St  reet  #4D,  New  York,  NY  10024;  (212)362- 
1056;  DFUH  @AOL.com;  Contact:  David  Fuhrer 
10%  discount  on  first  time  Beta  SP  deck  rentals  of  one 
week  or  more. 

Video  Active  Productions 

353  W  48th  St.,  2nd  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10036;  (212)  541- 
6592;  fax:  541-8139;  Vworks@aol.com 
Contact:  Steven  Garrin 

15-30%  discount  (depending  on  hrs,  length  of  booking) 
on  all  editing  sue  &  facilities  Media  100XS,  After  EFX, 
Boris  EFX,  Photoshop,  Scanner,  Beta  SP  3/4",  Hi  8,  DV, 
SVHS,  Sonic  Solutions  Digital  Audio,  recording  studio, 
voiceover  casting. 

Virtual  Media 

12  E.  44th  St.,  2nd  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10017;  (212)  490- 
9730;  fax:  818-0529;  Contact:  Heather  Gibbons 
Ask  about  our  special  discounts  for  AIVF  members. 
Products  include  the  full  line  of  Avid  editing  systems. 

TEXAS 

R.W.  Productions 

Houston,  TX;  (713)  522-4701;  fax:  522-0426 
Contact:  Ken  Herbert 

10-25%  discounts  off  the  standard  price  of  D-Vision  (off 
line),  Media-100  (on  line),  Beta  SP  camera  package, 
16mm  Arri-BLs. 

Texcam 

3263  Brenard  Ave,  Houston,  TX  77098;  (713)  524-2774; 

fax:  524-2779;  texcam@iapc.net 

Up  to  15%  discount  on  film  camera  packages  (16mm  & 

35mm). 

VERMONT 

Edgewood  Motion  Picture  and  Video 

162  N.  Main  St.,  Rutland,  VT  05701;  (802)  773-0510; 
pbeckwl968@aol.com;  Contact:  David  Giancola 
25%  off  production  (Beta  SP  3/4,"  Am  16mm  &  35mm), 
editing  (Avid  Media  Composer  1000,  Betacam  SP/  3/4" 
online)  &  audio  mix  (digital  audio  facilities). 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FTVF),  the  educational  affiliate  of  the  Association  for 
Independent  Video  mid  Filmmakers  (ATVF),  supports  a  variety  of  programs  and  services  for  the  inde- 
pendent media  community,  including  publication  of  Tlu.' 
hvkpaviau,  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau,  seminars 


JPMVr-  -X"H^V3XT*C«SS 


and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would  be  possible  without  die 
generous  support  of  the  ATVF  membership  and  die  following  organizations: 

The  Center  for  Arts  Criticism,  Consolidated  Edison  Gimpany  of  New  York,  John  D.  and  Catherine  T 
MacArthur  Foundation,  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts,  National  Video  Resources,  New  York  City  Department 
of  Cultural  Affairs,  New  York  Community  Trust,  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  Rockefeller  Foundation,  and 
Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the  Visual  Arts,  Inc. 

We  also  wish  to  diank  die  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Benefactors:  Patrons:  Sponsors: 

Irwin  W  Young  Mary  D.  Dorman  Ralph  Arlyck,  Coulter  &  Sands,  Inc.,  David  W  Haas, 

Jeffrey  Levy-Hinte  Julio  Riberio,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  George  C.  Stoney 

Business/Industry  Members:  Avid  Technology,  Tewksbury,  MA;  Blackside  Inc.,  Boston,  MA;  Burnt  Mountain 
Films,  Batesville,  VA;  CA.  Productions,  New  York,  NY;  Creative  Image  Enterprises,  Miami,  FL;  Fallon  McEUigott, 
Minneapolis,  MN;  Films  Transit,  Montreal,  Quebec;  Douglas  German,  Rothacken,  New  York,  NY;  Greenwood/Cooper 
Home  Video,  Los  Angeles,  CA;  KC  Productions,  Inc.,  Aiken,  SC;  KJM3  Entertainment  Group,  New  York,  NY;  Loose 
Moon  Productions,  New  York,  NY;  Joseph  W  McCarthy,  Bnxiklyn,  NY;  Barbara  Roberts,  New  York,  NY;  Sandbank 
Films,  Hawthorne,  NY;  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.,  New  York,  NY;  Telluride  Film  Festival,  Telluride,  CO;  Tribune  Pictures, 
New  York,  NY;  Paul  Van  Der  Grift,  Princeton,  NJ;  Video  Utah!,  Salt  Lake  City,  UT  Washington  Square  Films,  New 
York,  NY;  TV  1 7,  Madison,  AL;  Westend  Films,  New  York,  NY;  White  Night  Productions,  San  Diego,  CA;  WNET/1 3, 
NY,  NY; 

Nonprofit  Members:  Access  Media  Art  Center,  New  Haven,  CT  ACS  Network  Productions,  Washington,  DC; 
Alternate  Current,  New  York,  NY;  American  Civil  Liberties  Union,  New  York,  NY;  American  Film  Institute,  Los 
Angeles,  CA;  Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV  Ann  Arbor,  MI;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival,  Ann  Arbor,  MI; 
Appalshop,  Whitesburg,  KY;  John  Armstrong,  Brooklyn,  NY;  The  Asia  Society,  New  York,  NY;  Assemblage,  New  York, 
NY;  Athens  Center  tor  Film  &  Video,  Athens,  OH;  AVFN  International,  Inc.,  Anchorage,  AK;  Bennu  Productions, 
Yonkers,  NY;  Benton  Foundation,  Washington,  DC;  Black  Planet  Productions,  New  York,  NY;  Blackside,  Inc.,  Boston, 
MA;  Carnegie  Institute,  Pittsburgh,  PA;  Carved  Image  Productions,  New  York,  NY;  Center  for  Investigative  Reporting, 
San  Francisco,  CA;  Center  for  New  Media,  New  York,  NY;  Chicago  Video  Project,  Chicago,  IL;  Cituma  LTDA  Film 
and  Video  Productions,  Bogota,  Gilumbia;  Coe  Film  Associates,  New  York,  NY;  Colelli  Productions,  QJumbus,  OH; 
Columbia  GiUege,  Chicago,  IL;  Columbus  Community  Cable  Acess,  Qilumbus,  OH;  Command  Gimmunications,  Rye 
Brook,  NY;  Common  Voice  Films,  New  York,  NY;  MHCC  Communication  Arts,  Gresham,  OR;  Community  Television 
Network,  Chicago,  IL;  Denver  Film  Society,  Denver,  CO;  State  University  of  New  York-Buffalo,  Buffalo,  NY;  Dyke  TV 
New  York,  NY;  Eclipse  Communications,  Springfield,  MA;  Edison-Black  Maria  Film  Festival,  Jersey  City,  NJ; 
Educational  Video  Center,  New  York,  NY;  Edwards  Films,  Eagle  Bridge,  NY;  Eximus  Gimpany,  Fort  Lauderdale,  FL; 
Fallout  Shelter  Productions,  Mansfield,  OH;  The  Film  Crew,  W(xxlland  Hills,  CA;  Fox  Chapel  High  School,  Pittsburgh, 
PA;  Great  Lakes  Film  and  Video,  Milwaukee,  WI;  Idaho  State  University,  Pocatello,  ID;  Image  Film  Video  Center, 
Atlanta,  GA;  International  Cultural  Programming,  New  York,  NY;  International  Audiochrome,  Rye,  NY;  International 
Film  Seminars,  New  York,  NY;  1TVS,  St.  Paul,  MN;  The  Jewish  Museum,  New  York,  NY;  Komplex  Studio  Merdeka, 
Selangor,  Malaysia;  KPBS,  San  Diego,  CA;  Little  City  Foundation/Media  Arts,  Palatine,  IL;  Long  Beach  Museum  of 
Art,  Long  Beach,  CA;  Manhattan  Neighboriuxxl  Network,  New  York,  NY;  Media  Resource  Centre,  Adelaide, 
Australia;  Mesilla  Valley  Film  Society,  Mesilla,  NM;  Milestone  Entertainment,  Irving,  TX;  Miranda  Smith  Productions, 
Boulder,  CO;  Missoula  Community  Access,  Missoula  MT  NAATA,  San  Francisco,  CA;  NAMAC,  Oakland,  CA; 
National  Latino  Qimmunity  Cente/KCET  Los  Aigeles,  CA;  National  Center  for  Film  &  Video  Preservation,  Los 
Angeles,  CA;  National  Video  Resources,  New  York,  NY;  Neighborhood  Film/Video  Project,  Philadelphia,  PA;  Neon, 
Inc.,  New  York,  NY;  New  Image  Productions,  Las  Vegas,  NV;  New  Liberty  Productions,  Philadelphia,  PA;  New  York 
Institute  of  Technology,  Old  Westbury,  NY;  91 1  Media  Arts  Center,  Seattle,  WA;  Ohio  Arts  Council,  Qilumbus,  OH; 
One  Eighty  One  Productions,  New  York,  NY;  Outside  in  July,  New  York,  NY;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange, 
New  York,  NY;  Pennsylvania  State  University,  University  Park,  PA;  Pittsburgh  Filmmakers,  Pittsburgh,  PA;  Pro 
Videographers,  Morton  Grove,  IL;  Promontory  Point  Films,  Albany,  NY;  Rainy  States  Film  Festival,  Seattle,  WA; 
Medina  Rich,  New  York,  NY;  Ross  Film  Theater,  Lincoln,  NE;  Ross-Gafney,  New  York,  NY;  San  Francisco  Art  Institute, 
San  Francisco,  CA;  School  of  the  Art  Institute,  Chicago,  IL;  Scribe  Video  Center,  Philadelphia,  PA;  Southwest  Alternate 
Media  Project,  Houston,  TX;  Squeaky  Wheel,  Buffalo,  NY;  Strato  Films,  Hollywood,  CA;  Sundance  Institute,  Los 
Angeles,  CA;  SUNY/Buffalo-Dept.  Media  Studies,  Buffalo,  NY;  Swiss  Institute,  New  York,  NY;  Terrace  Films,  Brooklyn, 
NY;  Trinity  Square  Video,  Toronto,  Ontario;  Tucson  Community  Cable  Corp.,  Tucson,  AZ;  UCLA  Film  and  Television 
Archive,  Los  Angeles,  CA;  University  of  Southern  Florida,  Tampa,  FL;  University  of  Arizona,  Tucson,  AZ;  University 
of  Hawaii,  Honolulu,  HI;  UMAB/School  of  Social  Work  Media  Center,  Baltimore,  MD;  University  of  Nebraska-Lincoln, 
Lincoln,  NE;  University  of  Wisconsin,  Milwaukee,  WI;  Vancouver  Film  School,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia;  Veritas 
International,  Elsah,  IL;  Video  Data  Bank,  Chicago,  IL;  Video  Pool,  Winnipeg,  Manitoba;  View  Video,  New  York,  NY; 
West  Hollywood  Public  Access,  West  Hollywood,  CA;  Wexner  Center,  Gilumbus,  OH;  Women  Make  Movies,  New 
York,  NY;  WTTW/Chicago,  Chicago,  IL;  York  University  Libraries,  North  York,  Ontario;  Zeitgeist  Film,  NY,  NY.  ■ 


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Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

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http://www.harvestworks.org 


ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR 

MEDIA  ARTS  PRODUCTION, 
TENURE  TRACK 

Growing  department  seeks  qualified 
instructor  to  teach  undergraduate 
and  graduate  courses  in  digital  post- 
production  for  picture  and  sound. 
Candidate  must  have  strong  produc- 
tion credentials  with  a  specialization 
in  editing  picture  and  sound  in  the 
digital  realm.  Must  also  have  a 
strong  foundation  in  the  history  and 
theory  of  motion  picture  editing  and 
story  structure  for  fiction  and  non-fic- 
tion genres.  Expertise  in  film  editing 
and  linear  video  editing  are  desir- 
able. A  Master's  degree  and  mini- 
mum of  10  years  experience  as  an 
editor  are  required  as  well  as  some 
college-level  teaching  experience. 

In  addition  to  teaching,  duties  include 
curriculum  development,  departmen- 
tal administration,  thesis  advisement 
and  committee  work. 

Send  Curriculum  Vitae  and  cover  let- 
ter outlining  unique  qualifications,  by 
March  12th,  1999,  to:  Chair-Search 
Committee,  Dept  CFV. 


THE  CITY  COLLEGE  OF  NEW  YORK 
Shepard  Hall,  Rm  463 
140th  St  ©Convent  Ave. 
New  York,  NY  10031 

An  EO/AA  Employer  M/F/D/V 


guerrilla     kids     presents 


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for  schedule  and  information 
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Millennium  Campaign  Fund 

The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a  3-year  initi- 
tiative  to  develop  a  $150,000  cash  reserve  fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
by  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration  in 
March  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than  $90,000. 
We  would  like  to  thank  those  who  have  so  gen- 
erously donated  to  the  Millennium  Campaign 
Fund.  (Gifts  received  as  of  10/18/98.) 

Corporations/Government/ 
Foundations 

American  Film  Institute  Theater;  John  Kennedy  Center 
for  the  Performing  Arts;  BET/Encore;  District 
Cablevision;  DC  Commission  on  the  Arts  6k  Human- 
ities; Home  Box  Office;  Jewish  Communal  Fund;  New 
York  State  Council  on  the  Arts;  Tower  Records/Video/ 
Books;  US  Airways;  Washington  DC  Film  Society 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(Gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon,  Ralph  Arlyck,  John  Bard 
Manulis,  Peter  Buck,  C-Hundred  Film  Corp.,  C6kS 
Int'l  Insurance  Brokers,  Hugo  Cassirer,  Martha 
Coolidge,  Detour  Film  Foundation/Rick  Linklater, 
Nik  Ives,  Bill  Jersey,  Richard  Kylberg,  Tom  LeGoff, 
Helaine  6k  Sidney  Lerner,  Diane  Markrow, 
Leonard  Merrill  Kurz,  Sheila  Nevins,  David  6k 
Sandy  Picker,  R.E.M./Athens,  LLC,  Barbara 
Roberts,  James  Schamus,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Michael 
Stipe,  Liza  Vann  Smith,  Miranda  Smith,  Ann 
Tennenbaum,  Walterry  Insurance  Company,  Marc 
Weiss  6k  Nancy  Meyer,  Robert  Wise 

Friends 

(Gifts  of  $100  or  more) 

Barbara  Abrash,  American  Documentary,  Inc., 
John  Anderson,  Ted  6k  Asya  Berger,  Alan  Berliner, 
Regina  Berliner,  Tessa  Blake,  Blackside  Inc.,  Doug 
Block,  Susan  Bodine,  Esq.,  Bob  Brodsky,  Barbara 
Brooks,  Florence  Burke,  Jeff  Bush,  Michelle  Byrd, 
Pamela  Calvert,  David  Camochan,  Rick  Carter, 
Christine  Choy,  Ruth  Anne  Cohen,  Jem  Cohen, 
Bob  Coleman,  Joan  Conger,  Norman  Cowie,  Keith 
Crofford,  Linda  6k  Bob  Curtis,  Jonathan  Dayton, 
Helen  De  Michiel,  Loni  Ding,  Eileen  Douglas, 
Aaron  Edison,  Bill  Einreinhofer,  Jon  Else,  Cassian 
Elwes,  Fanlight  Productions,  Chris  Farina,  Valerie 
Faris,  Larry  Fessenden,  Film  Forum,  Bonnie 
Finnegan,  Kenneth  Fishel,  Paul  Fitzmaurice, 
William  Flemming,  Frank  Frattaroli,  Peter 
Friedman,  Archibald  Gillies,  Patricia  Goudvis, 
Barbara  Hammer,  Henry  Hampton,  Hal  Hartley, 
Richard  6k  Elaine  Hawk,  James  Herbert,  Kathy 
High,  Deborah  Hoffman,  Ted  Hope,  Miljan  Ilich, 
Zuzana  Justman,  Ticia  Kane,  Dai  Sil  Kim-Gibson, 
Michael  Kindle,  Valerie  Kontakos,  Stephen  Krai, 
Terry  Lawler,  Ruby  Lerner,  Peter  Lewnes,  Mark 
Lipman,  Lawrence  Loewinger,  Jason  Lyon,  Charles 
MacFarland,  Jodi  Magee,  Jim  McKay,  Cara  Mertes, 
Deanna  Morse,  Robb  Moss,  N.  Cheng  6k  Company, 
Michel  Negroponte,  John  O'Brien,  Jackie  Ochs, 
October  Films,  Off  Shore  Pictures,  Eloise  Payne, 
Anthony  Peraticos,  Mimi  Pickering,  Robert 
Richter,  Ross  McElwee,  John  Schwartz,  Nat 
Segaloff,  Deborah  Shaffer,  Lisabeth  Shean,  Sloss 
Law  Office,  PC,  Vivian  Sobchack,  Kevin  Smith, 
Valerie  6k  Jim  Smith,  Buddy  Squires,  James  Stark, 
George  Stoney,  Helen  Stritzler,  Karle  Trappe, 
Thunderhead  Productions,  Toni  Treadway,  Mark 
Tusk,  David  Van  Taylor,  Martha  Wallner,  David  6k 
Susan  Watson,  Barton  Weiss,  Susan  Wittenberg, 
Lauren  Zalaznick,  Skylight  Pictures/Pamela  Yates, 
Gei  Zantzinger,  Debra  Zimmerman 


If  your  film  lab 
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But  don't  go  packing  your  things  just  yet  —  we've  done  the 
moving  for  you.  Colorlab,  the  Washington,  DC  area's  leading 
independent  film  lab  is  opening  an  office  in  Chelsea  and  we 
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AIVF  Announces  Two  Exciting  New  Resources 
for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers! 


These  essential  resources  prepare  producers  for  the  many  challenges  of  self-distribution. 

THE  AIVF  SELF-DISTRIBUTION  TOOL  KIT 


Edited  by  loannis  Mookas 

$20  AIVF  members;  $25  non-members 

A  collection  of  articles  by  filmmakers  and  industry  professionals  on  how  to  make  a  go  on  your  own-and  come  out  ahead. 
The  book  includes  case  studies  of  successful  self-distribution  models  with  insight  into  theatrical  and  educational  distribution  for 
features,  documentaries,  and  experimental  projects.  Tool  Kit  highlights  include  interviews  with:  Arthur  Dong  (Licensed  to 
Kill);  Sande  Zeig  of  Artistic  License  Films;  filmmaker  and  founder  of  the  Austin  Film  Society,  Richard  Linklater;  underground 
filmmaker,  Danny  Plotnick;  Kay  Shaw  (Sankofa;  Follow  Me  Home);  theatre  owner,  Greg  Laemmle;  Jay  Craven  (Where  the 
Rivers  Flow  North);  indie  publicists  Sharon  Kahn  and  Susan  Jacobson;  and  others. 


THE  AIVF  EXHIBITORS  GUIDE 


Edited  by  Kathryn  Bowser 

$25  AIVF  members;  $30  non-members 

A  road  map  for  navigating  venues  for  the  exhibition  of  your  work.  The  book  includes  over  800  entries  of  screening  sites, 

from  commercial  art  houses  to  colleges  and  universities  to  artists  spaces.  This  representative  sampling  will  give  producers 

and  distributors  a  picture  of  the  exhibition  scene  in  the  U.S.  today. 

ORDER  BOTH  COPIES  TODAY  and  get  them  at  the  discounted  rate  of  $40  AIVF  members; 

$50  non-members.  Please  include  $4  Shipping  &  Handling  per  book. 


To  order,  complete  the  form  below  and  fax  or  mail  to  the  AIVF  office: 
304  Hudson  Street,  6th  Fl,  NY,  NY  10013 
fax  212/463-8519 

For  further  information,  contact  Michelle  Coe,  Program  and  Information  Services  Director,  212/807-1400  ext.  235. 


FIVF 

J 

I 

FOUNDATION 
FOR  INDEPENDENT 
VIDEO  AND  FILM 


The  AIVF  Self-Distribution  Tool  Kit 

The  AIVF  Exhibitors  Guide 

Both  Titles 

$ total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order)  OR  please  bill  my  C 

account  # exp.  date signature 


$20  AIVF  members;  $25  non-members 
$25  AIVF  members;  $30  non-members 
$40  AIVF  members;  $50  non-members 
Visa   □  MasterCard 


Name 


Address 


Company 


Telephone, 


Fax 


email 


Return  to:  AIVF/FIVF,  304  Hudson  Street,  6th  Fl,  NY,  NY  10013   212/807-1400  ext.  235   Fax  212/463-8519 


NANTUC 


IERE 


WHERE 


mwmwwA 


AL 


OTTERS  inherit  the  earth 

(and  shiny  awards) 


.  his  is  a  call  for  entries. 
Because  without  you,  we're  just  a  bunch  of  people  sitting  in  dark  rooms 
staring  at  the  wall  and  wondering  what  to  do  with  all  of  the  awards. 


JANUARY  1  -  MARCH  12:  Screenplay  Submissions 
JANUARY  1  -  APRIL  9:  Film  Submissions 
WHERE:  Nantucket  Island,  Massachusetts 

1998  WINNERS 

•  Tony  Cox  Award  Winner  for  Best  Screenplay  DYSFUNCTION  JUNCTION  by  Susan  DeMasi  #WTM 

•  Audience  Award  Winner  for  Best  Feature  Film  BLIND  FAITH  by  Frank  Military  Media#ne 

•  Audience  Award  Winner  for  Best  Short  Film  DANCE,  LEXIE,  DANCE  by  Tim  Loane  Media#ne 

Annual  Screenwriter  Tribute  sponsored  by   £i2>NBC     1998  Recipient:  Ring  Lardner  Jr. 


Sponsored  in  part  by: 


^NBC  *SSf   Media#ne   VANITY  FAIR    #WTM 


For  further  information,  contact  www.nantucketfilmfestival.org  or  212-642-6339    P.O.  Box  688  Prince  Street  Station,  New  York,  NY  10012 

Design:  MKAdvertising    Photography:  Eric  Piasecki 


A   S   S   0   C   I   A  T   I   0 


I 


r 

OF      INDEPENDENT      V  I  D  E  D      AND      FILMMAKERS 


SiDocujnentrjrie£ 
M'p  the  vifdJ  choice 
of  reuiinj 
in  our  society, 
j|pjr  current  popular.'* 

['PcJpcti  the 

public^  hunger  for 
fjjj/wiukine,  thai 
\'j  jfree  of  rhetoric 
dud  reib  huwun  &tori 

rJ0  is  ?;ciTerne 
proud  j-y  be 
porrer  of 


Photo  Tom  LeGoff 


Design  Nik  Ives 


Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVP  (publishers    '- 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community. 


Name. 


Address . 
City 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


State. 


Zip. 


Home  Phone  . 


.Business  Phone. 


I /We  wish  to  be  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


and  up 
Honorary 
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Member 

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MARCH  1 999  A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film      www.aivf.org 


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Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
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Intern:  Gesha-Mane  Bryant 

Contributing  Editors:  Lissa  Gibbs,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Barbara 

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The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published 
monthly  except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video 
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Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  funds  from 
the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  National  Endowment 
for  the  Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  The 
Independent  does  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible 
for  any  claims  made  in  an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor  Letters  may  be 
edited  for  length  All  contents  are  copyright  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video 
and  Film,  Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  arti- 
cle's previous  appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the 
Alternative  Press  Index 

t  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director  Michelle  Coe.  program  &  infor- 
mation sen/ices  director:  LaTrice  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  associate;  Eugene 
Hernandez,  webmaster;  Jodi  Magee,  development  consultant;  Vailery  Moore,  mem- 
bership director;  Jessica  Perez,  administrative  director;  Marya  Wethers,  member- 
ship assistant. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I.  Fieedman,  Esq.,  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors.  Loni  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee.  Graham 
Leggat.  Ruby  Lerner*.  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Lmklater  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane 
Markrow  (secretary),  Jim  McKay.  Robb  Moss  (chair),  Elizabeth  Peters  (ex  officio), 
Robert  Richter  (treasurer).  James  Schamus*.  Valerie  Soe.  Barton  Weiss  (co-presi- 
dent)   '  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only 


March  1999 

VOLUME  22,  NUMBER  2  www.a/fVg 


Features 

28  It's  a  Dong  Deal 

Documentary  maker  Arthur  Dong  chose  to  self-distribute  Licensed  to  Kill,  despite  the  many  offers  that 
came  his  way  after  its  success  at  Sundance  '97.  Here  he  talks  about  the  hows  and  whys  of  doing  it 
yourself.     BY    IANNIS    MOOKAS 

32  Elusive  Memories,  Modern  Myths:  The  Films  of  Jay  Anania 

As  austere  as  Bresson  and  elliptical  as  Ashbury,  feature  director  Jay  Anania's  latest  feature,  Long  Time 
Since,  occupies  challenging  turf  between  fieri*  >n,  px  >etry,  and  myth.    BY    JEREMY    LEHRER 

34  Bourne  to  be  Wild 

With  his  new  film  on  Paul  Robeson  for  American  Masters,  producer/director  St.  Clair  Bourne  adds 
another  to  his  list  of  documentaries  on  charismatic  and  controversial  black  men  in  the  political  and 
cultural  arenas.    BY    RlCHARP    BAIMBRIDGE 


2     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


4  News 

New  exhibition  venues  for  indies:  the  Egyptian 
Theatre  in  L.A.;  ZKM  in  Germany;  and  a  cross- 
border  initiative  in  Montreal  and  New  York  City. 
by  Stephen  Garrett,   George 
Fifield   &  Jerry  White 

12  Profiles 

Video  artists  John  Muse  &  Jeanne  Finley; 
Celia  Dougherty;  and  Peggy  Ahwesh. 
by   Isabel  Sanduri,   Lyn   Love   6k 
Jeremy  Lehrer 


16  Fest  Circuit 

Reviews  of  the  International  Documentary 
Filmfestival  Amsterdam  and  Cofinancing 
Forum,  the  Pandaemonium  Video  Festival, 
DocCon3,  the  International  Expo  of  Short 
Film,  and  the  Thessaloniki  Film  Festival. 
by  Patricia  Thomson, 
Ernest  Larsen,   Barbara 
Bliss  Osborn,  Gesha-Marie 
Bryant,  and  Cleo 
Cacoulidis 

Cover  photo  courtesy  American  Masfers/WNET 


Departments 

24  Legal  Briefs 

Think  your  distributor  or  sales  agent  is  holding  out  when  it  comes  time 
to  pay  up?  Some  advice  on  when  to  audit  your  distributor  and  how  to 
write  a  contract  that  makes  sure  you  can. 
by   Robert  Seigel 


FAQ&lnfo 

Distributor  F.A.Q.  38 

Since  its  creation  a  dozen  years  ago, 

First  Run/Icarus  has  been  a  major 

player  among  nontheatrical 

distributors. 

BY     LlSSA    GlBBS 

Funder  F.A.Q.  40 


One  of  the  most  active  of  CBP's 

minority  consortia  is  the  National 

Asian  American  Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA),  which 

funds,  exhibits,  and  distributes  Asian  American  media. 

by  Michelle  Coe 


Festivals  42 
Notices  46 
Classifieds  51 


@AIVF 


Events  56 

Info  &  Resources  58 

In  &  Out  of  Production  59 

Salons  60 

Trade  Discounts  61 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


NEWS 


ARTHOUSES 


EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 


LA.  Showcase 


GETS  BIGGER 
AND  BETTER 


Since  debuting  in  December  1995  as  a  five- 
day  festival  with  shorts  by  David  Lynch,  Todd 
Haynes,  and  Mary  Harron,  American 
Cinematheque's  Alternative  Screen  has 
become  one  of  the  most  respected  and  high- 
profile  showcases  in  L.A.  for  independent  films 
without  distribution.  "I  remember  it  being  one 
of  the  best  screenings  of  my  film,"  says  Dante 
Harper,  director  ot  The  Delicate  Art  of  the  Rifle, 
which  has  played  twice  at  Alternative  Screen, 
an  ongoing  series  at  the  nonprofit  American 
Cinematheque.  "Something  about  the  audi- 
ence was  really  good,  and  the  place  was  packed. 
People  [in  L.A.]  really  respond  to  this,"  he 
notes.  Carrie  Ansell,  director  of  the  comedy 
Flushed,  which  played  at  the  Cinematheque  last 
year  and  got  picked  up  by  Castle  Hill  tor  release 
later  in  1999,  agrees.  "There's  definitely  pres- 
tige: it  gets  respected  and  reviewed. 
Alternative  Screen  guarantees  you  that."  She 
adds  that  the  venue  has  a  "laid-back  atmos- 
phere. People  are  really  open  to  seeing  new 
faces,  new  writers,  and  new  directors." 

With  the  reopening  of  the  American 
Cinematheque  on  December  4th  in  the  lushly 
renovated  and  cavernous  Grauman's  Egyptian 
Theatre  on  Hollywood  Boulevard,  Alternative 
Screen  now  finds  itself  with  the  opportunity  to 
show  its  eclectic  fare  in  a  660-seat  venue  with 
a  two-storey  screen  and  state-of-the-art  projec- 
tion equipment. 

Compared  with  the  Cinematheque's  former 
home  in  a  cozy  150-seat  screening  room  at 
Raleigh  Studios,  the  Egyptian  is  a  major  step 
forward  in  the  organization's  ability  to  host  and 
celebrate  filmmakers,  particularly  with  its  long, 
grand  entranceway  leading  from  the  street  to 
the  theater's  main  doors  and  its  plans  for  a  film 
bookstore  and  late-night  restaurant  which 
practically  insist  'hat  audience  members  linger 


and  mingle  before  and  after  a  film.  The  accom- 
modations now  allow  for  the  possibility  of  regu- 
lar post- screening  receptions,  part  of  a  larger 
plan  Margot  Gerber,  producer  of  Alternative 
Screen,  has  for  Alternative  Screen  to  find  cor- 
porate sponsorship.  This  would  enable  the 
Cinematheque  to  pay  rental  fees  for  the  films 
they  show,  as  well  as  honorariums  to  the  film- 
makers and  plane  tickets  to  fly  them  in  for 
screenings.  But  after  having  raised  $13  million 
for  the  Egyptian,  the  Cinematheque  will  have 
to  look  outside  the  film  community  for  dona- 
tions. "Hollywood's  kind  of  tapped  out  on  us," 
Gerber  laughs. 

The  Cinematheque  has  a  second,  88-seat 
theater  built  into  the  Egyptian,  which  will  play 
a  documentary  film  on  Hollywood  during  the 
day,  but  it  can  also  be  rented  out  as  a  screening 
room  and  used  for  press  screenings  of 
Cinematheque  films.  It  may  even  be  part  of  the 
Cinematheque's  way  of  running  an  Alternative 
Screen  film  for  a  weeklong  engagement,  possi- 
bly opening  a  film  on  the  main  screen  for  one  or 
two  days  and  then  moving  it  to  the  smaller 
screen  for  the  rest  of  its  run.  "There  would  be 
opportunities  to  do  a  four-wall  or  split  revenue 
with  the  box  office  on  par  with  an  opening  at 
the  Laemmle  Theaters  or  the  Nuart,"  Gerber 
says,  mentioning  two  commercial  and  more  tra- 
ditional Los  Angeles  outlets  for  independent 
and  self-distributed  films. 


This  Nubian  visage  from  the 
past  adorns  the  newly 
restored  Egyptian  Theatre, 
home  of  the  American 
Cinematheque. 


Alternative  Screen  currently  holds  twice- 
monthly  screenings  on  alternate  Thursdays. 
These  not  only  get  publicized  in  the  American 
Cinematheque's  film  calendar,  but  are  also  vir- 
tually guaranteed  reviews  in  the  L.A.  Times  and 
LA.  Weekly — sometimes  even  landing  in  the 
Hollywood  Reporter  and  Variety.  "The  filmmak- 
ers are  getting  an  incredible  deal  when  they 
screen  with  us,"  explains  Gerber.  She  and  sub- 
missions coordinator  Julie  LaBassiere  specifical- 
ly choose  films  that  aren't  necessarily  pre- 
mieres, but  have  played  the  festival  circuit  and 
haven't  yet  made  it  to  L.A.  "People  should  go 
to  the  festivals,"  she  says,  emphasizing  that  she 
doesn't  want  to  compete  for  discoveries  but 
does  want  to  offer  filmmakers  a  chance  to  be 
seen  by  the  industry. 

"It  got  me  work,  basically,"  says  Daniel 
Harris,  director  of  The  Bible  and  Gun  Club,  who 
received  calls  from  a  dozen  L.A. -based  film 
development  companies  (including  one  from 
Ron  Meyer's  office  at  Universal)  after  glowing 
reviews  came  out  in  the  trades.  Having  the 
L.A.  screening  also  helped  the  film  to  be  nom- 
inated for  three  Independent  Spirit  Awards.  "I 
keep  getting  people  coming  up  to  me  saying 
they  saw  it  at  the  Cinematheque." 

Rhode  Island  filmmaker  Craig  Richardson 
was  optimistic  after  the  screening  of  his  film 
Anima.  "I  got  good  feedback  out  of  it  and  con- 
tacts for  festivals.  Now  that  the  Egyptian  is 


4    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


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climax,  the  historical  events  that  have  shaped  our 
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©1998 


march 
12-20 
a  u  s  t  i  n 
t     e     x     a     s 


"Without  question,  SXSW  is 
the  most  unspoiled  mecca 
of  independent  film  at  play 
today.  A  sense  of  discovery 
pervades  the  festival  at  every 
turn.  Its  kinship  to  the  best  of 
emerging  music  lends  a 
uniqueness  to  the  whole  town 
and  all  of  its  visitors." 
-Jeff  Lipsky,  Samuel 
Goldwyn  Films 

The  Conference  is  a  place 
where  veterans  and  novices 
share  information  about  not 
just  getting  your  films  made, 
but  achieving  the  widest 
possible  audience. 
SXSW  Film  provides  a  great 
meeting  place,  important 
conference  programming  and, 
most  importantly,  the  Festival  is 
committed  to  showing  a  broad 
range  of  new  films. 

SXSW  FILM 
P.O.  Box  4999 
Austin,  TX  78765 
tel  512  /  467-7979 
fax  512/ 451-0754 
e-mail  sxsw@sxsw.com 

For  more  information,  or  to 
register  online,  visit  us  at 
www.sxsw.com 


south  by  southwest  film  conference  &  festival 


MGD 

MUSIC 


MITiJM.T 


Film  Conference:  March  12-16 
Film  Festival:  March  12-20 


open,"  he  adds,  "people  will  probably  seek  it  out 
more."  Gerber,  though,  has  no  immediate  plans 
either  to  change  the  nature  of  her  programming 
("In  a  nutshell,  films  that  use  the  medium  to 
tell  their  story  in  a  unique  way")  or  the  fre- 
quency of  screenings.  "With  individual  film- 
makers we  give  them  so  much  attention  that 
it's  really  difficult  to  do  it  on  a  weekly  basis.  We 


MUSEUMS 


still  don't  have  a  large  staff,"  she  says,  "but  we 
do  have  an  ambitious  one." 

For  submissions  or  more  info  contact: 
Alternative  Screen,  American  Cinematheque, 
6712  Hollywood  Blvd.,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90028; 
(323)  466-FILM  x.  1 1 7;  wwii'.egyptiantheatre.com 

Stephen  Garrett 

Stephen  Garrett  is  a  film  editor  and  freekince  writer 
living  in  Los  Angeles. 


Wilkommen  to  Deutschland 

ZKM,  a  Mega-Media  Center  Unveiled 


Wunderbar:  Karlsruhe's  new  media  center, 
Zentrum  fur  Kunst  und  Medientechnologie  (ZKM). 


Imagine  mixing  the  Guggenheim  Museum, 
the  San  Francisco  Exploratorium,  the  Com- 
puter Museum  in  Boston,  and  the  Media  Lab  at 
M.I.T.  together  in  a  single  institution.  The  Zen- 
trum fur  Kunst  und  Medientechnologie  (ZKM) 
in  Karlsruhe, 
Germany,  is 
one  of  a  very 
few  organiza- 
tions in  the 
world  solely 
devoted  to 
new  media 
art.  Funded 
by  the  state  of 
Baden-Wiirt- 
temburg  and 
the  city  of 
Karlsruhe,  it 
currently 
houses  seven 


state-of-the-art  computing,  audio,  and  video 
centers  and  invite  artists  from  around  the  world 
for  residencies  lasting  from  three  months  to  a 
year.  The  Music  and  Acoustics  Institute 
includes  a  grand  music  recording  space  large 


Courtesy  ZKM 


institutions  under  one  roof,  with  more  planned. 
There  are  two  museums:  a  Museum  for 
Contemporary  Art,  which  integrates  contem- 
porary art,  painting,  and  photography  with 
numerous  video  installations,  and  a  New  Media 
Museum.  There  is  a  media  theater  and  an 
extensive  sound  and  video  art  library.  In  addi- 
tion, the  ZKM  houses  two  Institutes  of  New 
Media,  one  for  Visual  Media  and  one  for  Music 
and  Acoustics.  There  are  plans  for  a  new  muse- 
um of  modern  and  contemporary  art  to  be  com- 
pleted in  a  few  years.  A  short  distance  away  in 
Karlsruhe  there  is  also  the  affiliated  Academy 
of  Design. 

The  Institutes  are  the  truly  amazing  part  of 
the  ZKM.  Both  the  Institute  for  Visual  Media 
(under  media  artist  Jeffrey  Shaw)  and  the 
Institute  for  Music  and  Acoustics  (directed  by 
Joannes   Goebel)    are   built   around   excellent 


enough  for  both  orchestra  and  audience — and 
its  own  record  label. 

Publicly  funded,  the  two  institutes  are  truly 
artists'  havens.  The  Institute  for  Visual  Media 
invited  its  first  artists  in  1991,  showcasing  more 
than  30  major  projects,  including  multimedia, 
interactive  installations,  animations,  and  CD- 
ROMs  by  artists  from  around  the  world.  In 
1997,  Bill  Viola  created  a  masterful  work  called 
The  Tree  of  Knowledge.  As  one  walks  down  a  50 
foot  corridor,  a  computer-generated  image  of  a 
sapling  at  the  far  end  grows,  ages,  and  dies 
according  to  one's  position  in  the  hallway.  Walk 
fast  and  the  tree  ages  quickly,  walk  backward 
and  it  grows  younger.  Other  fellows  include 
major  interactive  artists  and  theorists  like 
Simon  Penny,  Miroslaw  Rogala,  Bill  Seaman, 
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present  this  exceptional  interactive  work  to  a 
broader  international  audience.  Many  of  these 
works  are  on  exhibit  in  the  New  Media 
Museum  in  the  same  building. 

The  original  idea  for  the  center  was  pro- 
posed in  1985  and  subsequently  funded  jointly 
by  the  state  of  Baden-Wiirttemburg  and  the 
city  of  Karlsruhe.  After  a  series  of  false  starts 
and  funding  objections,  sometimes  wrapped  in 
a  general  scepticism  toward  technology,  a  cer- 
tain clarity  came  to  the  project  when  Heinrich 
Klotz  took  over  as  director  in  1989.  He  was 
able  to  provide  the  unifying  vision  needed  to 
enlist  the  various  forces  of  local  politicians, 
international  artists,  and  architects.  Through- 
out the  nineties  as  negotiations  and  construc- 
tion plans  proceeded,  the  ZKM  began  program- 
ming, sponsoring  a  biannual  Multimediale  for 
new  media,  an  annual  international  video  art 
prize,  and  the  biannual  Siemens  media  art  prize 
in  collaboration  with  electronics  giant  Siemens 
AG.  The  Institute  for  Music  and  Acoustics  has 
started  issuing  a  series  of  new  music  CDs  under  the 
imprint  Edition  ZKM. 

A  recent  example  of  projects  from  the  insti- 
tute is  a  digital  life  artwork  by  Bernd 
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Belschner,  a  fellow  in  the  Music  and  Acoustics 
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zkm.de;  www.zkm.de 

George  Fifield 

George  Fifield  IgeorgeO'  visionspace.org]  is  the  Adjunct 

Curator  of  Media  Arts  at  the  DeCordova  Museum  and 

Sculpture  Park  in  Lincoln,  Massachusetts.  He  is  also 

director  of  VisionSpace,  Inc.,  a  nonprofit  arts  organiza- 

turn  presenting  the  1 999  Boston  Cyberarts  Festival. 


8    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


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A  Beautiful 


Quebec  Tycoon  &  Impresario 
Build  Two  Media  Centers 


A  RENOVATED  STOREFRONT  IN  NEW  YORK  AND  A 
three-storey  building  in  Montreal  are  the  open- 
ing salvos  in  the  new  struggle  for  "auteur  cine- 
ma" that's  being  launched  by  Montreal  software 
tycoon  Daniel  Langlois  in  collaboration  with 
that  city's  favorite  cinema  impresario,  Claude 
Chamberlain.  Under  the  umbrella  of  the 
recently  created  Daniel  Langlois  Foundation 
for  Art  and  Science,  a  host  of  projects  support- 
ing film,  video,  and  new  media  are  set  to 
unfold,  and  these  two  buildings  may  provide 
some  much-needed  infrastructure  for  the  cul- 
tural and  perhaps  cinematic  capitals  of  French 
and  English  North  America. 

Langlois  has  a  long-standing  relationship 
with  cinema,  having  gotten  his  start  as  an  ani- 
mator at  the  National  Film  Board  of  Canada.  In 
1986,  he  founded  the  software  company 
Softimage,  which  has  developed  a  specializa- 
tion in  3D  computer  animation  and  effects  soft- 
ware (used  on  Titanic, 
Men  in  Black,  and 
Jurassic  Park).  In  1994 
Softimage  merged  with 
Microsoft,  and  Langlois 
remains  head  of  the 
company  he  started  in 
addition  to  taking  over 
some  Microsoft  responsi- 
bilities (his  title  is  Senior 

Director,  Advanced  Authoring  Technology  for 
Microsoft's  Computer  System  Division).  He 
created  his  foundation  in  1997  "to  support  the 
development  of  projects  calling  for  cooperation 
between  people  from  a  variety  of  fields,  such  as 
artists,  scientists,  engineers,  or  technologists." 
He  is  also  the  founder  and  head  of  a  real  estate 
company,  Terra  Incognita,  which  he  is  using  to 
create  buildings  devoted  to  cinema  in  both 
Montreal  and  New  York. 

The  largest  of  those  buildings  will  be  built  on 
the  Boulevard  St.  Laurent,  the  heart  of 
Montreal's  fashionable  "Plateau"  area.  With  a 
provisional  name  of  "La  Complexe  Cinemato- 
graphique,"  Langlois'  cinematic  cathedral  will 
contain  two  fully  equipped  screening  rooms 
which  will  be  devoted  to  independent  cinema, 
a  video  store  operated  by  La  Boite  Noir 
(Montreal's  leading  independent  video  store), 
a  hall  for  exhibitions,  and  various  offices  for  the 
foundation. 


"Before  the  Cinema  Parallele  as  you 
know  it,  I  really  wanted  to  build  a  home 
of  cinema  and  multimedia.  For  22  years 
I  looked.  I  went  through  six  multi-mil- 
lionaires, and  the  seventh  one  was  the 
good  one,  Daniel  Langlois." 

-  Claude  Chamberlain 


The  Complexe,  scheduled  to  open  March  1, 
is  being  launched  with  the  close  collaboration 
of  Chamberlain,  who  has  for  27  years  run  the 
Montreal  Festival  of  New  Cinema  and  for  30 
years  the  tiny,  funky  screening  room  Cinema 
Parallele.  Both  of  Chamberlain's  institutions, 
which  have  been  at  the  heart  of  Montreal's 
vital  independent  film  movement,  will  essen- 
tially be  transplanted  (and  expanded)  into  the 
new  Complexe.  The  transplant  couldn't  have 
come  at  a  more  fortuitous  time:  for  several 
years,  the  Festival  of  New  Cinema  had  been  in 
major  financial  trouble, 
with  a  debt  of  around 
C$300,000.  Many 

observers  feared  that  it 
would     soon     collapse 
under   its    own   weight. 
When  Langlois  stepped 
in  to  help  Chamberlain, 
he  cleared  his  debts,  and 
by    creating    the    new 
complex  to  house  the  festival  operations,  gave 
him  a  degree  of  security  that  he  had  never 
known. 

The  creation  of  this  kind  of  cinematic  mecca 
has  been  a  dream  of  Chamberlain's  for  some 
while.  "Before  the  Cinema  Parallele  as  you 
know  it,  I  really  wanted  to  build  [a  cinema 
complex],"  he  recalls.  "It  was  [to  be]  three  the- 
aters, a  home  of  cinema  and  multimedia."  He 
jokes  that  the  basic  idea  of  his  earlier  complex 
was  "to  be  in  advance  of  everyone  in  the  world, 
at  least  for  15  minutes."  It  didn't  pan  out  as  he 
had  planned,  though,  and  he  recalls  that  the 
earlier  complex  he  tried  to  build  "was  C$2  mil- 
lion and  at  the  last  second  I  couldn't  get  the 
money.  So  I  built  this  cafe  cinema  [the  Cinema 
Parallele,  with  the  intimate  Cafe  Melies 
attached]  and  for  22  years  I  looked.  I  went 
through  six  multi-millionaires,  and  the  seventh 
one  was  the  good  one,  Daniel  Langlois." 

Chamberlain's  dreams  are  famously  multi- 


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Conference  &  Festival 

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A  curated  selection  of  Apple  Award  winners 

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"The  Media  Market  was  key  in  securing 

distribution.  Meeting  so  many  distributors 

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be  back  with  my  next  film!" 

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March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


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Let's  Make  History 


At  WPA,  all  we  really 
think  about  is  history. 
And  time.  We're  a  film 
and  video  archive,  and 
we  act  as  custodians  to 
the  world's  most  cele- 
brated collections  of 
moving  images.  We 
provide  historical 
footage  to  television 
programs.  Lots  of  it.  All 
of  it  wonderful  to  look 
at.  But  we  also  provide 
ideas.  And  context.  And 
a  producer's  sensibility. 
When  you  work  with 
WPA,  you  work  with  a 
remarkable  team  of  his- 
torians and  archivists, 
researchers  and  artists, 
movie  buffs  and  rights 
specialists.  We  call 
ourselves  Merchants  of 
Time.  Let's  Work  Together. 
Let's  Make  History. 


British  Pathe 
News  Archive 
(1896  to  1970) 


WETA-TV 

Public 

Television 

Archive 

(1965  to  1999) 


The  Hullabaloo 

Archive  of 
Popular  Culture 
(1964  to  1966) 


The 

ColorStock 

Archive  of  Retro 

Americana 
(1945  to  1975) 


40,000  hours  of  history, 

music,  nature,  and 

popular  culture 


The  WPA  Film  Library 

Merchants     of     Time 


1-800-777-2223 


www.mpimedia.com/wpa 


16101  South  108th  Avenue  •  OrlanJ  Park,  IL  •  60467  •  708-460-0555  •  Fax:  708-460-0187  •  Email:  ttpasales@mpimedia.cu 


faceted,  however.  He  jokingly  notes  that  "nor- 
mally you  sell  only  one  thing.  Me,  I'm  selling 
many  things  at  the  same  time."  One  of  those 
other  things  is  a  cinematheque  in  New  York, 
which  he  also  convinced  Langlois  to  build. 
Scheduled  for  a  March  1  opening,  this  multi- 
media meeting  place  (which  the  building  per- 
mit identifies  as  "Media  and  Beyond")  is  to  be 
located  in  an  old  storefront  at  47  Mercer  Street 
between  Broome  and  Grand,  in  the  heart  of 
SoHo's  gallery  district.  The  upstairs  of  the 
building  will  be  home  to  a  film,  video,  and  new 
media  production  company  called  Principia, 
and  the  downstairs  will  be  a  100-seat  screening 
room  for  independent  cinema  from  around  the 
world.  "I  was  dreaming  to  have  a  theater  in 
New  York,  so  at  least  you  have  a  place  to  show 
Canadian  and  Quebec  films,  video,  and  new 
media,"  Chamberlain  recalls.  He  is  quick  to 
add  that  it  will  "also  [show]  foreign  work,  but 
[it  will  be]  a  place  that  [Canadian  and  Quebec 
filmmakers]  don't  have  to  run  after  an  exhi- 
bitor. A  place  of  our  own." 

At  press  time,  construction  was  under  way 
on  the  both  the  New  York  and  Montreal  build- 
ings, so  the  Langlois  cinematic  empire  is  still  a 
work  in  progress.  Nevertheless,  the  marshalling 
of  Chamberlain  and  Chamberlain,  two  formi- 
dable forces  in  the  Canadian  independent  film 
scene,  represents  a  real  consolidation  of 
strength  in  Montreal's  film  community. 
Langlois'  expansion  into  the  U.S.  should,  if 
nothing  else,  be  extremely  interesting:  inde- 
pendent film  works  differently  in  Quebec,  and 
this  meeting  of  national  cinematic  traditions 
should  shake  up  more  than  a  tew  complacen- 
cies on  both  sides  of  the  border. 

Cinema  Parallel?,  (514)  843-4725;  Daniel 
Langlois  Foundation,  (514)  987-7177. 

Jerry  White 

Jerry  White  is  a  doctoral  student  in  Comparative 

Literature  at  the  University  of  Alberta,  where  he  also 

teaches  Film  Studies. 

OBITUARIES 

Henry  Hampton,  one  of  the  foremost 
documentary  filmmakers  in  the  U.S.,  died 
November  22  in  Boston  after  complications 
arising  from  lung  cancer.  He  was  58. 

A  veteran  of  the  Civil  Rights  movement, 
Hampton's  six-hour  1987  magnum  opus,  Eyes 
on  the  Prize,  was  inspired  by  his  participation  in 
the  "Bloody  Sunday"  march  at  Selma, 
Alabama,  in  1965.  The  public  television  series, 
which  he  executive  produced,  is  considered  the 
definitive  work  on  the  Civil  Rights  movement 
up  to  1965.  It  won  four  Emmys,  the  Peabody 


10    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


Henry  Hampton,  Eyes  on 
the  Prize  creator. 


Award  for  excellence  in 
journalism,  and  an  Os- 
car nomination.  Other 
noteahle  work  produced 
through  his  Bos  ton - 
based  company,  Black- 
side  Inc.,  includes  The 
Great  Depression  (1993) 
and  America's  War  on 
Poverty  (1995).  His 
most  recent  production 
was  17/  Make  Me  a 
World,  dealing  with 
20th  century  African- 
American  artists. 
William  Gardner  Harley,  former  president 
of  the  National  Association  of  Educational 
Broadcasters  (NAEB)  died  November  7,  aged 
87,  in  Washington  DC  after  a  heart  ailment. 
Harley,  who  headed  NAEB  from  1960-75,  was 
instrumental  in  securing  FM  and  TV  channels 
for  educational  broadcasting,  federal  legislation 
for  station  construction,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting.  He 
had  been  chairman  of  the  Peabody  Awards 
board  and  headed  both  the  Educational  Media 
Council  and  the  Joint  Council  on  Educational 
Telecommunications. 

Edmond  A.  Levy,  documentary  maker,  died 


October  10  of  cancer,  aged  69.  Levy,  director  of 
over  120  documentaries,  was  nominated  for 
two  Academy  Awards  for  short  documentary 
and  won  an  Oscar  in  1966  with  a  third  short,  A 
Year  Toward  Tomorrow,  about  the  Vista  volun- 
teer program.  Other  work  included  writing  and 
directing  for  NBC,  CBS,  ABC,  PBS,  and  the 
Disney  Channel. 

SHORT  ENDS 

The  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and 

Sciences'  Board  of  Governors  decided  at  their 
January  7th  meeting  to  abolish  the  Docu- 
mentary Short  Film  category.  From  1999  (i.e. 
the  ceremony  for  1999  films,  held  in  March 
2000),  Oscar's  Documentary  Feature  and 
Documentary  Short  Film  Awards  will  be 
included  in  a  single  documentary  category. 

"We  kept  a  separate  award  for  shorts  alive  as 
long  as  we  could  justify  it — and  beyond  that," 
Academy  president  Robert  Rehme  stated  in  an 
AMPAS  press  release.  "The  combined  category 
will  continue  to  give  the  really  extraordinary 
short  theatrical  documentary  a  place  to  be  rec- 
ognized, but  except  for  the  Imax  films,  there 
really  isn't  enough  non-television  work  in  the 
genre  to  justify  a  separate  award  these  days." 

Betsy   McLean,    executive   director   of   the 


International  Documentary  Association,  told 
The  Independent  that  the  Academy's  decision 
was  "a  shame  and  a  mistake."  She  noted  how 
the  IDA  themselves  had,  until  recently,  given 
awards  in  a  single  documentary  category  but 
now,  contrary  to  the  Academy's  trend,  give 
awards  for  both  short  and  feature  docs. 

Check  out  AIVF's  website  for  more  details. 

ERRATA 

In  the  Jan./Feb.  news  story  "What's  Up 
with  NLCC?,"  Jose  Luis  Ruiz,  the  former  exec- 
utive director  of  the  National  Latino 
Communications  Center,  was  incorrectly  iden- 
tified as  Jose  Luis  Rodriguez.  In  the  same  arti- 
cle, an  editing  error  indicated  that  there  had 
been  financial  activity  between  CPB  and 
NLCC  in  1998.  In  fact  CPB's  last  check  to 
NLCC  was  a  bridge  loan  in  November  1997  to 
the  minority  consortium.  The  last  payment  to 
NLCC  under  CPB's  FY97  contract  was  made  in 
September  1997. 

In  "Queen  of  the  Night"  [Dec.  '98],  Ayoka 
Chenzira's  film  M;y  Own  TV,  shown  at  the  third 
annual  Night  of  the  Black  Independents  festi- 
val, was  incorrectly  identified  as  The  Choice.  In 
"Windy  Films"  [Nov.  '98]  the  name  of  writer 
Nadine  Ekrek  was  spelled  incorrectly. 


Nuts  &  Bolts  is  about  production  planning  --  what  you  do  before  you  walk  onto  the  set. 

"If  you  plan  to  make  a  movie,  take  this  course!" 

-  Jerry  Ziesmer,  1st  AD,  "Jerry  Maguire",  "Apocalypse  Now" 


ROBERT 
50KD\GA'S 


Nuts 
&  Bolts 

PRODUCTION  SEMINARS 


Nuts  &  Bolts  I: 

Principles  and  Practice  of 
Scheduling  and  Budgeting 
Los  Angeles  Feb  20-21 
New  York  Mar  13-14 

Nuts  &  Bolts  II: 

Finer  Points  of  Line  Producing 
New  York  Mar  27-28 
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Nuts  &  Bolts  is  "for  everyone  at  every  level  of  experience." 

-  Todd  Hallowell,  Executive  Producer,  "Apollo  13",  "Ransom" 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


John  Muse  § 
Jeanne  Mnleij 

0  NIGHT  WITHOUT  OBJECTS 


by  Isabel  Sadurni 


The  car  keys  are  missing.  "If  I  were  a  real 
artist,"  says  San  Francisco-based  video  artist 
John  Muse,  checking  the  underbelly  of  a  stack 
of  mail,  "I  would  have  created  an  inexpensive 
strategy  for  transporting  art  installations  to  the 
gallery  that  doubled  as  a  airport  shuttle  for  my 
girlfriend,  but  instead,  I  rented  a  $200-a-week 
car,  and  now  we've  lost  the  keys." 

Jeanne  Finley,  experimental  filmmaker, 
video  artist,  Fulbright  scholar,  Guggenheim  fel- 
low, and  long-time  collaborator  with  Muse, 
helps  him  look.  She  is  back  in  town  for  a 
screening  of  their  latest  video,  O  Night  without 
Objects:  A  Trilogy,  and  the  gallery  opening  of 
the  companion  installation.  A  long-time  San 
Franciscan,  she  currently  lives  in  Brooklyn  and 
has  a  teaching  gig  at  New  York  University. 
Finley  stirs  a  bowl  of  keys  to  investigate. 
Somehow  this  overturning  of  personal  objects 
and  retracing  of  steps  to  find  "the  key"  parallels 


the  method  by  which  Finley  and  Muse's  O 
Night  without  Objects  came  into  being. 

"Ten  years  ago,  I  found  The  Adventures  of 
Blacky  in  a  thrift  store  in  Roanoke,  Virginia,  in 
the  middle  of  nowhere,"  says  Muse,  referring  to 
a  package  of  psychological  test  cards  centered 
around  the  hypothetical  situations  of  a  cartoon 
black  cocker  spaniel.  (For  instance,  they  ask, 
"Here  Blacky  is  licking  herself.  Who  might 
Blacky  be  thinking  about  here?  Is 
Blacky  afraid?  What  will  Mama 
say  if  she  finds  Blacky?")  "When 
I  found  it,  I  didn't  take  it  serious- 
ly," Muse  recalls.  A  decade  later, 
the  thrift  store  object  became  the 
prompt  for  O  Night  without 
Objects,  which  comprises  three 
thematically-linked  episodes  that 
explore  the  (re) construction  of 
family,  hate  speech  (and  its 
reversibility),  and  the  rituals  of 
conversion.  As  the  videomakers 
describe  the  trilogy,  "Blacky  nar- 
rates the  administration  of  a  psy- 
chological test  to  a  young  girl. 
Based  on  a  Story  explores  the  con- 
version and  death  of  Nebraska's 
KKK  Grand  Dragon  after  his 
harassment  and  subsequent 
friendship  with  the  local  Cantor. 
And  Time  Bomb  tells  of  a  young 
girl's  experience  at  a  Baptist 
camp." 

At  first,  Finley  recalls,  "We  did- 
n't know  what  to  do  with  [The 
Adventures  of  Blacky],  even 
though  we  talked  about  it  a  lot. 
Then  in  1992,  we  read  about  the  Trapp-Weisser 
story  in  Time  magazine  and  considered  how  we 
might  tie  the  two  together."  The  now  Disney- 
optioned  narrative  tells  the  story  of  Larry 
Trapp,  a  former  KKK  Grand  Dragon,  who  is 
adopted  into  Rabbi  Weisser's  family  and  subse- 
quently converts  to  Judaism.  Muse  expands, 
"The  Weisser-Trapp  story  is  about  Larry's  recre- 
ation of  a  childhood  and  the  family  he  never 
had.  This  idea  is  carried  through  in  Time  Bomb, 
which  begins  with  a  girl  alone,  who,  through 
relationships  of  power,  finds  acceptance.  So 
each  story  retraces  the  conversion  theme,  in  its 
own  way." 

Several  earlier  incarnations  of  O  Night  with- 
out Objects  helped  galvanize  its  purpose  and 
execution  as  a  now  powerful,  hour-long  trilogy, 
which  has  screened  at  New  York's  Museum  of 
Modern  Art  and  Lincoln  Center,  the  Pacific 
Film  Archives,  and  a  number  of  festivals.  An 


early  manifestation  was  an  outdoor,  site-specif- 
ic installation  for  the  Mill  Valley  Film  Festival 
that  used  public  telephones,  mail,  cable  access, 
and  outdoor  projection  to  mimic  the  channels 
of  communication  used  by  Trapp  and  the 
Weissers. 

This  was  followed  by  a  screening  at  the 
Pacific  Film  Archives  of  the  Adventures  of 
Blacky  segment.  It  was  during  this  public 
moment  that  the  videomakers  realized  they 
were  dissatisfied  with  their  cut.  ("You  can  tell 
people  it's  okay  to  fail  in  front  of  large  groups  of 
people,"  assures  Muse).  The  duo  subsequently 
restructured  and  layered  these  disparate  parts 
into  the  trilogy.  More  recently,  it  has  taken  new 
shape  as  a  three-dimensional  sculpture/video 
installation. 

"It  was  great  to  see  what  we  were  able  to  do 
with  an  installation,"  says  Muse.  While  the 
narrative  track  remains  the  same,  the  visual 
component  has  been  split  apart  and  amplified, 
becoming  even  more  textured.  A  huge  pile  of 
pencil  shavings  sits  at  the  center  of  the  gallery 
floor  under  a  hobbled  classroom  chair,  pointing 
to  the  process  of  "inscription"  or  the  influence 
of  others  on  one's  identity.  Mirrored  relief  etch- 
ings of  The  Adventures  of  Blacky  cards  are  in 
one  room  and  blinking  colored  slides  in  anoth- 
er. "What  we've  done  is  to  separate  into  two 
image  channels  the  cards  themselves  being 
shown  to  a  young  girl,  and  the  girl's  flight  of 
fancy,  where  one  escapes  when  being  bombard- 
ed by  the  demands  of  an  authority  as  a  test- 
giver,"  Finley  explains. 

The  video  also  contains  unrelated  images  of 
flags  flapping  and  tree  shadows  that  offer  a  rare 
and  wonderful  indulgence  in  visual  pleasure. 
"People  assume  that  visual  pleasure  is  sub- 
servient or  not  a  priority,"  explains  Finley. 
"Within  our  work,  visual  pleasure  is  crucial.  To 
take  all  that  you're  going  through  during  shoot- 
ing and  to  look  and  absorb  the  visual  landscape 
into  the  piece  through  the  camera  is  incredibly 
fun  and  essential  to  our  working  process." 

Initial  help  from  a  small  National 
Endowment  for  the  Arts  grant,  followed  by  a 
residency  at  Xerox  Pare  and  clever  manipula- 
tions of  Premiere  editing  programs,  allowed 
them  to  stick  to  a  bare  bones  budget.  Muse  says 
hopefully,  "If  we  can  get  funding,  we'd  like  to 
add  a  third  channel  for  our  narrator,  Pamela  Z, 
to  explore  the  racialization  of  voice.  We've  also 
talked  about  finding  more  ways  to  explore 
video  as  sculptural  medium.  And  Finley  has  an 
idea  for  a  fictional  feature  film  on  shoplifting. 

"No,  not  a  feature,"  says  Finley. 

"Oh,   no.   Too  commercial."   Muse  laughs. 


12     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


"Then  we  wouldn't  be  real  artists!" 

O  Night  without  Objects  is  distributed 
through  Electronic  Arts  Intermix:  (212)  337- 
0680,  and  Video  Data  Bank:  (312)  345-3550. 

Isabel  Sadumi  is  a  San  Francisco -based 
writer  and  filmmaker. 


Cecilia  Dougherty 

FAILURE  TO  ASSIMILATE 

by  Lynn  Love 


"It's  the  writers  who  are  the  smart  ones," 

Cecilia  Dougherty  recounts  when  I  ask  about 
her  background  and  artworld  experience.  She 
tried  writing  for  awhile  before  videomaking 
and  says  writing  alone  never  succeeded  for  her. 
Of  course,  one  never  knows  if  Dougherty  is 
serious  or  wryly  poking  fun  at  a  question  or 
assumption.  This  kind  of  duality  exists  in  many 
of  her  video  works. 

As  with  any  humor,  dry  as  it  may  be,  one 
must  take  Dougherty's  comment  at  face  value 
on  some  level — especially  because  she  is  cur- 
rently documenting  writers  in  her  video  prac- 
tice. First  was  Laurie  Weeks,  a  Lower  East  Side 
author  whose  work  is  showcased  visually,  aural- 
ly, and  through  oversize  subtitling  in  the  tape 
called,  simply,  Laurie.  After  Weeks,  Dougherty 
taped  Leslie  Scalapino,  a  San  Francisco-based 
poet  reading  from  her  work  As:  AW  Occurrence 
in  Structure,  Unseen — (Deer  Night).  Like  the 
first  tape,  Leslie  is  eponymously  titled.  Though 
somewhat  different  in  look  and  tone,  the  two 
videos  share  Dougherty's  signature  shaky,  pixe- 


lated,  asymmetrically-framed  images.  The  two 
works  also  hinge  on  Dougherty's  interest,  infat- 
uation even,  in  the  showcased  artists.  As 
Dougherty  puts  it,  "These  are  highly  personal 
impressions,  like  manifestations  of  school  girl 
crushes.  Instead  of  writing  their  names  all  over 
my  three -ringed  binder,  I  write  them  all  over 
these  tapes."  Dougherty  has  another  tape 
planned,  of  the  writer  Eileen  Myles  and  possi- 
bly author  Joe  Westmoreland,  each  reading 
their  work. 

Laurie  and  Leslie  premiered  at  the 
Threadwaxing  Space  in  Manhattan  last  fall  in 
a  retrospective  of  Dougherty's  work  curated  by 
experimental  video  artists  Elisabeth  Subrin  and 

Leah  Gil- 
liam. The 
three-night 
program 
featured 
nine  of 

Dougherty's 
works  and 
packed  the 
gallery  with 
close  to  100 
people  each 
night.  The 
exhibition, 
called  "The 
Failure  to 
Assimilate: 
The  Video 
Works  of 
Cecilia 
Dougherty,"  borrowed  the  title  from  another 
recent  tape  as  an  apt  summary  of  her  experi- 
mental style  over  her  13-year  production 
career. 

With  26  tapes  to  her  credit  and  persuasive 
critical  acclaim  from  writers  such  as  Judith 
Halberstam  and  Liz  Kotz,  Dougherty  deserves 
some  special  recognition  for  her  lesbian  femi- 
nist project  of  documenting  the  personal  and 
intimate  in  the  construction  of  daily  reality.  For 
example,  Halberstam  considers  Dougherty's 
work  important  because  she  has  "forged  an  aes- 
thetic out  of  hijacking  gay  and  heterosexual 
visibility  and  transforming  images  of  homoso- 
cial  or  homoerotic  culture  into  campy  lesbian 
biographies." 

This  aesthetic  is  best  seen  in  Grapefruit, 
Coalminer's  Granddaughter,  and  }oe-]oe,  works 
featured  in  the  retrospective.  Grapefruit,  which 
toured  widely  after  it  was  released  in  1989,  is 
an  all-lesbian  parody  of  Yoko  Ono's  lifestyle 
with  John  Lennon  and  the  Beatles.  This  work 


was  followed  in  1 99 1  by  the  loosely  biographi- 
cal Coal  Miner's  Granddaughter.  A  growing  up 
and  coming  out  story,  Coal  Miner's 
Granddaughter  was  not  intended  to  heroicize 
the  main  character,  Jane  Dobson,  but  to 
emphasize  that  her  family  is  completely  normal, 
even  though  they  seem  "fucked  up."  As 
Dougherty  explained  in  interviews  about  the 
work,  "Everybody's  story  is  good.  Nothing  gets 
resolved." 

In  1993,  Dougherty's  Joe -Joe  playfully  chron- 
icled the  rise  to  fame  of  British  playwright  and 
homosexual  bon  vivant  Joe  Orton.  In  this  tape 
Dougherty  cast  two  lesbians,  herself  and  collab- 
orator Leslie  Singer,  in  the  role  of  Orton.  Their 
sharing  of  Orton's  canonized  identity  chal- 
lenged the  virtual  invisibility  of  lesbians  in 
queer  culture  by  transcribing  Orton's  biography 
in  lesbian  terms. 

My  Failure  to  Assimilate  (1995),  another  tape 
featured  in  Dougherty's  retrospective,  contin- 
ues the  task  of  asserting  a  lesbian  aesthetic,  but 
with  a  bittersweet  seriousness.  The  various  per- 
sonas  in  the  tape,  including  Dougherty  herself, 
describe  their  attempts  to  hold  onto  their  iden- 
tities. But  this  is  a  challenging  task.  For  exam- 
ple, Laurie  Weeks,  appearing  in  this  tape, 
describes  her  compulsion  to  write  herself  a 
"second  body"  in  her  partner.  In  the  end  of  this 
tape,  Dougherty  describes  her  break-up  with 
her  partner  and  feelings  of  isolation,  the  price 
of  remaining  visible  on  her  own  terms. 

When  I  ask  Dougherty  about  her  use  of  the 
experimental  form  in  video,  she  cites  her  formal 
training  as  a  painter  as  part  of  the  template  for 
becoming  an  experimental  video  artist.  Unlike 
the  artist  trained  in  classical  cinematic  styles, 
Dougherty  sees  the  video  frame  simply  as  a  flat 
space  that  must  be  filled  by  an  adequate  com- 
position. In  some  of  her  tapes  she  literally 
frames  the  images  to  look  like  moving  paint- 
ings. Often  there's  no  inherent  "logic"  for  the 
sequences  and  shots  we  see.  They're  not  cine- 
matically  "beautiful."  As  writer  Weeks  says  in 
the  retrospective's  catalog,  "There  are  only 
bodies  and  their  effects:  desire,  loss,  and. ..the 
persistence  of  pain."  Though  one  could  visual- 
ly romanticize  "bodies  and  their  effects,"  and 
many  do,  Dougherty  chooses  instead  to  leave 
them  stark.  In  this  anti-assimilationist  act, 
Dougherty  becomes  what  she  seems  to  admire: 
one  of  the  smart  ones. 

Cecelia  Doughtery's  videotapes  are  available 
through  Video  Data  Bank:  (312)  345-3550. 

Lynn  hive  is  a  writer  who  lives  in  New  York  City. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


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Peggy  Ahwesh  is  a  cinematic  alchemist 

with  a  penchant  for  transforming  the  banal  into 
the  sublime.  A  rare  combination  of  technophile 
and  mystic,  Ahwesh  has  been  making  experi- 
mental and  avant-garde  films  and  videos  since 
the  seventies,  when  she  first  started  shooting 
Super  8  films  in  Pittsburgh  while  programming 
for  Pittsburgh  Filmmakers  and  working  on 
George  Romero's  films.  In  her  own  early  films, 
she  assembled  "a  kind  of  sketchbook  of  people's 
behaviors  in  relation  to  the  camera,"  as  she 
describes  it;  "people  always  'sort  of  performing. 
But  somehow  some  Sisyphean  act  of  perfor- 
mance." 

Based  now  in  New  York,  Ahwesh  continues 
to  make  thoughtful,  inspiring,  and  richly  lay- 
ered films  and  videos  while  she  nurtures  a  new 
generation  of  media  artists  as  an  assistant  pro- 
fessor at  Bard  College.  In  1997,  Ahwesh  curat- 
ed  her  own  retrospective  for  the  Whitney 
Museum  of  American  Art,  in  which  she  mixed 
her  work  with  other  films  that  provided  con- 
text and  commentary.  Her  selection  included 
films  such  as  Doris  Wishman's  Bad  Girls  Go  To 
Hell,  Raul  Ruiz's  On  Top  of  the  Whale,  and  Andy 
Warhol's  Lupe. 

Meaningful  juxtapositions  are  one  of 
Ahwesh's  fortes.  In  her  creative  process, 
Ahwesh  suggests  that  juxtapositions  and  lan- 
guage shape  our  understanding  of  the  world  as 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


she  explores  the  transcendent  power  of  images. 
"I've  been  very  keen  to  understand  that,  I 
think.  To  harness  in  images  in  some  ways,  so 
they  are  exact,  and  also  allow  them  a  freedom 
to  roam  and  he  excessive,"  she  says.  "But  if  you 
try  to  control  the  image  too  much,  the  movie  is 
rendered  inert,  because  images  are  flexible.  You 
can  give  them 
multiple  read- 
ings: they  are  not 
as  exact  as  lan- 
guage." 

Ahwesh's  intel- 
lectual restless- 
ness is  comple- 
mented by  her 
ideas  about  genres 
of  filmmaking. 
Evolving  from 
feminist  criticism 
of  porn  conven- 
tions, The  Dead- 
man,  for  example, 
is  an  attempt  to 
create  a  work 
predicated  on  a 
woman's  desire 
and  designed  to  undermine  the  "male  gaze" 
that  predominantly  defines  visual  erotica  and 
necessitates  the  "cum  shot."  This  short  feature, 
adapted  from  the  French  novelist  Georges 
Bataille's  short  story  "Le  Mort,"  relates  the 
story  of  a  woman  who  kills  her  lover  and 
embarks  on  a  journey  of  sexual  awakening.  The 
"problem"  with  an  erotic  film  in  which  a 
woman's  desire  defines  the  action  is  that  her 
orgasm  can  never  be  seen  (or  verified)  for  the 
camera.  Which,  for  Ahwesh,  is  precisely  the 
point.  "I  think  that's  the  beauty  of  the  film," 
she  says. 

In  Nocturne,  another  short  feature,  which 
played  at  the  1998  New  York  Film  Festival, 
Ahwesh  creates  a  second  narrative  that 
explores  the  world  of  a  woman  haunted  by  the 
memory  of  her  lover  and  is  layered  with  a  com- 
plex commentary  about  the  amorality  of  nature. 
"I  was  using  a  woman  as  a  main  character  to 
show  the  inherent  violence  in  relationships 
between  lovers,"  she  explains.  "A  certain 
amorality  is  involved  in  sexual  relations.  And 
trying  to  flip  over  the  typical  terms  of  horror 
movies,  empower  the  woman  and  allow  her  to 
act  out.  Not  that  I  think  that  women  should  go 
out  and  kill  people. 

"You  don't  want  to  actually  actualize  the 
things  you  see  in  horror  movies,  but  I  think 
they  give  you  a  lot  of  power,"  she  adds.  "And  I 
think  women  need  more  psychic  power." 


Ahwesh's  works  are  remarkable  in  the  way 
she  captures  seemingly  improvised  and  inti- 
mate moments  that  are  in  fact  carefully  script- 
ed. Ahwesh's  oeuvre  contains  numerous  exam- 
ples of  this  ability  to  recreate  spontaneity. 
Strange  Weather  (1993),  a  50-minute  Pixel- 
vision  collaboration  with  Margie  Strosser  about 
a  group  of  crack  addicts  scoring  in  Florida, 
seems  to  be  a  COPS-style  documentary  por- 
trait of  four  misfits.  But  the  piece  was  actually 
carefully  scripted  and  choreographed,  a  con- 
scious yet  free-form  architecture  that  pervades 
much  of  Ahwesh's  work.  Strange  Weather,  in 
effect,  mimics  the  drug  experience  by  blurring 
the  lines  between  fiction  and  reality. 

One  might  almost  say  that  Ahwesh  mimics 
nature  in  the  way  that  the  apparent  chaos  and 
improvisation  in  her  films  is  shaped  by  a  set  of 
very  complex  rules.  Ahwesh  doesn't  deny  the 
decay  inherent  in  nature;  she  incorporates  it 
into  her  films  to  uncover  the  diamond  in  the 
rough.  In  The  Color  of  Love,  Ahwesh  made  a 
film  out  of  a  decaying  segment  of  a  porn  film  in 
which  two  women  make  love  to  each  other 
over  the  body  of  an  unresponsive  naked  man. 
The  film's  emulsion  had  begun  to  decompose, 
and  Ahwesh  slightly  manipulated  the  film  to 
produce  a  stunning  palette  of  color  splotches 
(reminiscent  of  Brakhage).  The  end  result  is  a 
beautifully  layered  work  that  retains  a  shade  of 
its  original  purpose  while  also  exploring  eroti- 
cism, the  sacred  and  profane,  and  raising  ques- 
tions about  the  immortality  of  images,  all  of  it 
framed  within  a  scenario  in  which  women's 
desire  is  the  defining  dynamic.  The  three 
films — The  Color  of  Love,  Nocturne,  and  The 
Deadman — have  been  dubbed  "The  Deadman 
Trilogy." 

Ahwesh's  next  project  is  a  science  fiction 
feature  about  virtual  reality,  role  playing,  and 
genetic  manipulation  which  she  describes  as 
"Cronenberg  meets  costume  drama."  The  film 
will  offer  up  Ahwesh's  compelling  brew  of  the- 
ory, viscera,  and  visual  panache. 

With  a  career  defined  by  discovering  the 
rapturous  in  slices  of  life,  Ahwesh  has  an 
almost  obsessive  drive  to  collect  the  remnants 
(celluloid  and  otherwise)  of  life  around  her. 
"Maybe  most  filmmakers  are  nostalgic,"  she 
says.  "You  become  very  object-savvy,  and  it's 
almost  like  magic  realism.  Everything  really 
becomes  haunted  and  attached  with  human 
cognizance." 

Peggy  Ahwesh's  videos  are  available  through 
Video  Data  Bank:  (312)  345-3550;  her  films  are 
available  through  Film-makers'  Co-op:  (212) 
889-3820. 

Jeremy  Lehrer  is  a  freelance  writer  livmg  in  New  York. 


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March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      15 


IVAL  CIRCUIT 


Euro  Dollars 
in  Demand 

The  International 

Documentary  Filmfestival 

Amsterdam  &  Cofinancing  Forum 

by   Patricia    Thomson 


Dozens  of  Dutch  speed  skaters  with 
awesome  quads  whip  by  as  I  gently 
push  a  Yankee  filmmaker  and  novice 
skater  around  the  ice  track.  Though  her  knees 
are  locked  and  arms  outstretched  in  a  con- 
tained panic,  we're  having  a  grand  time  on  the 
outskirts  of  Amsterdam  this  gray  November 
morning,  part  of  a  small  group  taking  advantage 
of  this  social  event  organized  by  the 
International  Documentary  Filmfestival  Am- 
sterdam (IDFA). 

A  fast  pace  may  be  par  for  the  course  at  this 
ice  rink,  but  the  festival  itself  is  a  relatively  laid- 
back  affair.  The  center  of  activity  is  The  Baile, 
a  stately  brick  building  in  the  heart  of  old 
Amsterdam  that  houses  festival  headquarters 
upstairs  and  a  vast  coffee  bar  downstairs.  The 
rhythm  and  atmosphere  are  distinctly 
European.  Clouds  of  cigarette  smoke  hang 
above  overstuffed  couches  and  tables  tilled 
with  filmmakers  who  linger  for  hours  over  tiny 
cups  of  espresso,  occasionally  crossing  the 
street  to  catch  a  film  at  the  cineplex  where 
most  of  the  188  documentaries  are  screened. 
Through  the  festival  has  grown  considerably 
since  its  first  edition  1 1  years  ago,  now  hosting 
1,140  guests  and  56,000  audience  members,  it 
still  feels  uncluttered  and  unhurried. 

That  can  be  good  or  bad,  depending  on  your 
perspective.  Besides  the  films,  there's  not  much 
else  on  the  menu,  relatively  speaking — just  a 
single  lunch  for  directors  (competition  only), 
nightly  receptions  hosted  by  the  festival,  a 
"Talk  of  the  Day"  (sometimes  in  Dutch),  and  a 
few  seminars.  No  sponsored  parties,  no  press 
conferences,  no  breakfast  clubs  or  other  ice- 
breakers for  invited  filmmakers.  The  light  load 
is  nice  if  you  want  to  squeeze  in  some  extracur- 
ricular activities,  like  a  canal  tour,  a  bike  ride,  a 
visit   to   the   Rijksmuseum,   or   a   "Joris   Ivens 


Walking  Tour"  (all  offered  by 
the  festival).  Some  enterpris- 
ing filmmakers  found  their 
way  to  the  ubiquitous  coffee 
bars  (the  kind  with  hash 
brownies  on  the  menu)  or  the 
world-famous  red  light  district 
(just  to  look,  of  course). 

But  some  felt  as  if  the  festi- 
val had  brought  them  over, 
then  left  them  adrift.  "I'm  not 
sure  what  I  should  be  doing," 
Susan  Koch  admitted  after  a  packed  screening 
of  City  at  Peace,  her  powerful  documentary  on 
race  relations  among  youth  enrolled  in  a  Wash- 
ington, DC,  drama  program.  Since  she  and 
coproducer  Christopher  Koch  had  already  sold 
the  film  to  HBO  and  had  a  foreign  sales  agent 
working  the  festival,  she  could  coast.  But  Koch 
had  the  sense  that  she  was  squandering  a  gold- 
en opportunity.  For  100  paces  away,  dozens  of 
Europe's  top  commissioning  editors  were  holed 
up  for  the  simultaneous  three-day  Forum  for 
International  Cofinancing  of  Documentaries, 
and  she  had  no  good  way  to  meet  them.  Unlike, 
say,  Toronto  or  Sundance,  where  everyone  rubs 
shoulders,  IDFA  and  the  Forum  are  neatly 
divided.  And  as  nice  as  it  is  to  watch  films  from 
around  the  world  and  visit  the  Rembrandts,  the 
real  action  is  across  the  street  at  the  Forum, 
Europe's  most  significant  open  pitch  session. 


"Q 


FF  WE  GO,  SAYS  MODERATOR  AND 
foreign  sales  agent  Jan  Rofekamp  in  a  chipper 
voice.  All  eyes  swivel  towards  the  producer  fid- 
geting in  his  chair,  who  has  seven  fleeting  min- 
utes to  work  wonders  and  convince  the  assem- 
bled broadcasters  to  put  up  some  coproduction 


money.  And  so,  as  happens  20  times  per  day, 
the  two  dozen  commissioning  editors  at  the 
table  and  100  accredited  observers  listen  to  a 
pitch — on  punk  rockers  in  Berlin,  on  the  lover 
of  Carl  Jung,  the  closing  of  a  hospital  in  France, 
the  lottery  in  Ireland.  Many  present  footage, 
some  are  persuasive  speakers,  but  a  surprising 
number  drone  on  with  zero  energy.  The  editors 
struggle  to  stay  focused;  there  are,  after  all,  65 
pitches  over  the  course  of  three  days,  and 
they're  expected  to  respond. 

Time  is  up;  the  gavel  comes  down.  "Okay," 
says  Rofekamp  briskly,  "who  wants  to  be  part  of 
this?"  And  'round  the  table  he  goes  for  the  next 
seven  minutes — prodding  and  cajoling  the  edi- 
tors each  in  turn,  trying  to  piece  together  a 
package  of  coproduction  money  and  presales. 
("We  are  allies  of  the  producers,"  he  later  says 
of  the  six  moderators'  role.) 

Sometimes  the  end  result  is  a  dozen  ways  to 
say  no:  "It  doesn't  fit  into  any  format." 
"Where's  the  storyline?"  "What  about  this  out- 
rageous budget?"  "We've  just  done  something 
on  the  topic."  "It's  not  new  territory;  what's 
your  news?" 

But  dead  beats  are  frowned  on.  The  Forum 
is,  after  all,  supposed  to  be  a  two-way  street, 
since  editors  need  programs  to  fill  their  slots  as 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


Festival  Picks 


During  its  eight-day  stretch  (Nov.  26-Dec.  3),  IDFA  offered 
a  wide  variety  of  documentaries  from  around  the  world. 
Many  are  odd  lengths — 37:00,  12:00 — which,  unfortu- 
nately, lessens  their  chances  of  being  seen  on  U.S.  televi- 
sion or  in  certain  festivals.  But  as  IDFA  shows,  gems 
come  in  all  sizes.  The  following  are  a  few  highlights. 


In  post-war  Italy,  the  three  siblings  of  Pia  were  put  up  for 
adoption  by  their  widowed  father.  Nearly  50  years  later, 
she  tries  to  trace  them  with  the  help  of  her  nephew,  film- 
maker Basile  Sallustio.  We  follow  Pia  as  she  goes  up  the 
chain  of  the  Catholic  charity  that  served  as  go-between 
and  faces  stonewalling,  lies,  and  her  own  mounting 
despair.  A  moving  and  ultimately  satisfying  film. 

With  the  best  of  intentions,  a  motley  trio  brings  the  cheesy 
sex  and  wholesale  violence  of  Indian  cinema  to  the 
remotest  regions  with  a  mobile  cinema — one  of  2,000 
crisscrossing  the  country.  While  some  audiences  are  fix- 
ated, the  most  primitive  tribe  walks  out  during  the  open- 
ing action  scene.  "Don't  come  back,"  they  politely  request 
the  next  day.  "We  have  a  bellyache  now." 

Moviemaking  of  another  sort  is  the  subject  of  this  histor- 
ical documentary  by  American  filmmaker  Michael 
Epstein.  The  film  examines  the  seven-year  collaboration 
between  producer  David  Selznick  (Gone  with  the  Wind) 
and  the  rising  British  director  he  imported,  Alfred 
Hitchcock.  This  double  portrait  offers  an  in-depth  look  at 
the  Hollywood  studio  system  in  the  thirties  and  the  strug- 
gle between  producer  and  director  for  creative  power. 

It's  hard  to  fathom  life  much  harder  than  that  depicted  in 
this  observational  doc,  a  festival  prize-winner,  by  Sergey 
Dvortsevoy.  Once  a  week,  a  railway  car  containing  loaves 
of  bread  is  delivered  to  a  spot  several  miles  from  a  dying 
village  in  Russia,  where  a  few  elderly  people  remain.  They 
push  the  railway  car  the  rest  of  the  way  in  the  bitter  cold, 
then  bicker  over  rations.  The  scenes  of  humans  and  ani- 
mals scratching  out  an  existence  in  this  inhospitable 
clime  are  finely  etched  and  enduring. 

Not  since  Small  Happiness  has  a  documentary  so  effec- 
tively shown  the  sorry  status  of  women  in  a  third  world 
country.  Shot  (beautifully)  in  India  by  Debananda 
Sengupta,  this  understated  36-minute  film  presents  the 
ambitions  and  expectations  of  several  pubescent  girls, 
versus  those  of  their  families. 

On  a  related  subject,  this  documentary  was  one  of  the  few 
to  get  festival  buzz.  Kim  Longinott  and  Ziba  Mir-Hossseini 
follow  three  lawsuits  in  Teheran  filed  by  women  who  buck 
the  system  and  are  willing  to  face  ostracization  and  the 
potential  loss  of  their  children  and  savings  as  a  result. 


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March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       17 


TIVAL  CrUCTJTT 


much  as  producers  need  financing.  "I'm  not 
sure  if  I  should  sit  at  the  table,  since  I  have  so 
little  money  to  spend,"  whispered  one  consci- 
entious Scandinavian  editor  to  a  colleague  dur- 
ing a  break.  It's  true  that  some  of  the  smaller 
countries  bring  only  pocket  change.  Last  year, 
for  instance,  AVRO  (Netherlands),  TV  2 
Norway,  SVT  (Sweden) ,  and  TV  Ontario  each 
invested  only  5,000  to  10,000  ECUs  over  the 
course  of  three  days.  (All  figures  in  this  article 
given  in  ECUs.  The  exchange  rate  for  1  ECU  at 
the  time  of  Forum  was  $1.13.)  But  coalitions 
form,  and  small  sums  add  up.  The  high  end  is 
represented  by  the  BBC,  which  poneyed  up 
more  than  200,000  in  1997;  Channel  4/UK 
(100,000  -  150,000);  and  VPRO  (Netherlands) 
and  Arte  (France)  (50,000  -  100,000  each). 

Ultimately,  some  producers  come  away 
happy.  Last  year,  44%  of  projects  secured  addi- 
tional financing,  with  an  average  of  56,742 
ECUs  invested  per  project,  according  to  the 


Decades  after  the 
fact,  an  Italian 
woman  searches  for 
her  siblings,  sold  for 
adoption,  in  festival 
favorite  My  Brother, 
My  Sister  Sold  for  a 
Fistful  of  Lire. 


broadcaster,  film  board,  or 
film  institute.  What's  more, 
that  partner  must  be  there  at 
the  table  beside  you — no 
small  disadvantage  for  U.S. 
producers  who  might  have 
only  a  local  public  television 
station  (with  a  limited  travel 
budget)  committed  to  the 
project. 

It  also  helps  to  be 
European.  The  Forum  is 
paid  for  by  the  European 
Commission's  MEDIA  Programme,  so  85  per- 
cent of  the  pitches  are  reserved  for  EC  produc- 
tions. (Three  years  ago,  it  was  100  percent 
European.)  But  when  a  Canadian  producer 
urged  them  to  raise  the  non-EC  quota  during 
the  evaluation  discussion,  his  suggestion  was 
quickly  knocked  down.  "You  can  do  a  North 
American  version,"  said  the  BBC's  Nicholas 
Fraser.  "This  was  funded  by  MEDIA."  Added 
Forum  chief 

Jolanda  Klaren- 
beek,  "So  please 
don't  promote  it 
over  there."  (Too 
ate. 

But  even  if  you 
aren't  one  of  the 
elite  picked  to 
pitch,  there  are 
three  good  rea- 
sons to  attend  as 
one  of  the  accre- 
dited   observers. 


Last  year,  44% 

of  projects  secured 

additional  financing, 

with  an  average  of 

56,742  ECUs  invested 

per  project. 


Forum's  figures.  Pre-sales  accounted  for 
69%  of  this  financing,  coproduction  8%, 
and  a  combination  of  investment  and  pre- 
sales  23%. 

It  can  be  hard  to  predict  what  will  sell. 
An  Icelandic  production  company  called 
20  Goats  pitched  a  film  on  the  local  tradi- 
tion of  documenting  the  dead  in  photo- 
graphic portraits.  "It's  hard  to  look  at,"  said 
one  queasy  editor.  But  moments  later  came 
an  easy  sale:  "We're  planning  a  theme  night 
on  funerals,  so  we  would  be  interested," 
said  Olaf  Grunert  from  ZDF/Arte.  Who 
would  have  guessed? 

To  earn  a  place  at  this  table,  filmmakers 
must  have  at  least  25  percent  of  their  bud- 
get lined  up,  plus  the  commitment  of  a 


Outsized  power  struggles 
in  1930s  Hollywood  are 
revealed  in  Hitchcock, 
Selznick,  and  the  End  of 
Hollywood. 


The  first  is  the  "Moderator's 
Hat."  Any  producer  in  the 
room  can  throw  his  or  her 
business  card  into  a  hat,  and 
three  times  per  day  the  mod- 
erator draws  out  a  name. 
That  person  gets  to  pitch, 
then  and  there.  Two  years 
ago,  Mark  Gevisser,  a  South 
African  journalist,  was  one 
of  those  lucky  ones,  and  this 
year  the  resulting  film  he 
produced  with  director 
Greta  Schiller,  The  Man  Who  Drove  with 
Mandela,  was  in  the  film  competition  at  IFDA, 
coming  full  circle.  AVRO  was  one  of  the  chan- 
nels to  pony  up  money  as  a  result  of  Gevisser's 
impromptu  presentation.  "He  was  so  full  of 
energy  and  drive,"  recalls  AVRO  commission- 
ing editor  Marijke  Rawie.  "It  was  the  best  pitch 
of  the  day." 

The  second  reason  to  attend  is  because  the 
Forum  will  help  arrange  one-on-one  meetings 
with  editors  when  they  are  not  at  the  table. 
(The  83  commissioning  editors  from  54  chan- 
nels rotate  during  the  three-day  period.)  There 
are  four  official  consultants  who  point  produc- 
ers towards  the  appropriate  people  and  some- 
times make  introductions.  Tracy  Holder,  copro- 
ducer  of  an  American  Masters  biography  of  the- 
ater producer  Joseph  Papp,  managed  to  get 
meetings  with  editors  from  NPS  (Netherlands), 
Canal  Plus,  SBS  (Australia),  ZDF/Arte,  BBC, 
and  PBS.  She  concluded  that  the  Forum  is  not 
the  best  place  to  bring  an  arts-related  project, 
but  felt  her  time  there  had  been  worthwhile. 
"The  Forum  can  pay  off  in  the  long-run.  It's 
good  for  making  contacts,  but  not  necessarily 
for  making  immediate  sales,"  she  says. 

And  that's  the  third  compelling  reason  to 
buy  that  plane  ticket  to  Amsterdam.  With  so 
many  editors  gathered  under  one  roof,  it's  a  fab- 
ulous and  efficient  way  to  attach  names  to 
faces,  glean  a  sense  of  programming  strands, 
and  begin  to  become  acquainted  with  the  small 
but  very  complex  world  of  European  television 
coproduction.  Attrition  among  commissioning 
editors  is  relatively  low  in  Europe,  so  acquain- 
tances made  one  year  can  be  renewed  and 
strengthened  the  next.  Thus  are  relationships 
built.  And  that's  what  this  game  all  about.  As 
Rofekamp  advised  the  gathered  filmmakers, 
"Coproduction  is  like  sex.  It's  always  great  if 
you're  friends." 

Patricia  Thomson  is  editor  in  chief 
of  The  Independent. 


18    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


Pitching  Lessons 

Five  pointers  to  keep  in  mind  when  perfecting 
your  pitch  on  the  international  playing  field. 


JL  The  Pitch:  A  Good  Day  to  Die:  The  True  Story  of  the 
Battle  of  the  Little  Bighorn  intends  to  "explode  the  myth"  of 
Custer's  Last  Stand.  This  intriguing  Discovery  Channel  film 
proposed  to  do  so  by  drawing  on  forensic  science  and  newly 
discovered  papers  of  photographer  Edward  Curtis  that  contain 
first-hand  accounts  of  the  massacre  from  surviving  Indian 
scouts.  Producer  Andre  Singer  was  asking  for  one  third  of  the 
hour-long  project's  326,279  ECU  budget. 

The  Response:  One  commissioning  editor  ventured  to  say 
that  the  subject  was  "too  American"  for  his  viewers.  To  this 
Singer  replied,  "One  would  not  say  something  on  ancient  Egypt 
is  too  Egyptian." 

The  Lesson:  Be  prepared  to  argue — credibly  and  convinc- 
ingly— that  your  film  is  able  to  travel  across  borders  and  cul- 
tures. For  herein  lies  the  rub  of  international  coproduction. 
Viewers  prefer  programming  with  a  national  hook,  but  produc- 
tion costs  often  necessitate  several  countries  partnering  up. 
Commissioning  editors  have  to  reconcile  these  competing 
demands. 


2 


The  Pitch:  Waving  a  gas  mask  issued  by  the  Israeli  gov- 
ernment, producer  Nir  Toil  pitched  The  Arrow  Project,  an  hour- 
long  video  that  examines  Israel's  version  of  Star  Wars — an 
anti-missile  missile  that  is  supposed  to  defend  the  country 
against  nuclear  attack.  BBC  is  in  for  25%;  the  producer  was 
looking  for  the  balance  of  his  172,413  ECU  budget. 

The  Response:  Among  the  interested  parties  was  PBS's 
Glen  Marcus,  who  said  it  sounded  right  for  the  Frontline  series. 
"It's  a  logical  follow-up  to  something  they  did  on  the  Gulf  War." 

The  Lesson:  "Yes"  can  mean  many  things  at  the  Forum. 
It's  important  to  know  who's  talking  and  how  much  power  he 
or  she  has  to  greenlight  a  project.  Does  Marcus  know  for  sure 
tha{  Frontline  executive  producer  David  Fanning  will  want  The 
Arrow  Project!  When  there  are  layers  of  bureaucracy,  as  at 
PBS,  it's  best  not  to  count  your  chickens  before  they  hatch.  But 
if  it's  someone  with  authority  from  a  smaller  channel  (like 
Jean-Francoise  Dion  from  Multithematiquest/Planete  cable)  or 
the  big  cheese  from  a  larger  one  (like  Thierry  Garrel  from  La 
Sept/Arte),  then  you're  cooking. 


3 


The  Pitch:  One  of  the  Moderator's  Hat  picks  was  a  film 
on  the  Armenian  genocide  of  1915.  It's  a  rare  topic  for  docu- 
mentaries, in  part  because  no  film  footage  exists.  But  the 
director  has  located  a  number  of  survivors,  now  aged  98  to 
112,  whose  oral  histories  will  form  the  basis  of  this  film. 

The  Response:  The  project  received  a  warm  reception, 
with  commissioning  editors  recognizing  the  now-or-never 
aspect.  Where  they  had  reservations  was  with  the  4  x  26:00 
format.  "No  one  will  buy  short  series,"  cautioned  the  BBC's 


:hurr\ann 


lasp 

isan  Inberg    t- 


Coffee  and  commerce  in  Amsterdam. 


Nicholas  Fraser,  who  recommended  that  the  producer  consid- 
er restructuring  it  as  two  50:00  programs. 

The  Lesson:  If  a  buyer  is  interested  enough,  be  willing  to 
adjust  your  length.  While  the  trend  is  toward  hour-long  slots, 
it's  not  universal.  ZDF  indicated  that  they  might  have  a  place 
for  a  clown-rodeo  project  that  U.S.  producer  Jonathan  Stack 
was  pitching  if  he  came  up  with  a  half-hour  version. 


•  The  Pitch:  The  Man  from  Red  October  will  be  the  real- 
life  story  of  the  Soviet  nuclear  submarine  captain  and  turncoat 
who  was  the  prototype  for  Sean  Connery's  character  in  The 
Hunt  for  Red  October  The  Lithuanian  producer  was  asking  for 
96,000  ECUs  towards  her  129,000  budget  for  this  52:00  film. 
"It's  a  story  of  spies  and  love,  with  a  Hollywood  film  and  Sean 
Connery.  It  sounds  like  it  should  have  a  broad  audience," 
coaxed  the  moderator  when  seguing  to  discussion. 

The  Response:  "Your  budget  is  what?!?"  No  one  believed 
Hollywood  clips  could  be  secured  for  this  amount.  "Fair  use  is 
okay  in  the  U.S.,"  said  Garrel,  "but  we  can  be  sued  in  Europe." 
The  producer  couldn't  respond,  as  she  hadn't  yet  investigated 
licensing  costs.  Nor  had  she  approached  the  press-shy 
Connery  about  appearing  in  the  film.  The  result:  editors  stayed 
away. 

The  Lesson:  Do  your  homework  and  bring  a  realistic  bud- 
get. Be  prepared  to  detail  what  archival  or  licensed  footage 
you'll  be  using  and  what  it  costs.  If  you  don't  know,  it'll  show. 


U  The  Pitch:  A  Modern  Pied  Piper  is  a  light-hearted  look 
at  the  world's  leading  rat  catcher,  the  colorful  self-made  mil- 
lionaire Massimo  Donadon.  Using  a  tongue-in-cheek  parody  of 
war  reporting,  this  documentary  shows  the  exterminator's  bat- 
tle plan,  his  weapons  (poison  that  takes  into  account  rats' 
acquired  tastes,  like  butter  in  France,  pork  fat  in  Germany, 
margarine  in  the  U.S.,  and  curry  in  Bombay),  and  the  clash  in 
the  field.  The  producer  was  seeking  75  percent  of  his  200,000 
ECU  budget. 

The  Response:  Editors  loved  it,  as  well  as  an  earlier  pitch 
from  the  same  producer,  Carlo  Cresto-Oina,  on  the  tomato  as 
symbol  of  Italian  national  identity. 

The  Lesson:  Humor  sells.  "We  lack  happy,  optimistic  sub- 
jects," complained  Planete's  Dion,  one  of  several  editors  who 
openly  craved  a  lighter  touch.  "The  next  channel  I'm  going  to 
propose  to  my  boss  is  the  Genocide  Channel."  —  PT 


NO 
ENTRY 

(Fees,  that  is) 

WYBE  Public  Television  in  Philadelphia 
seeks  works  up  to  56  minutes  for 
THROUGH  THE  LENS,  an  award-winning 
weekly  series  showcasing  innovative  film 
and  video  from  around  the  world. 

NO  ENTRY  FEE 

ACQUISITION  FEE:  $25  PER  MINUTE 

ALL  STYLES  AND  GENRES 
WELCOME 


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For  an  application: 


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attn:  Carl  Lee,  TTL 
6070  Ridge  Avenue 
Philadelphia  PA  19128 
(215)483-3900 

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•© 


we'll  take  you  there 


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MDSAWTHEGUMCMV-8. 


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or  reach  us  on  the  internet  at  www.glidecam.com 


Glidecam  is  Registered  at  the  Patent  and  TM  Office 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


IVAL  CIRCUIT 


Satantic  Worship  i 


in  London! 


Where,  you're  asking,  is 
Pandaemonium?  Way  back  in 
1667  John  Milton,  the  poet- 
explorer  of  heaven  and  hell, 
wrote  an  original  iambic  pen- 
tameter indie  screenplay  on 
the  place: 


A  solemn  Councel  forthwith  to  be  held 

At  Pandaemonium,  the  high  Capital  of  Satan 

and  his  Peers. 

Centuries  later,  still  in  London,  the  current 
abode  of  all  sorts  ot  demons,  happened  the  sec- 
ond coming  of  Pandaemonium  (October  15- 
23),  billed  as  the  city's  biannual  Festival  of  the 
Moving  Image.  It  is  a  devilish  set  of  events:  film 
and  video  screenings,  installations,  artist  per- 
formances, public  art,  interactive  arts,  digital 
salon,  sound  and  music  performances,  night- 
club projections,  panels.  When  you  look  at  the 
schedule,  you're  a  bit  bewildered  at  first.  You 
ought  to  be.  The  whole  point  of  a  festival  is:  too 
much. 

But  what  Pandaemonium  represents  is  an 
emergent  new  structure  for  festivals,  paralleled 
by  the  World  Wide  Video  Festival,  now  in 
Amsterdam,  and  the  European  Media  Art 
Festival  in  Osnabriick,  among  others.  What 
these  festivals  have  in  common  is  a  receptivity 
to  new  forms  and  an  intention  to  try  out  newer 
contexts.  Their  viewers  are  equally  likely  to  be 
participants — particularly  in  digital,  computer- 
based  media.  As  Pandaemonium's  artistic 
director,  Michael  Maziere,  says,  "The  rigid  tra- 


ditions of  'experimental/underground'  him,  the 
purity  ot  'video  art,'  and  the  increasingly  ques- 
tionable definition  ot  'new  media'  are  all  being 
challenged  by  a  fresh  and  distinctively  irrever- 
ent approach  by  contemporary  artists.  But 
where  does  that  leave  us?" 

Pandaemonium  was  less  an  answer  to  that 
question  than  an  extremely  energetic  account 
of  the  search — a  determination  to  mix  it  up. 
The  physical  center  for  all  that  energy  was  the 
new  Lux  Centre  in  Hoxton  Square,  a  rapidly 
gentrifying  part  ot  London's  East  End  that 
resembles  New  York's  Soho  in  the  late  seven- 
ties. The  Lux  is  itself  an  ensemble:  London 
Electronic  Arts;  the  London  Film-makers  Co- 
op; the  LEA  Gallery,  in  which  five  media  works 
commissioned  for  the  festival  were  shown;  and 
the  Lux  Theatre,  in  which  films  and  single - 
channel  videos  were  screened.  Nearby,  three 
othet  galleries  presented  a  range  ot  digital  and 
audio  media  works — and  were  filled  with  avid 
users  when  I  visited  them.  One  night  the  Tate 
Gallery  of  Modern  Art  allowed  their  new  site  at 
the  Bankside  Power  Station  on  the  Thames  to 
be  used  as  an  outdoor  screen  for  projections  of 
films  about  building  sites  and  industrial  zones, 
an  irresistibly  brilliant  idea. 

When  you  approached  the  Lux  at  night, 
there  was  usually  a  spillover  of  festival  partici- 
pants hanging  out  at  the  bar  that  had  just 
opened  the  previous  week.  Above  the  bar,  on 
the  second  floor,  there  was  a  three-screen  rear- 
projection  loop  of  a  dreamy  Tracey  Emin  piece, 
Sundown,  of  her  slow-roaming  on  horseback  the 
yellow-orange    Margate    seashore.    Stepping 


inside  the  theater  you  also  stepped  on  video 
monitors  that  are  embedded  into  the  floor  and 
are  usually  the  site  of  an  installation,  which 
simultaneously  plays  on  screens  behind  the 
box  office.  Another  large  monitor  displayed  an 
on-going  video  diary  of  the  festival  by  Louise 
Camrass.  Since  that  lobby  was  generally  filled 
with  people,  a  proper  atmosphere  of  sensory 
overload  was  well-maintained. 

Single-screen  curator  Abina  Manning  tire- 
lessly looked  at  800  film  and  video  entries, 
selecting    100   for    14   programs,    with   the 
emphasis  on  London,  UK,  or  world  premieres. 
Such  a  plethora  tended  to  favor  shorter,  more 
experimental  work  rather  than  either  conven- 
tional documentary  or  narrative  pieces — or 
longer  works  of  any  genre.  In  addition  (as  if 
that  wasn't  enough),  there  were  special  pro- 
grams dedicated  to  Daniel  Reeves  and  Kurt 
Kren,  plus  a  series  of  guest-curated  programs. 
Lori  Zippay  of  Electronic  Arts  Intermix  put 
together  a  slate  of  super  8  and  16mm  perfor- 
mance films  by  conceptual  artists  ot  the  sev- 
enties.  Kate  Horsfield  of  Video  Data   Bank 
showed  a  group  of  recent  dystopian  videos  that 
was  capped  by  Leslie  Thornton's  post-apocalyp- 
tic Peggy  and  Fred  in  Kansas  which,  a  decade 
after  it  was  made,  still  looks  10  years  ahead  of 
its  time.  Gavin  Smith  arrived  with  a  selection 
that  he'd  made  with  Mark  McElhatten,  titled 
"Ceiling  Zero,"  of  films  that  dare  to  take  off, 
despite  "perilous  flight  conditions,"  venturing 
into  tough  territory  both  atmospherically  and 
in  terms  of  content.  Peggy  Ahwesh's  bracing 
Nocturne  provided  one  of  the  appropriately 
dark  moments  in  this  program.   Other  pre- 
mieres from  the  U.S.  included  Sadie  Benning's 
Flat  Is  Beautiful  and  Joan  Braderman  and  Dana 
Mastet's  hot-off-the-Avid  Video  Bites. 

One  unfortunate  side  effect  ot  the  wall-to- 
wall  programming  of  so  much  work  was  the 
lack  of  a  chance  for  attending  makers  and  audi- 
ences to  participate  in  Q&As — which  can  be 
so  rewarding  when  audiences  are  as  savvy  as 
they  tend  to  be  at  festivals.  However,  in  so 
many  other  informal  ways,  such  communica- 
tion inevitably  occurred,  not  least  in  the  bar 
next  door,  which  somehow  didn't  have  a  single 
video  monitor  or  terminal  display  visible.  Just 
people  talking  and  drinking  like  demons,  much 
as  I  understand  they  did  back  in  1667. 

Ernest  Larsen 

Ernest  Larsen's  videotape  Throwaway,  coproduced  with 
Sherry  Mdlner,  premiered  at  the  Pandaemrmium  festival. 


20    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


High  Impact 


IDA's  DocCom3 


in   the   next   century — at   least   that   was   the 

intent    of    IDA    executive    director    Betsy 

McLane.  A  film  historian,   McLane  selected 

clips  from  14  films,  including  Night  and  Fog; 

Hiroshima-Nagasaki,  August  1945;  The  War  at 

Home;  Triumph  of 

the    Will;    Hearts 

and  Minds;  and  1/ 


The  presentation  was  called  "Docs  that 

Shook  the  World."  But  the  truth  is  that  the 
world  still  shakes  in  the  face  of  footage  from  the 
Nazi  concentration  camps,  the  carnal  catastro- 
phe in  Hiroshima,  and  the  campus  head-bash- 
ing of  the  1960s. 

While  the  expressed  purpose  of  the 
International  Documentary  Association's 
(IDA)  "Docs  that  Shook  the  World"  was  to 
prove  that  documentaries  can  make  a  differ- 
ence, the  program  made  even  more  clear  the 
critical  importance  documentary  films  hold  to 
the  preservation  of  history  and  memory,  their 
timeless  power  to  make  us  pause  in  horror  and 
awe. 

The  program  was  just  one  of  three  days' 
worth  of  presentations  and  panels  organized 
during  the  third  annual  IDA  Congress,  held  in 
late  October  in  Los  Angeles.  Called  DocCon3, 
the  congress  also  included  sessions  on  the  nuts 
and  bolts  of  documentary  production  ("Getting 
Started  in  a  Documentary  Career  in  the  U.S.," 
"Model  Pitches"),  popular  forms  ("Reality 
Bites/True  TV,"  "Docs  Rock"),  and  new  tech- 
nologies ("New  Media — Documentaries 
Beyond  Television  and  Film"). 

Particular  emphasis  this  year  was  placed  on 
worldwide  developments,  with  a  special  series 
zeroing  in  on  the  Pacific  Rim,  Eastern  Europe, 
China,  Latin  America,  and  Israel,  as  well  as  ses- 
sions on  "Documentary  Film  Festivals  outside 
the  U.S."  and  "EU  and  NAFTA— Docu- 
mentary Coproduction  Allies?" 

"Docs  that  Shook  the  World,"  while  superfi- 
cially looking  back  in  time,  posed  a  chance  to 
assess  what  the  100-year-old  medium  will  mean 


You  Love  This 
Planet:  Dr.  Helen 
Caldicott  on  Nu- 
clear War.  McLane 
also  invited  a 
number  of  com- 
mentators, pri- 
marily filmmakers, 
to  share  their  thoughts  on  the  assembled  clips. 
George  Stevens,  Jr.,  son  of  the  celebrated 
Hollywood  director  (The  Diary  of  Anne  Frank, 
A  Place  in  the  Sun),  contrasted  his  father's 
Hollywood  successes  to  the  quiet  power  of  doc- 
umentary, noting  that  Stevens,  Sr.'s  most 
important  work  may  well  have  been  "the  simple 
uninflected  images"  of  Dachau,  where  he  was 
sent  as  head  of  combat  photography  during 
World  War  II. 

Rabbi  Marvin  Hier,  a  documentary  producer 
and  dean/founder  of  the  Simon  Wiesenthal 
Center  and  the  Museum  of  Tolerance,  noted 
that  the  footage  of  the  Nazi  camps  forever 
deprives  future  generations  of  denying  that  the 
Holocaust  really  happened. 

But  forever  is  only  as  good  as  the  film  stock, 
McLane  learned  when  she  went  to  look  for  a 
print  of  Hearts  arid  Minds,  an  influential  anti- 
war film  from  1974-  She  found  two.  Both  had 
aged  badly. 

Approaching  the  topic  not  as  a  filmmaker  or 
historian  but  as  a  politician,  former  Canadian 
Prime  Minister  Kim  Campbell  extolled  docu- 
mentary's power  to  "take  policy  out  of  the 
abstract,  to  remind  us  that  public  policy  has 
flesh  and  blood  ramifications."  She  added:  "My 
only  concern  is  that  many  of  our  most  impor- 
tant issues  aren't  cinematic." 

Seizing  on  the  idea,  McLane  linked  it  to  the 
presentation's  larger  purpose:  "Maybe  that's  the 
challenge  for  documentary  in  the  next  century." 

Barbara  Bliss  Osborn 

Barbara  Bliss  Osbom  is  a  radio  producer  for  the 

Pacifica  station  in  Los  Angeles  and  a  doctoral  student  in 

communications  at  L/C  San  Diego. 


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March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


Long  May  It  Run 


New  York's  Shorts  Expo 


With  the  explosion  of  film  festivals  and 

the  growing  interest  in  shorts,  the  International 
Expo  of  Short  Film  &  Video  remains  the 
protype  for  the  short  film  festival.  As  the 
nation's  longest-running  annual  festival  for 
shorts,  the  32-year-old  Expo,  founded  in  1966 
by  Nick  Manning,  established  its  reputation 
with  the  exhibition  of  early  works  by  Spike  Lee, 
Martha  Coolidge,  Claude  Lelouche,  the 
Maysles  brothers,  Michael  Snow,  and  Agnes 
Varda.  The  Expo's  mission — to  support,  pro- 
mote, and  encourage  interest  in  the  art  of  short 
film  and  video — was  carried  through  with 
amazing  sincerity  through  this  year's  five-day 
run  of  packed  screenings  at  Manhattan's  New 
School. 

With  overall  attendance  up  34  percent  from 
last  year,  the  Expo  kicked  off  with  select  screen- 
ings from  each  category — animation,  experi- 
mental, documentary,  fiction,  and  new 
media — and  speeches  from  key  festival  organiz- 
ers. Their  commentaries,  highlighting  the 
integrity  ot  their  target  filmmakers,  are  the  kind 
that  make  you  feel  all  warm  and  gushy  about 
being  a  member  of  the  indie  community. 

From  650  entries,  the  majority  of  finalists 
were  American,  Canadian,  Austrian,  and 
Russian  (especially  in  the  animation  category) 
and  cover  a  wide  range  of  independent  film- 
makers: from  film  school  students  and  profes- 
sors to  veteran  filmmakers.  Memorable  titles  to 
look  out  for  include  Human  Remains  (Doc. 
Silver),  The  Morphology  of  Desire,  17  Days  to 
Earth  (Fiction  Silver),  and  The  Fetishist  (tie  for 
Animation  Gold). 

With  this  range  of  entrants  in  mind,  the 


Expo  has 
developed 
creative  ways 
to  acknowl- 
edge the  best 
of  its  entries. 
This  year's 
additions 
included  Best 
Debut  in  all 
categories 
(except  short 
narrative,  in 
which  all 
were  debuts) 
and  sub- 

genre   awards 
in     the     doc 
category    for 
^a^^^^^^^^B     Best  Personal, 

Experimen- 
tal, and  Verite  styles.  Additional  prizes  ranged 
from  two  $500  Kodak  film  stock  awards,  a  $500 
Barbizon  Lighting  Award,  Open  1  Media  digital 
editing  courses,  and  a  Sync  Sound  digital 
touch-up. 

Attracted  by  networking  opportunities  and 
panels  on  "Directions  in  New  Media"  and  "Film 
Preservation  for  Independents,"  attendance 
among  the  finalists  was  high.  With  support 
from  Bravo,  MTV,  William  Morris,  Good 
Machine,  Women  Make  Movies,  the  Museum 
of  Modern  Art,  WNET,  Women  in  Film,  SKYY 
Vodka,  and  Kodak  in  the  way  of  judges,  grants, 
and  sponsorship,  the  Expo  provided  a  balanced 
environment  for  filmmakers  to  display  their 
industry-  calling  cards  and  labors  of  love. 

This  year,  Anne  Borin,  film  editor  and  for- 
mer U.S  Coordinator  for  the  International  St. 
Petersburg  Film  Fest,  replaced  five-year  veteran 
Robert  Withers  as  executive  director  and 
brought  on  an  army  of  committed  volunteers. 
Now  that  Borin  has  settled  into  her  new  posi- 
tion, she's  already  accepting  entries  for  next 
year's  summer  deadline  and  has  future  plans  for 
improving  the  festival.  "For  next  year,  we  are 
looking  to  concentrate  on  outreach  programs 
to  more  festivals  and  distributors  worldwide  to 
increase  new  media  entries  as  well  as  knowl- 
edge of  the  Expo  in  Asia." 

For  more  info,  contact:  New  York  Expo,  512  La 
Guardia  Place,  Suite  110,  NY,  NY  10012;  (212) 
505-7742;  nyexpo&r  aol.com;  www.yrd.com/ 
nyexpo. 

Gesha-Marie  Bryant 

Gesha-Mane  Bryam  is  an  mterm  at  The  Independent. 


Oopa 


i 


The  Thessaloniki 
International  Film  Festival 


When  Anthony  Bregman,  head  of  produc- 

tion  for  the  New  York-based  independent  pro- 
duction company  Good  Machine,  participated 
in  a  panel  on  digital  video  at  the  Thessaloniki 
International  Film  Festival  last  year,  he  was 
taken  aback  by  the  audience's  raucous 
response.  "The  focus  of  most  filmmakers  at 
these  kinds  of  panels  is  'How  can  I  get  my  film 
made?'  or  'Will  Good  Machine  read  my  script?'  " 
In  Thessaloniki,  "people  were  storming  in  and 
out,  yelling  at  us,  accusing  us  of  the  death  of 
cinema.  One  of  my  fellow  panelists  stood  up  in 
the  middle  of  all  this  and  unfurled  a  manifesto 
about  young  Greek  cinema  vs.  old  Greek  cine- 
ma. ...  It  felt  like  1968  or  something." 
Welcome  to  Thessaloniki. 

Although  this  year's  festival  spotlight  on 
Good  Machine  was  less  dramatic,  the  discus- 
sion was  no  less  intense  as  the  standing-room 
only  crowd  engaged  in  heartfelt  debates  with 
Bregman  and  Good  Machine  co-founder  Ted 
Hope,  as  well  as  American  indie  filmmakers 
Hilary  Brougher  (The  Sticky  Fingers  of  Time) 
and  John  O'Hagan  (Wonderland)  about  the  ups 
and  downs  of  producing  and  distributing  inde- 
pendent films.  But  it  is  not  just  Good  Machine 
stirring  up  the  masses.  Enthusiastic  exchanges 
about  cinema  and  its  future  are  typical  fare  dur- 
ing the  festival's  10-day  run  in  mid-November, 
as  the  buzz  in  the  theaters,  cafes,  and  ouzo  bars 
can  attest.  With  screenings  of  over  160  films 
from  more  than  35  countries,  Thessaloniki  has 
become  a  haven  for  cinephiles,  drawing  62,000 
viewers  to  the  festival's  seven  theater  venues 
this  season.  (A  selection  of  the  festival's  Greek 
and  Balkan  films  will  be  screened  at  Anthology 
Film  Archives  in  New  York  City  April  30  -  May 
6.) 

Unlike  premiere  film  festivals  such  as  Berlin, 
Cannes,  and  Venice,  which  are  as  much  about 
glamour  and  Hollywood  as  they  are  about  film, 
the  Thessaloniki  festival  has  distinguished  itself 
by  promoting  alternative,  unconventional 
works  by  mostly  young  independent  directors 
(the  international  competition  section  is  open 
to  first  and  second  features  only).  Festival 
director  Michel  Demopoulos  believes  it  is 
important  to  move  beyond  the  "monotony  of 
the  major  studios"  to  insure  that  a  vibrant,  cre- 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


ative  cinema  can  continue  to  flourish  in  a  cul- 
tural environment  of  ever-expanding  homo- 
geneity. Having  defined  the  festival  as  a  kind  of 
cinematic  oasis,  Demopoulos  views  the  festi- 
val's mission  as  one  that  is  "duty  bound  to 
attack  the  fetters  imposed  on  film,  to  promote 
new  forms  of  cinematic  expression,  and  to 
shape  viewers  capable  of  supporting  film  cul- 
ture." 

Echoing  Demopoulos's  sentiments  is  Dimitri 
Eipides,  programmer  for  the  New  Horizons  sec- 
tion of  the  festival,  who  seeks  films  that  are 
"marked  by  their  originality."  It  was  through 
New  Horizons  that  the  works  of  directors  such 
as  Hal  Hartley  and  Atom  Egoyan  were  intro- 
duced to  Greek  audiences.  (Eipides  will  head 
up  a  new  documentary  festival,  also  based  in 
Thessaloniki,  in  March  1999.) 

Emphasizing  as  it  does  the  artistic,  rather 
than  the  market,  side  of  film  and  filmmaking, 
the  festival  ambiance  is  one  of  openness  and 
hospitality.  Organizers  go  a  long  way  in  trying 
to  accommodate  the  needs  of  filmmakers  and 
journalists,  including  providing  airfare  and 
hotel  to  most  attendees,  as  well  as  a  press  room 
replete  with  computers,  phones,  faxes,  email 
access,  and  individual  mail  boxes  that  are 
stuffed  daily  with  information.  Additionally, 
the  festival  hosts  several  luncheons,  dinners, 
and  parties  where  people  have  the  opportunity 
to  meet,  talk,  and  sample  some  delicious  Greek 
food.  And  the  lovely  port  city  of  Thessaloniki, 
with  its  university,  Byzantine  churches  and 
ruins,  and  cafe-lined  waterfront,  is  great  place 
to  spend  time  and  watch  films. 

"The  Thessaloniki  festival  had  all  the 
advantages  of  a  major  international  festival, 
like  Rotterdam,  especially  in  terms  of  its  selec- 
tion of  films,  but  without  the  'meat  market' 
atmosphere  of  a  bigger,  more  commercial 
event,"  says  Brougher.  "I  was  able  to  meet  a  lot 
of  writers  and  filmmakers,  particularly  from 
Eastern  Europe.  And  it  was  great  to  see  films 
with  such  spirited  audiences;  it  really  felt  like 
this  festival  was  very  much  loved." 

Cleo  Cacoulidis 

Cleo  Cacoulidis  is  a  freelance  journalist 
living  in  New  York  City 


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March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


y    Robert    L.    Seigel 


Balancing  the  Books 

When  to  Audit  Your  Distributor 


MAGINE  THIS:  AFTER  SLAVING  AWAY  ON 
your  independent  project,  you  finally 
sign  with  a  sales  agent  or  a  distributor. 
Months  go  by  with  no  word  and  no 
check.  Finally  you  get  a  "Producer's 
Report"  with  a  statement  indicating 
that  your  micro -budgeted  masterpiece 
has  generated  a  significant  amount  of 
revenue.  However,  by  the  time  you 
reach  the  end  of  the  statement,  there  is 
a  minuscule  or  even  a  negative  figure  in 
the  column  labeled  "Net  Profits  Paid  to 
Producer."  You  feel  you've  been  ripped  oft  and 
are  ready  to  call  your  attorney. 

This  scenario  is  all  too  typical.  Unfor- 
tunately, many  mediamakers  contact  their 
lawyers  after  they've  signed  a  contract.  All  may 
not  be  lost,  however,  since  often  there  appears 
something  called  an  "audit  provision."  This 
permits  you  to  examine  a  sales  agent's  or  dis- 
tributor's books  and  records  pertaining  to  your 
project  upon  a  written  notice.  But  even  if  your 
contract  includes  an  audit  provision,  you  have 
to  address  a  more  troublesome,  pragmatic  ques- 
tion: Should  you  exercise  that  right  to  audit?  It 
can  cost  you — up  to  thousands  of  dollars. 

This  creates  a  financial  Catch  22:  in  order  to 
determine  whether  the  cost  of  an  audit  is  justi- 
fied, you  first  have  to  proceed  with  the  audit. 
However,  there  are  some  steps  you  can  under- 
take in  making  this  decision. 

Roberta  Hrdy  is  an  "investigative  auditor" 
— a  certified  public  accountant  who  has  audit- 
ed the  books  and  records  of  countless  sales 
agents,  distributors,  and  producers  in  the 
motion  picture,  television,  video,  and  music 
fields.  According  to  Hrdy,  the  cost  of  an  audit  is 
"not  cheap."  As  she  explains,  "The  cost  is  hard 
to  say,  because  it  will  depend  on  a  project's 
activity:  how  many  years  will  the  audit  cover,  in 
what  kind  of  markets  the  project  has  been  dis- 
tributed, whether  a  distributor  used  sub-distrib- 
utors, and  the  level  of  expenditures  a  distribu- 
tor has  incurred  on  behalf  of  the  project." 

In  assessing  the  cost  of  an  audit,  Hrdy 
requests  that  a  potential  client  submit  all  state- 
ments rendered  by  a  sales  agent  or  a  distributor 
as  well  as  copies  of  all  licensing  agreements, 


including  the  contract  with 
the  sales  agent/distributor.  In 
this  agreement,  a  mediamaker 
should  demand  during  con- 
tract negotiations  that  there 
should  be  a  provision  in  which 
a  mediamaker  has  a  right  to 
copies  of  the  sub-distribution 
agreements. 

"There  was  an  animation 
film  in  which  the  distributor 
licensed  television  and  video 
rights,  and  the  video  deal  was 
a  sub-license  in  which  the  sub- 
licensee paid  a  guarantee," 
Hrdy  illustrates.  "When  you 
do  an  audit,  you  should  see  the 
licenses  since  they  show  the 
percentages  that  a  distributor 
would  be  entitled  to  and  how 
much  of  an  advance  or  guar- 
antee it  has  or  should  receive." 

Hrdy  will  review  statements 
and  licensing  agreements  at  no 
charge  in  order  to  determine 
how  long  an  audit  will  take 
and  the  audit's  cost.  "It's  more  or  less  a  flat  fee, 
unless  there  is  some  area  that  wasn't  expected 
or  covered  in  the  estimate  which  would  result 
in  additional  work.  I  would  then  talk  to  the 
client  and  tell  him  or  her  that  this  might  be  a 
fruitful  area,  whether  it  should  be  covered,  and 
what  would  be  the  additional  cost." 

For  example,  Hrdy  observed  that  a  typical 
audit  does  not  include  an  inspection  of  produc- 
tion costs.  This  is  a  key  area  if  a  distributor  was 
involved  in  the  financing  as  well  as  the 
exploitation  of  a  project.  "If  the  client  wants 
the  audit  to  cover  production  and  distribution, 
there  would  be  an  additional  charge  for  that," 
she  says.  Mediamakers  often  encounter  resis- 
tance from  overseas  distributors  and  sales 
agents,  who  often  provide  little  or  no  informa- 
tion and  may  not  be  subject  to  state  or  federal 
jurisdiction.  "If  a  distributor  uses  many  sub-dis- 
tributors and  there  are  many  licenses  negotiat- 
ed market  by  market  or  country  by  country,  an 
audit  will  entail  a  lot  of  work,"  Hrdy  notes.  "If 


a  distributor  enters  into  one  license  with  one 
company  that  may  cover  all  of  Europe,  less 
work  would  be  involved." 

A  mediamaker  should  know  how  a  sales 
agent  or  distributor  works  in  the  international 
marketplace  and  whether  it  services  the  deals 
itself  or  "jobs  out"  territories  and  media  to  sub- 
distributors. "Certain  sale  agents  just  set  up  the 
deal  with  the  sub-licensors  and  assign  their 
rights  to  those  sub-licensors,"  she  notes.  If  a 
mediamaker  does  not  have  a  right  to  audit  such 
sub-licensors,  then  he  or  she  may  be  limited  to 
inspecting  the  original  sales  agent's  or  distribu- 
tor's records.  And  these  may  not  tell  the  full 
story. 

"I  have  audited  the  foreign  branches  of 
American  distributors  both  theatrically  and  in 
home  video,"  Hrdy  says.  "I  also  have  audited 
local  [foreign]  distributors  when  the  client  has 
licensed  pre-sales  himself  or  herself  or  has  the 
right  to  audit  those  sub-distributors.  There 
have  been  some  difficulties  when  the  local  dis- 


24    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


trihutor  or  its  accounting  department  doesn't 
fully  understand  the  deal  itself,  since  the 
accounting  department  wasn't  the  one  who 
made  the  deal.  Sometimes  you  can  tell  on  the 
face  of  the  statement  that  there  is  some  misun- 
derstanding about  such  things  as  what  kind  of 
expenses  can  and  can't  be  deducted." 

It's  best  to  wait  at  least  18  months  to  two 
years  before  exploring  the  possibility  of  an 
audit.  This  way  you  can  examine  the  equiva- 
lent of  six  to  eight  quarterly  statements. 
However,  it's  important  to  check  whether  there 
is  an  audit  notice  provision  in  your  contract 
that  says  you  have  to  serve  written  notice  with- 
in a  certain  period  of  time  after  receiving  your 
statement,  or  else  you  forfeit  the  right  to  audit 
that  statement. 

Hrdy  acknowledges  that  such  audit  notice 
provisions  are  generally  one  year  to  two  years 
and  "sometimes  [as  little  as]  six  months,  which 
is  absolutely  egregious  in  terms  of  examining 
the  books."  Mediamakers  should  insist  on  audit 
notice  provisions  of  18  months  or  two  years  and 
never  settle  for  less  than  one  year.  Hrdy  says 
that  some  filmmakers'  attorneys  claim  that  a 
project's  books  and  records  would  be  opened 
during  any  lawsuit  even  after  the  notice  period 
has  passed.  Or  if  there  is  a  pattern  of  improper 
reporting,  there  may  be  an  issue  as  to  whether 
the  notice  period  is  closed.  But,  she  advises, 
"you  don't  want  to  go  into  that  area,  if  possi- 
ble." 

Hrdy  observes  that  an  audit  may  not  be  jus- 
tified if  a  project  has  a  small  release.  However, 
"Any  project  that  has  earned  back  its  advance 
often  can  justify  an  audit."  In  addition,  audits 
are  not  solely  for  fiction  projects.  Hrdy  has 
audited  documentaries  that  have  gone  on  to 
theatrical  release,  such  as  Paris  Is  Burning,  and 
has  conducted  audits  in  the  instructional  areas. 
"I've  done  a  lot  of  auditing  for  National 
Geographic  for  video  distribution  and  televi- 
sion syndication.  I  am  handling  30  titles  at 
once  for  video  distribution  and  a  season's  worth 
of  programming  for  television  syndication. 
That's  not  to  say  that  if  a  project  is  a  very  pop- 
ular documentary  it  shouldn't  be  audited,  even 
if  it  hasn't  been  released  theatrically." 

Producers  should  be  especially  wary  when  a 
distributor  or  sales  agent  has  the  right  to  place 
your  film  in  a  package  with  other  projects  and 
collect  an  advance — but  you  may  not  see  any 
part  of  that  advance.  "Some  distributors  and 
sales  agents  will  say  that  it's  difficult  to  calcu- 
late how  much  of  an  advance  each  project  will 
be  entitled  to  until  the  package's  license  period 
is    over,    since    certain    projects    may    have 


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March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


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Any  project 

that  has  earned 

back  its  advance 

often  can  justify 

an  audit. 


received  a  part  of  a  package's  advance  that  is 
greater  than  the  amount  of  monies  the  project 
actually  earns,"  Hrdy  explains.  "Other  projects 
in  the  package  may  do  well  and  cover  the 
excess  advance  that  an  underperforming  title 
may  have  been  paid.  Only  at  the  license's  end 
can  a  sales  agent  determine  if  there  is  any 
excess  advance  to  be  paid  out."  Mediamakers 
can  insist  in  their  contracts  that  their  projects 
not  be  sold  in  packages,  but  that  situation  is 
rare.  Sales  agents  often  have  an  "output"  deal 
with  a  sub-licensor  or  licensee  that  requires 
them  to  provide  an  on-going  supply  of  product. 
Mediamakers 

should       require  

that  if  their  pro- 
ject is  placed  in  a 
package,  there 
should  be  no 
cross-collateral- 
ization  (i.e., 

where  the  monies 
from  one   project 
can  be  used  to  off- 
set  the   losses   of  m^b^bbm 
another    project) 
among    the    pro- 
jects in  the  package.  A  project's  license  agree- 
ment should  indicate  that  each  project's  share 
of  a  package's  monies  should  be  specifically 
stated  in  a  license  agreement 

It's  important  to  realize  that  high  distribu- 
tion fees  or  sales  commissions  can  impact  on 
the  monies  a  mediamaker  receives.  (Standard 
fees  generally  range  from  15%  to  35%.)  In  cer- 
tain cases,  both  the  sales  agent  or  distributor  as 
well  as  the  sub-licensor  take  separate  fees; 
together  these  can  total  from  as  much  as  40% 
to  over  50%.  Mediamakers  should  insist  that  all 
sub-distributors'  fees  be  deducted  from  the 
sales  agent's  or  distributor's  fees  or  that  there  be 
a  "cap"  on  any  combination  of  fees  and  a  limi- 
tation on  the  possibility  of  "double  commis- 
sions." 

Mediamakers  should  also  have  an  expense 
provision  in  their  agreements  stating  that  only 
those  expenses  directly  attributable  to  their 
project  should  be  deducted  by  a  sales  agent  or 
distributor.  Office  expenses  and  general  over- 
head should  not  be  deductible,  since  that's  the 
cost  of  doing  business  for  an  agent  or  distribu- 
tor representing  several  projects.  Expenses 
should  be  verifiable  and  documentable.  For 
example,  if  there  is  a  large  shipping  cost  on  a 
statement,  the  mediamaker  may  want  to  see 
receipts.  If  a  sales  agent  claims  certain  expens- 
es are  for  advertising,  then  it  should  provide 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


invoices  and  samples  of  the  advertisements.  If  a 
sales  agent  attends  such  markets  as  the 
American  Film  Market,  Cannes,  or  MIFED, 
the  agreement  should  indicate  how  market 
expenses,  if  any,  are  allocated  among  the  differ- 
ent projects  a  sales  agent  represents.  Such  mar- 
keting expenses  can  be  allocated  on  a  pro  rata 
basis  (e.g.,  if  a  sales  agents  represents  10  pro- 
jects, then  a  mediamaker's  film  would  assume 
1/10  of  the  market  expenses)  or  under  a  system 
in  which  the  projects  which  generate  the  most 
revenue  would  assume  the  greater  share  of  the 
market  expenses. 

Agreements  should  also  contain  a  provision 
that  places  a  "cap"  on  total  and  market  expens- 
es incurred  on  behalf  of  a  project  without 
requiring  the  mediamaker's  written  consent. 

Since  an  audit  can  cost  thousands  of  dollars, 
it's  wise  to  negotiate  a  provision  that  if  an  audit 
reveals  an  underreporting  of  a  certain  percent- 
age in  a  sales  agent's  favor  (e.g.,  5-10%),  then 
the  sales  agent  should  assume  the  costs  of  the 
audit. 

Almost  all  agreements  have  audit  provi- 
sions, unless  the  project  is  a  short  film  (these 
agreements  generally  contain  no  or  a  very 
sketchy  audit  provision).  They  also  may  be 
lacking  in  deal  memos,  when  the  parties 
expected  to  enter  into  a  long-form  agreement 
but  never  did.  But  under  all  circumstances, 
even  in  the  short-form  agreement,  mediamak- 
ers  should  ensure  that  an  audit  provision  is 
included.  In  its  absence,  a  mediamaker  can  go 
to  court  and  request  an  accounting  of  a  sales 
agent's  books.  However,  the  audit  provision 
would  have  prevented  this  extra  time  and 
expense. 

Hrdy  offers  one  example  of  a  project  that  did 
not  justify  an  audit:  "An  artist's  wife  did  a  film 
about  her  husband's  life,  and  it  was  released  on 
video  only  and  mostly  distributed  to  museums. 
It  was  not  going  to  be  worth  auditing  because 
even  if  you  doubled  the  number  of  videocas- 
settes  reported,  it  still  wouldn't  be  worth  it  due 
to  such  a  low  level  of  activity." 

A  justified  audit  can  pay  for  itself  many 
times  over,  since  it  may  reveal  several  clerical 
and  bookkeeping  errors,  or  other  discrepancies 
in  your  favor.  Each  mediamaker  should  first 
conduct  a  cost/benefit  analysis  of  whether  the 
expense  of  an  audit  is  justified.  But  regardless  of 
whether  you'll  ever  seek  an  audit,  it's  best  to 
establish  the  groundwork  for  it  as  early  possi- 
ble— which  means  during  contract  negotia- 
tions. 

Robert  L  Seigel  [rhentlaw(Q>aol.com]  is  a  NYC 

entertainment  attorney  and  a  principal  in  the  Cirienia 

Film  Consulting  firm. 


Marion  O.  Hoffman 

a 

Now  Community  Cinemas 

presents 

The  3rd  Annual 

Huntington 

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July  1999 

Seeking  fiction  &  documentary  features  from  around 
the  world  and  short  films  from  Long  Island  &  NY 
Metro  Region  for  the  festival  and  "Meet  the  Maker" 
ongoing  independent  film  series.  Exhibition  formats 
include  35mm,  1 6mm,  betacam,  3/4"  video. 

Call      800.423.7611 
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AVID  rental 

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with  a  view 

in  mid-town 

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our  goal  is  to  help 

other  independent 

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March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


VER  THE  COURSE  OF  AN  AUSPICIOUS  CAREER,  DOCUMENTARY  FILMMAKER  ARTHUR  DONG  HAS  CREATED  AN  EXTRAORDINARY  BODY  OF  WORK, 
including  the  Academy  Award-nominated  Sewing  Woman  (1982),  Forbidden  City,  U.S.A.  (1989),  the  Peabody  Award-winning  Coming 
Out  Under  Fire  (1994),  and  Out  Rage  '69,  a  program  in  the  ITVS  series  The  Question  of  Equality.  He  is  currently  at  work  on  Tap!  The 
Tempo  of  America,  a  social  history  of  tap  dancing. 

In  his  most  recent  film,  Licensed  To  Kill  (1997),  Dong  excavates  the  root  causes  of  homophobia.  Based  on  interviews  with 
seven  men  convicted  for  murdering  other  men  because  they  were  gay,  Dong  elicits  uncanny  psychological  insights  from  the  killers 

while  carefully  situating  their  stories  in  the  social  and  cultural  contexts  that  both  inform  such  hatred  and  tacitly  sanction  its  expression  through 

violence. 

After  Licensed  To  Kill  won  the  Filmmaker's  Trophy  and  the  Documentary  Director's  Award  at  the  1997  Sundance  Film  Festival,  Dong  was  in 

the  enviable  position  of  being  able  to  take  his  pick  among  distributors  eager  to  acquire  the  film.  Instead,  Dong  decided  to  distribute  Licensed  To 

Kill  himself.  In  this  interview  from  The  AIVF  Self-Distribution  Toolkit,  Dong  discusses  why  and  how  he  took  this  unusual  step. 


Award-winning  documentarian  and 
self-distributing  dynamo  Arthur  Dong 

You're  self-distributing  Licensed  To  Kill.  But  1 
wanted  to  know  if  you've  had  any  previous 
experience  with  self-distribution. 

Actually,  yes.  My  film  Sewing  Woman, 
which  I  produced  in  1982. 

What  was  your  motivation  for  doing  so? 

* 

uses  hard  work  and  ingenuity  to 
market  his  films. 

M.' 

1  '.: 

Back  then,  self-distribution  was  still  a 
relatively  new  idea.   AIVF  had  pub- 
lished this  little  pamphlet  called  Doing 
It  Yourself,  authored  by  Julia  Reichert  of 
New  Day  Films.  That  was  my  inspira- 

l> 

3: 

\gF 

* 

tion. 

At  the  time  I  was  working  as  a  pro- 
duction   assistant    at    ABC     and     I 
thought:  "This  isn't  right.  I'm  a  film- 
maker. I've  got  my  own  ideas  to  push. 
But  how  can  I  make  a  living,  besides 
working  for  the  corporate  networks.7" 

V 

[1 

ng 

D 

ea] 

•       <* 

Because  of  this  little  booklet,  I  said, 
"Well,  this  might  be  a  way  to  do  it."  So 
I  quit  that  job  and  said,  "I'm  going  to  try 
to  distribute  Sewing  Woman." 

I    Arthur  Dong  t 

alks 

ab 

out  the  self 

-distribution  of  his  films 

BY 

1 

I  ANN  : 

IS     MOOKAS 

I'd  have  to  look  at  my  records,  but  I 
think  the  film  maintained  me  for  a  cou- 

^k 

ple  of  years — and  this  is  a  14-minute, 
black-and-white   film.    I    believe    there 
were  about  22  prints  circulating  all  the 

time.  And  I  sold  a  lot  of  copies.  I  wasn't 
selling  video,  because  video  wasn't  really  marketed  then.  That  would  have  made  it  a  lot  easier! 

After  spending  two  years  distributing  Seu'ing  Woman  myself,  I  signed  non-exclusive  contracts  with  other  distributors.  Because  Sewiiig  Woman 
was  about  a  Chinese -American  woman,  it  was  immediately  labeled  as  an  Asian-American  film — which  it  is,  obviously.  But  I  made  it  for  a  broad- 
er audience;  I  didn't  make  it  just  for  Asian-American  studies,  which  is  a  small  group  in  terms  of  the  market  and  would  sustain  very  little  in  sales. 

That's  why  I  finally  chose  the  distributors  that  I  chose:  Third  World  Newsreel,  the  Anti-Defamation  League  (ADL),  and  Picture  Start  in 
Chicago;  nowadays  NAATA  (National  Asian  American  Telecommunications  Association)  also  handles  it.  When  I  signed  off  with  the  ADL,  I 
said,  "That's  perfect,  because  it  complements  their  focus  on  immigration."  Picture  Start  wanted  it  because  it  was  an  art  film.  And  I  said,  "That's 
great,  that's  a  different  audience."  Third  World  Newsreel  is  concerned  with  women's  issues  and  Third  World  issues.  So  I  signed  with  these  dis- 
tributors, and  they  didn't  mind  because  they  knew  that  their  audiences  were  different. 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT         irch  1999 


Did  any  of  these  areas  of  interest  emerge  as  the  leader,  in  terms  of  sales? 

With  Sewing  Woman,  actually  the  strongest  area  was  women's  studies.  There's  an  orga- 
nization in  Santa  Rosa,  the  National  Women's  History  Project,  that's  been  around  for 
a  long  time.  They  have  a  catalogue  of  educational  materials  in  which  they  wanted  to 
include  Sewing  Woman.  They  don't  often  invite  distributors  to  advertise  in  their  cata- 
logue, but  they  invited  me  to  place  an  ad.  This  happened  a  few  years  later  and  it  was 
as  if  there  was  a  second  wave  to  the  film.  For  about  five  years  running,  the  ads  got  big- 
ger and  bigger  every  year  because  it  was  just  like,  "God,  what  a  great  market."  They 
loved  the  film  so  much  that  they  would  bring  my  study  guides  with  them  to  confer- 
ences and  pass  them  out  and  say,  "This  is  a  film  you  all  should  buy."  And  I  would  get 
more  sales. 

That's  another  thing:  the  study  guide.  I  took  the  time  to  craft  a  study  guide  to  go 
with  the  film  and  that's  one  of  its  key  selling  points.  It's  a  good  study  guide;  I  had  advi- 
sors working  with  me  on  it.  I  printed  a  bunch  and  gave  them  out  freely.  I  know  some 
distributors  charge  for  them,  but  I  didn't. 

As  a  self-distributor,  I  also  found  that  buyers  themselves  really  appreciated  hearing 
from  the  filmmaker.  Sometimes  I'd  call  cold.  My  goal,  especially  for  the  first  year,  was 
every  day  I  had  to  make  at  least  five  cold  calls.  I  didn't  have  a  sales  rep  to  send  out — 
I  was  it.  So  that  was  my  goal:  every  day,  five  cold  calls.  And  I  made  connections  with 
people  who  use  films.  Oftentimes  they  would  say,  "It's  refreshing  to  be  able  to  talk  to 
the  filmmaker  as  opposed  to  someone  that  doesn't  really  care  and  doesn't  even  know 
the  product." 

I'm  sure  it  livens  up  their  day. 

But  I  think  the  biggest  hurdle,  really,  was  having  to  say  to  myself,  "This  is  not  about 
me;  this  is  about  the  product."  Because  it's  hard  to  make  a  call  and  say,  "Hey,  there's 
this  great  film  you  should  buy."  I  had  to  get  over  the  hurdle  of  being  shy  about  the  film. 

How  did  you  make  that  adjustment? 

I  just  wore  a  different  hat.  I  just  had  to  say,  "Okay,  I'm  the  sales  rep  now."  I  bit  the  bul- 
let and  did  it.  That's  hard,  because  a  lot  of  filmmakers  see  themselves  as  artists  and  cre- 
ators, not  as  business  people.  That's  a  nice  exalted  goal,  but  to  survive  in  this  capital- 
ist society,  you  have  to  think  otherwise.  Especially  with  film,  because  it's  so  expensive. 
There's  no  way  you  can  hide  in  a  loft  and  just  work  and  not  make  money.  Maybe  if  all 
you  had  to  do  was  buy  paints  and  canvas,  you  might  be  able  to  do  that  on  food  stamps. 
But  not  with  film  or  video.  No  way. 

Between  Sewing  Woman  and  Licensed  To  Kill,  you  made  a  number  of  other  films,  which  are  han- 
dled by  various  distributors  in  different  markets.  Given  these  established  relationships,  and  with 
many  options  available  to  you,  how  did  you  decide  to  go  back  to  self-distributing? 

Because  Licensed  To  Kill  was  a  personal  film.  There  was  the  message  of  anti-gay  vio- 
lence. Licensed  To  Kill  took  me  20  years  to  make  and  it  wasn't  a  film  that  I  wanted  to 
sign  off  right  away. 

The  film  I  produced  before  Licensed  To  Kill  was  Coming  Out  Under  Fire.  I  signed  off 
on  that  with  Zeitgeist  Films.  I'm  very  happy  with  them  and  what  they  did  with  it, 
except  for  the  educational  market.  And  with  a  film  like  Coming  Out  Under  Fire,  the 
educational  possibilities  are  so  important.  I'm  a  little  disappointed — it  doesn't  seem  to 
be  going  anywhere. 

So  partly  as  a  result  of  that,  I  said,  "Well,  am  I  going  to  do  the  same  thing  with 
Licensed  To  Kiltt"  I  had  three  good  distribution  offers  right  after  Sundance.  I  had  to 
really  think  hard  and  I  said,  "You  know,  I  think  I  have  to  do  this  one  myself." 
Because  it  provided  me  with  a  soap  box;  it  provided  me  with  a  forum  to  speak  about 
the  issue  of  homophobic  violence.  I  also  wanted  the  freedom  to  work  with  commu- 
nity groups  and  to  be  able  to  say,  "Don't  worry  about  the  money.  Take  it."  A  dis- 
tributor would  be  less  likely  to  do  that — and  rightfully  so.  They  have  to  think  about 
the  bottom  line. 

It  was  also  a  moment  when  other  documentaries — Freida  Lee  Mock's  Maya  Lin:  A 
Strong  Clear  Vision,  Paris  Poirer's  Last  Call  at  Maud's,  and  Marc  Heustis's  Sex  Is  .  .  .  — 


!  ill  been  self-distributed  rather  successfully.  I  know  those  filmmak- 
ud  I  met  with  them  and  asked,  "How  did  you  do  it?  What  does  it 
;  What  are  the  numbers?"  They  all  said  it's  a  lot  of  work,  and  I 

said,  "Well,  yeah,  I  know  this  work  though.  I  had  done  this  before  with 

Sewing  Woman,  and  I  enjoy  the  business  end  of  it." 

How  did  you  define  the  audiences  for  Licensed  To  Kill? 

My  dream  audience  would  be  the  followers  of  [Senate  majority  leader] 
Trent  Lott,  religious  conservatives  and  political  conservatives.  And 
teenage  boys  who  might  be  on  the  verge  of  acting  out  this  type  of  vio- 
lent behavior.  That's  my  goal.  Obviously,  that's  the  more  difficult  audi- 
ence to  reach.  In  releasing  Licensed  To  Kill  theatrically,  I  knew  they  may 
not  plunk  down  the  $8.50  to  come  into  the  theater;  maybe  just  the  gay 
and  lesbian  audience  will. 

From  the  start,  though,  the  press  responded  enthusiastically.  They 
saw  Licensed  To  Kill  as  newsworthy.  In  every  city  where  it  opened,  we 
got  at  least  one  review  if  not  a  feature  story  or  a  syndicated  feature. 
And  what  that  said  to  me  was:  "Okay,  the  homophobes  and  the  Boy 
Scouts  might  not  pay  to  see  it,  but  hell,  when  they  pick  up  the  news- 
paper, they're  going  to  read  about  it."  And  for  me  that  was  just  as 
important,  if  not  more  important,  than  the  actual  grosses. 

Were  you  working  with  a  publicist? 

For  certain  cities  like  New  York,  L.A.,  and  San  Francisco  we  hired  a 
publicist  because  they  were  very  important  for  the  market.  In  L.A., 
because  I  was  also  the  booker,  I  was  in  direct  communication  with  the 
Laemmle  Theater  offices  and  worked  with  them  very  closely.  They 
helped  a  lot.  And  this  happened  in  many  other  cities  with  local  theater 
managers. 

Besides  press  outreach,  did  your  distribution  strategy  incorporate  outreach  to 
other  constituencies? 

In  the  cities  where  Licensed  To  Kill  opened  where  there  was  also  a  gay 
and  lesbian  anti-violence  program,  I  worked  with  them  to  coordinate 
opening  night  benefits,  which  we  did  several  of,  or  made  sure  it  was 
part  of  their  organizing  efforts  because  the  film,  obviously,  speaks  to 
their  work  and  what  they're  concerned  with.  I  worked  closely  with 
those  organizations  in  about  10  different  cities.  It  really  was  a  part  of  a 
community  effort — that  was  important. 


because  it's  traveling  the  state.  And  this  is  a  film  about  anti-gay  atti- 
tudes and  violence.  The  press  really  gave  it  extensive  coverage. 

How  did  the  audiences  in  Texas  respond? 

Well,  I  was  hoping  for  more  weird  people.  [Both  laugh.]  I  was  a  little  dis- 
appointed because  they  were  all  supportive — which  is  good  too,  of  course! 

You  made  a  point  of  being  present  for  the  screenings  in  the  Texas  tour,  but  to 
what  extent  did  you  do  that  in  other  parts  of  the  country? 

Now  here's  another  thing.  How  should  I  put  this?  I  think  filmmakers 
often  sell  themselves  short,  especially  documentary  and  social  issue- 
type  filmmakers,  because  they're  so  passionate  and  will  do  anything  for 
the  cause,  right?  But  you  have  to  stop  and  think:  "I've  got  to  worry 
about  paying  the  rent  and  supporting  myself  and  my  work."  I  treat  this 
like  a  business.  I've  always  put  a  price  tag  on  me — but  always  allowed 
an  out,  saying:  "Listen,  my  ultimate  goal  is  educational.  You  tell  me  if 
you  can't  afford  it;  tell  me  what  you  can  afford,  and  let's  work  it  out." 
I  always  provide  that  option.  But  I  always  put  a  price  tag  from  the 
beginning  because  I'm  worth  something.  Especially  with  teachers,  I 
always  say,  "So  you  can't  afford  it,  but  you  want  to  use  the  film  in  your 
class.  Well,  I  think  that's  great  because  that's  how  I  want  the  film  to  be 
used.  But  would  you  teach  for  free?"  It  stops  them  cold. 

So  anyway,  the  deal  is:  I  would  book  the  film,  let  them  organize  the 
benefits,  and  give  them  a  larger  share  of  the  opening  night  proceeds. 
But  if  they  wanted  me  to  be  there,  I  would  ask  for  an  honorarium.  Of 
course,  I  would  push  for  me  being  present,  because  it  often  helps  tick- 
et sales  to  have  the  filmmaker  there;  they  know  that  and  I  know  that. 
And  I  put  on  a  good  show.  It  also  helps  the  press  to  know  that  I'll  be 
there.  The  day  before  you  could  get  radio  interviews.  And  radio  is  so 
important.  People  kind  of  pooh-pooh  it,  but  radio  reaches  people  while 
they're  driving  in  the  commuting  hours,  right  before  the  event.  They'll 
say,  "Oh,  I'll  drive  there  instead."  Having  me  there  was  very  important 
tor  press  and  for  discussing  the  issues  because  it's  a  very  difficult  film. 
It's  a  film  that  doesn't  give  answers  and  audiences  are  often  very  dis- 
turbed after  seeing  it.  So  having  me  there  provides  a  nice  buffer. 

How  did  you  plan  the  overall  pattern  or  sequence  of  the  film's  release? 

In  large  part,  the  pattern  of  booking  Licensed  To  Kill  was  based  on  what 
had  happened  with  Coming  Out  Under  Fire.  I  got  reports  from  Zeitgeist 


My  dream  audience  would  be  the  followers  of  Senate  majority  leader  Trent  Lott, 

religious  conservatives  and  political  conservatives.  And  teenage  boys  who  might  be  on 

the  verge  of  acting  out  this  type  of  violent  behavior.  That's  my  goal. 


Were  these  special  events  with  gay  and  lesbian  anti-violence  projects  an  exten- 
sion of  relationships  you  had  already  established  during  production? 

Some  were.  There  was  one  thing  that  I  actually  am  very  proud  of  which 
I  don't  think  a  distributor  would  have  done.  We  organized  five  screen- 
ings in  Texas  during  the  month  of  October.  I  wanted  the  film  to  have 
an  impact  there  because  so  many  hate  crimes  occur  in  Texas,  and  a 
couple  of  the  crimes  in  the  film  happened  in  Texas. 

Although  I  had  requests  from  festivals  and  theaters  to  book  it  in 
Texas,  I  said,  "You  have  to  wait  until  October."  It  was  booked  in  five 
different  cities  and  I  was  at  each  one  of  them.  It  was  very  important  for 
the  press  to  say  that  this  is  part  of  a  five-city  tour.  It  made  an  impact; 
it's  not  just  some  documentary  that  some  guy  made,  it's  important 


Films  on  Coming  Out  Under  Fire  and  looked  at  all  the  theaters  that  had 
booked  it  and  used  that  list  as  a  map.  It  was  that  much  easier  because 
I'd  call  up  and  say,  "Hi,  I'm  Arthur  Dong  who  made  Coming  Out  Under 
Fire,  which  you  booked  in  April  of  '94-"  I  knew  how  much  it  made,  so 
I  could  say,  "And  it  grossed  this  much,"  which  wasn't  bad;  it  was  a  good 
run.  And  I'd  say,  "I  have  a  new  film."  That's  how  I  would  open  the 
conversation.  In  the  same  breath  I  would  mention  that  it  also  opened 
at  the  Film  Forum,  which  is  very  important,  if  you're  able  to  say  that. 

Did  you  seek  funding  specifically  to  support  the  self-distribution  of  Licensed  To 
Kill? 

Yeah,  I  wrote  probably  four  different  proposals.  I  only  got  one  grant, 


30     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


though,  from  the  Paul  Robeson  Fund  of  the  Funding 
Exchange.  It  helped  a  lot.  The  three  others,  I  thought 
they  would  he  easy.  They  were  to  places  that  funded  dis- 
tribution of  materials  that  addressed  homophobia.  But 
they  turned  me  down.  It  was  getting  a  little  discouraging. 

Were  you  given  a  reason? 

No,  but  I've  been  on  enough  panels  myself  to  know  there 
could  be  a  dozen  reasons.  It  could  be  something  as  sim- 
ple as  one  member  just  didn't  like  it.  Or  one  person  had 
bad  Chinese  food  and  you're  Chinese,  [laughs]  Or  other 
more  substantial  reasons,  hopefully.  Or  it  could  be  bar- 
gaining: "Well,  if  you  get  this  one,  then  I  get  that  one." 
That's  how  they  can  finish  and  go  home  that  night. 

I  don't  often  call  foundations  to  ask  why  I  didn't  get 
a  grant,  because  I  don't  want  to  put  them  on  the  defen- 
sive. If  I  spend  the  time  to  write  a  proposal  I  must 
believe  in  it,  but  I  always  acknowledge  that  perhaps  I 
didn't  do  a  good  enough  job  crafting  the  proposal.  If  so, 
then  it's  back  to  the  drawing  board. 

Apart  from  the  Paul  Robeson  Fund  grant,  where  did  the  rest  of 
the  financing  for  distribution  come  from? 

Me. 


And  hopefully  the  self-distribution  has  started  to  pay  for 
itself? 

Oh,  yes.  I  had  a  feeling  it  would,  based  on  the  fact  that  Coming  Out 
Under  Fire  did  pretty  well  too.  And  Coming  Out  Under  Fire  is  black  and 
white,  it's  shorter.  I  just  had  a  feeling  that  Licensed  To  Kill  would  get  a 
response.  It  was  all  a  gamble.  But  when  Film  Forum's  Karen  Cooper 
booked  it — she  was  the  first  one  to  book  it .  .  . 

Right  after  Sundance? 

No,  way  before  Sundance. 

Before? 

Yeah,  it's  a  little  unusual.  She  was  on  one  of  the  funding  panels  where 
she  saw  a  sample  clip.  She  called  me  and  goes,  "I  want  to  see  your  first 
cut."  I  sent  it  to  her,  I  believe,  in  September  [1996].  And  we  booked  it 
in  October,  way  before  I  even  finished.  Sundance  wasn't  until  January 
[1997].  But  she  booked  it  for  April  because,  in  having  done  publicity 
on  my  other  films,  I  knew  that  you  need  a  certain  amount  of  lead 
time  to  get  adequate  coverage.  She  initially  wanted  it  in 
January  or  February.  "First  of  all,"  I  said,  "Karen,  it's  snowing. 
What  are  you  going  to  do  with  my  film  in  the  middle  of  the 
snow?"  She  goes,  "No,  we  get  audiences."  I  said,  "Yeah,  but 
this  is  going  to  be  tough  .  .  .  It's  a  tough  film.  I  just  don't 
want  weather  to  be  a  part  of  the  reason  why  people  aren't 
going  to  come.  What  I  need  is  April  because  what  if  it  does 
well  at  Sundance?  We  want  to  be  able  to  use  that."  So  every- 
thing was  timed  for  publicity. 

So  that  gave  me  the  encouragement  to 
call  other  theaters  to  say  Film  Forum's 
booking  it.  That  helps  a  lot.  Other  the- 
aters joined  in.  There  were  three  major 
cities — San  Francisco,  L.A.,  and  New 
York — all  concentrated  into  April.  One 
reason  for  that  is  because,  as  a  publicist, 
it's  harder  to  get  a  national  story  if  it  was- 


I've  always  put  a 

price  tag  on 

me — but  always 

allowed  an  out, 

saying:   "Listen, 

my  ultimate  goal 

is  educational. 

You  tell  me  if  you 

can't  afford  it;  tell 

me  what  you  can 

afford,  and  let's 

work  it  out."  I 

always  provide 

that  option.  But  I 

always  put  a  price 

tag  from  the 

beginning 

because  I'm 

worth  something. 


n't  a  national  event.  But  having  those  three  cities  was 
national  enough  for  many  publications.  And,  of 
course,  we  had  other  dates  soon  after  that,  so  it  really 
did  become  a  national  event. 


Corey  Burly,  an  inmate 
at  the  Robertson  Correctional 
Unit  in  Abilene,  Texas  was  one 
of  the  convicts  interviewed  in 
Dong's  film  Licensed  to  Kill 
which  examined  the  motives 
behind  the  murders  of  gay  men 


Who  were  the  three  publicity  firms  you  worked  with? 

Karen  Larsen  6k  Associates  in  San  Francisco,  the 
Pogachefsky  Company  in  L.A.,  and  the  Fisher 
Company  in  New  York;  the  Film  Forum  also  has  their 
own  in-house  publicist. 

Film  Forum  didn't  have  the  money  to  fly  me  in,  so 
all  the  publicity  would  have  been  telephone  stuff — no 
radio,  no  appearances,  none  of  that.  But  they  were 
able  to  convince  the  Soros  Foundation  to  chip  in  for 
my  air  fare.  (The  Soros  Documentary  Fund  was  a 
funder  of  Licensed  To  Kill.)  We  had  a  lot  of  participants 
in  this  deal,  because  New  York  is  so  expensive.  The 
premiere  was  co-sponsored  by  the  New  Festival  [one 
of  New  York's  gay  and  lesbian  film  festivals]  and  Asian 
CineVision.  Then  we  had  a  special  private  screening 
for  high  donors  to  the  New  York  Gay  and  Lesbian 
Anti-Violence  Program.  Their  share  was  a  week's  stay 
at  a  hotel,  which  was  not  cheap.  It  was  like  a  multi- 
partied  event  for  me  to  be  in  New  York.  It  was  a  very 
busy  week,  but  a  very  successful  one. 
In  terms  of  these  benefits,  in  some  cities  I  would  try  to 
create  coalitions.  Because  I'm  Asian  and  I'm  also  gay,  and  those  two 
communities  don't  often  get  together.  I  would  call  Asian  CineVision — 
I  have  a  history  with  them — and  say,  "Well,  I'd  like  you  to  work  with 
the  New  Festival  .  .  ." 

And  you'd  say  the  same  thing  to  the  folks  at  the  New  Festival . . . 

"If  you  want  the  premiere,  you're  going  to  have  to  work  with  this 
group."  Not  that  I  had  to  force  them,  they  just  hadn't  thought  of  it. 
This  gave  them  the  chance. 

Politically,  this  serves  another  purpose  outside  the  subject  of  the  film. 
It  helps  create  working  relationships  between  two  different  communi- 
ties. You  see  this  mix  in  the  audience.  What  I  often  find  is  it's  more  gay 
than  Asian  in  these  mixes,  but  hey,  you  know,  at  least  it  happened.  At 
least  their  members  get  the  mailings.  Especially  with  the  Asian- 
American  community,  they  know  my  work  because  my  first  films  were 
about  Asian  Americans  and  were  very  popular  with  that  com- 
munity. Now  they  get  mailings  with  my  name  on  it,  but  about 
a  gay-themed  film.  So  they're  forced  to  be  confronted  with 
this.  They  realize,  "Oh,  the  guy's  a  fag.  But  he  did  such  good 
work  before."  They're  forced  to  see  that  the  gay  community 
isn't  all  white.  "Here's  one  of  ours  whose  work  I  respected 
from  before."  It  makes  them  have  to  think.  That's  very 
important  for  me  personally.  And  that  is  part  of  the  distribu- 
tion effort,  to  get  that  communication  going. 

loannis  Mookas  is  an  independent  producer  and  writer 
based  in  New  York. 

Licensed  to  Kill:  www.filmmag. 
com/community  ladong. 
The  AIVF  Self-Distribution  Toolkit 
will  be  available  this  spring.  For  inquiries 
&  orders,  contact:  AIVF;  304  Hudson 
St.,  6th/].,  NY,  NY  10013;  (212)  807- 
1400  x.  303;  www.aivf.org 


March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


ulina  Porizkova  and  Julian  Sa 
Jay  Anania's  Long  Time  Sir 


r.  Memories,  Modern  Myths 

T  Jdy  nfldnid     by  Jeremy   Lehrer 


I1TH  ONE  FOOT  FIRMLY  PLANTED  IN  THE  ABSTRACT, 
Jay  Anania  is  making  feature  films  unlike  any  else  in  America  today. 
Steeped  in  beauty,  memory,  myth,  and  dreams,  Anania's  films  are 
intoxicating  visual  poems  that  display  a  unique  and  profound  aesthet- 
ic rigor.  Driven  by  fundamental  conclusions  about  cinema  and  a  pierc- 
ing consciousness  of  its  elements,  Anania's  films  are  so  rigorous  they 
might  be  viewed  as  a  kind  of  polemic. 

Anania  confirms  just  as  much  in  conversation.  "It's  quite  difficult  to 
be  making  films  that  are  stylistically  as  strident  as  these  are,"  says  the 
New  York-based  filmmaker.  "On  the  other  hand,  it's  what  I'm  moved 
to  do."  Anania  writes,  directs,  and  edits  his  films.  As  he  explains,  to 
achieve  his  vision,  all  of  the  elements  he  can  control  as  a  filmmaker 
must  "conspire  to  create  a  single  coherent  image." 

Now  age  48,  Anania  has  been  making  films  since  the  seventies, 
when  he  first  picked  up  a  Bolex  to  create  visual  studies  of  rooms  and 
landscapes.  Assembling  this  footage  into  short  experimental  pieces, 
Anania's  cinematic  investigations  included  scratching  on  film.  These 
solo  dalliances  evolved  into  more  elaborate  projects  when  Anania  was 
asked  to  direct  a  documentary'  following  Allen  Ginsberg  and  William 
Burroughs  when  the  two  visited  North  Carolina  in  1976.  At  the  time, 
Anania  was  doing  graduate  work  in  visual  design  at  the  North  Carolina 
School  of  Design.  After  this  auspicious  enterprise,  Anania  moved  to 
Boston  in  the  hopes  of  directing  documentaries  for  WGBH,  Boston's 
public  television  affiliate.  Editing  jobs  were  abundant  at  the  time,  so 
Anania  began  as  an  editor  at  WGBH  and  later  returned  to  directing. 
Most  recently,  Anania  has  shot,  directed,  edited,  and  produced  docu- 
mentary dispatches  for  PBS  from  locations  including  Gaza,  the  West 
Bank,  and  Cairo. 

But  he  credits  his  early  experimentation  with  giving  him  an  under- 


standing of  the  basic  building  blocks  of  the  medium.  "The  kind  of 
note-taking  and  sketches  that  I  would  do  as  an  experimental  film- 
maker focused  my  attention  very  specifically  on  the  medium  and  all  of 
the  elements  that  go  into  it,"  he  says.  "It  really  starts  with  the  most 
fundamental  elements,  and  I  think  that,  at  least  for  me,  the  work  suc- 
ceeds when  it  stays  in  touch  with  that." 

Anania  made  his  first  feature,  The  Pagan  Book  of  Arthur  Rimbaud,  in 
1996.  He  describes  it  as  an  attempt  to  capture  the  imaginative  texture 
of  the  nineteenth  century  French  Symbolist  poet's  "fevered,  intense, 
brilliant,  mystical,  visionary  mind."  Filled  with  gorgeous  imagery  of 
Rimbaud's  milieu,  the  film  begins  with  a  stream  of  abstract  images  fol- 
lowed by  an  absolutely  stunning  overhead  shot  of  the  poet  seen 
through  the  billowing  folds  of  a  curtain.  As  he  paints  the  story  of 
Rimbaud's  journey  from  his  childhood  home,  to  Paris,  to  a  self- 
imposed  exile  in  Africa,  Anania  punctuates  the  narrative  with  abstract 
flashes  of  nature  and  light.  The  film  is  almost  palpable  and  is  filled 
with  visceral,  uncompromised  expression — both  by  the  filmmaker  and 
the  poet  portrayed. 


A 


NANIA  MADE  HIS  SECOND  FEATURE,  LONG  T/ME  S/NCE,  WHICH 
played  at  the  1998  Toronto  International  Film  Festival,  as  a  kind  of 
reaction  to  The  Pagan  Book.  "The  experience  of  [The  Pagan  Book],  the 
sort  of  lush,  romantic,  dark  feeling  of  the  Rimbaud  film,  made  me 
thirst,  as  one  does,  for  the  opposite,"  he  says.  Anania  created  that 
opposite  in  Diane  Thwait,  a  natural  illustrator  played  with  cold  preci- 
sion by  Paulina  Porizkova.  Sparked  by  a  song,  Diane  begins  to  remem- 
ber events  that  may  have  occurred  over  20  years  earlier  when,  follow- 
ing a  nighttime  accident,  she  may  have  witnessed  a  violent  crime  at 


32    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


the  roadside.  Her  search  to  recall  what  happened  that 

night  brings  her  into  contact  with  a  character  played  by 

Julian  Sands. 

Ostensibly  about  Diane's  struggle  to  remember  the  past, 

a  much  deeper  level  of  myth  permeates  the  film  and  the 

characters  within  it.  Anania  was  initially  inspired  to  create 

the  film  with  the  idea  of  Diane  as  a  modern-day  trace  of  the 

goddess  Artemis,  the  goddess  of  the  hunt,  and  the  Sands 

character  echoing  her  twin  Apollo,  god  of  the  sun. 

"I  remember  reading  somewhere  that  Artemis  and  Apollo 

were  the  most  inhuman  of  all  the  gods,  because  they  were 

almost  more  like  aesthetic  beings;  they  were  extremely  pure 

in  a  way  that  humans  aren't," 

Anania  explains.  "1  thought  I 

would   like    to   make   a   film 

which   imagined   a   character 

that  was  something  like  that, 

had  something  of  that  rigor.  So 

I   wrote   Long  Time   Since   as 

something   like    a    meditation 

on  a  present-day  Artemis,  or 

Diana,   which   is   her   Roman 

name." 

g  With  this  dynamic,  Diane's 

a. 

■2         attempt  to  recapture  the  past 

|        functions  as  a  displaced  effort 

to   recognize   her   relation    to 

Artemis.  The  mythical  Arte- 
mis and  Apollo  murdered  the  14  children 
of  Niobe  (Niobe  turned  to  stone  lament- 
ing the  loss),  and  the  ghosts  that  haunt 
Diane  are  remnants  of  this  cold-blooded 
massacre  wrought  by  the  two  gods.  Since 
the  film  is  the  picture  of  compositional 
discipline,  Anania  uses  a  number  of  visual 
and  narrative  metaphors  to  accentuate 
Diane's  struggle.  Like  The  Pagan  Book  of 
Arthur  Rimbaud,  Long  Time  Since  is  haunt- 
ed with  abstract  images  of  light:  a  reflec- 
tion of  moonlight  on  rippling  water, 
blurred  and  fleeting  images  of  distant 
lights  (precisely  and  beautifully  pho- 
tographed by  cinematographer  Oliver 
Bokelberg).  When  one  character  tells  the 

story  of  a  man  who  falls  in  love  with  a  reflection  of  the  moon  and 
drowns  in  an  attempt  to  touch  it,  the  story  and  its  visual  textures  seem 
to  encapsulate  a  number  of  ideas  essential  to  Anania:  the  power  of 
myth,  the  intoxicating  effect  of  beauty  and  memory,  the  impossibility 
of  ever  attaining  the  objects  of  our  desire.  "I  think  it's  much  more 
interesting  to  have  unrequited  desires,  unconsummated  desires  in  a 
film,"  Anania  observes. 

Understanding  Anania's  films  involves  undressing  the  metaphorical 
layers  to  reveal  the  abstract  heart  that  makes  them  pulse.  For  Anania, 
balancing  the  tensions  between  abstract  experimentation  and  narra- 
tive flow  is  not  an  easy  task.  "Ideally  that  tension  is  resolved  in  favor 
of  neither  the  abstraction  nor  the  narrative  flow  but  is  instead  resolved 
in  favor  of  the  film,"  Anania  says.  "I  would  not  like  to  think  of  abstrac- 


A  number  of  ideas  are 
essential  to  Anania: 

the  power  of  myth,  the 
intoxicating  effect  of 
beauty  and  memory, 

the  impossibility  of  ever 

attaining  the  objects 

of  our  desire. 


tions  as  the  weak  point,  nor  would  I  like  to  think  of  the  narrative  as 
the  necessary  evil  on  which  to  hang  them.  Hopefully  the  narrative  just 
emerges  out  of  the  flow  of  fundamental  elements  that  are  placed  up 
there." 

While  festival  audiences  have  been  enthusiastic  about  his  films  and 
Long  Time  Since  was  recently  taken  on  by  a  European  sales  agent, 
American  theatrical  distribution  has  been  a  tougher  sell.  The  Pagan 
Book  of  Arthur  Rimbaud  was  set  to  be  released  in  the  U.S.  by  Noon 
Pictures,  a  company  whose  catalog  included  some  of  Jean-Luc 
Godard's  later  work,  but  the  company  folded  before  it  could  release 
Anania's  film.  Undaunted,  Anania  is  certain  there  is  an  American 
audience.  "I  think  the  big  problem  is  getting  any  distributor  to  agree  to 
make  the  effort  to  find  this  probably  rela- 
tively small  [audience],"  he  says.  "What 
[the  films]  need  is  a  distributor  who's 
willing  to  hit  the  single,  not  needing  the 
home  run,  and  do  the  work  that's  neces- 
sary to  take  the  film  to  the  audience  that 
I  do  believe  is  there." 

Not  surprisingly  for  a  filmmaker  tire- 
lessly devoted  to  his  vision,  Anania  cites 
Godard  and  Robert  Bresson  as  influences 
on  his  own  aesthetic.  "The  energies  of 
their  films  are  so  different,  but  the  plea- 
sures I  get  from  both  of  those  filmmakers 
are  very  inspiring."  Anania  also  mentions 
Japanese  filmmaking  as  an  inspiration. 
But  it's  the  American  avant-garde  that 
has  been  the  guiding  light  that  led  him  to 
his  current  art. 

"My  original  interest  in  film  and  the 
scope  of  my  ambitions  artistically  comes 
from  a  type  of  film  that's  really  seen  very 
little  anymore.  And  it's  what  was  once 
called  experimental  filmmaking,  personal 
filmmaking,  avant-garde  filmmaking. 
And  there  are  sort  of  the  acknowledged 
masters  of  the  American  avant-garde: 
Stan  Brakhage  and  Hollis  Frampton." 

What  Anania  respects  most  is  a  com- 
mitment to  a  personal  vision,  and  in  this 
regard,  he  mentions  avant-garde  film- 
makers Michael  Snow,  Ernie  Gehr,  and 
director  Peter  Greenaway.  Regarding 
Greenaway,  Anania  observes,  "I  think  that  he's  one  of  the  very  small 
handful  of  important  filmmakers  working  today.  Like  Frampton,  Snow, 
and  Brakhage,  the  extent  to  which  he  pursues  his  vision  is  remarkable 
and  completely  rare  at  this  level  of  filmmaking." 

Despite  his  clarity  about  his  own  vision,  Anania's  films  remain 
deeply  haunting  because  there  is  a  layer  of  mystery  to  them.  There  are, 
after  all,  certain  questions  Anania  himself  can't  answer.  The  question 
of  what  is  beautiful  and  why  we  find  it  so  remains  an  elusive  one.  But 
as  Anania  says  of  "the  play  of  light  on  water,"  an  image  that  appears  in 
both  of  his  films,  "I  don't  know  why  I  like  to  look  at  that;  I  like  to  look 
at  it.  It  gives  me  pleasure."  And,  like  the  poetry  of  Rimbaud,  it  is  this 
elusive  quality  that  drives  Anania  to  create  and  to  remember. 

Jeremy  Lehrer  is  a  freelance  writer  living  in  New  York. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       33 


Over  the  past  30  years,  St.  Clair  Bourne  has  amassed  a  substantial  body  of 
work  about  strong  and  controversial  black  artists  and  leaders:  LeRoi  Jones, 
Langston  Hughes,  Spike  Lee,  and  John  Henrick  Clarke,  among  others.  Most 
recently  hes  set  his  sights  on  the  singer,  actor,  and  activist  Paul  Robeson  and 
former  Black  Panther  Stokely  Carmichael.  Here  Bourne  reflects  on  his  long 
career,  the  state  of  black  documentary,  and  modern-day  griots.^^^^M^Mi 

Bourne  to  be  ^SX/ild 

by   Richard   Baimbridge 


In  person,  St.  Clair  Bourne  exhudes  much  of  the  same  charisma 
that  the  subjects  of  his  documentaries  and  news  pieces  are  known 
for — people  like  Amiri  Baraka  (formerly  LeRoi  Jones),  Malcolm  X,  and 
Langston  Hughes,  to  name  a  few,  who  seem  to  possess  a  passion  that  is 
uncommon  in  this  age.  Though  the  impression  of  Bourne  etched  in  my 
mind  comes  from  images  taken  nearly  30  years  ago,  when  he  was  a 
young  face  behind  PBS's  Black  Journal,  he  is  still  easily  recognizable 
these  days,  commanding  an  air  of  respect  on  the  set,  like  a  five-star 
general  in  the  old- school  military. 

Perhaps  that's  what  he  might  have  been,  had  he  not  dropped  out  of 
the  service  and  joined  the  battle  for  civil  rights  in  the  early  sixties,  arm- 
ing himself  with  a  camera  instead  of  a  rifle  and  embarking  on  a  mission 
to  tell  history  through  the  eyes  of  an  African-American  filmmaker. 

On  this  afternoon,  as  New  York  shows  its  first  signs  of  winter, 
Bourne  is  in  a  rehearsal  studio  near  Times  Square,  the  owner  looking 
on  nervously  as  a  technician  ignites  pictures  of  Eslanda  Robeson,  Paul 
Robeson's  mother,  one  after  another  to  be  used  in  Bourne's  new  docu- 
mentary Paul  Robeson:  Here  I  Stand!  It  is  perhaps  the  most  controver- 
sial look  at  the  legendary  black  actor,  vocalist,  and  political  activist 
ever  undertaken — set  to  air  on  PBS's  American  Masters  series  in 
February  as  part  of  Black  History  month.  "I  want  to  get  the  flames  just 
right,"  Bourne  explains  to  his  DP  with  a  can  of  lighter  fluid  in  his 
hands.  "You  know,  rising  slowly  from  the  bottom,  then  engulfing  the 
whole  thing." 

The  room  is  filled  with  smoke,  and  the  rehearsal  space 
owner  is  growing  impatient,  so  they  decide  to  call  it  a 
wrap.  I  stroll  over  and  extend  a  hand  towards  him, 
"Still  starting  fires,  St.  Clair?"  I  ask,  as  he  smiles 
broadly  and  shakes  my  hand,  no  doubt  wondering 
who  the  hell  this  skinny  young  white  kid  is,  intrud- 
ing on  his  set. 


In  1963,  Bourne  was  a  19-year-old  student  at  Georgetown 
University  when  he  was  arrested  for  participating  in  a  sit-in  for  civil 
rights  and  subsequently  expelled  from  school.  It  was  an  event  that 
changed  the  course  of  his  life  forever — a  first  taste  of  activism  that 
made  his  military  career  in  the  ROTC  seem  like  a  fallacy.  In  1968, 
Bourne  was  again  arrested  and  thrown  out  of  school,  only  this  time  it 
was  Columbia  University  film  school,  and  his  film  professor  advised 
him  not  to  worry  because  he  would  recommend  him  for  a  position  at 
a  new  series  on  public  television  called  Black  Journal.  "Literally  three 
days  after  I  got  out  of  jail,"  Bourne  says,  "I  was  associate  producer  of  a 
national  black  television  show." 

It  was  by  no  means  an  end  to  his  protests,  however.  Even  at  Black 
Journal,  which  was  billed  by  PBS  as  a  progressive  television  series  "by, 
for,  and  about  black  people"  and  which,  for  the  most  part,  delivered  on 
that  promise,  Bourne  would  eventually  walk  out,  along  with  1 1  other 
staff  members,  until  the  network  bowed  to  demands  that  the  white 
executive  producer  be  replaced  by  a  black  producer.  Bourne  and  his 
colleagues  eventually  won  the  battle,  and  William  Greaves  became  the 
first  black  executive  producer  of  the  first  black  news  series  on 
American  television. 

There  were  a  lot  firsts  that  came  out  of  Black  Journal,  including 
Madelaine  Anderson,  who  later  became  the  first  black  female  produc- 
er at  NET — another  unprecedented  event  in  television  history.  Black 
Journal  was  the  first  national  media  outlet  to  show  African  Americans 
in  African  dress,  giving  an  Afro-centric  view  of  the  news,  includ- 
ing events  in  South  Africa  or  pertaining  to  the  Nation  of 
Islam,  which  had  been  all  but  demonized  by  the  main- 
stream media  at  that  time. 

"It's  hard  to  imagine  what  an  impact  Black  Journal 
had,"  Bourne  recalls  nostalgically.  "Even  though  we  only 
had  an  hour  a  month  on  public  television,  I  think  we 
really  made  a  difference  in  people's  lives,  as  well  as  in  tele- 
vision. The  news  magazine  format,  for  example — I  think 
we  set  the  standard  for  that,  because  we  were  on  the  air 
for  two  years  before  60  Minutes  even  showed  up." 

Riding  back  to  the  editing  room  on  a  city  bus, 
Bourne  is  dressed  in  a  bomber  jacket  and  baseball  cap, 
like  the  archetypical  director  or  an  ex-pilot,  both  of 
which  he  is.  As  we  discuss  the  Paul  Robeson  docu- 
mentary, he  begins  to  air  his  grievances  with  PBS, 

Director/producer  St.  Clair  Bourne 


which  apparently  have  never  ended  since  his  days  with  Black  journal. 

"For  a  number  of  reasons,  I'm  not  too  happy  with  [Here  I  Stand!] ," 
he  confesses.  "PBS  almost  always  expects  an  inferior  product  when 
they're  dealing  with  black  film.  There's  this 
subtle  racism  that  exists  there.  For  example, 
they  want  to  put  the  Robeson  film  on  American 
Masters  for  Black  History  month,  and  I  think  it 
shouldn't  be.  I  think  it  should  be  in  general 
programming.  But  they  see  it  as  black  material, 
and  put  it  on  February  when  everybody  has  stuff 
coming  out.  It's  their  month  oj  blackness." 

In  1971,  just  after  leaving  Black  Journal, 
Bourne  set  out  on  his  own  to  create  Chamba 
Mediaworks,  a  production  company  that 
remains  in  existence  to  this  day.  Bourne  has 
made  over  40  documentary  films  for  PBS, 
HBO,  and  National  Geographic,  including  Let 
the  Church  Say  Amen,  the  story  of  a  young 
black  student  preparing  to  become  a  minister; 
In  Motion:  Amiri  Baraka,  a  powerful  look  at  the 
literary  figure  and  black  activist  formerly 
known  as  LeRoi  Jones,  as  he  faced  criminal 
charges  for  allegedly  abusing  his  wife  (which 
she  denied)  and  resisting  arrest;  and  The  Black 
and  the  Green,  which  follows  a  group  of  black 
activists  on  a  trip  to  Northern  Ireland  to  meet 
with  the  I.R.A.  Some  of  his  films  have  also 
been  privately  financed,  including  such  as  John 
Henrick  Clarke:  Great  and  Mighty  Walk,  which 

was  financed   by   Wesley  Snipes   and   took  Grand   Prize   for   Best 
Documentary  at  the  1997  Urbanworld  Film  Festival. 

His  schedule  shows  no  signs  of  slowing  down,  either,  with  more  than 
seven  projects  currently  in  various  stages  of  production,  such  as  Ready 
for  Revolution,  a  doc  that  features  candid  conversations  with  Stokely 
Carmichael  (now  known  as  Kwame  Ture)  on  the  behind-the-scenes 
history  of  SNCC  and  the  Black  Panthers  during  the  civil  rights  move- 
ment. Bourne  had  recently  been  set  to  direct  a  documentary  on  Tupac 
Shakur  for  HBO,  when  the  deal  fell  through  because  of  negotiations 
with  Shakur's  estate.  However,  HBO  then  asked  him  to  produce  a  doc- 
umentary on  Gordon  Parks,  artist  and  director  of  S/ia/t,  called  Half  Past 
Autumn.  Production  on  that  film  began  in  December,  while  Bourne 
was  still  working  on  the  Robeson  documentary. 

"If  you're  a  beginning  filmmaker,  PBS  is  probably  the  best  place  to 
start,"  Bourne  says.  "But  if  you're  in  any  way  experienced,  it's  a  very 
frustrating,  disappointing  place,  and  quite  frankly  I  try  to  avoid  it.  On 
the  other  hand,  my  experience  with  HBO  has  been  excellent,  both  for 
budget  and  for  style  reasons,  it's  pretty  good.  That's  mostly  based  on 
one  person — Sheila  Nevins.  She  doesn't  just  commission  one  type  of 
documentary  film,  even  though  she  gets  a  lot  of  criticism  for  that.  The 
battle  at  HBO,  I  find,  is  getting  your  concept  accepted.  Once  you  do 
that,  the  budgets  are  good,  and  they're  very  supportive.  Sheila  has 
made  films  herself,  so  she's  very  understanding." 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  the  Robeson  film,  Bourne  says  he  was 
asked  to  direct  the  film,  and  accepted  partly  because  Robeson  is  a  per- 
son for  whom  he  has  a  great  deal  of  admiration,  but  also  because  he 
wanted  to  set  the  record  straight  on  who  Robeson  really  was — the 
man,  as  opposed  to  the  myth.  He  laughs  as  we  sit  in  the  editing  room, 


"I  got  into  film  because  I 
would  look  at  documentaries 
on  CBS  about  the  civil  rights 

movement,  and  they  would 
just  miss  things.  They'd  never 
talk  to  the  black  audience — 
it  was  always  a  white  guy  talk- 
ing to  what  he  assumed  was  a 
white  audience,  about  'those 

people.'  Well,  I  was  'those 

people'  and  thought,  'How 

come  you're  talking  about  me 

as  if  I'm  not  in  the  room? 

And  on  top  of  that,  you're 
lying!  Maybe  you  don't  know 

you're  lying,  but  you  are.' " 


watching  tapes  of  interviews,  trying  to  decide  whose  account  to  use  for 
the  number  of  languages  Robeson  actually  spoke.  "Some  say  four,  some 
say  12,  some  say  20,"  he  laughs.  "This  film's  going  to  be  very  contro- 
versial, because  everybody  has  this  'saint'  image 
of  Paul  Robeson."  Robeson's  mother  died  in  a 
fire  when  he  was  six,  Bourne  explains.  "I  think 
that  affected  him  all  throughout  his  life,  and  I 
want  to  use  flames  and  her  picture  being 
burned,  symbolically,  all  throughout  the  film. 
It's  a  way  to  portray  psychological  subtext. 
Robeson  had  a  series  of  affairs.  He  was  married 
to  a  woman  who  basically  became  his  mother 
and  took  care  of  him." 


Other  than  his  choice  of  subject  matter, 
which  almost  exclusively  deals  with  controver- 
sial black  male  figures,  Bourne's  work  springs 
from  a  traditional  approach  to  documentary 
filmmaking,  with  its  talking  head  interviews  and 
archival  footage.  This  perhaps  owes  to  his  early 
ties  to  journalism.  His  father  was  a  journalist 
who  came  from  the  West  Indies  to  find  a  "better 
life"  in  America  and  instead  found  Bed  Stuy 
(the  Brooklyn  neighborhood  where  Do  the  Right 
Thing  was  filmed,  as  well  as  Bourne's  resulting 
documentary  Making  of  "Do  the  Right  Thing"). 
Bourne  was  also  a  journalist  in  the  Peace  Corps 
in  Peru,  but  abandoned  the  profession  because 
he  found  it  too  limiting.  Moving  into  film,  he 
went  on  to  push  the  boundaries  in  form,  as  well  as  content. 

"The  difference  between  documentary  and  news  to  me  is  that  you 
don't  really  have  rules  in  documentary,"  he  says.  "It's  fiction  under  the 
guise  of  objectivity.  I  mean,  all  news  is  that  anyhow,  but  doc  makers 
have  a  license  to  [fictionalize].  Especially  now,  and  over  the  last  ten 
years,  because  in  order  for  the  form  to  survive,  it's  had  to  reinvent 
itself.  Even  during  my  Blaclc  journal  days,  I  realized  that  I  couldn't  live 
under  the  so-called  'rules'  of  journalistic  TV.  That's  one  of  the  reasons 
why  I  left.  I  wanted  to  combine  analysis  and  style,  and  in  a  traditional 
[news]  doc,  you  can't  do  that  too  much.  Then  I  found  out  that  there 
was  a  place  where  you  could  combine  analysis  and  style,  and  it  was 
called  'independent  film.'  " 

Though  Bourne  says  conditions  now  are  almost  universally  better 
for  black  filmmakers  thanks  to  the  strides  made  in  Hollywood  by  such 
directors  as  Spike  Lee,  John  Singleton,  the  Hudlin  brothers,  Bill  Duke, 
and  others,  he  also  concedes  that  life  in  the  independent  world  appears 
to  have  gotten  even  more  difficult  for  all  filmmakers,  regardless  of  race, 
"and  that's  especially  true  for  the  world  of  documentary  films,"  he  says. 
Not  long  ago,  in  fact,  Bourne  had  serious  doubts  about  his  ability  to 
continue  as  a  documentary  filmmaker,  citing  issues  such  as  funding 
cuts,  a  political  swing  to  the  right  since  the  seventies,  and  a  serious 
shift  in  where  black  audiences  were  seeking  their  views  of  "reality"  in 
cinema. 

"I  had  a  20-year  retrospective  at  the  Whitney  [Museum  in  New 
York]  in  1988,"  he  says,  "and  that's  when  it  hit  me  that  things  were 
shitting.  With  the  drift  to  the  [political]  right  and  budget  and  the  audi- 
ence shrinking,  I  knew  that  docs  weren't  going  to  get  mass  audiences — 
not  that  they  were  getting  mass  audiences  before.  But  even  the  usual 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


The  first  black 
actor  to  play 
Shakespeare's 
Othello:  Paul 
Robeson  and 
Peggy  Ashcroft  at 
the  Savoy  Theater 
in  London,  1930. 


doc  audience  was  getting  smaller,  so  I  figured  that  making  features  was 
the  only  way  to  go."  In  that  respect,  Bourne  now  has  two  projects  in 
Je\  elopment:  The  Run,  from  a  screenplay  by  Charles  Fuller  (A  Soldier's 
Story);  and  Exiles  and  Allies,  a  reality-based  feature  that  follows  the 
lives  of  five  American  Vietnam  war  deserters  in  Sweden. 

One  of  the  main  factors  responsible  for  the  changing  landscape  of 
black  film,  according  to  Bourne,  was  the  success  of  Do  the  Right  Thing, 
which  he  says  "snatched  the  'real-life'  appeal  away  from  documentary 
film  tor  black  audiences. 

"In  my  generation,  people  would  come  to  see  my  films  because  a 
documentary  carried  with  it  a  kind  of  noble  mission.  In  commercial 
terms,  it  would  be  called  'street  credibility'  today.  But  Spike  [Lee]  came 
along  and  changed 
everything.        He 
said    'I'm    gonna 
give  you  real  life — 
the     real     thing.' 
And  whether  you 
agree  with  that  or 
not,      the      hype 
worked.  The 

street  credibility 
remained  in  docu- 
mentaries, but  it 
became  the  old 
man.  The  new 
thing  was  to  put  it 
right  on  the  big 
screen,  and  people 
could  see  a  certain 
kind  of  reality  in 
the  dialogue  and 
the  relationships, 
but  it  would  be  in 
the  big  form,  so 
that's  where  black 
people  went.  This 
English  filmmaker 
I  once  met  said 
'When  I  tell  peo- 
ple I'm  a  docu- 
mentary filmmaker,  they  look  at  me  as  if  I'm  a  glass  blower.'  And  that 
said  it  all,  basically." 

Nonetheless,  Bourne  still  manages  to  make  a  full-time  living 

from  his  documentary  films,  and  he  does  so  by  juggling  multiple  pro- 
jects simultaneously,  playing  the  role  of  director,  producer,  and  script 
supervisor  on  a  number  of  projects  all  at  once. 

Late  into  the  evening,  Bourne  takes  a  break  from  editing  Here  1 
Stand!  to  attend  a  rough-cut  screening  of  Innocent  Until  Proven  Guilty, 
a  film  he  is  executive  producing  with  Kirsten  Johnson,  director  of 
Bmtu,  a  provocative  doc  on  female  genital  mutilation.  Innocent  tracks 
a  group  of  troubled  Washington  D.C.  youth  participating  in  a  program 
started  by  James  Forman,  Jr.  (son  of  renowned  black  civil  rights  activist 
James  Forman)  who  is  a  D.C.  public  defender.  In  the  heated  discussion 
that  follows  the  screening,  Bourne  breaks  into  a  "I'm  gonna  tell  you 
how  it  really  is"  speech  that  proves  his  fervor  for  defending  the  "radi- 


cal" black  position  of  the  early  days  has  not  waned  in  the  least.  His 
criticism  is  sharp,  but  ultimately  he  hopes  it  will  be  enough  to  save  the 
film  from  falling  into  "the  standard  white  liberal  solution  that  we  all 
know  does  not  work." 

Walking  back  through  Times  Square,  he  confides  that  "For  a  long 
time,  I  didn't  work  with  white  people."  (Kirsten  Johnson,  the  director 
of  Innocent,  is  white.)  "I  found  that  whites  were  either  awkward  to 
work  with,  or  they  thought  they  were  super-cool  for  doing  a  black  film. 
I  fired  the  first  DP  I  had  for  Making  of  "Do  the  Right  Thing"  after  the 
first  day,"  Bourne  says.  "He  was  a  white  guy,  and  all  the  footage  he  shot 
in  Bed-Stuy  was  of  kids  playing  in  the  gutter.  I  grew  up  in  Bed  Stuy — 
that's  not  what  it's  like." 


The  issue  of  racial  barriers  surfaces  again  when  I  propose  to  Bourne 
the  central  idea  I  hold  of  his  work,  which  is  that  he  is  an  historian  on 
a  crusade,  attempting  to  fill  the  media  void  on  African  American  fig- 
ures who  have  contributed  to  our  society  and  culture,  but  were  not 
sufficiently  recognized  for  their  accomplishments.  Yet  again,  Bourne 
sees  it  in  a  totally  different  way. 

"I  got  into  film  because  I  would  look  at  documentaries  on  CBS 
about  the  civil  rights  movement,  and  they  would  just  miss  things,"  he 
says.  "They'd  never  talk  to  the  black  audience — it  was  always  a  white 
guy  talking  to  what  he  assumed  was  a  white  audience,  about  'those 
people.'  Well,  I  was  'those  people'  and  thought,  'How  come  you're 
talking  about  me  as  if  I'm  not  in  the  room?  And  on  top  of  that,  you're 
lying!  Maybe  you  don't  know  you're  lying,  but  you  are.'  So  it's  not  so 
much  a  rewriting  of  history,  as  I'm  just  trying  to  portray  people  who  are 
against  the  history  of  the  Euro-centric  world,  or  who  hold  another  ver- 
sion of 'history.'  And  it's  very  difficult,  because  then  people  see  that  as 


36    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


'rewriting'  history." 

Scanning  through  hours  of  historical  footage  of  Paul  Robeson  giving  speeches  in  fluent 
Russian  and  singing  for  cheering  audiences  of  East  German  youths,  we  discuss  the  process  of 
how  Bourne  found  the  archival  footage  for  this  documentary.  He  says  he  was  fortunate  in  that 
he  was  given  access  to  home  videos  and  photographs  owned  by  Paul  Robeson,  Jr.,  and  that  he 
also  stumbled  across  an  archive  in  East  Germany  that  had  just  been  opened  for  the  first  time, 
and  included  an  entire  documentary  on  Robeson's  tour  of  Eastern  Europe  in  the  1960s. 

He  then  explains  the  concept  of  a  "griot,"  an  African  word  for  an  oral  historian.  "What  I've 
discovered  with  more  contemporary  subjects  is  that  there's  a  whole  network  of  people  who  now 
shoot  home  videos  and  keep  them,"  he  says.  "Especially  black  people.  I  found  one  guy  in 
Brooklyn  who's  got  like  21  years  of  famous  and  infamous  speakers  who  have  come  through  and 
talked  about  black  subject  matter.  These  guys  are  basically  our  own  African-American  elec- 
tronic griots.  I  also  have  still  photos  that  I've  been  shooting  for  30  years,  and  this  summer  I  orga- 
nized them.  So  now  I  have  my  own  archive.  I  even  interviewed  my  own  father  for  [the  Robeson 
documentary]  because  he  had  written  articles  about  the  protests  at  the  wedding  of  Paul 
Robeson,  Jr.,"  who  married  a  white  Jewish  girl. 


We  are  a  facility  specializing  in 
picture  and  audio  post  for  projects 

finished  on  film.  We  offer  full  audio 
services;  sound  design,  foley,  ADR 

and  mixing.  Film  editing  at  24  or  30 
fps  on  high  end  digital  non  linear 

systems  and  full  technical  support  at 
every  stage  of  your  project  Please 
contact  us  for  more  information. 


Being  in  Bourne's  presence,  it's  hard  not  to  feel  a  strong  sense  of  nostalgia.  His  speech 

is  peppered  with  anachronisms  from  sixties  uptown  slang,  like  "woofing"  and  "cats."  He  is  one 
of  the  few  remaining  members  of  the  old  guard  who  still  sees  things  as  clearly  as  they  seemed 


three  decades  ago — a  time  that,  though  more  difficult  in 
many  ways,  was  also  far  less  complex  than  the  present, 
where  the  very  idea  of  being  a  "black  filmmaker"  is  an 
increasingly  complicated  concept. 

"There  are  black  filmmakers  today  who  don't  operate  on 
the  black  aesthetic,"  Bourne  agrees.  "And  I  think  that's 
fine.  They're  just  filmmakers  who  happen  to  be  black,  which  is  essentially  what  I  consider  myself 
to  be,  as  well."  Yet  he  says  there  are  several  younger  people  whom  he  views  as  carrying  on  his 
legacy,  such  as  documentarians  Kathy  Sandler  (A  Question  of  Color)  and  Louis  Massiah  (Ida  B. 
Wells  and  Eyes  on  the  Prize  II),  as  well  as  feature  director  Julie  Dash  [Daughters  of  the  Dust). 

"I  don't  think  that  black  documentary  will  disappear,"  he  says.  "But  I  do  worry  that  the  play- 
ing field  is  getting  smaller  and  creatively  more  constrained." 

It's  nearly  10  p.m.  when  Bourne  finally  leaves  the  editing  room  for  the  night,  walking  out 
onto  the  cold  streets  surrounding  Times  Square.  He  says  he'll  be  working  non-stop  to  get  the 
Robeson  film  to  PBS  on  schedule  for  its  February  24  air  date.  Just  in  time  for  Black  History 
month. 

"Like  this  young  guy  once  said  to  me,  'They  gave  us  the  coldest  month  of  the  year,  and  the 
shortest,'  "  he  says  with  a  laugh.  "No  matter  what,  man,  you  just  can't  win." 


Richard  Baimbridge  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  The  Independent. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


DISTRIBUTOR 


First  Run/Icarus  Films 


BY     LlSSA     GlBBS 


First  Run/Icarus  Films,  Inc.,  153  Waverly  Place,  6th 
fl.,  New  York,  NY  10014  ;  (212)  727-1711;  fax:  255- 
7923;  jmiller@frif.com;  www.echonyc.com/~frif/; 
contact:  Jonathan  Miller,  President 

What  is  First  Run/Icarus? 

First  Run/Icarus  Films  is  one  of  the  leading  distributors 
of  documentary  film  and  video  in  the  U.S.  and  Canada. 

What  is  First  Run/Icarus'  relationship  to  other  arms 
of  First  Run? 

I  would  not  say  that  First  Run/Icarus  Films,  Inc.  is  an 
arm  of  First  Run  Features.  It  is  a  separate  corporation 
formed  in  1987,  when  Icarus  Films  (founded  in  1978) 
and  First  Run  Features  (founded  in  1979)  merged  their 


nontheatncal  divisions  to  create  a  new  company.  It  is 
owned  by  the  two  companies  Icarus  Films  and  First  Run 
Features.  First  Run/Icarus  Films  does  all  of  the  nonthe- 
atrical  distribution  for  all  of  First  Run  Features'  and 
Icarus  Films'  titles.  In  addition  we  aggressively  acquire 
films  directly;  in  fact,  most  of  the  700  films  and  videos 
that  we  currently  distribute  have  been  acquired  for  dis- 
tribution directly  by  First  Run/Icarus  Films  (and  most  of 
our  income  comes  from  those  titles).  Our  primary  focus 
remains  on  the  nontheatrical  markets,  but  for  all  of  the 
films  that  we  acquire  directly  we  distribute  to  all  mar- 
kets and  territories  for  which  we  have  the  rights. 


Who  is  First  Run/Icarus? 

President:  Jonathan  Miller;  Sales  Director:  Kan  Noreri; 
Acquisitions/Publicity  Coordinator:  Jennifer  Hohlihan; 
and  Sales  Coordinator:  Tom  Hyland 

Total  number  of  employees  at  First  Run/Icarus: 

Six. 

Unofficial  motto  or  driving  philosophy: 

Never  enter  into  a  negotiation  you  are  not  prepared  to 
walk  away  from. 

What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn 
about  First  Run/Icarus  or  its  founders  and/or  key 
staff? 

I  have  been  doing  this  for  over  22  years.  At  least,  that 
is  what  I  am  most  surprised  to  realize!  I  started  work- 
ing in  distribution  in  1976  while  attending  film  school  at 
NYU  and  working  on  my  own  documentary  film.  I  start- 
ed out  working  for  Tricontinental  Film  Center  in  1976, 
stuffing  envelopes  for  mailings.  I  was  then  promoted  to 
cleaning  and  repairing  and  shipping  16mm  prints  (no 
video  in  those  days). 

Films  and  filmmakers  you  distribute: 

The  Vanishing  Line,  by  Maren  Monsen,  MD;  Family 
Name,  by  Macky  Alston;  Travis,  by  Richard  Kotuk;  The 
Battle  of  Chile  and  Chile,  Obstinate  Memory,  by 


Patricio  Guzman;  Dear  Dr.  Spencer,  by  Danielle  Renfrew 
and  Beth  Seltzer;  The  Way  Things  Go,  by  Peter  Fischli 
and  David  Weiss;  0  Amor  Natural,  by  Heddy 
Honigmann;  The  Last  Bolshevik,  by  Chris  Marker;  The 
Uprising  of  '34,  by  Judith  Helfand  and  George  Stoney; 
and  The  Last  Angel  of  History  and  Seven  Songs  for 
Malcolm  X,  by  John  Akomfrah 

Generally  speaking,  what  types  of  works  do  you  dis- 
tribute? 


We  distribute  a  very  broad  range  of  docu- 
mentary films  (as  well  as  a  few  animated 
and  short  films)  of  any  length,  format,  pro- 
duction date,  language,  etc.  We  have  many 
films  on  international  issues,  U.S.  social 
and  political  issues,  history,  sociology, 
anthropology,  women's  studies,  media 
studies,  Jewish  studies,  and  a  growing  col- 
lection of  films  in  health  and  medical  sci- 
ences. And,  of  course,  we  are  also  always 
open  to  new  films  on  subjects  we  haven't 
thought  of. 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  films  you  do? 

I  like  well  structured  and  produced  films,  though  not 
necessarily  in  any  one  given  form  (diary  films,  narrated 
archival  films,  un-narrated  observational  films,  etc).  I 
don't  mind  which  form,  as  long  as  it  is  well  done,  inter- 
esting, and  engaging.  Of  course,  these  choices  (length, 
language,  form,  etc.)  may  affect  "market  success,"  but 
not  necessarily  our  decision  of  whether  to  take  the  film 
or  not. 

Is  First  Run/Icarus  also  involved  in  co-production 
or  co-financing  of  works? 

No. 

Best  known  title  in  First  Run/Icarus'  collection: 

This  probably  depends  on  how  old  the  person  answer- 
ing the  question  is — whether  you  want  films  from  the 
70s,  '80s,  or  '90s.  Older  titles:  Americas  in  Transition 
(Obie  Benz),  El  Salvador:  Another  Vietnam  (Glenn 
Silber  and  Tete  Vasconellos),  Gods  of  Metal  (Robert 
Richter),  Middletown  (Peter  Davis),  A  Veiled  Revolution 
(Elizabeth  Fernea),  The  Wobblies  (Deborah  Shaffer  and 
Stu  Bird),  and  of  course  many  other  important  First  Run 
Features  titles  (The  War  at  Home,  Sherman's  March, 
etc.). 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

Direct  mail  (100,000+  pieces  per  year  of  different  spe- 
cialized brochures).  Telephone  sales  (two  full-time  peo- 
ple). Free  previews.  Email  (postings  to  different  lists 
every  week).  Web  site  (monthly  updates).  Catalogs. 
Reviews  in  specialized  journals,  magazines,  and  on-line 
newsletters.  Conferences.  Festivals.  Markets. 
Relationships.  Reputation. 

Where  do  First  Run/Icarus  titles  generally  show 
(range  of  theaters,  markets,  regions,  etc.)? 

At  colleges,  universities,  film  societies  and  film  festi- 
vals, public  libraries,  high  schools,  government  agen- 
cies, unions,  health  care  agencies,  hospitals  and  hos- 
pices, some  television.  Our  titles  are  in  most  major  AV 
collections  across  the  country.  We  had  a  major  success 
at  the  Film  Forum  theater  in  New  York  this  past 
September  with  The  Battle  of  Chile  and  Chile,  Obstinate 
Memory,  which  grossed  over  $37,000  in  two  weeks 
playing  only  three  shows  per  day,  and  these  films  have 
played  in  other  festival  and  art  venues  across  the  coun- 
try. Several  of  our  films  were  on  the  PBS  series  P.O.V. 
this  past  year:  The  Vanishing  Line  and  Family  Name. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles  and  how  should  film- 
makers approach  you  for  consideration? 

We  have  recently  attended  or  plan  to  attend  this  year: 
the  National  Educational  Media  Market  (Oakland),  Hot 
Docs  (Toronto),  International  Documentary  Filmfestival 
Amsterdam,  MIP  or  MIPCOM  (Cannes),  Sunny  Side  of 
the  Doc  (Marseilles),  Cinema  du  Reel  (Paris),  the  Berlin 
Film  Festival,  and  the  Yamagata  International 
Documentary  Film  Festival  (Japan).  We  also  know  peo- 
ple, or  they  know  us.  If  I  don't  know  you,  call  me. 


Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  col- 
lection: 

From  virtually  nothing  to  well  over  $1,000,000. 

Biggest  change  at  First  Run/Icarus  in  recent  years: 

The  continuing  growth  of  the  number  of  films  we  dis- 
tribute, the  subject  matters  they  address,  and  the  mar- 
kets (as  a  result)  that  we  are  selling  them  to. 

Most  important  issue  facing  First  Run/Icarus  today: 

How  to  maintain  strong  growth  while  retaining  what  is 
good  about  what  we  are  and  how  we  do  things  now. 
That,  and  when  and  how  to  go  digital. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  what  would  you  be 
doing? 

Producing  documentary  films  in  South  Africa  (it's  a  long 
story!). 

Other  (domestic  or  foreign)  distributors  you  admire 
and  why: 

Filmakers  Library:  they've  been  doing  this  even  longer 
than  I  have,  and  they  have  good  taste  and  a  wonderful 
collection  of  films,  too.  Bullfrog  Films:  Important  films, 
nice  people,  excellent  work,  committed  and  dedicated. 

If  you  could  give  independent  filmmakers  only  one 
bit  of  advice  it  would  be  to . . . 

Watch  a  lot  of  films  on  the  topic  you  are  interested  in; 


don't  repeat  what  you  have  seen — do  something  that 
adds  to  the  discussion,  that  is  new  and  fresh.  Make  a 
well  crafted  (I  don't  mean  it  has  to  be  "polished"  at  all) 
and  structured  film  in  a  form  and  format  (gauge) 
demanded  by  the  story  (don't  use  Hi8  just  because  it  is 
less  expensive). 

Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 
Eisenstein:  The  Master's  House  (Russian/German  co- 
production),  a  great  detailed  film  bio  of  the  director, 
with  stunning  clips;  Why  Men  Don't  Iron,  a  three-part 
series  about  just  that;  The  Underground  Orchestra,  a 
new  film  from  Heddy  Honigmann  [O  Amor  Natural), 
opening  at  Film  Forum. 

Famous  last  words: 

I  am  still  excited  about  making  a  space  for  films  that 
may  not  fit  into  the  regular  "channels"  or  "brandings" 
or  "formats,"  that  aren't  necessarily  on  the  list  of  top- 
ics that  "work."  I  love  it  when  I  see  a  documentary  that 
grabs  my  interest  and  holds  it  and  that  doesn't  disap- 
point me  in  the  end  intellectually.  If  I  can  help  get  that 
film  to  an  audience  who  values  it  for  its  craft  and  who 
can  also  use  it  constructively  in  what  they  do,  I  find  that 
stimulating  and  rewarding. 


Ussa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


riTlVSER  FAQ. 


NAATA 


by   Michelle   Coe 

The  National  Asian  American  Telecommunications 
Association  (NAATA),  346  Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San 
Francisco,  CA,  94103;  (415)  863-0814;  fax:  863- 
7428;  www.naatanet.org;  mediafund@naatanet.org 
Contact:  Charles  Kim,  program  officer;  Janice 
Sakamoto,  senior  program  officer. 


When  was  NAATA  created? 

NAATA  was  created  in  1980.  In  1982,  it  secured  fund- 
ing from  the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  (CPB) 
to  present  Asian  Pacific  American  programming  to  the 
PBS  system. 

What  is  its  on-going  relationship  to  CPB? 

The  taxpayer-supported  CPB  gives  NAATA  funding  each 
year  to  re-grant  to  Asian  American  filmmakers  with  the 
goal  of  increasing  the  quality  and  quantity  of  Asian 
American  works  on  public  television.  CPB  funds  are 
also  used  to  acquire,  package,  and  promote  works  on 
public  television. 

What  is  the  total  amount  of  funding  NAATA  receives 
from  CPB? 

$916,113  annually. 

The  driving  philosophy  behind  NAATA  is . . . 

To  present  American  audiences  with  accurate  and  real 
portrayals  of  historic  and  contemporary  Asian  American 
experiences.  Even  in  this  "enlightened"  day  and  age. 
there  continues  to  be  a  rash  of  stereotypical,  inaccu- 
rate, and  culturally  insensitive  images  of  Asian 
Americans  in  the  theaters  and  on  television.  It  is  impor- 
tant that  our  own  communities  work  to  get  our  voices 
heard  and  our  stories  told. 

Are  the  projects  NAATA  funds  broadcast  on  PBS?  Do 
you  have  a  regular  series? 

Silk  Screen  was  a  series  that  NAATA  presented  to  the 
PBS  system  from  1983  to  1987.  No  other  series 
replaced  Silk  Screen.  After  that,  we  began  submitting 
single  programs  and  Asian  Pacific  American  heritage 
month  packages  to  the  system  directly.  We  submit  pro- 
grams to  national  PBS.  local  stations,  regional  strands, 
and  to  series  such  as  PO.V. 

Is  there  symbiosis  between  NAATA's  other  exhibition 
and  distribution  components  and  its  funded  pro- 
jects? 

Projects  funded  by  NAATA  are  contractually  obligated  to 
screen  in  our  San  Francisco  International  Asian 
American  Film  Festival  or  another  exhibition  venue. 
NAATA  holds  special  screenings  throughout  the  year 


outside  of  the  festival.  For  example,  we  program  one 
night  a  month  for  an  arts  center  here  in  San  Francisco. 
We  also  use  this  relationship  to  help  secure  an  educa- 
tional distribution  agreement  with  the  filmmaker, 
although  this  is  not  a  contractual  obligation. 

Is  this  educational  distribution  agreement  through 
NAATA  Distribution? 

Yes.  NAATA  Distribution  is  our  self-sustained  educa- 
tional distribution  arm.  It  introduces  high-quality  works 
by  and  about  Asian  Pacific  Americans  to  schools  and 
universities,  libraries,  museums,  and  public  television 
stations  worldwide. 

What  percentage  of  your  overall  funding  goes 
towards  film  or  video  projects? 
75%  of  CPB  funds. 

When  and  why  did  the  NAATA  Media  and  Open  Door 
Completion  Funds  come  into  being? 

NAATA  created  the  Media  Fund  in  1990  as  a  way  of  sup- 
plying Asian  American  programming  to  public  television 
beyond  acquiring  completed  works. 

The  Completion  Fund  was  created  in  1996  as  a  way 
of  quickly  addressing  filmmakers'  postproduction  needs 
while  preparing  the  program  for  broadcast  distribution. 

How  many  awards  are  given  out  per  year  for  each 
fund?  What  is  the  total  amount  awarded  annually? 

The  amount  and  number  vary  from  year  to  year.  To  give 
an  example,  in  1997,  NAATA  granted  awards  totaling 
$370,000  to  14  projects  through  our  funding  initiatives. 
This  total  doesn't  include  works  we  executive  produce 
or  support  outside  of  these  two  funding  programs. 

What  is  the  average  size  of  a  grant? 

The  average  amount  for  both  the  Media  and  Open  Door 
Funds  is  $30,000. 

What  percent  of  applicants  actually  get  funded? 

Approximately  10  to  15  percent. 

What  are  the  restrictions  on  applicants'  qualifica- 
tions (e.g.,  ethnicity,  geography,  medium)? 


The  restrictions  are  as  follows:  that  the  project  be  of 
standard  television  length  (in  half-hour  increments); 
that  either  the  producer  or  the  subject  matter  be  Asian 
or  Asian  American;  that  the  project  meets  PBS  stan- 
dards for  quality  and  content;  that  the  project  appeals 
to  a  wide  variety  of  audiences,  Asian  American  or  oth- 
erwise; and  that  the  project  sheds  light  on  the  Asian 
American  experience  in  a  creative  and  educational  way. 

Does  NAATA  fund  projects  at  various  stages  of  pro- 
duction (e.g.,  script ,  development,  production,  dis- 
tribution, etc.)? 

We  currently  fund  only  production  and  postproduction 
phases. 

Name  some  of  the  best  known  titles  and/or  artists 
NAATA  has  funded. 

AKA  Don  Bonus,  by  Spencer  Nakasako  (1996  Emmy 
Award);  Picture  Bride,  by  Kayo  Hatta  (Audience  Award, 
1995  Sundance  Film  Festival);  My  America . . .  or  Honk 
if  You  Love  Buddha,  by  Renee  Ta|ima-Pena 
(Cinematography  Award,  1997  Sundance  Film 
Festival);  Licensed  to  Kill,  by  Arthur  Dong  (Filmmaker's 
Trophy  &  Documentary  Director's  Award,  1997 
Sundance  Film  Festival);  Maya  Lin:  A  Strong  Clear 
Vision,  by  Frieda  Lee  Mock  (1996  Academy  Award). 

Explain  your  funding  cycle  and  deadlines. 

The  Media  Fund  is  a  national  open  call  for  submissions 
that  happens  once  a  year,  usually  in  the  summer.  A 
panel  of  filmmakers,  public  television  programmers, 
and  other  professionals  from  the  field  meets  in  the  late 
summer  or  early  fall,  and  decisions  are  made  in  late 
fall.  Contingent  on  the  availability  of  funds,  the 
Completion  Fund  has  several  deadlines  throughout  the 
year,  usually  at  three-month  intervals.  Decisions  are 
made  within  six  weeks  of  the  application  deadline. 

Who  are  the  Program  Officers  of  the  Media  Fund?  Of 
the  Open  Door  Completion  Fund? 

Janice  Sakamoto  and  I  administer  both  funds. 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


Who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 

Media  Fund  submissions  are  judged  by  an  independent 
panel  of  filmmakers,  public  television  programmers, 
and  other  professionals  from  the  field  with  some  staff 
input.  The  Completion  Fund  is  evaluated  by  the  program 
committees  of  the  NAATA  staff  and  Board  of  Directors. 
Final  decisions  for  both  are  approved  by  NAATA's  Board 
of  Directors. 


What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  in  putting 
forth  a  strong  application? 

The  proposal  is  very  important.  It  must  be  clear,  concise 
and  well-written.  You  must  be  able  to  give  the  panel  a 
clear  sense  of  the  project's  stylistic  treatment.  Your 
proposal  should  have  an  engaging  narrative  structure 
and  address  story  development  and  thematic  threads  in 
detail.  Your  proposal  should  not  be  weighed  down  with 
vague  concepts  or  abstract  ideas.  If  after  reading  it,  we 
still  have  no  idea  what  your  film  is  about,  then  there's 
a  problem.  If  you're  doing  a  documen- 
tary about  a  topic  that's  been  done 
often  (e.g.,  Japanese  internment 
camps),  what  sets  yours  apart7  What 
makes  it  different  from  something 
that's  been  done  before?  This  needs  to 
be  right  at  the  top  of  your  proposal.  If 
it's  buried,  then  you've  already  lost  us. 
Pay  attention  to  detail.  Our  panelists 
always  notice  if  a  budget  is  unrealistic, 
a  concept  isn't  clear,  or  a  filmmaker  is 
in  over  his/her  head.  Also,  if  you're 
submitting  a  work-in-progress,  it's 
very  important  to  have  a  strong  sam- 
ple tape  or  rough  cut. 

What  is  the  most  common  mistake 
applicants  make? 

Having  a  budget  that's  unrealistic. 
This  shows  the  filmmaker  is  inexperi- 
enced. 

What  would  people  most  be  sur- 
prised to  learn  about  NAATA  and/or 
its  founders? 

We  do  not  give  outright  grants;  we  are 
buying  the  program's  public  television 
licensing  rights,  something  similar  to  a 
pre-sale.  As  such,  we  are  obligated  to 
pass  on  requirements  from  CPB  to  our 
awardees. 

Other  foundations  or  grantmaking 
organizations  you  admire. 

Paul  Robeson  for  its  progressive  agen- 
da; ITVS  for  the  diverse  works  it  funds. 

Famous  last  words: 

Don't  be  discouraged. 

Funder  F.A.Q.  is  a  new  column  conducted 
by  fax  questionnaire  profiling  founda- 
tions, funding  organizations,  and 
financiers  of  independent  film  and  video 
projects.  If  you  are  a  funder  and  would 
like  your  organization  or  company  to  be 
profiled,  contact:  Michelle  Coe  at  AIVF 
304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl„  New  York,  NY 
10013,  or  send  an  email  to:  michelle@ 
aivf.org. 

Michelle  Coe  is  the  program  and 
information  services  director  at  AIVF. 


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March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


FESTIVALS 


by   Scott   Castle 

listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
listings  deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (april  1  for  june  issue), 
include  festival  dates,  categories,  prizes, 
entry  fees,  deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info, 
send  to:  festivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 

BALTIMORE'S  QUEER  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  September 
9-19.  MD.  Deadline:  March  10.  Fest  accepting  short  &  feature- 
length  narrative,  doc,  experimental  films,  videos  &  animation. 
Submission  format:  1/2"  S-VHS,  VHS  or  3/4"  Beta.  Sole  purpose 
of  fest  is  to  exhibit  work  by,  about  &  of  interest  to  lesbian,  gay, 
bisexual  and  transgendered  people  from  Baltimore  &  around 
the  world.  Contact:  Chris  Lines  (410)  433-1395;  queerfilm 
@juno.com;  www.bgp.org 

CHICAGO  ALT.FILM  FESTIVAL,  June  9-13.  IL.  Deadline:  April  9 
"Chicago's  premiere  film  festival  of  American  independent 
filmmakers."  2nd  annual  fest  celebrates  the  best  in  indie  films 
by  emerging  &  established  American  filmmakers  &  provides  a 
forum  for  exhibition,  recognition  &  education.  Films  submitted 
for  competition  must  be  a  Chicago  premiere.  Awards:  best  fea- 
ture, best  director,  best  script,  best  performace  by  an  actor  or 
actress,  best  debut  performance,  best  cinematography,  best 
short  &  best  doc.  The  Founder's  Award  will  be  given  to  the 
most-promising  Midwest  filmmaker.  Entry  fees:  $40  features 
(75  min.  &  over);  $20  shorts  (under  60  min.);  $30  docs. 
Formats:  16mm,  35mm  &  video.  Entry  form  avail,  on-line. 
Contact:  CAFF,  Entries,  3430  N.  Lake  Shore  Drive,  Ste.  19N, 
Chicago,  IL  60657;  (773)  525-4559;  fax:  327-8669;  chialtfilm 
@aol.com;  www.members.aol.com/chialtfilm/fest 

CRESTED  BUTTE  REEL  FEST,  August  12-15,  CO.  Deadline:  May 
1  (regular);  June  1  (student).  A  competitive  fest  focusing  on 
short  films  under  60  min.  in  cats  of  animation,  comedy,  drama, 
experimental,  doc  &  student.  Awards:  Tom  Skerritt,  Erin  Skerritt 
&  Crested  Butte  Brewery  will  present  the  "Gold  and  Silver 
Illumination  Awards"  of  cash  &  a  unique  statue  for  exceptional 
merit  in  educational  &  humanitarian  filmmaking.  The  "Bob 
Award"  of  $100  will  be  presented  to  the  filmmaker  who  "push- 
es the  envelope"  the  furthest.  Gold  &  Silver  "Best  of  Category" 
awards  of  $250  &  $100  for  each  cat.  plus  many  industry  con- 
tacts. Entry  fee:  $30  (regular);  $20  (student  w/  proof  of  status). 
Preview  on  VHS.  For  more  info  &  entry  form,  contact:  Pat  Crow, 
Box  1819,  Crested  Butte,  CO  81224;  (970)  349-7478;  fax:  349- 
5626;  cftarts@rmi.net;  www.198.147.224.il/cftarts 

DOMINIQUE  DUNNE  MEMORIAL  VIDEO  COMPETITION  AND 
FESTIVAL,  May  16,  CO.  Deadline;  Apr.  16.  29th  yr  of  irt'l  com- 
petition for  originally  produced  videos  by  high  school  students, 
open  to  any  student  currently  enrolled  in  high  school  grades  9- 
12  or  college  freshman  entering  a  film  produced  w/in  past  12 
mos.  Entries  must  be  sole  work  of  student  filmmaker  or  film- 
makers, w/  2/3  original  content.  Awards  in  dramatic/narrative 
(8-24  min.),  experimental  (3-12  min.)  &  stop  action/computer 
animated  (non  prize  cat).  Awards  (one  per  cat;  6  total):  1st 


prize  $100,  2nd  prize  $75,  3rd  prize  $50.  Entry  fee:  $12  & 
SASE.  Formats:  1/2 ".  Contact:  David  Manley,  fest  coordinator, 
DDMVCF  Fountain  Valley  School  of  Colorado,  Colorado  Springs, 
CO  80911;  (719)  392-2657;  fax:  391-9039;  dunnefest@ 
ftnvalley.com 

GOLDEN  SHOWER  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  June  11-12.  TX.  Deadline: 
April  28.  Looking  for  experimental,  narrative,  animation, 
exploitative,  doc,  stolen  &  original  videos  for  5th  annual  fest. 
Prizes:  1st,  lowrider  bike;  2nd,  mini  accordion;  3rd,  lucha  libre 
gear.  Format:  VHS  (under  30  min.).  Entry  fee:  $10  cash  only,  no 
checks  or  money  orders.  No  entries  will  be  returned.  An  official 
entry  form  must  accompany  all  entries;  avail,  for  download 
from  website.  Contact;  Adam  Rocha,  8039  Callaghan  Rd. 
#611,  San  Antonio,  TX  78230;  tel/fax:  (512)  457-8780;  voice- 
mail:  (210)  885-5888;  arocha@texas  net.com;  www.arocha. 
home.texas.net 

HOT  SPRINGS  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  8-17.  AR. 
Deadline:  April  30.  8th  annual  fest  accepting  nonfiction  film 
submissions  for  one  of  the  country's  premier  nonfiction  film 
celebrations.  Noncompetitive  fest  honors  films  and  filmmakers 
each  year  in  beautiful  Hot  Springs  National  Park,  Arkansas. 
More  than  70  films  are  screened,  including  the  current  year's 
Academy  Award  nominees  in  nonfiction  categories  and 
International  Documentary  Association  honorees.  Special  guest 
scholars,  filmmakers,  and  celebrities  participate  in  humanities 
forums  &  lectures.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  VHS,  Beta.  Entry 
fee:  $25  domestic,  $35  international.  Contact:  Gretchen  Taylor, 
HSDFF,  819  Central  Avenue,  Box  6450,  Hot  Springs  National 
Park,  AR  71902;  (501)  321-4747;  fax:  321-0211; 
hsdff@DocuFilmlnst.org;  www.DocuFilmlnst.org 

INTERCOM  INT'L  COMMUNICATION  FILM  &  VIDEO  COM- 
PETETION,  July.  IL.  Deadline:  May.  Oldest  mt'l  industrial  film  & 
video  fest  in  US,  now  in  35th  year.  Aim  is  "to  showcase  enor- 
mous technical  &  creative  energy  behind  sponsored  prods  &  to 
highlight  importance  of  media  arts  in  business  communica- 
tions". Industrial,  sponsored  &  educational  prods,  eligible.  Cats 
incl.  dental  science,  doc.  drug  abuse,  educational,  environ- 
ment/ecology, fashion/music  video,  fundraismg,  human  rela- 
tions, medicine,  personal  counseling,  public  relations,  public 
service  &  info,  religion,  research,  safety,  sales/marketing, 
sports/rec,  training,  travel/transportation  &  video  news 
release.  Special  achievement  awards  to  acting,  cinematogra- 
phy/videography,  computer  graphics/animation,  directing,  edit- 
ing, graphics,  humor,  music,  special  effects  &  writing.  Awards 
incl.  Gold  &  Silver  Hugos  to  top  prods,  in  each  cat.  Gold  &  Silver 
Plaques  may  also  be  awarded  in  each  competitive  cat.  Entries 
must  be  produced  between  preceding  year  &  date  of  entry.  All 
formats  accepted.  Entry  fee:  $35-$200.  Contact:  Intercom,  32 
West  Randolph  St.,  Ste  600,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  425- 
9400;  fax:  425-0944;  filmfest@suba.com;  www.chicago. 
ddbn.com/filmfest 

INTERNATIONAL  JEWISH  VIDEO  &  FILM  COMPETITION,  CA. 

Deadline:  April  15. 6th  annual  competition  accepts  entries  on 
Jewish  themes  from  every  level  &  cat  of  prod,  incl.  audio  & 
interactive  media.  Awards:  Jurors'  Choice  (share  $750);  Jurors' 
Citation  (share  $500),  Directors'  Choice  (share  $250); 
Honorable  Mention  (certificate  &  screenings);  Lindheim  Award 
for  program  that  best  explores  political  &  social  relationship 
between  Jews  &  other  ethnic  &  religious  groups.  Winners 
screened  at  Magnes  Museum  for  2  months;  plus  cable  &  other 
venues.  All  original  formats  including  film  accepted.  Preview  on 


VHS  (NTSC).  Eligible  films  produced  w/in  preceding  3  1/2  yrs  & 
be  under  100  min.  Entry  fee  $30  (under  30  min.),  $40  (over  30 
min.  For  entry  form  e-mail  or  send  SASE  to:  Bill  Chayes,  Video 
Competition  Coordinator,  Judah  L.  Magnes  Museum,  2911 
Russell  St.,  Berkeley,  CA  94705;  (510)  549-6952  or  fa*  849- 
3673;  jewsvideo@aol.com 

MARTHA'S  FLAVOR  FEST,  Aug.  15-21,  MA.  Deadlines:  April  30 
(early);  May  30  (late).  Held  on  island  of  Martha's  Vineyard,  fest 
provides  platform  for  indie  black  films  &  filmmakers  behind 
them  through  symposia,  script  readings  &  public  events.  Focus 
is  to  increase  awareness,  support  &  recognition  within  world  of 
indie  black  filmmaker  &  heighten  diversity  of  indie  black  films. 
Fest  accepts  material  from  any  filmmaker  who  demonstrates 
creative  abilities  within  black  cinema.  A  new  event,  "Practicing 
the  Pitch,"  gives  filmmakers  the  opportunity  to  pitch  their  pro- 
jects to  industry  executives.  The  1999  Script  Competition  will 
award  winner  with  cash  &  prizes  &  showcase  winning  script  as 
part  of  the  "Evening  Script  Reading  Series".  Application  fees 
("Pitch"  &  script  competition  entered  separately):  $30  (early), 
$45  (late).  The  1999  Feature  &  Short  Film  Competition  will 
award  the  winner  with  cash  &  prizes.  Formats:  16mm  &  35mm. 
Entry  fees:  Shorts  $25  (early),  $40  (late);  Features  $30  (early), 
$45  (late).  For  appl.  &  info:  (973)  669-8683;  fa*  669-1282; 
cmpnyc@msn.com;  www.marthasflavorfest.com 

NEW  YORK  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  July  16-22,  NY  Deadline:  March 
19.  Originally  presented  as  part  of  the  New  York  Film  Festival, 
this  noncompetitive  fest  is  now  an  independent  project,  pre- 
sented in  association  with  the  Lincoln  Center's  summer  fest.  It 
aims  to  present  the  latest  in  electronic  arts  &  includes  video. 
HDTV  &  CD-ROM.  All  videos  shown  are  single  channel,  project- 
ed in  the  Film  Society's  268-seat  Walter  Reade  Theater  at 
Lincoln  Center.  Multi-channel  video  installations  are  on  view  in 
the  theater's  Furman  gallery.  There  are  no  categories  or 
awards.  Average  of  40  works  presented  in  14  programs;  cover- 
age in  NY  Times  &  Village  Voice,  as  well  as  out-of-town  &  int'l 
coverage.  Submitted  works  should  be  recent  (w/in  past  two 
years);  New  York  premieres  preferred,  but  not  required. 
Formats:  3/4",  1/2",  Beta,  CD-ROM.  Preview  on  3/4",  1/2",  CD- 
ROM  (for  pc).  Please  do  not  submit  preview  in  Beta,  though 
Beta  is  preferred  format  for  screening.  No  entry  fee.  Do  not  send 
masters;  tapes  not  returned.  Entry  from  avail,  from  website. 
Contact:  NYVF,  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center,  70  Lincoln  Center 
Plaza,  NY,  NY  10023;  (212)  875-5610;  fax:  875-5636;  film- 
linc@dti.net;  www.filmlinc.com 

NORTH  CAROLINA  GAY  AND  LESBIAN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  August, 
NC.  Deadline:  May  1.  5th  year  fest  aims  to  open  up  audiences 
to  wide  spectrum  of  films  by  and/or  about  gay/lesbian/bisexu- 
al/transgender  lives.  NCGLFF  also  produces  various  events 
leading  up  until  festival.  Films  shown  in  Durham's  Carolina 
Theatre.  Fest  accepts  features,  docs  and  shorts  of  any  length, 
genre  or  category.  No  restriction  on  films'  year  of  completion. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Entry  fee:  $15.  For  entry 
form  or  more  info,  contact:  Lawrence  Ferber,  NCGLFF 
Coordinator,  1200E  Schaub  Dr.,  Raleigh,  NC  27606;  (919)  859- 
9831;  fax:  233-9299;  NY  office:  (718)  369-0601; 
NCGLFF@aol.com 

PHILADELPHIA  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  19-25, 
PA.  Deadline:  April  1.  Philafilm  is  calling  for  entries  in  22nd 
annual  fest  that  seeks  to  provide  an  int'l  forum  for  the  presen- 
taion,  critique  &  distribution  of  indie  film  &  video  productions. 
This  year's  theme  is  "PhilaFilm  and  the  Century  of  Film."  Cats: 


42    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


features,  shorts,  docs,  anima- 
tion, exp,  TV  series,  super  8, 
student  work,  music  videos. 
Awards:  certificates,  trophies  & 
cash.  Format:  35mm,  16mm, 
super  8,  1/2"  VHS,  3/4"  U- 
Matic.  Entry  fees:  $25  (super  8, 
student);  $50  (all  films  84  mm. 
&  under);  $100  (all  films  85 
min.  &  over).  Preview  on  VHS. 
Contact:  Philafilm,  Int'l  Assoc, 
of  Motion  Picture  &  TV  Pro- 
ducers, 2623  Sorrento  Dr.,  Suite 
A,  Philadelphia,  PA  19131; 
(215)  879-8209;  fax:  879-3026 


SOPHOMORE  EFFORT 
IN  WINDY  CITY 


Although  too  new  to  have  developed 
an  identity,  the  Chicago  AltFilm 
Festival  does  have  a  clear  inten- 
tion. (And  a  distinctive  trophy:  a 
replica  of  Picasso's  famous  sculp- 
ture in  Daley  Plaza.)  It  was  recently 
conceived  by  Chicago  filmmaker 
Dennis  Neal  Vaughn  to  fill  what  he 
saw  as  a  void  in  the  Chicago  festi- 
val scene.  With  many  of  the  local 
fests  bearing  prefixes  like  Inter- 
national, Latino  &  Underground,  the 
idea  was  to  focus  on  American 
indies  and  their  films.  Accepting 
features,  docs  &  shorts  in  film, 
video  &  digital  formats,  AltFilm 
touts  the  fact  that  they  have  well 
rounded  industry  support  from  folks 
like  DGA,  SAG,  IFP/ Midwest  as  well 
as  Kodak  &  Planet  Hollywood.  Looking 
ahead,  the  festival's  plans  include  touring 
select  films  from  the  festival  throughout 
Illinois  and  the  Midwest 


Francke,  Director,  Edinburgh  Int'l  Film 
Fest,  Filmhouse,  88  Lothian  Road, 
Edinburgh,  EH3  9BZ,  Scotland,  United 


WEST  PALM  BEACH  INDEPEN- 
DENT FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  28- 

30,  FL.  Deadline:  April  1.  4th 
annual  fest  was  created  to 
encourage  &  showcase  innova- 
tive, short  independent  works 
from  new,  independent,  and  low 
budget  film  &  videomakers. 
Send  VHS  tapes  of  original  film  l^^^"^^^^*""E 
&  video  works  of  30  min.  or  less 
in  categories  of  fiction,  doc,  music  video,  experimental,  and 
animation.  Entry  fee:  $15.  Please  incl.  SASE  if  you  would  like 
tapes  returned.  Award  prizes  include  raw  filmstock  &  equip- 
ment. Contact:  WPBIFR  222  Lakeview  Ave.,  Suite  160-284, 
West  Palm  Beach,  FL,  33401;  (561)  802-3029,  fax:  655-4190; 
www.wpbiff.org. 

WINE  COUNTRY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  22-Aug.  15,  CA. 
Deadline:  May  1.  In  13th  yr,  fest  features  competitive  &  non- 
competitive programs  in  the  heart  of  California's  wine  country, 
60  miles  north  of  S.F  Program  of  over  100  films  from  around 
the  world  in  theaters  &  outdoor  venues  in  Napa  and  Sonoma 
Valleys.  Open  to  features,  shorts,  docs  &  animation.  Awards 
incl.  Blockbuster  Short  Film  Competition,  David  Wolper  Doc. 
Prize,  First  Feature  Prize,  Best  of  Fest  &  Robert  Mondavi  Peace 
Prize  for  film  best  promoting  goodwill  &  cultural  understanding. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  some  video.  Entry  fee  $30.  All  sub- 
missions on  1/2".  Contact:  WCFF,  12000  Henno  Rd.,  Box  303, 
Glen  Ellen,  CA  95442;  (707)  996-2536;  fax:  996-6964;  wcfilm- 
fest@aol.com;  www.winezone.com 

Foreign 

EDINBURGH  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL  August, 
Scotland.  Deadline:  Mid  May.  "Fest  of  discovery,  celebration  of 
cinema,  centre  of  debate,  &  catalyst  for  new  directors  &  first 
films."  Began  in  1947  as  a  doc  film  fest  &  is  particularly  inter- 
ested in  non-fiction;  also  premieres.  Showcases  about  110 
new  features  and  120  new  shorts  each  yr;  shows  live  action  & 
animated  shorts  before  every  film  in  every  section.  In  1995  ini- 
tiated New  British  Expo,  a  market  &  talent  spotting  showcase 
for  British  film.  All  films  screened  to  public  audiences  except 
NBX;  also  screenings  for  press,  delegates  &  attending  guests. 
Awards  go  to  Best  New  British  Feature,  Best  British  Animation 
plus  Standard  Life  Audience  Award,  Channel  Four  Director's 
Award,  Observer  Documentary  Award  and  Pathe  Performance 
Award.  Formats:  70mm,  35mm,  16mm,  Beta.  Preview  on  1/2" 
(VHS).  Entry  fee:  £10-£80,  depending  on  budget.  Lizzie 


Kingdom;  teh  Oil  44  131  228  4051;  fax: 
Oil  44  131  229  5501;  info@edfilm 
fest.org.uk;  www.edfilmfest.org.uk 


FESTIVAL  OF  NATIONS,  June  20-26, 
Ebensee,  Austria.  Deadline:  April  1.  All 
noncommercial  films  &  videos  qualified  to  participate.  Please 
enclose  short  description  of  film.  Film/video  must  be  complet- 
ed within  the  last  two  years.  Duration  of  film  is  limited  to  30 
min.  Films  rated  by  int'l  jury.  Formats:  16mm,  super  8,  VHS,  S- 
VHS.  Awards:  "Ebenseer  Bear"  in  gold,  silver  and  bronze.  The 
Austrian  Science  and  art  Minister  Prize:  AT  3,000.  "Special 
Award  for  Best  Film"  of  the  Competition:  The  author  (or  one 
member  of  the  team)  will  receive  an  invitation  to  participate 
free  of  charge  in  the  festival  in  the  next  year.  Special  Award  for 
best  experimental  film.  UNICA-Medaille  Certificate  for  every 
participant.  Contact:  Erich  Riess,  Abergstrasse  82,  A-4060 
Lmz,  Austria;  tel/fax:  Oil  43  732  673  693 

HUESCA  IBEROAMERICAN  AND  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT 
FILM  FESTIVAL,  June  3-12,  Spain.  Deadline:  April  1.  Founded 
in  1973,  competitive  showcase  for  Spanish  &  foreign  short 
films  has  aim  of  "the  dissemination  of  image  as  a  contribution 
to  the  better  knowledge  &  fraternity  among  the  nations  of  the 
world."  Awards:  "Ciudad  de  Huesca"  Golden  Danzante 
(1,000,000  ptas);  Silver  Danzante  (500,000  ptas);  Bronze 
Danzante  (250,000  ptas.).  Other  awards:  Award  "Sociedad 
General  de  Autores  y  Editores"  for  best  script;  Award 
"Francisco  Garcia  De  Paso"  to  short  film  that  best  emphasizes 
human  values;  Award  "Casa  de  America"  to  best  new  director 
(their  first  or  second  production  in  16mm  or  35mm).  No  the- 
matic restrictions  except  no  films  dealing  w/  tourism  or  public- 
ity. Entries  must  be  unawarded  in  other  fests  in  Spain,  pro- 
duced in  1998  or  1999  &  be  under  30  min.  Of  approx.  400 
entries  received  each  year,  about  170  shown.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Jose  Maria  Escriche  Otal, 
Comite  de  Direccion,  Festival  International  Cortos  "Ciudad  de 
Huesca",  C/  Parque  1,  2,  22002  Huesca//  Apartado  174, 
22080  Huesca,  Spain;  teh  Oil  34  974  21  25  82;  fax:  34  974 
21  00  65;  huescafest@tsai.es;  www.huesca-filmfestival.com 

HUNGARIAN  MULTICULTURAL  CENTER  FILM  AND  VIDEO 
FESTIVAL,  Sept.  20-22,  Hungary.  Deadline:  Apr.  28.  3rd  annu- 
al fest  accepts  film,  video  (PAL)  &  animated  works.  Include 


STUDENTS:  CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

How  is  POPULATION  GROWTH  affecting 

CONSUMPTION  •  ENVIRONMENT  •  SUSTAINABIUTY 

$10,000  IN  PRIZES 

NO  ENTRY  FEE 

TV  EXPOSURE 'NATIONAL  TOUR 

For  more  information,  a  resource  guide  and 
a  copy  of  the  video  Best  of  Festival ,  contact: 
WPFVF  •  46  Fox  Hill  Road,  Bernardston,  MA 

01337  •  TL:  800  638-9464  •  FX:  41  3  648-9204 

eM;  info@wplvf.com  •  www.wpfvf.com 

Sponsored  by  Sopris  Foundation,  Searchlight 

Films  &  Population  Communications  International 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 

FEATURES 

SHORTS 

DOCUMENTARIES 

BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

DEMO  REELS 

MUSIC  VIDEOS 

CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services  with 
experienced  cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/563  0210 

FAX:  212/563  0221 

mercient@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


AA 


l/\ 


March  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


CALL 


F    O    R 


E    N    T    R 


E    S 


4TH   ANNUAL  STONY  BROOK   FILM   FESTIVAL 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts 

State  University  at  Stony  Brook,  New  York 

Competitions  in  1 6mm  and  35mm  films 
including  features,  shorts,  documentary 
and  animation.  Largest  film  screen  in  the 
region  (40  ft.  wide)  in  dolby  stereo  sound! 
Previous  guests  and  honorees  include 
Steve  Buscemi,  Rod  Steiger,  Eli  Wallach 
and  Cliff  Robertson. 

For  more  information,  call  516-632-7233 

or  email  pcohen@notes.cc.sunysb.edu 

Entry  forms  are  available  online  at  www.stallercenter.com/festival 

or  write  to:  Stony  Brook  Film  Festival,  Staller  Center  for  the  Arts, 

rm  2032,  SUNY  Stony  Brook,  Stony  Brook,  NY  1 1 794-5425. 


long  &  short  form  nonlinear  editing 

online/offline,  motion  graphics,  film 


affordable 

rates  for 

independents! 


65  st  marks  place,  suite  16,  nyc  10003         David  Chmura,  editor 


n^i.^,,  ~  FILM  &  VIDEO 
i/CLOUr  212-228-1914 


FESTIVALS 


English  text  of  work  &  a  brief  bio,  for  PR  &  program  book.  Work 
must  be  under  30  min.  in  length  and  been  completed  in 
1997/1998.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC),  include  SASE  for  return. 
Entry  fee:  $35.  Entries  must  be  postmarked  no  later  than  April 
12.  Contact:  Hungarian  Multicultural  Center,  Inc.,  6723  Forest 
Lane,  Dallas,  TX  75230.  Or  Beata  Szechy,  tel/fax:  (972)  308- 
8191;  bszechy@mail.smu.edu 

INTERNATIONAL  FILMFESTIVAL  CINEMATOGRAPH.  June  2-9, 
Austria.  Deadline:  March  15.  Now  in  8th  year,  test  presents  50 
films  produced  in  Africa,  N.  &  S.  America.  This  year's  retro: 
"From  Eisenstein  to  Marcos — Indigenas  in  Mexico."  Submitted 
films  must  be  Austrian  premiere,  with  no  screenings  anywhere 
prior  to  June  4,  1997.  Presence  of  one  member  of  production 
at  festival.  Freight  charges  to  test  borne  by  producer;  return 
charges  borne  by  festival.  Cats:  feature,  short,  doc,  animation. 
Formats:  35mm  &  16mm.  Contact:  IFFC,  Museumstr.  31,  Box 
704,  A-6020,  Innsbruck,  Austria;  01 1  43  512  580723; fax:  Oil 
43  512  581762;  cinematograph@www.tirolkultur.at; 
www.tirolkultur.at/cinematograph 

INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL  FOR  CHILDREN  &  YOUNG 

PEOPLE,  July  5-16,  Uruguay.  Deadline:  May  7.  8th  annual 
test  presents  overview  of  new  films  for  children  &  adolescents, 
facilitates  access  to  best  &  most  diverse  material  created 
today  &  encourages  distribution  of  new  films  for  children. 
Awards  incL  prizes  for  best  fiction,  animation,  doc;  Guri  Prize 
for  best  of  test,  UNICEF  Prize,  to  best  film/video  promoting  the 
rights  of  a  child;  OCIC  Prize,  best  film/video  enhancing  human 
values,  and  Children's  Jury  Award.  Entries  cannot  have  been 
shown  in  Uruguay  and  must  include;  complete  tech  info,  five- 
line  synopsis  of  work,  dialogue  script  in  English  or  Portuguese 
&  VHS  copy  of  film.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  S-VHS,  Betacam 
SR  VHS  (NTSC  &  PAL).  Contact:  Cinemateca  Uruguaya,  Lorenzo 
Carnelli  1311,  11200  Montevideo,  Uruguay;  fax:  Oil  598  2 
409  4572;  cinemuy@chasque.apc.org 

JERUSALEM  FILM  FESTIVAL  July  8-17,  Israel.  Deadline;  Apr. 
15. 16th  annual  test  will  screen  over  175  films  in  various  cats, 
including  int'l  cinema,  doc,  shorts,  animation,  avant  garde,  US 
indie,  Israeli  &  Mediterranean  cinema;  Jewish  themes,  restora- 
tions &  classics.  Awards  inch  Wolgin  Awards  for  Israeli  cine- 
ma, Upper  Award  for  best  Israeli  script;  (Int'l  competition:  Wim 
van  Leer  In  the  Spirit  of  Freedom  Award,  Jewish  Theme  Award 
&  Mediterranean  Cinema).  Must  be  Israeli  premieres.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  video.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Lia  van  Leer, 
Director.  Box  8561,  Derech  Hebron  11,  Box  8561,  Jerusalem 
91083;  tel;  Oil  972  2  671-5117  or  672-4131;  fax:  673-3076; 
festival@jer-cin.org.il;  www.jer.cine.  org.il 

KARLOVY  VARY  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  2-10, 
Czech  Republic.  Deadline;  April.  Annual  FIAPF-recognized 
competitive  fest,  founded  in  1946.  Held  at  one  of  world's  old- 
est &  most  famous  spas,  fest  is  one  of  largest  film  events  in 
central  Europe.  Feature  competition  &  Doc  competition  (fea- 
ture-length &  shorts)  accompanied  by  several  noncompetitive 
sections.  Competition  entries  must  have  be  completed  since 
Jan.  1  of  previous  yr  &  not  have  competed  in  other  int'l  tests. 
Awards:  Grand  Prize  of  Crystal  Globe,  Special  Jury  Award,  Best 
Director  Prize,  Best  Actor/Actress  &  Lifetime  Achievement 
Award.  Formats:  35mm  only.  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Jiri 
Bartoska,  Karlovy  Vary  Int'l  Film  Festival,  Panska  1,  110  00 
Prague  1.  Czech  Republic;  Oil  420  2  24  23  54  13;  fax:  Oil 
420  2  24  23  34  08. 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


MELBOURNE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  22-Aug. 
8,  Australia.  Deadline:  March  5  (shorts);  April  2  (features). 
FIAPF-recognized  test  celebrates  48th  anniv.  as  one  of 
Australia's  largest,  and  its  oldest,  fests.  Eclectic  mix  of  indie 
work,  w/  special  interest  in  feature  docs  &  shorts.  Substantial 
program  of  new  Australian  cinema.  Int'l  short  film  competition 
important  part  of  test,  w/  cash  prizes  in  7  cats:  Grand  Prix  City 
of  Melbourne  Award  for  Best  Film  ($5,000)  &  $2,000  each  in 
best  Australian,  experimental,  animated,  doc  &  fiction  film 
cats.  Add'l  special  awards  inch  Kino  Cinemas  Award  for  cre- 
ative excellence  in  Australian  short  film  ($2,500).  Open  to 
films  of  all  kinds,  except  training  &  ads.  Films  30  min.  or  less 
eligible  for  Int'l  Short  Film  Competition;  films  over  60  min.  eli- 
gible for  noncompetitive  feature  program.  Video  &  super  8  pro- 
ductions considered  for  "out-of-competition"  screenings. 
Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in  previous  yr  &  not 
screened  in  Melbourne  or  broadcast  on  Australian  TV.  Fest  use- 
ful window  to  Australian  theatrical  &  nontheatrical  outlets, 
educ  distributors  &  Australian  TV.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
3/4",  1/2",  super  8.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC  or  PAL).  Entry  fee: 
$20.  Contact:  Sandra  Sdraulig,  exec,  dir.,  MIFF,  Box  2206, 
Fitzroy  VIC  3065  Australia;  011  61  3  417  2011;  fax:  011  61  3 
417  3804;  miff@netspace.net.au;  www.cinemedia.net/MIFF 

MUNICH  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June  26-July  3,  Germany.  Deadline: 
May  1.  Fee:  none.  Open  to  all  genres  w/  awards  for  Best  Int'l 
TV  Film,  as  well  as  special  awards  for  German  filmmakers. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Contact:  Eberhard  Hauff,  Director, 
Filmfest  Munchen,  Kaiserstr.  39,  D-80801  Munchen,  Germany; 
011  49  89  38  19040;  fax:  011  49  89  38  190426. 


ODENSE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Aug  16-21, 
Denmark.  Deadline:  April  1.  14th  annual  fest  is  organized  by 
city  of  Odense  &  Danish  Film  Institute.  It  is  designed  to  screen 
unusual  short  films  w/  an  original  &  imaginative  sense  of  cre- 
ative delight  as  found  in  the  works  of  Hans  Christian  Anderson 
Cats:  Experimental-imaginative  &  fairy  tale.  Films  must  not 
exceed  45  min.  Film  must  have  been  completed  on  or  after  May 
1,  1998.  Educational,  advertising  &  tourist  films  cannot  com- 
pete. Awards:  Grand  Prix,  most  imaginative,  most  surprising  & 
special  jury  prizes.  Formats:  16mm  &  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS 
Entries  must  include:  entry  form,  one  still  photo  &  complete 
dialogue  list  in  English.  Contact:  OIFF,  Vindegade  18,  DK-5000 
Odense  C,  Denmark;  011  45  6613  1372  x.4044;  fax:  45  6591 
4318;  filmfestival@post.odkomm.dk;  www.filmfestival.dk 

PESARO  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Mid-June,  Italy.  Deadline:  March  31. 
35th  annual  festival,  The  "New  Cinema"  program  includes: 
features,  shorts,  fiction,  nonfiction,  experimental,  animation 
works  on  film  (35/16mm)  and  on  video  (U-matic,  Betacam) 
production  requirements:  Italian  premiere,  completion  after 
January  1st,  1998.  Festival  is  non-competitive.  There  is  entry 
form  or  fee  for  entries.  Send  a  VHS  tape,  any  standard,  (if  not 
English  or  French  spoken  or  subtitled,  enclose  dialogue  list  in 
one  of  these  languages)  to:  Mostra  Int.  Nuovo  Cinema,  Via 
Villafranca  20,  00185  Rome,  Italy;  pesarofilmfest@mclmk.it 

ST.  PETERSBURG  "MESSAGE  TO  MAN"  FESTIVAL,  July  17-24 
Russia.  Deadline:  April  10.  Accepts  feature  doc  (up  to  120 
min.),  short  doc  (up  to  40  min.),  short  fiction  (up  to  60  mm.), 
animated  films  (up  to  60  mm.).  Program  mcl.  best  debut  (1st 
professional  as  well  as  student  films),  int'l  competition  &  spe- 
cial programs.  Entries  must  have  been  completed  after  Jan., 


1998.  Cash  awards.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  1/2" 
VHS.  Entry  fee:  $35.  Contact  in  US:  Anne  Bonn,  c/o  Donnell 
Media  Center,  10  W  53rd  St.,  NY,  NY  10019;  (212)  586-6367; 
fax:  586-6391;  Contact:  Mikhail  Litviakov,  SPIFF,  12 
Karavannaya  191011,  St.  Petersburg,  Russia;  tel:  Oil  7  812 
235  2660;  fax:  Oil  7  812  235  3995. 

VILA  DO  CONDE  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

July  6-11,  Portugal.  Deadline:  April  23. 7th  annual  fest  accept- 
ing films  under  40  mm.  produced  in  1998  or  1999.  Cats:  fic- 
tion, doc,  animation.  Awards:  Grand  Prize  in  each  category  of 
a  trophy,  diploma  &  PTE500.000;  Prize  of  the  Audience,  trophy 
&  PTE300.000.  Preview  on  VHS.  If  film  has  dialogue  in  lan- 
guages other  than  English,  French,  Spanish  or  Portugese  &  it  is 
not  subtitled  in  any  of  these  languages,  include  translated 
script.  Extracts  of  accepted  films  may  be  broadcast  on  TV 
channels  for  festival  publicity.  Entry  form  required  &  avail,  on 
website.  Contact:  Auditorio  Municipal,  Praca  da  Republica, 
4480-715  Vila  do  Conde,  Portugal;  Oil  351  52  641644;  fax: 
351  52  642871;  isffviladoconde@mailtelepac.pt;  www. 
ficm-vc.bsi.net 

WELLINGTON  FILM  FESTIVAL/AUCKLAND  INTERNATIONAL 
FILM  FESTIVAL,  July,  New  Zealand.  Deadline:  late  April. 
Noncompetitive  fest,  now  in  28th  year.  From  core  program  of 
120  features  (&  as  many  shorts),  fest  simultaneously  presents 
Auckland  &  Wellington  Film  Festivals  &  programs  that  travel  to 
cities  of  Dunedin  &  Chnstchurch.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
Beta.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Bill  Gosden,  NZFF,  Box  9544,  Te 
Aro,  Wellington,  New  Zealand;  tel:  01 1  64  4  385  0162;  fax:  01 1 
64  4  801  7304;  enzedff@actrix.gen.nz;  www.enzedff.co.nz 


The  Independent  Feature  Project 
in  association  with  the 
Writers  Guild  of  America,  East  presents 

FROM  SCRIPT 
TO  SCREEN 

A  conference  on  screenplay  development 

April  9-11,  1999 


IFP 


Fashion  Institute  of  Technology,  New  York  City 


For  a  brochure  and  application  form  call  the  Independent  Feature  Project  at  (212)  465  8244  ext:  801 
or  download  from  IndieLink,  IFP's  website  www.ifp.org.  after  March  1,  1999. 


Sponsored  by 


iVOICE 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


NOTICES 


NOTICES  OF  RELEVANCE  TO  AIVF  MEMBERS  ARE  LIST- 
ED FREE  OF  CHARGE  AS  SPACE  PERMITS.  THE 
INDEPENDENT  RESERVES  THE  RIGHT  TO  EDIT  FOR 
LENGTH  AND  MAKES  NO  GUARANTEES  ABOUT  THE 
NUMBER  OF  PLACEMENTS  FOR  A  GIVEN  NOTICE.  LIMIT 
SUBMISSIONS  TO  60  WORDS  &  INDICATE  HOW  LONG 
INFO  WILL  BE  CURRENT.  DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE 
MONTH,  TWO  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G., 
APRIL  1  FOR  JUNE  ISSUE).  COMPLETE  CONTACT  INFO 
(NAME,  ADDRESS  &  PHONE)  MUST  ACCOMPANY  ALL 
NOTICES.  SEND  TO:  INDEPENDENT  NOTICES,  FIVF,  304 
HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  WE  TRY  TO  BE  AS 
CURRENT  AS  POSSIBLE,  BUT  DOUBLE-CHECK  BEFORE 
SUBMITTING  TAPES  OR  APPLICATIONS. 


Competitions 

buck  henry  screenwriting  scholarship:  two  $500 

scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in 
Screenwriting  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineli- 
gible. Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690: 
www.afionline.org 

F.0.CU.S.  INSTITUTE  OF  FILM  call  for  screenplays:  "original, 
compelling  human  stories  that  promote  positive  values  & 
social  responsibility — material  that  endeavors  to  stir  the 
human  spirit."  Deadline:  June  1.  2-5  screenwriters  selected 
for  mentorship  program  &  one  script  will  go  into  production. 
Proceeds  from  release  of  films  produced  by  FO.C.U.S.  will 
est.  academic  &  vocational  scholarship  funds  for  underpriv- 
ileged foster  children.  Info  &  appl.  materials  available  by  fax- 
ing name,  address  &  tel.  to:  (310)  472-1481  or  go  to 
www.focusinstituteoffilm.com 

SCREENWRITERS:  Film  Factory  is  currently  seeking  original 
feature-length  screenplays  to  produce  in  1999.  Please  send 
treatments  or  scripts  to:  FILM  FACTORY,  c/o  Dominic 
Giannetti  &  Harry  Glen,  M.D,  103  US  Hwy,  Ste.  209.  Jupiter, 
FL  23477.  Others  interested  (actors,  crew,  etc.)  please  send 
head  shots  and/or  resumes. 

TREATMENTS  FOR  DOCUMENTARY  FILMS  not  more  than  10 
pgs,  sought  by  working  independent  doc  filmmakers. 
Contact:  Cinnabar  Pictures,  62  White  St.,  New  York,  NY 
10013;  (212)  334-6838. 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  and  Avid  Short  Film  Camp: 

Digital  Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature 
films  and  shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  the  supervision  of 
an  experienced  feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multi- 
ple Avid  Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen 
features  and  four  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  the  end  of 
1999.  Principal  photography  and  transfer  must  be  completed 
on  feature-length  film  (70+  min.)  or  short  (70-  mm.).  Can 
be  doc,  narrative,  or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler, 
AFFC  director,  (503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

CONTENT  '99,  May  19-21.  The  National  Educational  Media 
Network  presents  13th  Annual  Media  Market  and  biennial 


Conference  for  producers  an  distributors.  The  Market — the 
only  one  in  the  nation  devoted  exclusively  to  educational 
works — seeks  submissions  by  film/video  producers.  Early 
bird  deadline:  March  15;  regular  deadline:  April  27.  At  the 
biennial  conference,  attendees  learn  the  latest  trends  in  pro- 
duction, distribution  and  exhibition.  Early  bird  deadline:  April 
19.  Rates  vary;  discounts  available  for  '99  Apple  Awards 
Competition  entrants.  CONTENT  will  culminate  in  the  29th 
Annual  Apple  Awards  Film  &  Video  Festival  (May  21-22)  at 
the  Oakland  Museum  of  California.  For  brochure  &  applica- 
tion contact:  NEMN,  655  13th  St.,  Ste.  100,  Oakland,  CA 
94612;  (510)  465-6885;  fax:  (510)  465-2835;  content® 
nemn.org;  www.nemn.org 

Films  •  Tapes 

AIR  YCUR  SHORTS:  new  public  access  cable  show  seeks 
short  films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No  pay,  just  sat- 
isfaction &  publicity  of  having  films  aired.  Sean  (714)  723- 
6740;  http://members.aol.com/ShortFilmz 

THE  AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its 
ongoing  program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for 
Independent  Film  Exhibition  and  Beyond.  Send  submissions 
on  1/2"  VHS  tape.  Feature-length  independent  film,  docu- 
mentary and  new  media  projects  wanted.  1800  N.  Highland, 
Ste.  717,  L.A..  CA  90028.  For  more  info,  call  (213)  466-FILM. 

A.R.C.  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All 
media  including  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622  or  call  (312)  733-2787. 

ASHLAND  CABLE  ACCESS  seeks  video  shows.  VHS,  S-VHS  & 
3/4"  OK,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient  SASE. 
Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide,  Southern 
Oregon  State  College,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR 
97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

BALLYHOO!:  Central  Florida  TV  show  featuring  independent 
film  and  filmmakers  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30 
min.  Hour-long  community  access  show  produced  by 
Frameworks  Alliance,  a  non-profit  organization  that  also  pro- 
duces the  Central  Florida  Film  &  Video  Festival.  Each 
Ballyhoo!  episode  aired  twice  weekly  for  one  month  to  over 
700,000  viewers.  Submit  VHS  tape  and  return  postage  to 
Frameworks  Alliance,  c/o  Sean  Wilson  at  1906  E.  Robinson 
St.  Orlando.  FL  32803.  (407)  839-6045;  fax:  898-0504. 

BIG  FILM  SHORTS  is  now  accepting  short  films,  any  genre, 
for  worldwide  distribution.  Details  at  www.bigfilmshorts.com 
or  for  info:  (818)563-2633. 

THE  BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  and 
multimedia  works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  Looking 
for  original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  and  screen  ratio  for 
the  Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  band- 
width limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium7 
For  submission  guidelines,  check  out:  www.lnPhiladelphia. 
com/TheBitScreen 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS,  in  its  4th  year,  accepting 
video,  film  and  computer-art  submissions  on  an  ongoing 
basis  for  monthly  screening  program  called  "Independent 
Exposure."  Artists  paid  an  honorarium.  Looking  for  experi- 
mental, erotic,  humorous,  dramatic,  narrative,  subversive, 


animation  &  underground  works,  but  will  review  anything  for 
possible  screening.  Submit  a  VHS  (or  S-VHS) ,  clearly  labeled 
w/  name,  title,  length,  phone  number  along  w/  any  support 
materials,  incl. photos.  Also  include  $5  entry  fee  which  will  be 
returned  if  your  work  is  not  selected.  Include  SASE  if  you  wish 
the  work(s)  to  be  returned.  Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair 
Productions.  2318  Second  Ave..  #313-A,  Seattle,  WA 
98121.  Info/details:  (206)  568-6051,  joel@speakeasy.org; 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair 

CABLE  SHOWCASE  seeks  productions.  Send  1/2"  or  3/4" 
tapes  to:  Bob  Neuman,  Program  Director,  Laurel  Cable 
Network,  8103  Sandy  Spring  Road,  Laurel,  Maryland  20707. 
Tapes  cannot  be  returned. 

CHICAGO  ADULT  AMATEUR  VIDEO  FESTIVAL  celebrates  the 
worlwide  free  speech  of  diverse  sexually-oriented  lifestyles 
through  showcasing  all  genres  of  erotic  video.  Accepting  all 
genres,  under  40  mm.,  1/2"  NTSC  or  PAL  versions.  Request 
info:  CAAVF,  2501  N.  Lincoln  Ave.,  #198,  Chicago,  IL  60614- 
2313;  (312)  910-5224;  caavf@juno.com;  www.elsenent.er- 
tainment.com/xxx 

THE  CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  &  feature-length 
European  films  on  video  for  language  project,  preferably 
without  subtitles.  We  desire  only  limited  rights.  Contact: 
Brian  Nardone,  RO.  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970)  925- 
2805;  fax:  925-9880;  briann@rof.net;  www.rof.net/yp/cine 
lingua.html 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS  seeks  short  films  for  monthly  showcases 
highlighting  works  by  up  &  coming  filmmakers.  Contact: 
Eugene  Williams  or  Marceil  Wright,  Doboy's  Dozens,  1525  N. 
Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (213)  293-6544. 

DOCUMENTAL,  doc.  and  exp  bimonthly  film  video  series  at 
LA's  historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of 
any  length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka  (310)  306-7330. 

DOMESTIC  HOME  VIDEO  LABEL  seeks  films  of  all  genres  for 
possible  distribution.  Send  VHS  screening  tapes  and  press 
kits  to:  Screen  Pix  Home  Video,  Attn:  David  Eddy,  172 
Honeywell  Corners  Rd„  Broadaldm,  NY  12025. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS,  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  Mc  Collough  or  Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927; 
dutv@post.drexel.edu;  www.httpsrv.ocs.drexel.edu/~dutv/ 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  tor  the  99-00  exhibition  sea- 
son. All  media  considered  including  2-D,  3-D,  performance, 
video,  and  computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  compa- 
rable documentation,  SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery. 
Wightman  132,  Central  Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml 


EXHIBIT  YOUR  FILMS  AT  GRAND  ILLUSION.  Seattle  s 

Northwest  Film  Forum  seeks  16mm  &  35mm  shorts  (60  mm. 
or  less)  for  ongoing  exhibition.  Selected  works  shown  before 
regular  programming  at  Seattle's  only  md.  arthouse  theater. 
Send  video  &  SASE  to  NWFF  c/o  Grand  Illusion,  1403  NE  50th 
St.,  Seattle,  WA  98105. 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  &  works-in-progress 
seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial  resources  for 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


CLIPS,  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invited  audience  of 
industry  professionals.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Contact:  Tommaso 
Fiacchino,  (212)  971-5846. 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for 
public/commercial  TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  SVHS  to  Floating 
Image  Productions,  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90406  (incl. 
SASE  for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www.artnet.net/~floating 
image 

"FUNNY  SHORTS"  requests  submissions  of  funny  short  films 
for  new  syndicated  TV  show.  Shorts  maybe  on  film  or  video  & 
must  be  no  longer  than  20  min.  Students,  amateurs  &  pro- 
fessionals welcome.  Cash  &  prizes  will  be  awarded  for  films 
chosen  for  broadcast.  Tapes  not  returnable.  Send  entries  on 
VHS  to:  Funny  Shorts  c/o  Vitascope,  Box  24981,  New 
Orleans,  LA  70184-4981. 

IN  THE  COMPANY  OF  WOMEN:  Public  access  TV  show  fea- 
turing the  works  of  women  filmmakers.  All  lengths  welcome. 
Send  VHS  copy,  filmmakers  bio,  and  SASE  to:  In  the  Company 
of  Women,  139  E.  89th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11236. 

KINOFIST IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  with  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  and  distribution  within  the 
underground  community.  DIY,  exp.  &  activist  work  encour- 
aged. Send  VHS,  SASE  to  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for 
ongoing  bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/ 
brief  bio  and  SASE  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box 
1220  Canal  Street  Station,  New  York,  NY  10013.  Info: 
kf_vl@hotmail.com 

MIDNIGHT  MATINEE  seeks  alternative  videos  for  monthly 
cable  access  show  on  Maui.  Possible  Hawaiian  distribution. 
Any  topics,  genres;  the  more  "out  there,"  the  better.  Send 
SVHS  or  VHS  copy  &  release  w/  SASE.  Paradise  Productions, 
326  Pukalani  St.,  Pukalani,  HI  96768. 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  ongo- 
ing opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  to:  NY  Film  Buffs. 
318  W.  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10011;  (212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  mins  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  with  a  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audi- 
ence. Works  longer  than  15  mins  will  be  considered  for  the 
regular  group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works 
on  16mm  w/  an  optical  track.  Please  send  all  films,  together 
w/  a  completed  entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short 
Film  Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space, 
70  N.  6th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax  (718)  388-8713; 
ocularis@billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

THE  PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  ongo- 
ing series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  and  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  and/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  and  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  For  more  info,  contact  Ken 
Sherman:  (212)  792-6286;  kensherman@  makor.org 


School 


Learn  How 

Independent  Filmmaking 

Really  Works 

THE  ART  OF  THE  PITCH 

The  Shooting  Gallery's  Jim  Powers 

coaches  you  on  pitching 

your  project  to  the  industry. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY 
FOR  THE  DIGITAL  AGE 

A  breakdown  of  digital  video 

from  shooting  through  post, 

with  screenings  on  video  and 

35mm. 

Spring  Session  Begins  In  March 

Call  for  complete  class  listing. 

212-965-9444  x240 

reelschool@filmmakers.org 

http://www.filmmakers.org/school.htm 


«*  /  ii  e/  &  a 


non-linear  video  editing 


Create, 


in  the  comfort 


of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Hanley,  Editor 

212.254.1106 


1999  Call  for  Entries 


FIL7VA    FESTIVAL 

lit!  Annul  fill/Video  F e s t i v a 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts/Stony  Brook  & 

Westhampton  Beach  Performing  Arts  Center 

May  20th-July  30th,  1999 

Call    or    Write    for    Entry    Forms    (Due  4/1/99) 

Christopher  Cooke,  Director 

Long  Island  Film  Festival 

c/o  P.O.  Box   13243 

Hauppauge,  NY  11788 

1-800-762-4769  .  (516)  853-4800 

From   10:00am-6pm,  Mon-Fri 

or  visit  our  website  at  www.lifilm.org 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


ERICAN    MONTAGE    INC 


«;ivifia  kw=p=rirj=fj  r: 


Award  Winning  Clients  And 
Productions  at  Reasonable  Rates 


A  V 


9    0    0  &  4    0    0 

Film  &  Video  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

Time  Coded  Duplication 

Hi-8,  VHS,  3/4SP,  Betacam  SP 
Editing  &  Dubbing 

Mac  Graphics  &  Digital  Effects 


375  West  B'way  3R,  NY,  NY  10012 

3    3    4-8283 


DTD 
Authoring  dt  Encoding 


DITUCATIOX 
POiT  PRODUCTION 


Media  100  Editing 

DVD  Authoring 
MPEG  2  Encoding 

DVD  Burning 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 

145  West  20th  St. 

New  York,  NY  10011 

Fax:  212-242-4419 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


NOTICES 


PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE,  presented  by  Rodeo  Film  Co.,  is 
Portland-based  roving  showcase  &  distr.  co-op  for  exp  & 
underground  film/video.  Curated  shows  exhibited  bi-monthly. 
Formats:  16mm,  VHS.  $5  entry  fee.  Contact:  Peripheral 
Produce,  Rodeo  FilmCo.,  Box  40835.  Portland,  OR  97240; 
mattmpproduce@msn.com 


QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRO- 
DUCERS: Author  seeks  public  access 
show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian, 
bi,  drag  and  trans  subjects,  for  inclu- 
sion in  an  academic  press  book  on 
queer  community  programming.  All 
program  genres  are  welcome.  Send 
VHS  tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman, 
Assistant  Professor,  Communication 
Dept.,  Florida  Atlantic  University,  777 
Glades  Rd.,  Boca  Raton,  FL  33431; 
(561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu; 
Please  include  information  about  your 
program's  history  and  distribution. 

SUDDEN  VIDEO  call  for  entries.  Ind. 
curators  seek  short  works.  Looking  for 
experimental  works  that  approximate 
emotional  tone  of  events  that  inspired 
their  production.  Works  should  be 
under  10  mm.  long  &  be  available  on 
videotape  for  exhibition/distribution. 
Send  submissions  on  VHS  w/  SASE  to: 
Gort/Raad,  17  Edward  Ave., 
Southampton,  MA  01073. 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  pro- 
gram dedicated  to  exposing  innovative 
film  &  video  artists,  seeks  ind.  works 
in  all  genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable 
systems  nationwide.  Send  submis- 
sions to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTV,  33rd  & 
Chestnut  Sts.,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104; 
(215)  895-2927;  fax  895-1054. 


DROP  ONE,  PURL  ONE 


Now  in  its  7th  year,  the  Knitting 
Factory's  bi-weekly  Video  Lounge 
presents  Searching  for  Go-Hyang 
from  the  Women  Make  Movies  Video 
collection  in  celebration  of  Women's 
History  Month.  Dedicated  to 
the  video  works  of  emerging  jB^. 
international  artists,  the 
Video  Lounge  showcases 
experimental,  digital,  and 
animation  works  on  all 
themes  ranging  from  erot- 
ica to  comedy.  Recent  I 
special  programs  include 
the  monthly  Independent  Exposure 
Erotic  and  Animations  series,  co- 
curated  with  Blackchair  Productions, 
7th  Annual  Short  Attention  Span  Film 
and  Video  Festival,  6th  Annual  New 
York  Digital  Salon,  and  Peyotl's  Aller 
Retour.  Now  accepting  entries  for  a 
special  April  Fool's  Day  Gag  &  Joke 
show,  deadline:  March  13th.  Video 
Lounge,  PO  Box  1220,  Canal  St. 
Station,  New  York,  New  York  10013; 
kf_vl@hotmail.com;  www.video 
lounge.org 


DeCordova,  DeCordova  Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd., 
Lincoln,  MA  01773-2600. 

WORLD  OF  INSANITY  looking  for  videos  &  films  to  air  on 
local  cable  access  channel,  particularly  anything  odd, 
bizarre,  funny,  cool.  Any  length.  One  hour  weekly  show  w/ 
videos  followed  by  info  on  the  makers.  Send  VHS  or  SVHS  to: 
World  of  Insanity,  Box  954,  Veneta, 
OR  97487;  (541)  935-5538. 


WXXI      PUBLIC      TELEVISION'S 
"INDEPENDENT    FILM    SERIES" 

wants  short  films/videos,  animation, 
art  films  and  longer  documentaries 
for  possible  screenings  on  weekly 
pnmetime  series.  Topics  are  your 
choice,  but  should 


for  viewing  by  a  general  television 
audience.  Submit  entries  on  VHS.  If 
chosen,  a  broadcast  quality  version 
will  be  required.  For  more  info  or 
entry  forms,  call:  (716)  258-0244. 

Publications 


UPLOAD  YOUR  VISIONS:  The  Sync  Internet  Video  Gallery 
seeks  short  noncommercial  ind.  films  to  showcase  on  web- 
site. Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  music. 
Send  videos  &  written  permission  to  display  film  to:  Carla 
Cole,  The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  #301,  College  Park,  MD 
20740;  (301)  806-7812;  www.thesync.com 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  with  audience  feedback. 
Accepting  VHS/S-VHS,  15  mm.  max.  SASE  to:  Box  1042, 
Nantucket,  MA  02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment. 
Send  VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  with  description,  name,  phone,  and 
SASE  to:  Videospace,  General  Submissions,  9  Myrtle  St., 
Jamaica  Plain,  MA  02130. 

VIDEOSPACE  AT  DECORDOVA  MEDIA  ARTS  ARCHIVE: 

DeCordova  Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of 
video  art  &  documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  & 
new  genres  from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new 
media  arts  archive.  Send  for  info  &  guidelines:  Videospace  at 


ART  ON  FILM  DATABASE  offers  free 
listings.  Have  you  produced  films, 
videos,  or  CD-ROMs  on  art  or  archi- 
tecture? Send  info  for  inclusion  in 
database  of  over  25,000  prods  on 
visual  arts  topics.  Prods  about 
artists  of  color  &  multicultural  arts  projects  are  welcomed. 
Send  info  to:  Program  for  Art  on  Film,  Inc.,  c/o  Pratt  SILS,  200 
Willoughby  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11205;  (718)  399-4206;  fax: 
399-4207;  artfilm@sils.pratt.edu;  www.artfilm.org 

CANYON  CINEMA'S  25th  Anniversary  Catalog  (including 
1993-5  supplements)  with  over  3,500  film  and  video  titles  is 
available  for  $20.  Call  or  fax  (415)  626-2255;  canyon® 
sj.bigger.net 

FILMMAKER'S  RESOURCE:  A  Watson-Guptill  publication  by 
Julie  Mackaman.  A  veritable  "supermarket  of  great  opportu- 
nities; more  than  150  of  them,  for  a  wide  variety  of  filmmak- 
ers...from  feature  to  doc  to  educational  to  animated  films." 
Contact:  Watson-Guptill,  Amphoto,  Whitney  Library  of 
Design,  Billboard  Books,  1515  Broadway,  New  York,  NY 
10036. 

GUIDE  TO  TAX  EXEMPTIONS  FOR  FILMS  SHOT  IN  NY  STATE 

is  available  for  producers  who  want  clear  instructions  on  how 
to  claim  the  numerous  tax  exemptions  available  in  NY  state 
for  film,  television  &  commercial  production.  Put  together  by 
the  Empire  State  Development  Corp.  and  the  NY  State  Dept. 


48    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


of  Taxation  and  Finance,  the  51-page  reference  guide  can  be 
obtained  by  contacting  NY  State  Governor's  Office  or  the  Tax 
Office.  NY  State  Governor's  Office  for  Motion  Picture  and 
Television  Development,  633  3rd  Ave.,  33rd  Floor,  New  York, 
NY  10017-6706;  (212)  803-2330;  fax;  803-2369; 
www.empire.state.ny.us/mptv.htm 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION  Save  the  Ideas! 
Without  independent  sources  of  ideas  and  discussion, 
democracy  and  dissent  cannot  thrive.  The  IPA  works  to  nur- 
ture and  encourage  indie  publications  committed  to  justice 
for  all.  To  find  out  more,  write  to  IPA,  Box  191785,  San 
Francisco,  CA  94119;  or  call  (415)  896-2456;  indy 
press@igc.org;  www.indypress.org 

IFFCON  '99  transcripts  are  now  avail.  Topics  discussed  by 
financiers  &  producers  include:  Myths  &  Realities  of  Domestic 
Financing  &  The  New  Digital  Frontier.  Send  $45  to:  IFFCON;  360 
Ritch  St.;  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  281-9777. 

MEDIA  MATTERS,  Media  Alliance's  newsletter,  provides 
comprehensive  listings  of  New  York  area  events  &  opportuni- 
ties for  media  artists.  For  a  free  copy,  call  Media  Alliance  at 
(212)  560-2919  or  visit  their  web  site  at  www. 
mediaalliance.org. 

THE  SQUEALER,  quarterly  journal  produced  by  Squeaky 
Wheel,  puts  an  upstate  NY  spin  on  media-related  subjects. 
Once  a  year,  The  Squealer  publishes  "State  of  the  State,"  a 
comprehensive  resource  issue  w/  detailed  info  on  upstate 
media  arts  organizations,  access  centers,  schools  &  coali- 
tions. Subscriptions  $15/year.  Contact;  Andrea  Mancuso, 
Squeaky  Wheel,  175  Elmwood  Ave.,  Buffalo,  NY  14201; 
http://freenet.buffalo.edu. -wheel/ 

Resources  •  Funds 

ARTS  LINK  Collaborative  Projects  allow  US  artists  and  arts 
organizations  to  undertake  projects  overseas  with  colleagues 
in  Central  and  Eastern  Europe  with  grants  from  $2,500- 
$10,000.  Applicants  must  be  citizens  or  permanent  residents 
of  the  United  States.  Deadline;  Applications  must  be  post- 
marked by  March  15.  Contact;  Arts  Link,  CEC  International 
Partners,  12  West  31  St.,  New  York,  NY  10001-4415;  arts 
link@cecip.org 

BAVC  OPENS  JOB  RESOURCE  CENTER:  Funded  by  the  San 
Francisco  Mayor's  Office  of  Community  Development,  the  Job 
Resource  Center  provides  San  Francisco  residents  with  free 
access  to  information  and  resources  pertaining  to  video  and 
new  media  industries.  Internet  access  is  available  for  online 
job  searches,  as  well  as  industry  publications,  career  devel- 
opment books  and  job/internship  listings.  Open  Mon.-Fri.  12- 
6p.m.  BAVC,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  2nd  FL,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110;  (415)  861-3282;  www.bavc/org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  film  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts 
Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916) 
322-6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575; 
cac@cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.,  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
org.  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is  planning 
to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  and  is 


looking  for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  lighting 
&  editing  equipment  in  good  working  order.  Donations  of 
equipment  are  gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact: 
Dan  Blanchfield,  Executive  Director,  at  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  are 
not  eligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done 
in  combination  w/  S-8,  Hi8,  audio,  performance,  photogra- 
phy, artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  includes  Amiga,  special 
effects,  A&B  roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  Send  SASE  for 
guidelines  to:  The  Media  Loft,  727  6th  Ave.,  New  York,  NY 
10010;  (212)  924-4893. 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  ongoing  basis.  No  finished  works.  Contact:  ITVS,  51 
Federal  St.,  Suite  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  356- 
8383;  www.itvs.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt,  foun- 
dation or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
non-profit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999,  xl  11. 

NEW  DAY  FILMS:  premier  distribution  cooperative  for  social 
issue  media,  seeks  energetic  independent  film  &  videomak- 
ers  w/  challenging  social  issue  documentaries  for  distr.  to 
nontheatncal  markets.  Now  accepting  applications  for  new 
membership.  Contact:  New  Day  Films  22D  Hollywood  Ave., 
Ho-Ho-Kus,  NJ  07423;  (201)  332-7172;  www.newday.com 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
offers  finishing  funds  and  other  vital  support  to  emerging 
filmmakers.  We  are  focused  on  English  language  feature 
films  that  will  be  released  threatrically.  Contact:  Tara 
Veneruso,  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste.  E,  Santa 
Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  fax:  399-3455; 
launch@nextwavefilms.com; 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard 
TV  lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr.).  Conact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346  Ninth 
St.,  2nd  Floor,  San  Francisco.  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814; 
fax:  (415)  863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  www. 
naatanet.org 

OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  program 
offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system  for  first 
serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or  narrative 
form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered.  Provides 
camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  deadline,  but 
allow  10  week  min.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana  Meaux, 
Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA 
98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  dana@ 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  offered  by  Film  Arts  Foundation  to 
documentary  filmmakers  living  in  California,  Oregon  & 
Washington.  Limited  to  organizations  certified  as  public  char- 


MHM                                    ■■■ 

rr  .-Ti 

1  *  J£mLn   ■ 

cly  c  lie 
[P    o    s  J 

We're  a  Full-Service  Post- 
Production  facility  for  the 
alternative  filmmaker.  We  have 
an  ADR/Foley  Studio,  AVIDs, 
AudioVisions,  ProTools,  and  a 

high-speed,  8-plate, 
supercharged  steenbeck.  We 

provide  creative  editors, 
experienced  technical  support 
and  expert  post  supervision  at 

competitive  rates.  For  more 

information,  contact  Jeanette 

King  at  (212)  679-2720.  Or  Fax  at 

(212  679-2730. 

SPIN  CYCLE  POST,  INC. 

■    12  West  27th  St.,  6th  Floor    ■ 

New  York,  NY  10001 

m—m                 ■    hJ 

Learn 

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Making 

in  Vermont 


B.A.  Degree  program. 
Learn  from  successful  independent 
filmmakers  in  beautiful  Burlington, 
I  ermont.  Call  for  more  information. 


Jw!fi  Burlington 
^S§  College 

l)c/it.  MM.  95  North  Ave.  Burlington  VT  05401 
1-800-862-9616    www.  burkol.edu 


March  1 W    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


Creative  editorial 
services  for  film 
and  television. 

A  seasoned  and  capable  editor 
with  documentary  and  feature 
credits,  as  well  as  national 
TV  commercials  and  award- 
winning  corporate  video. 

MEDIA  100  EDIT  SUITE... 

ii i:.  4AAvn  innnt.n 


Real-Time  transitions), 
54GB  storage,  BetaSP,  SHVS, 

DAT,  CD,  Scanner,  After  Effects, 
Photoshop,  Illustrator... 

Midtown  Manhattan  location 


(800)      807-4142 

MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS  WELCOME 


Context  Studios 

Film  &  Video  Services 


LOW  COST 


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film-to-video 

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precise  drop  frame  sync  for  computer  editing 
and  original  picture  matchback 

•  mag  track  recording 

PLUS: 

•  non-linear  editing 

•  1 6  track  digital  recording  studio 

•  film  and  video  screening 

•  theater  with  tights,  sound  system,  multiple 
camera  video  recording  and  live  switching 

•  10,000  Sf  Of  Space  for  rehearsal, 
shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  StudiOS    •  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009  •  (212)  505-2702 


MASTER  OF  ARTS  IN 


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at  The  New  School 


Open  House: 

February  11  &  March  24 

At  6:00pm 

To  request  a  catalog  or 
attend  an  open  house 

ifcall:  212-229-5630  x230 


www.newschool.edu/mediastudies/inFo68 


New  School  University 

The  New  School 

66  West  12th  Street  New  York  NY  iooii 


The  New  School  oFFers  you  a  unique 
opportunity  to  tailor  your  own 
Master  oF  Arts  in  Media  Studies 
program  in  multimedia,  Film,  audio, 
photography  and  video.  Learn  on- 
site,  online  or  compose  your  own 
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ities  which  control  selection  of  individual  recipients  &  super- 
vise their  projects.  Grants  range  from  $1,000-$8,000  with 
approx.  $75,000  awarded  annually.  For  proposal  summary 
sheet,  send  SASE  to:  Film  Arts  Foundation,  346  Ninth  St.,  2nd 
fl..  San  Francisco,  CA  94103,  or  call:  (415)  454-1133. 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  including  student  thesis  films.  Send  SASE  to:  Kelly 
Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto 
Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367-2602. 

PEN  WRITERS  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS WITH  AIDS.  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers, 
including  screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emer- 
gency funds  are  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or 
professional  development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center, 
568  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  mtl  doc.  films  and 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  funding:  initial  seed  funds  (grants 
up  to  $15,000),  projects  in  production  or  postproduction 
(average  grant  is  $25,000,  but  max.  is  $50,000).  Highly  com- 
petitive. For  more  info.,  contact:  Soros  Documentary  Fund, 
Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10019; 
(212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  the  Illinois  Arts 

Council.  Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  Illinois  artists  for 
specific  projects.  Examples  of  activities  funded  are  registra- 
tion fees  &  travel  for  conferences,  seminars,  workshops; 
consultants  fees  for  the  resolution  of  a  specific  artistic  prob- 
lem; exhibits,  performances,  publications,  screenings;  mate- 
rials, supplies  or  services.  Funds  awarded  based  on  quality 
of  work  submitted  &  impact  of  proposed  project  on  artist's 
professional  development.  Applications  must  be  received  at 
least  8  weeks  prior  to  project  starting  date.  Call  for  availabil- 
ity of  funds.  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Suite  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570  toll-free  in  IL  (800) 
237-6994;  ilarts@artswire.org 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
available  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories: 
narrative,  documentary  &  expenmental/ammation/multi- 
media.  For  app.  &  info,  contact;  Prof.  Julie  Simon,  UFVA 
Grants,  U.  of  Baltimore,  1420  N.  Charles  St.,  Baltimore,  MD 
21201. 


AND  NOW  A  WORD  ABOUT  THE 
INDEPENDENTS  CLASSIFIEDS: 

"The  response  to  my  classifed  ad  has 

been  fantastic.  When  you  need  to 

reach  the  independent  film 

community,  look  no  further  than 

The  Independent." 

—MIKE  H0LL0WAY 
OPTICAL  SOUND,  CHICAGO 

To  make  the  classifieds  work  for  you,  call 
(212)  807-1400  x.229  or  email:  scott@aivf.org 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1990 


CONTACT:  [scott@aivf.org].  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 
MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  APRIL 
1  FOR  JUNE  ISSUE).  CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240  CHAR- 
ACTERS (INCL.  SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST 
$25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEM- 
BERS;  240-480  CHARACTERS  COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR 
AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE 
VALID  MEMBER  ID#.  ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED 
LENGTH  WILL  BE  EDITED.  ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED 
AND  ACCOMPANIED  BY  A  CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER 
PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF,  304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY 
10013.  TO  PAY  BY  CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE 
(VISA/MC);  CARD  #;  NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION 
DATE;  BILLING  ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUN- 
NING 5+  TIMES  RECEIVE  A  $5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 

making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely  up- 
to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film  festi- 
vals, distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition  venues, 
media  arts  funders,  film  and  video  schools,  broadcast  venues 
&  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video  Coalition,  2727 
Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110;  (415)  861-3282;  fax: 
861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

FOR  RENT:  Sony  DCR-VX1000  3-chip  digital  camera.  Also 
available:  mike,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both  short- 
and  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

GUERILLAQUIP  Light  &  Grip  equipment  rental.  Mole- 
Richardson,  Arri,  Lowell;  complete  light  &  grip  packages  &  light 
kits  for  the  true  low-budget  indie  filmmaker.  Our  prices  will 
help  you  get  it  in  the  can!  (212)  252-2485;  gorillaquip@ 
smartweb.net 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  &  great 
service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226-2429; 
lloewinger@earthlink.net 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS  FOR  RENT:  I  deliver!  All  types/ 
best  prices:  Beta-SP  deck  (Sony  UVW-1800)  $150/day, 
$450/week.  D/Vision  nonlinear  offline  $450/week.  SVHS  offline 
$350/week.  Canon  digital  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Call  David 
(212)  362-1056. 

WANTED  TO  BUY:  Good  condition  S-VHS  or  DV  editing  system 
w/TBC.  Call  (203)  226-8313 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Respected  distributor 
of  award-winning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disabili- 
ty &  related  issues,  seeks  new  work.  Fanlight  Productions,  47 
Halifax  St.,  Boston,  MA  02130;  (800)  937-4113;  www.fan 
light.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  consideration. 
Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr.,  Derry,  NH 
03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of  out- 
standing videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join  our 
collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging,  nursing. 


psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For  education- 
al/health markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5  Powderhouse  Lane, 
Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963;  www.aquarius 
productions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing  inde- 
pendent products  for  over  50  yrs,  seeks  new  programming  of 
all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets.  Contact: 
(212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

ATOMFILMS  is  a  new,  innovative,  short-film  distribution  com- 
pany seeking  high-quality  short  films  in  all  genres  (30  mm.  or 
less)  to  distribute  to  broadcast  and  cable  TV,  home  video,  DVD, 
Internet,  hospitality  &  other  major  markets.  Films  must  have  all 
clearances  &  rights  for  commercial  distribution.  Submissions 
on  VHS  (NTSC,  PAL,  SECAM):  AtomFilms  Acquisitions,  80  S. 
Washington,  Ste  303,  Seattle,  WA  98104;  information@atom- 
films.com;  www.atomfilms.com 

FLICK0RAMA.COM  is  an  Internet  exhibition  theater  dedicated 
to  independent  cinema.  Flickorama  showcases  underexposed 
work  by  indie  filmmakers  (animation,  avant-garde,  docs,  fea- 
tures &  shorts).  The  site  provides  a  glimpse,  via  clips  or  pre- 
views on  RealMedia  Player,  so  that  potential  distributors,  fes- 
tival coordinators,  financiers,  cable  channels,  agents  &  pro- 
ducers can  see  what  exciting  visions  are  out  there.  The  site  is 
updated  every  two  weeks.  Flickorama  will  contact  filmmakers 
if  their  work  has  recieved  notice  from  interested  parties.  (718) 
625-0926;  www.flickorama.com 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR?  Consider  the 

University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  successful 
marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510)  643- 
2788  or  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribution. 
Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk 
Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99-YOUTH  x.  210. 

Freelance 

35MM/16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cmematographer.  Complete  stu- 
dio truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs.  dolly,  jib  crane, 
lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the  low-bud- 
get feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155. 

AATON  &  DAT-equipped  team  seeks  projects  of  interest.  Years 
of  experience  include  indie  films,  docs,  commercials  &  b'cast. 
We  have  talent,  experience,  style  &  dedication  for  filmmaker  w/ 
vision.  (888)  699-8881;  cinedirect@hotmail.com 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent  fea- 
tures. Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video,  the 
works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to  collab- 
orate in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo:  (781) 
932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Holds  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 


CLASSI 


Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  videographer  w/  new  Sony  Betacam  SR  mics  &  lights. 
Very  portable,  lightweight  &  I'm  fast.  Experience  includes:  docs, 
interviews,  industrials,  fashion  shows  &  comedy  clubs.  Please 
call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand-held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SR  cool 
sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel.  Yitzhak 
Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT:  Director  of  Photography  w/  15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Am,  Super/Std.16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com  Credits:  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire-, 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  productivi- 
ty to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/Std.16  Aaton 
XTR  Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass@ 
concentric.net 

CAMERAPERSON:  Straight  from  Europe,  bicontinental  experi- 
ence in  features  and  feature-length  documentaries.  Ambitious, 
unusual,  awarded.  Call  Wolfgang  at  (718)  596-3907; 
lewo@compuserve.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
RS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel;  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  Super/Std.16  pkg  w/  video  tap 
&  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

COMPOSER:  Affordable  original  music  in  any  style  that 
enhances  the  mood/message  of  your  project.  Save  money 
without  compromising  creativity.  Full  service  digital  recording 
studio,  Yale  MM.  FREE  demo  CD/intial  consultation/rough 
sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242-2691;  joe56@ 
earthlink.net 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs.  experience  in  film,  theatre,  dance.  Well- 
known  composer/performer  &  expert  in  World/Ethnic  music 
styles.  Call  for  CD  incl.  new  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaver@aol.com 

COMPOSER  for  film/video,  new  media  projects.  Innovative 
sounds  that  won't  strain  your  pocketbook.  For  a  free  demo  & 
brochure,  contact  Progressive  Media  Arts  at:  (415)  550-7172; 
pma@progmedia.com;  www.progmedia.com 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  versatile  composer  avail,  for  scor- 
ing, sound  design.  Can  meet  all  postproduction  requirements. 
Video  &  audio  reels  avail.  Cam  Millar  (212)  781-7737; 
Ccmillar@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to  tech- 
no— you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance,  Absolut. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


Dndie  Since  1988 


W 


>N' 


,    f 


SOUND  DESIGN 


OMPOSITIN 


i  in 


1   1    WEEHAWKEN   STREET,   NYC 


«* 


212.691.1 


Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

audio  &  video 
post-production 

protools  4  /  media  100  /after  effects 

1 6  -  track  lock  to  betacam  sp  &  3/4 

voice  over  &  adr/sound  effects 

video  capture  &  compression 

original  music/sound  design 

special  rates  for  independents 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

2  12.431.1130      x  I  0 

596  Broadway,  Suite  602,  NYC  10012 

http://www.harvestworks.org 


WWW.  GLC.  COM 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 
Component  Editing 

Transfers,  Window  Dubs 
45/hr    340/day    175/night 


1123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiappetta  (718) 
383-6607;  qchiap@el.net 

COMPOSER  FOR  FILM/TV:  Academy  Award-winning. 
Broadcast:  PBS,  NBC,  ABC,  CBS.  Highly  experienced  &  dedi- 
cated. Music  in  all  styles  w/  an  original  touch.  Complete  digi- 
tal studio.  Reasonable  rates.  Leonard  Lionnet  (212)  980-7689. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/D.P  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  docu- 
mentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065;  365892© 
newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  with  Arn  SR  II  w/  tap  and 

Panavision  filters,  Sony  Beta  SP  HMI's,  Kino  Flos,  Jimmy  Jib  & 
grip  truck.  I  make  great  pictures,  work  fast  &  have  tons  of  expe- 
rience. Call  for  reel:  (203)  254-7370;  page:  (917)  824-3334. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  35mm,  S16mm/16mm. 
Creative,  experienced,  award  winning,  w/  feature,  ads,  docs, 
music  videos  &  industrial  credits.  Own  Arri  SR  1  S16/16mm  pkg 
w/ Zeiss  lens,  tungstens,  sound  pkg.  LKB  Prod:  (718)  802-9874. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  features, 
shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  commercials, 
industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S16  pkg  avail. 
Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  &  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award-winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  commer- 
cials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton  Super 
16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or  (917) 
794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  awards,  talent  &  experience. 
Credits  include  features,  commercials,  docs,  shorts  &  music 
videos.  Owner  of  Aaton  Super/Std.16  pkg;  35mm  pkgs  also 
available.  Call  for  reel.  Bob  (212)  741-2189. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  w/  Digital  Canon  XL1,  digital 
postproduction  facility,  and  a  powerhouse  Macintosh  graph- 
ic/compositing workstation.  Real  film  look  quality  without  the 
high  cost  of  shooting  on  film.  Available  for  shorts,  features, 
music  videos,  industrials,  commercials.  Strong  lighting  back- 
ground &  accustomed  to  working  with  limited  resources. 
Flexible  rates  &  willing  to  travel.  Call  for  reel.  Seeing  is  believ- 
ing. Tom  (203)  849-8953;  innervisions@earthlink.net 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arnflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos.  Travel 
no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page:  (917)  953-1117. 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award-winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/  new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg;  Media  100  editing.  Trilingual  in 
English,  Spanish  &  German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project. 
Reasonable  rates.  Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7398. 

DOCUMENTARY  TEAM  wants  new  challenge.  DP  &  Mixer  with 
decades  of  experience  seek  filmmakers  with  mission.  Film  & 
video  packages  avail.  (888)  699-8881;  docuteam@hotmail.com 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


OP  w/  full  postproductlon  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/  16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle  rates. 

EDITOR  w/  or  w/out  own  Avid.  Avid  available  for  dryhire.  Neg. 
rate  for  interesting  projects.  Experienced  in  editing  docs,  ads  & 
music  videos  on  Avid  or  flatbeds.  Phone  lsa:  (212)  874-3289; 
fax:  874-3289;  isalee@hotmail.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID,  14  years  experience,  including  4  features. 
Full  featured  Avid  MC1000  w/ AVRs  3-77,  3D  DVE,  Ultimatte  & 
Film  matchback.  Low  price  package  deals  for  independent  pro- 
jects. Contact  Dan  Lantz  at  (610)  337-3333. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/ 18  years  expe- 
rience in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  projects. 
Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952-0848; 
Ruvn@aol.com 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at  rea- 
sonable rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec,  at 
NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin;  (718)  768-4142. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equipment; 
16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212)  995-0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer/director  (PBS,  MTV, 
feature  credits),  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films,  offers 
advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films.  Reasonable 
rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/ Avid  available  for  challenging  projects. 
Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music  video  & 
documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246-8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  interna- 
tional Network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tienanman  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  timecode  Nagra 
&  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  projects. 
Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  beeper  (800)  796- 
7363  (ext/pin  1021996);  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

ORIGINAL  MUSIC  composed,  arranged,  orchestrated  for  film, 
video  &  multimedia.  Output  to  tape,  DAT,  Zip,  or  Jaz.  Quick  turn- 
around, very  reasonable  rates.  Demo  reel,  references  available. 
(212)  749-9340;  www.musicnyc.com 

SCI-FI  MOVIE,  creature  effect  maker,  ammatronic.  DP  w/  crew, 
own  equipment.  Plus  shooting  on  Betacam.  All  jobs  pay.  Set 
designer,  stunt  coordinator,  more.  Send  reel/resume  to:  BDS 
Co.,  Box  59,  Dunellen,  NJ  08812. 

SONY  VX1000  DIGITAL  CAMERA  w/  cameraman.  Kenko  wide 
angle  lens,  Sennheiser  ME  66  shotgun  mic,  boom,  XLR  adapter, 
pro  tripod,  3  Bescor  4  hour  batteries.  $150/day.  (212)  677-6652. 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 


nn  mm 


THE 


Luna  delt'rers. 


* 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


mania 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  -■ 


•  Interformat  Online  Edit  $  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit  $120/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions  Inquire 

Contact     us      for     other     services, 
prices  and  access  information . 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:(212)219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563         TT 
www.standby.org 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


V 


E         O 


REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM    SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —   3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)   219-9240 
Fox  (212)  966-5618 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

•3s  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  "*» 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41st  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


Avid    MC9DQO,    MC1000 

Film  Composer,  Xpress  Plus 

off/on-line  AVR77  &  3D  DVE 

Digital  Betacam,    Digital  I/O 

DVCPRO,   3/4  SP,   HIS  S  VHS         V        I        D 

transfers  &  duplication  Crush  available] 

Macintosh  graphics  &  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  [Jazz,  Zip,   Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  &    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

cffef"«\gspec\odra.\esfcf  xrMjs-t-S  *nd  independents  since  '  trt 

212.523.S204 

D  ¥  B  V I D  E  0   /   lU   BRQHDWHV   /   PENTHOUSE   /   N  Y  C  10003 


AVID  EDIT  SUITES 

OFFLINE /ON    LINE/3DFX 


Grafix  Suite/After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O.  Booth /Read  To  Picture 


VOICE 


1D4  WEST  29TH  ST     NY  1DOD1 


212. 244. 0744 


212.244.0690 


CLASSIFIEDS 


VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hip-hop  collages/ 
ambient  sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  productions 
(212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro,  Lynch,  S.  Shepard  types  pref. 
Animation! 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

ACTORS  &  ACTRESS  NEEDED  for  drama  workshop  program. 
Our  class  is  taped  &  broadcast  weekly  on  Comcast  Cablevision 
of  NJ;  1.2  million  subscribers.  Call  James  (973)  674-8680. 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  OF  CINEMA,  Dept.  of  Cinema  at  San 
Francisco  State  Univ.  seeks  an  ass't  professor  in  film  produc- 
tion. M.F.A.  in  film  or  equivalent  degree,  significant  body  of  film 
work  &  teaching  experience  required.  Applicants  from  all  eth- 
nic and  cultural  backgrounds  encouraged  to  apply.  Applications 
reviewed  between  Feb.  1  and  March  5,  1999.  Send  letter  of 
interest,  cv  &  names  of  3  references  to:  Search  Committee, 
Dept.  of  Cinema,  SF  State  Univ.,  1600  Holloway  Ave.,  San 
Francisco,  CA  94132. 

TEMPLE  UNIV.  Dept.  of  Film  &  Media  Arts  seeks  active  inde- 
pendent mediamaker  for  full-time,  tenure  track  Ass't  Professor 
position  starting  Aug.  '99.  Teach  in  two  areas:  film  &/or  video 
production  at  undergrad  &  graduate  level,  advance  production 
specialties,  producing,  culture/media  studies,  media  literacy, 
along  w/  one  large  intra  lecture  course  in  production  &/or 
media  studies.  Sensitivity  to  issues  of  diversity,  in  addition  to 
ability  to  teach  &  work  across  theory  &  practice.  MFA,  Ph.D.  or 
equiv.  professional  experience  required  along  w/  impressive 
portfolio  of  creative  work  in  film,  video,  or  digital  media,  or 
combo  of  scholarly  &  creative  work.  Position  will  remain  open 
until  filled.  Submit  cover  letter,  vita  &  names  &  telephone  num- 
bers of  three  references  to:  Chair,  Search  Committee,  Dept.  of 
Film  &  Media  Arts,  Temple  Univ.,  Philadelphia,  PA  19122. 
AA/EO  Employer.  Women  &  minorities  encouraged  to  apply. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam  video 
experience  to  work  with  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news  maga- 
zine clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at  (212) 
505-1911. 


Preproduction  •  Development 

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER  looking  for  original  film  script  or  play  to 
be  made  into  short  film  for  festival  submission.  Humorous, 
alternative  viewpoints  preferred.  No  fee.  (203)  226-8313. 

LOOKING  FOR  SCRIPTS  w/ female  protagonist,  20s-30s.  Send 
1  page  synopsis  and  cover  letter  to  Bluepoint  Entertainment,  325 
East  64th  St.,  #209,  New  York,  NY,  10021;  bluepoint@mind- 
spring.com.  You  will  be  contacted  if  there  is  interest. 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 


54    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High  Quality" 
optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical  Sound  Chicago, 
Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL  60610;  (312)  943- 
1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown,  near 
all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925-1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture  & 
tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post  ser- 
vices: picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft)  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call  Tom 
(201)807-0155. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less7  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!'  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002  or  (718)  885-0955 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal  only. 
Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Betacam  SR 
We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome  Scene-by-scene  only. 
Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID  In  a  spacious  air  conditioned  suite, 
located  at  180  Vanck  Avid  1000;  AVR  3-77;  69  GB  Storage; 
Beta  Deck;  Media  Composer  6.5.3.;  Power  Mac  9600.  Available 
March  1999.  Please  call  Moxie  Films,  Inc.  (212)  620-7727. 

MEDIA  100  FOR  RENT  IN  BOSTON:  Excellent  rates!  Top  of  the 
line  XR  system  with  300  KB  resolution;  32  gigs  hard  drive 
space;  Beta  SP  deck;  Private  office  with  24  hour  access  and 
beautiful  garden.  Call  Liz  Canner  (617)  266-2418. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software.  Huge 
storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS,  Hi8. 
Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech  support, 
talented  editors  &  FX  artists  available  (212)  431-9299. 

MEDIA  100  EDITOR:  Accomplished  visual  storyteller  will  edit 
on  your  equipment  or  in  my  fully  equipped  project  studio. 
Credits:  several  narrative  projects,  major  ad  agencies  (Young  & 
Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neill,  Seiden  Group),  accounts 
(Johnson  &  Johnson,  Arm  &  Hammer,  PSE&G),  and  corp.  pro- 
jects (The  Equitable,  USA  Today,  CUNY,  SUNY).  Studio  w/  Media 
100XS  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  Beta,  Scanner,  DAT,  PhotoShop, 
Illustrator,  AfterEffects.  John  Slater  (800)  807-4142. 

MEDIA  100  PCI,  broadcast  quality,  real  time  suite:  Beta-SR 
Hi8,  3/4",  VHS,  AfterEffects,  Elastic  Reality,  PhotoShop, 
Illustrator,  Hi  Res  Scanner.  Short-  &  long-term  TV  or  feature 
projects  in  comfortable  Tribeca  setting.  (212)  941-7720. 

THE  MEDIA  LOFT,  High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!  VHS  &  3/4 
suites,  Hi-8  video,  Super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services.  Call 
Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2.  Lots 
of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates,  free 
coffee.  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 


m 


All  In  One  Productions 

Your  Low  Budget  Production  Paradise 

Newest  Software  V  5.0—  supports  16:9  DTV 

mm  m*         -4  /y/1  On-line  Quality 

/MGu/cJ    7C/U  As  low  as  $200/Day 


Non-Linear  Digital  Editing  Systems  FC/n  /fC/V/*Editors  Available 

G3s,  91  GIGs,  300  MB  of  RAM,  Support  ALL  Formats 

After  Effects,  Commotion,  Boris  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator,  ProTools... 

Multi-lingual  Voice  Over,  Titling  &  Sub-Titling 

Chinese,  Spanish.  Russian,  Japanese,  Korean,  Hindi,  Arabic,  Italian  Tagaktg,  English,  and  counting      — — 

DV  Cloning,  Timecode  Burn-in,  Multi-Format  Transfers  &  Dubs 
www.AllinOne-USA.com    (212)   334  47'7'8    401  Broadway,  Suite  2012,  NYC 


29 


TH  STREET  VIDEO 


A  full  service  video  editing  and  production  company. 
Formed  by  independent  producers  who  saw  the  need 
for  a  hi-quality,  fair  priced  facility.  Fifteen  years  of 
experience  in  Broadcast,  Documentary  and  Corporate 
video.  We  know  how  to  do  it. 

PRODUCTION:  29th  Street  Video  is  a  full 


service  video  production  house.  One  camera  or  multi- 
camera,  we  do  it  the  best,  and  we  do  it  for  less. 

POSTPRODUCTION:  full  service 


BETACAM  SP  ON-LINE  EDITING  S95/HR.  Included:  Sony 
DSF500  3D  digital  effects,  Tascam  10  ch.  mix,  a  very 
comfortable  room.  More  flash,  less  cash. 

DUPLICATION:  Talk  is  cheap.  Send 
something  to  dub  and  you  won't  regret  it.  We  use  high 
grade  tape  and  the  best  SONY  machines. 

212.594.7530 


Production  and  Post 
Non  Linear  Offline  &  Online 

Beta  to  Beta  From  All  Sources 
A  Professional  Facility 

Intelligent  Solutions 

(And,  oh,  in  case  you  need  to  space  out, 

we've  got  a  cool  view  of  the  city,  too) 

New  York  City  (Union  Square) 

212.529.2875  www.pixbiz.com 


TKME 

BUSINESS 

PRODUCTIONS  INC 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       55 


www.aivf.org 


EVEKTS 


By   Michelle   Coe 
&   Vallery   Moore 

Most  events  listed  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office: 
304  Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam)  6th 
fl.,  in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.); 
C,  E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.)  We  encourage 
people  to  RSVP  for  events  (larger  events  require 
50%  fee  deposit  to  save  seats)  as  well  as  to  check 
in  tor  updates  and  potential  time  changes. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  ext.  301  for  the  latest  info. 


IViarch  Events 

AIVF  AT  THE 
NEW  YORK  UNDERGROUND  FILM  FESTIVAL: 

DO-IT-YOURSELF  DISTRIBUTION 

When:  Saturday,  March  13,  1-3  p.m. 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave.  at 

2nd  St.  in  NYC),  Maya  Deren  Theatre. 

Cost:  Free! 

To  register/hear  more  details:  Participants  will  be 

announced  on  the  AIVF  hotline:  (212)  807-1400 

x.  301.  No  RSVP  necessary. 


Get  the  low-down  on  self-distribution  from  the 
hottest  filmmakers  on  the  cutting-edge.  Panelists 
will  include  film  and  videomakers  from  all  for- 
mats and  genres  who  have  gone  the  distribution 
route  on  their  own  and  thrived  to  tell  about  it. 
Come  hear  the  war  stories  and  absorb  the  advice. 
For  a  complete  festival  schedule,  contact: 
NYUFF  Hotline  (212)  252-EVIL. 


MEET  &  GREET: 

SOLID  ENTERTAINMENT 

WITH  RICHARD  PROPPER 

Wlien:  Thursday,  March  18,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  office. 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10/general  public. 
To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x 
301.  Tickets  also  at  the  door. 

Solid  Entertainment  is  an  international  distribu- 
tion company  specializing  in  documentary  televi- 
sion programming.  The  company  was  established 
in  1994  by  Richard  Propper 
and  since  then  has  sold  pro- 
gramming in  86  broadcast 
territories.  Broadcasters 
include:  Animal  Planet;  BBC; 
the  Discovery  Channel; 

Cm.ll  +  ;HB0lthe  SOLID 

Learning  Channel;  NHK;       tN  i  tKiAiiNMtw  i 
Odyssee;  Planete; 

Premiere;  PBS;  STAR  Channel;  SBS6;  and 
VTM.  Secrets  of  the  Deep,  Cyberwarriors,  Americas 
Schools,  and  The  Band  are  among  Solid's  repre- 
sented work.  President  Richard  Propper  will  dis- 
cuss his  company  and  the  projects  it  seek,  as  well 
as  the  climate  for  the  documentary  sales. 

NEW  EVENTS  SERIES! 
UP  CLOSE:  CONVERSATIONS  WITH  FILMMAKERS 

T7us  series  presents  personal  insight  and  advice  from 
fdmmakers.  Featured  guests  will  discuss  their  process- 
es and  styles,  and  reflect  on  their  careers  in  the 
industry.  Clips  may  be  shown  of  their  latest  work, 
with  full  screenings  when  possible. 

GOING  DIGITAL  PT  2 

A  panel  with  Bennett  Miller,  Todd  Verow,  and 
Lance  Weiler.  Moderated  by  Esther  Robinson. 
When:  Tuesday,  March  30,  7-9  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  office. 

Cost:  $5  AIVF  members/$10  gen.  public. 
To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400 
x.  301.  Tickets  also  at  the  door. 

Join  in  on  this  conversation  among  accomplished 
filmmakers  who've  made  digital  video  their  medi- 
um of  choice.  Directors  and  key  creative  person- 
nel will  present  clips  and  reflect  on  their  creative 
and  technical  processes  and  experiences  in  the 
independent  realm.  Filmmakers  include  Bennett 
Miller  (The  Cruise),  Todd  Verow  (Shucking  the 


Curve — showing  in  April  at  New  Filmmakers) , 
and  Lance  Weiler  (The  Last  Broadcast). 

EXHIBITION  SERIES: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-sponsors:  AIVF,  Angelika  Entertainment 
Corp.,  New  York  Underground  Film  Festival 
When:  Every  Wednesday:  Shorts  at  7  p.m.;  fea- 
tures at  8  p.m. 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave. 
at  2nd  St.  in  NYC) 
Cost:  $5.  Tickets  at  box  office. 
For  a  complete  schedule:  Visit  the  AIVF  Resource 
Library,  pick  up  an  Anthology  monthly  schedule, 
or  call  Anthology  at  (212)  505-5110. 

New  Filmmakers  gives  independent  film-  and 
videomakers  the  chance  to  exhibit  their  work  to 
the  public  and  provides  New  York  audiences  with 
the  opportunity  to  see  outstanding  new  films.  A 
year-round  festival,  the  program  is  administered 
by  filmmakers  for  filmmakers.  Every  Wednesday, 
get  in  on  the  most  promising  of  emerging  talent 
with  screenings  of  shorts  beginning  at  7  p.m.  and 
features  at  8  p.m. 
See  Resource  Profile  on  page  58  for  further  details'. 

April  Events 

ANNUAL  MEMBERSHIP  MEETING 

Come  to  AIVF's  Annual  Membership  Meeting 
and  join  with  fellow  independent  media  makers 
to  discuss  the  state  of  the  independent  communi- 
ty. Meet  AIVF  staff  and  the  AIVF/  FIVF  Board 
of  Directors  and  learn  about  our  upcomming  pro- 
grams. This  meeting  will  be  held  on  Friday,  April 
9th  and  is  open  to  all.  Location  TBA. 

NEW  SERIES: 

TECHSPEAK 

AIVF  and  Film/Video  Arts  announce  TechSpeak, 
a  series  exposing  the  infinite  resources  in  the 
New  York  City  area  that  independent  filmmakers 
can  tap  into.  Tours  will  be  offered  of  indie-friend- 
ly postproduction  &  equipment  facilities  and 
enhanced  by  roundtable  discussions  with  film- 
and  videomaking  pros.  Demos  will  be  offered  to 
give  you  the  lowdown  on  the  newest  systems  and 
gadgets.  See  the  events  page  of  our  website  for 
current  details. 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


THE    ASSOCIATION    OF    INDEPENDENT 
VIDEO    AND    FILM 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  S,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
video  and  filmmakers.  ATVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
an  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
increased  public  appreciation  of 
independent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
8r  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  ATVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  letting  you  know 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 

^Independent 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 

Vlembership  provides  you  with  a 
jear's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
[hought-provoking  features,  news, 
ind  regular  columns  on  business, 
:echnical  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
estival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
under  profiles,  funding  deadlines. 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media  new  technologies,  and  media 
education. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  AIVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  and  other  production 
necessities.  Plus  long-distance  and 
overnight  courier  services  are 
available  at  special  rates  for  AIVF 
members  from  national  companies. 
Members  also  receive  discounts  on 
hotels  and  car  rentals. 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field,  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  www.aivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 
on-line  services  such  as  searchable 


AKERS 

databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  distribute  informational  resources 
on  financing,  funding,  distribution, 
and  production;  members  receive 
discounts  on  selected  titles.  With 
over  600  volumes,  our  office  library 
houses  information  on  everything 
from  distributors  to  sample  contracts 
to  budgets. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers 
called  AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities 
across  the  country.  These  member- 
run,  member  organized  salons 
provide  a  unique  opportunity  for 
members  and  non-members  alike  to 
network,  exhibit,  and  advocate  for 
independent  media  in  their  local 
area.  To  find  the  salon  nearest  you 
check  the  back  pages  of  The 
Independent  the  AIVF  website,  or 
call  the  office  for  the  one  nearest 
you.  If  you  can't  find  one  in  your 
area  then  start  one! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field,  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts  • 
on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events  •  book 
discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  members' 
only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

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(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

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Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  Floor,  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  507-1400  x236, 
by  fax  (212)  463-5519,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org 


Member  Benefits 

CIGNA  Health  Plan 

Geographic  Area  Expanded! 

AIVF  members  who  are  residents  of  New  Jersey 
and  Connecticut  may  now  enroll  in  the  CIGNA 
Health  Plans.  For  more  info,  contact:  TEIGIT, 
845  Third  Ave.,  New  York,  NY  10022;  (212) 
758-5675;  fax:  8884916. 

NEW  TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

FILM  EMPORIUM 


date  on  the  flyer  to  help  keep  our  boards  cur- 
rent.) Send  information  to  the  attention  of 
Michelle  Coe/Resume  Bank  c/o  AIVF,  304 
Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  1001 3. 

NOT  RECEIVING  YOUR 
INDEPENDENT? 

If  you  have  any  problems  receiving  The 
Independent  or  questions  regarding  your  AIVF 
membership,  please  call  LaTrice  Dixon  or  Marya 
Wethers  at  x.  236. 


TRULY    MODERN 


17  E.  45th  St.,  Ste.  308, 
New  York,  NY  10017; 
(212)  681-6922;  (800) 
371-2555;  fax:  681- 
6920;  mail@filrn.empo- 
rium.com;  www.filmem- 
porium.com;  Contact: 
Csilla  Criner.  Kodak  & 
llford  1 6/35mm  motion 
picture  film:  1 0%  off; 
video  &  audiotape  in  all 
professional  brands  & 
formats:  1 0%  off;  pro- 
duction insurance:  com- 
plnnentary  consultations. 

NETWORK 
THROUGH  AIVF 


We  get  an  average  of  60 
walk-ins  per  week  of 
filmmakers  looking  to 
crew  up  or  get  involved 
in  projects.  Our  resume 
bank  and  bulletin 
boards  are  tilled  with 
listings  of  talented  cast 
and  crew  looking  for 
projects  and  collabora- 
tors. We  are  currently 
updating  our  resources, 
so  send  us  your  resumes 

or  business  cards!  Likewise,  if  you  are  looking  to 
crew  up  your  project,  mail  or  fax  us  your  posting. 
(Please  include  a  deadline  or  announcement 


AIVF  Reel  • 

Holiday 

On  December  7th,  we  held  another  of  our  leg- 
endary Christmas  parties  at  AIVF.  Over  300 
filmmakers,  friends,  and  supporters  of  AIVF 
were  in  attendance  to  mix  V  mingle,  weigh 
up  the  year's  events,  and  hear  the  speeches 
of  outgoing  executive  director  Ruby  Lerner 
and  new  ED  Elizabeth  Peters,  who  were 
introduced  with  usual  applomb  by  Rob  Moss., 
chair  of  the  AIVF  board.  Catering  by  Hudson 
Caterers  surpassed  all  other  years,  while  the 
generous  donations  of  Jones  Soda,  Brooklyn 
Brewery,  and  par- 
ticularly our  sup-      r^lH. 
porting  donors     M     -  ^ 
HBO  and  Forest 
Creatures 
Entertainment 
made  the  event 
memorable  one 
Don't  miss  Reel 
Holiday  '99! 


(top)  J 

chair  R„~. 

says  so  long,  but 

not  goodbye,  to 

AlVF's  fearless 

leader  Ruby 

Lerner,  who  left 

AIVF  in  January  to 

head  up  a  new 


(below)  The  AIVF 

Christmas  party 

also  served  to 

welcome  incoming 

executive  director 

Elizabeth  Peters 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates,  articles, 

EA.Q.S  &  news  on  AIVF  S  website,  along 

with  bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons, 

and  databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


FILM  BYTES 

AIVF  copresents  FILM  BYTES,  a  webcast  series 
about  independent  media  production  (on 
every  Monday  at  8  p.m.  at  www.pseudo.  com). 
Produced  by  Kinotek  6k  Pseudo  Network. 
Check  out  our  website  for  further  details 
[www.aivf.org]. 


•  AATON  XTRprod  SUPER  16/16mm 

•  ARRI  SR2  16mm 

•  SONY  DVW-700  DIGITAL  BETACAM 
WITH  FILM-STYLE  ACCESSORIES 

•  SONY  BVW-D600  BETACAM  SP 

•  STEADICAM  PRO 

•  1  &  3-TON  GRIP  &  LIGHTING  /  HMI'S 

•  FIELD  AUDIO  FOR  FILM  &  VIDEO 

•  INDIE  FRIENDLY  LOW  WEEKLY  RATES 


MODERN  MOVIE 

MACHINE  J 


QUALITY    PRODUCTION    EQUIPMENT    RENTALS 

281-561-7200 

888-569-7200 

mmm@insync.net 

www.modernmovie.com 

HOUSTON.  TEXAS 


ip©s4  j®slh 

AVID    EDITING 

AVR77  &  a  brain 

$1K  /  day 

Joshua  Schwarz 

Editor 

Tribeca  Film  Center 

212  965-4632 

www.postjosh.com 

March  1 999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


FILM  t,   VfOEO 


Sound  Stage  Rentals: 

34  x  28  x  14 

200  Amps 

Hard  Cyc  /  Blue  Screen 

$500  /  day 

On  Line  Editing: 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  3/4",  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

DVE:  Pinnacle  Alladin 

w/lots  of  Effects 

Video  Toaster  4. 1 

$85  /  hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages: 
SONY  DVCAM: 

DSR-130 $380 /day* 

DSR-300 $280  /  day* 

*  Including  Cameraperson 

Audio  Services: 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55  /  hr. 

In-house  Sound  Design  &  Scoring 

also  available. 

Tel:  212-679-9779 
Fax:  212-532-0444 


INFO  RESOURCES 


NEW  FILMMAKERS 


Everything 
included. 

Avid  Media 

Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

can  afford. 


kitchen 


225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


Barney  Oldfield,  executive  producer;  David 
Maquiling,  program  director;  c/o  Anthology 
Film  Archives,  32  Second  Ave.,  New  York, 
NY  10003;  (212)  410-9404;  fax:  410-3712 
(office).  For  schedule  info:  (212)  505-5110 
(Anthology) 

What  is  New  Filmmakers? 

New  Filmmakers  is  New  York's  year-round  fes- 
tival. It  gives  filmmakers  the  opportunity  to 
show  their  work  directly  to  New  York  audi- 
ences. 

Your  driving  philosophy: 
That  every  filmmaker  has  something  to  say  .  .  . 
although  not  everyone  is  going  to  pay  $5  to 
hear  it. 

How  does  New  Filmmakers  support  itself? 
All  the  costs  of  New  Filmmakers  are  paid  hy  my 
company,  Angelika  Entertainment. 

Who  is  behind  New  Filmmakers? 

David  Maquiling  is  program  director  and  works 
with  our  filmmakers  board  to  select  the  films.  I 
am  executive  director  and  work  with  the  advi- 
sory Foard.  (We  wear  suits  and  worry  about 
business  things.)  In  addition,  we  have  a  volun- 
teer promotional  staff  of  three. 

And  the  specific  services  you  offer? 

We  try  to  get  films  and  filmmakers  recognized 
by  audiences,  by  industry,  and  by  other  film- 
makers. We  promote  every  screening  heavily, 
with  listings  in  Anthology  and  New 
Filmmakers  schedules  (both  reaching  over 
10,000  people),  press  releases,  and  email 
announcements.  We  have  a  strong  industry  fol- 


lowing who  often  come  in 
person  or  ask  for  video 
copies. 

Where  do  your  screen- 
ings occur? 

All  New  Filmmakers 
screenings  are  at  Anthol- 
ogy Film  Archives  in  New 
York  City. 

Where  do  your  submis- 
sions come  from? 

We  screen  about  150  films 
and  videos  each  year.  Our 
submissions  come  from  all 
over  America  and  beyond, 
including  Romania,  Serbia, 
Bosnia,  Germany,  and 
Mexico.  Most  come  from  New  York  and  Los 
Angeles,  but  we  are  seeing  some  interesting 
work  coming  from  the  Midwest  and  the  South. 
The  diversity  makes  for  good  programming. 

What  kind  of  films  do  you  present? 

We  will  screen  just  about  anything.  We  look 
particularly  for  women  filmmakers,  gay  and  les- 
bian filmmakers,  minority  filmmakers,  and  total 
sociopaths  with  cameras.  We  try  to  stay  away 
from  normal  festival  fare,  not  because  it  is  bad, 
but  because  it  is  a  little  tired  and  worn  around 
the  edges. 

How  can  filmmakers  submit  their  work? 

We  have  no  forms  and  charge  no  fees.  Just  send 
a  VHS  tape  with  your  contact  information  and 
any  accompanying  material  (press  kits,  syn- 
opses, bios,  etc.)  to  David  Maquiling  (see 
above).  You  can  also  leave  it  at  the  Anthology 
box  office. 

What  are  your  long-term  goals? 
Get  longer  runs  at  Anthology  and  other  local 
theaters  for  some  of  our  stronger  films.   We 
would  also  like  to  put  our  films  on  the  road  and 
screen  some  of  our  programs  in  other  cities. 

Any  famous  last  words? 

At  the  beginning,  before  David  and  the  film- 
makers board,  I  programmed  two  of  the  worst 
films  I  had  ever  seen,  one  by  mistake  and  the 
other  under  duress,  and  now  they  are  all  any- 
one wants  to  talk  about.  Festival  programmers 
should  remember,  I  think  it  was  Sam  Goldwyn's 
saying,  "Nobody  knows  nothing." 

Michelle  Coe 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


IIW  A.  OUT  OF  PRODUCTION 


by   Gesha-Marie 
Bryant 

Believe,  the  latest  media  instruction  pro- 
ject  at  Northwest  High  School  in  Omaha,  is 
based  on  a  script  written  by  TV  producer  and 
high    school    film    instructor    Blake    Tippens. 


harsh  reality  of  taking  charge  of  his  own  destiny 
and  the  ease  of  fantasy  life.  With  his  predilec- 
tion for  fantasy  in  matters  of  career  and 
romance,  Lang  dreams  of  meeting  Mastroianni 
and  becoming  a  brilliant,  celebrated  screen- 
writer. Figure  Eight  Films,  Box  1532,  Ann  Arbor, 
MI,  481064535;  (734)  741-1114;  www.fig- 
ureeightfilms.com 

If  you  find  the  Catholic  Church's  position  on 
sexuality  contradictory,  Forbidden  Wedding 
makes  one  of  the  strongest  cases  ever.  Director 
Flavia  Fontes  (Chico  Mendes:  Voice  of  the 
Amazon  and  Living  with  Chimpanzees:  Portrait  of 
a  Farnily)  was  inspired  to  make  this  documen- 
tary after  an  international  uproar  around  a  for- 


Inspired  to  "create  a  simple  story 
that  would  appeal  to  and  interest 
the  students  I  work  with  everyday," 
this  16mm  feature  follows  the 
Scream  genre.  A  group  of  teens  lock 
themselves  in  the  local  high  school 
for  a  weekend  to  shoot  the  perfect 
horror  film  only  to  discover  a  men- 
acing presence  in  their  midst,  while  a  deeply 
religious  member  of  the  crew  questions  her 
belief  system  and  faith.  Other  than  the  writing, 
the  students  enrolled  in  the  Film  Production 
course  completed  the  film  from  start  to  finish  as 
both  cast  and  crew  members,  75  percent  of 
whom  have  and  will  enroll  in  broadcasting/pro- 
duction programs  in  college.  Northwest  Video 
Productions,  8204  Crown  Point  Avenue,  Omaha, 
NE  68134;  btippens(q:'ops.org 

Since  Marcello  Mastroianni's  1996  death 
from  pancreatic  cancer,  the  actor  has  been  hon- 
ored with  a  slew  of  documentaries,  retrospec- 
tives, and  homages,  including  the  recent  Ciao 
Marcello,  by  novice  producer  Claudette 
Jocelyn  Stern  and  writer/director  Michael 
Hogan  of  Ann  Arbor-based  Figure  Eight  Films. 
Inspired  by  8  1/2,  Ciao  Marcello  is  a  35mm  fea- 
ture about  a  mid-twenties  cineaste  and 
Italophile,  Otto  Lang,  who  is  torn  between  the 


bidden  marriage.  Because  he  is  paralyzed  below 
the  waist,  Hedir  Antonio  de  Brito  was  denied 
the  right  to  marry  his  fiancee,  Elzimar  de 
Lourdes  Serafim,  under  Ecclesiastic  Law  1084 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  which  forbids 
marriage  without  sexual  union  of  partners.  As  a 
devout  Catholic,  de  Brito  protested  this  law 
and  found  church-sanctioned  marriage 
through  the  dissident  Brazilian  Catholic 
Church,  founded  by  priests  fed  up  with  the 
archaic  inequities  of  the  Vatican  high  courts. 
Now  in  postproduction,  Forbidden  Wedding 
explores  the  social  issues  at  hand  for  Brazilian 
and  Catholic  communities  through  on-location 
interviews.  Means  of  Production,  209  E.  81st  St., 
New  York,  NY  10028;  (212)  794-1982. 

When  Two  Won't  Do,  a  Canadian  television 
doc,  funded  in  part  by  the  Canada  Council  and 
SODEC,  explores  alternatives  to  monogamy 
and  the  traditional  nuclear  family  using  the 
road  trip  genre.  With  a  variety  of  perspectives 


on  the  alternatives,  which  include  group  fami- 
lies, open  relationships,  swinging,  polyamory, 
and  the  latest  sexual  therapies,  filmmakers 
Maureen  Marovitch  and  David  Finch  traveled 
to  conventions  and  visited  various  experts 
nationwide.  Interviews  with  a  biologist,  anti- 
monogamy  sci-fi  visionaries,  divorce  lawyers, 
alternative  Utopian  communities,  relationship 
traditionalists,  and  even  a  jaded  wedding  gown 
merchant  explore  this  lifestyle  explosion  to  the 
hilt.  With  more  footage  to  be  shot  on  Beta  and 
DVD  and  then  blown-up  to  35  mm,  Marovitch 
and  Finch  plan  to  add  the  finishes  touches  with 
their  personal  involvement  and  discoveries  of 
alternative  relationships.  Picture  This 
Productions  Inc.,  154  Hillcrest  St,  Ville  St.  Pierre, 

Quebec,   H8R   1]4; 

(514)  484-3777. 

Unsatisfied  with 
less-than-generous 
distribution  deals, 
self-proclaimed 
street  producers 
and  actors  Jorge 
Ameer  and  John 
Greenlaw  have 
marked  their  indie 
birth  with  efforts 
to  self-distribute 
California  Myth  to 
theaters  in  Los 
Angeles  and  New 


York.  The  film 
is  a  cheeky 
'90s  L.A. 

romantic  com- 
edy of  mid-life 
crises,  new- 
age  nude  acting  classes,  unbridled  libido,  and 
pre-natal  psychics.  It  has  paved  the  way  for 
their  next  feature,  Strippers,  yet  another  LA 
story  of  corporate  greed  and  deceit.  A  J. 
Productions,  1135  N.  La  Brea  Ave,  Ste.  2197, 
Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (323)  876-0975. 

"In  &  Out  of  Production"  invites  AIVF  members  to 
send  information  about  their  works-in-progress  or 
recently  completed  films  or  videos.  Please  include  a 
synopsis,  running  time,  format,  and  contact  infor- 
mation. If  available,  send  labelled  photos,  prefer- 
ably b&w  glossies.  Mail  to:  The  Independent,  304 
Hudson,  6th  fl.  New  York,  NY  10013,  attm  In  &  Out. 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


ffMiH 


Media  100  Suites 

(with  or  without  editor) 

beta  sp  -  3/4"  -  Hi8  -  VHS  -  SVHS 

2d/3d  Graphics  Design 

photoshop,  illustrator, 
after  effects,  electricimage 

Voice-over  Booth 
Internet  and  CD-ROM 

integration  of  your  video  projects 
into  web  pages  and  cd-rom. 


Medialuna 
Productions 

636  broadway,  suite  214 

tel.  212.228.1133 

fax  212.228.1101 

www.medialuna.com 


Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for  members  to  discuss 
work,  meet  other  independents,  share  war  stories, 
and  connect  with  the  AIVF  community  across  the 
country.  Note:  Since  our  copy  deadline  is  two  months 
before  the  meetings  listed  below,  be  sure  to  call  the 
local  organizers  to  confirm  that  there  have  been  no 
last-minute  changes. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  1st  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30  p.m. 
Where:  Borders  Books  6k  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin,  (518)  518-5269;  videos4c(5' 
cris.com 


THE  PALM  BEACH  STORY 


Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tues. 
of  the  month,  6:30. 
Where:  Redlight  Cafe, 
Amsterdam    Outlets 
off  Monroe  Dr. 
Contact:  Mark 

Wynns,        IMAGE 
(404)  352-4225  xl2. 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday 

of  the  month,  8  p.m. 

Where:         Electric 

Lounge,    302    Bowie 

Street. 

Contact:  Ben  Davis, 

(512)  708-1962. 

Birmingham,  AL: 

When/Where:    Call 
for  date  &  location. 
Contact:    Michele    Foreman, 
(205)  298-0685. 

Boston,  MA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  6k 

location. 

Contact:  Susan  Walsh, 

528-7279. 


Chuck  Elderd  (I),  Palm 
Beach  County  Film 
Commissioner,  congrat- 
ulates Palm  Beach  AIVF 
salon  founder/director 
Dominic  Giannetti  on  a 
job  well  done  during  the 
first  AIVF/Palm  Beach 
networking  party,  held 
at  The  Lounge  (a  bar 
conveniently  owned  by 
AIVF  member  Rodney 
Mayo). 


(508) 


Brooklyn,  NY: 

When:   4th  Tuesday  of  each 

month;  call  for  time. 

Where:  Ozzie's  Coffeehouse,  7th  Ave.  &  Lincoln  PI. 

Contact:  Glenn  Francis  Frontera,  (718)  646-7533 

Chicago,  IL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  6k  location. 

Contact:  Oscar  Cervera,  (773)  751-8000  x.  2564- 

Cleveland,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Annetta  Marion,  (216)  781-1755 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  3rd  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999. 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 
When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  p.m. 
Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice  Center, 
Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Diane  Markrow,  (303)  449-7125  or 
Jon  Stout  (303)  442-8445. 


Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Houston  Film  Commission  Hotline,  (713) 

227-1407 

Kansas  City,  MO: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  John  Sjlobom  (816)  333-7574 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  each  month,  5:30  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  location 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or  dot@inet- 

nebr.com 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month,  call  for  time. 

Where:  Cappiccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial  Village 

Rte.  27  6k  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 

Contact:  Allen  Chou  (908)  756-9845  or  www.pas- 

sionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,   ACES   Media  Arts  Center, 

(203)  782-3675 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2 

Portland,  OR: 

When/Where:  call  for  date  6k 

location. 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington, 
(360)  256-6254 

San  Diego,  CA: 

When/Where:     Call     for 
date  6k  location. 
Contact:    Paul    Espinosa, 
espinosata  electriciti.com 
(619)  284-9811 

Seattle,  WA: 

When/Where:     Call     for 
dates  and  locations. 
Contact:      Joel      Bachar, 
(206)  282-3592 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  The  first  Monday  of  each  month  from 
6-8  p.m.  at  Club  Congress,  31 1  E.  Congress,  in  down- 
town Tucson. 

Contact:  Beverly  Seckinger,  (520)  621-1239,  Robert 
Ashle  at  robert(5'access. tucson.org  or  visit 
http://access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4 

Westchester,  NY 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll@aol. 

com  or  Jonathan  Kaplan  (914)  948-3447;  jkap3@ 

juno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  times. 
Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique 
com/flickclique 


/.cboss. 


For  updates  or  changes  to  these  listings,  contact  Marya 
Wethers:  (212)  807-1400  x.  236. 


60     THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


IHEinBER  BENEFITS 


Discounts  are  available  to  current  AIVF  members  with  card. 


CAR  RENTAL  DISCOUNTS 

Alamo:  (800)  354-2322/Assn  #254018,  rate  code  BY 
Avis:  (800)  331-1212/Discount  #B636135 
Budget:  (800)  772-3773/Assn  #T514143 
Hertz:  (800)  654-2210/CDP  #283761 
National:  (800)  CAR-RENT/  Recap  #5600368 

HOTEL  DISCOUNTS  (NYC) 

Carlton  Arms  (212)679-0680 

160  E.  25th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10010 

Rates  from  $52-$76  with  an  additional  10%  off  for  stays  of  7 

days  or  more. 

Gramercy  Park  Hotel 

2  Lexington  Ave  New  York,  NY  10010 

Contact:  Tom  O'Brien,  Sales  Manager  (212)475-4320 

$95  dbl/$125  twin  on  a  space-available  basis.  You  must  call  the 

Sales  Manager  to  get  the  discounted  rate. 

OVERNIGHT  MAILING  SERVICES 

Airborne  Express  (800)  642-4292 

Save  up  to  40%  on  overnight  air  express  services.  Member  rate 

is  $9.75  for  an  8  oz.  overnight  letter  express.  Further  discounts 

for  volumes  over  10  packages  a  month.     Discount  Code: 

1340130100 

ON-LINE  SERVICES 

Echo  Communications  Group,  Inc. 

179  Franklin  Street,  4th  Fl.  New  York,  NY  10013 
Contact:  Josh  Chu     (212)  292-0900;  fax:  (212)  292-0909; 
accounts@echonyc.com  or  jchu@echonyc.com 
http://www.echonyc.com 

25%  discount  on  all  Echo  conference  and  SLIP/PPP  accounts. 
Up  to  25%  off  on  commercial  and  non-profit  web  hosting  pack- 
ages. 

The  Sync-  online  network 

4431  Lehigh  Rd  #301  College  Park,  MD  20746 

Contact:  Carla  Cole    (301)  806-7812;  fax:  (301)  474-5192; 

info@thesync.com 

5%  off  services. 

LEGAL  CONSULTING 

Cinema  Film  Consulting 

333  W.  52nd  Street  New  York,  NY  10008 
Contact:  Robert  Seigel  (212)  307-7533 

Cowan,  Gold,  DeBaets,  Abrahams  &  Sheppard 

40  W.  57th  Street  New  York,  NY  10019 
Contact:  Timothy  DeBaets  (212)  974-7474 

Law  Office  of  Miriam  Stern 

303  E.  83rd  Street  New  York,  NY  10028 

Contact:  Miriam  Stern  (212)  794-1289;  fax:  (212)794-2340 

Stephen  Mark  Goldstein 

186  Riverside  Dr.  New  York,  NY  10024 
Contact:  Stephen  Goldstein  (212)  878-4078 

COUNSELING  SERVICES 

Creative  and  Career  Development 

19  W.  34th  Street,  Penthouse  Ste.  New  York,  NY  10001 
Contact:  Michelle  Frank,  CSW  (212)  957-9376 


Licensed  psychotherapist  with  film  and  TV  experience  assists 
indie  filmmakers  with  creative  and  career  development.  10% 
discount  on  individual  sessions. 

FINANCIAL  SERVICES 

Bell  &  Company,  LLP 

15  E.  26th  Street,  Ste.  1605  New  York,  NY  10010-1599 
Contact:  Martin  M.  Bell,  CPA  (212)  683-6111  phone/ 
(212)  683-2911  fax 
Free  consultation  on  tax  issues. 

Guardian  Life  Insurance 

Contact:  Deborah  Baum  or  Lisa  Glass  (212)261-1859 
Offering  term,  whole,  universal,  and  variable  life  insurance; 
Disability  for  individuals  and  corporations;  Retirement  planning. 

Working  Capital  Management  Account  (WCMA) 
with  Merril  Lynch 

Contact:  Sally  Ann  Weger  (800)  999-6371  or  (212)  415-7967  for 
more  information. 

MEMBERSHIP  MAILING  LIST 

Contact:  Marya  Wethers  at  AIVF  (212)  807-1400  x222  for  dis- 
counted rates  and  other  information. 

CONFERENCE/SCREENING  ROOM 

Contact:  Michelle  Coe  at  AIVF  (212)  807-1400  x235 
Seats  25  comfortably;  1/2"  and  3/4"  decks  and  32"  monitor  cur- 
rently available.  $25  per  hour  during  office  hours-evenings  and 
weekends  by  arrangement. 

PRODUCTION  INSURANCE 

Alliance  Brokerage  Corp. 

990  Westbury  Rd  Westbury,  NY  11590 
Contact:  Jay  Levy  (516)  333-7300;  fax:  (516)  333-5698 
Exclusive  AIVF  insurance  program  for  owned  equipment-can 
include  rentals.   World-wide  all  risk,  replacement  cost  basis. 
Annual  rate  $55.00  per  $1,000.00  of  insured  value. 

C&S  International  Insurance  Brokers,  Inc. 

20  Vesey  Street,  Ste.  500  New  York,  NY  10007 

Contact:  Jennifer  Del  Percio  (212)  406-7588 

Offers  special  discounted  rates  on  commercial  General  Liability 

Insurance. 

Marvin  S.  Kaplan  Insurance  Agency,  Inc. 

68  Fargo  Street,  Boston,  MA  02210 

Contact:  Marvin  Kaplan  (617)345-0666;  fax:  (617)261-0666 

A  one  of  a  kind  program  for  film/video  production  insurance. 

Offers  coverage  of  equipment  owned  or  rented.  Policy  covers  all 

states. 

HEALTH  INSURANCE 

The  following  are  happy  to  consult  with  AIVF  members  about 

health  insurance. 

Jeff  Bader  (Agent)  (718)291-5433 

Meyer  Braiterman  (Agent)  (718)  965-3505 

Teigit  (Administrator)  (800)  886-7504  or  (212)  758-5656 

DENTAL  INSURANCE 

Community  Dental  Program,  Inc.  (888)  950-2259 
Teigit/Cigna  (800)  886-7504  or  (212)  758-5656 


AIVF 
J 


ASSOCIATION 

OF  INDEPENDENT 
VIDEO  AND 
FILMMAKERS 


MEMBERSHIP 
DIRECTOR 


I  AIVF  seeks  a  creative, 

organized,  and 
enthusiastic  individual 
to  lead  our  busy 
membership  department. 

The  AIVF  Membership  Director  works 
alongside  2  PT  Membership  Associates 
and  FT  Information  Services  and  Program 
Director,  among  staff  of  1 2.  Responsibilities 
include  maintenance  of  membership  data 
and  materials,  development  of  member 
benefits  and  incentives,  outreach  to 
current  and  new  constituencies.  Requires 
strong  written  and  oral  communication, 
computer,  and  management  skills; 
background  in  media  arts.  Prior  nonprofit 
experience  desirable. 
20  hrs/wk,  starting  salary  %13/hr; 
possibility  of  full  time  w/  benefits. 

Please  fax  cover  letter  and  resume  by 
March  5  to:  (212)  463-8519,  or  mail  to 
AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.  6th  FL,  New  York,  NY 
WOT 3.  All  applicants  will  be  contacted. 

AIVF  is  an  Equal  Opportunity  Employer. 


WHEN  IT  COMES  TO 

ENTERTAINMENT  & 

MEDIA  INSURANCE 


WE  ARE 
THE  EXPERTS! 


DeWITT  STERN 
GROUP,  INC. 

NEW  YORK 

420  LEXINGTON  AVENUE 

NEW  YORK,  N.Y.  10170-0199 

TEL:  (212)  867-3550  •  FAX:  (212)  983-6483 

JOLYON  F.  STERN,  President 


CAROL  A.  BRESSI-CILONA,  SR.  Vice  Pres. 


AFFILIATES  IN:   LONDON  •  PARIS  •  MUNICH 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


UIJI 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 
63  2i2  MicroNet  Data  Dock 
Jazz  Drive  -  Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  ■  NYC 
212  253  9472 


SCREENPLAY 


June  15th,  1999 

ROSARITO  BEACH, 
BAJA  CALIFORNIA 


The  filming  location  ol  Ihe  movie  epic,  "II  TANK" 


1ST  PRIZE 

$2,000 

vius 

2ND  PRIZE  $1,000^ 

3RD  PRIZE 

$500 

pflL<: 

FOR  INFORMATION  &  APPLICATION 
Send  S  AS  E  to  our  U.S.  Border  address 

BISC 

P.O.Box  439030 

San  Ysidro,  CA  92143 

(619)  615-9977 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media    community,    including    publication    of 


Itvi 


-  --'  ^   *  ^ 


The  Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau,  seminars  and  workshops,  and  an 
information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would  be  possible  without  the  generous 
support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following  organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs     John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 
The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

Home  Box  Office  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation  The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation  The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 

Jerome  Foundation  Visual  ^  Inc-  ^m 


NYSCA  «,.,,,„,, 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3; 
Intrepid  Film  &  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  Respectable  Street  Inc.;  GA: 
Legacy  Pictures  Inc.;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  MD:  Koch  TV  Productions;  MI:  Jes  &  Woodcraft 
Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MO:  Wild  Pictures,  LLC;  NJ:  Galarza  &  Associates,  Inc.;  NM:  Antares 
Research;  NV:  United  Pictures;  NY:  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  The  Bureau 
for  At-Risk  Youth;  C  &.  S  International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment;  Engel 
Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  G  Productions;  H  &  M  Productions;  Media  Principia;  Merci 
Entertainment,  Inc;  New  Rican  Filmmaker;  NTV  Studio  Productions;  One  Such  Films;  Surf 
and  Turf  Films  Inc.;  Tribune  Pictures;  Virtual  Media;  Wonder  Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV- 
Cable  54;  RL  Treasure  Chest  Television;  TX:  Aries  Productions;  Texas  World  Television; 
VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  Spain:  Sogecable. 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona 
University;  CA:  Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  Media 
Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  USC  School  of  Cinema  TV;  University  of  California;  CO: 
Center  for  the  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest  New  Haven;  FL:  Cultural  Development  Group;  GA: 
Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii;  IL:  Community 
Television  Network;  The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The 
Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media  Working  Group;  MA:  Harvard  Medical  School; 
Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film  Festival;  MD:  Laurel  Cable 
Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  Public  Benefit 
Corp;  WTVS  Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts; 
Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  NC:  Institute  For  Public  Media  Arts;  NE: 
Ross  Film  Theater;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  Ascap;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Center  For 
New  American  Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications  Society;  Copiague  Memorial 
Library;  Cornell  Cinema;  Educational  Video  Center;  Films  for  Educators;  Ford  Foundation; 
Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.; 
Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film 
and  Television;  Open  Society  Institute;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul  Robeson 
Fund/Funding  Exchange;  Rochester  Film  Office;  Ross-Gafney;  Squeaky  Wheel; 
SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies;  Syracuse  University;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate 
Films,  Ltd.;  WKSG  Public  Television  &  Radio;  WNET/13;  Women  Make  Movies;  OH: 
Athens  Center  For  Film  &  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  Cleveland  Filmmakers; 
Flick  Clique;  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival;  Ohio  University-Film;  OR:  Communications 
Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty 
Productions;  Council  On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  FilnWideo  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center; 
Univ.  of  the  Arts;  RL  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SO  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission; 
TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Cinemaker  Coop;  Austin  Film  Society; 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film 
Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio -TV- Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WL  Madison  Film 
Forum;  Mexico:  Centra  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Australia:  Clememger  Harvie; 
Canada:  Video  Pool;  York  University;Reach  Foundation  Norway:  Hogskulen  I 
Volda/Biblioteket;  Singapore:  Ngee  Ann  Polytechnic  Library. 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT     March  1999 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash  re- 
serve fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  the  year  2000.  Since 
its  inauguration  in  March  1997,  we  have 
raised  more  than  $90,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  Jewish  Communal  Fund;  New 
York  State  Council  on  the  Arts;  Tower 
Records/Video/Books;  Washington  DC 
Film  Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck;  Peter 
Buck/C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  C&S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Hugo 
Cassirer/Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge, 
Linda  &  Bob  Curtis;  Rick  Linklater/ 
Detour  Film  Foundation;  Loni  Ding; 
Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen  Freedman  & 
Roger  Weisberg;  David  Haas;  Henry 
Hampton;  Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey;  Leonard 
Merrill  Kurz;  Richard  Kylberg;  Tom 
LeGoff;  Helaine  &  Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby 
Lerner;  Juan  Mandelbaum;  John  Bard 
Manulis;  Diane  Markrow;  Sheila  Nevins; 
David  &  Sandy  Picker;  Sarah  E.  Petit/ 
R.E.M./Athens  LLC;  Barbara  Roberts; 
James  Schamus;  Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza 
Vann  Smith;  Miranda  Smith;  Michael 
Stipe;  Ann  Tennenbaum;  Walterry 
Insurance  Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  &  Nancy 
Meyer;  Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan  Wittenberg. 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals  and 
organizations  who  have  recently  made  or 
renewed  generous  donations  of  $100  or 
more  as  MCF  Friends: 

Anonymous;  Tessa  Blake  &  Jason  Lyon/ 
Asset  Pictures  Inc.;  Steven  Bognar;  Virginia 
Loring  Brooks;  David  H.  Brown;  Karen 
Cooper;  Hal  Hartly;  Matthew  &  Katie 
Heineman;  Ted  Hope;  Graham  C.  Leggat; 
Brad  Lichtenstein;  Jodi  Magee;  Donna 
McKay;  Rob  Moss;  Michel  Negroponte; 
Robin  Reidy  Oppenheim;  Eloise  Payne; 
Robert  Richter;  Lynne  Sachs;  Robin 
Schanzebach;  Vivian  Sobchack;  Somford 
Entertainment;  Jon  A.  Stout;  Eugene  B. 
Squires;  Nick  Taylor;  Ed  Williams;  Pamela 
Yates. 


Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  inc. 


Your  Avid  Film  Composer  Matchback  Specialists 


Negative  cutting  &  Conforming 

y  35mm 
>  16mm 
y      Super  16mm 


"g&&&r 


413-736-2177  S413-734-1211  •  800-370-CUTS 


25  Riverview  Terrace 
Springfield,  MA  01 108-1603 


www.nenm.com 
e-mail:  nenm@nenm.com 


NEW  ITVS  FUNDING  INITIATIVE 


^LlaCS^ 


LOCAL  INDEPENDENTS 
COLLABORATING 
with  STATIONS 

Funded  productions  have  included: 

O  Sing  Faster: 

The  Stagehands'  Ring  Cycle 

O  Tobacco  Blues 

O  Escape  from  Affluenza: 
Living  Better  on  Less 

O  Holding  On; 

A  Love  Story  pom  the  Street 

O  Hopi  Quilts 

O  Shaker  Heights: 

The  Struggle  for  Integration 
For  application  guidelines: 

ITVS,  51  Federal  Street,  Suite  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107 
(415)  356-8383,  ext.  444 
Email:  itvs@itvs.org 


O  Production  funds  for  independent 
producer  &  public  television 
station  partnerships 

©  Station  cash  and  in-kind 
contributions  matched  1:1 

O  Funding  amounts  will  range  from  | 
$10,000-$65,000 

O  All  genres  —  singles,  series  and 
interstitiats  eligible 

O  Application  deadline:  April  30,  1999 


Pro  Tools  •  Sound  Editing 
•  Surround  Sound  •  ADR  • 
Automated  Mix  to  Picture  • 
Foley  •  SFX  •  Sound  Design 
I  •  Custom  Music 


-  Media  100  XR  •  HDR  Real 
I  Time  FX  •  Adobe  After 
Effects  •  Photoshop  •  D3 
Digital  •  Betacam  SP  • 
Off-Line  •  On-Line  •  Ani- 
mation •  Full  On-Location 
Services 


601  Gates  Road  •  Vestal,  NY  13850 
SERVING  INDEPENDENTS  SINCE  1971 

1-800-464-9754 


March  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      63 


Subscribe  &  Save  25% 


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**** 


ATTENTION 


icickic 


riLH  SL  VIDEC  PRODUCERS 


ERRORS  &  OMISSIONS 
INSURANCE 


ONE  TIME  PREMIUM 


ANNUAL  RENEWAL  NOT  NECESSARY 


$$$ 


**> 


r 


<p& 


~y 


$$$ 


11  ra 


INSURANCE  BROKERS 


%    ,3 


P.O.  BOX  128,  CLINTON,  MD  20735 
WWW.WALTERRY.COM 

1-800-638-8791 


1 


I 


ASSOCIATION       OF      I 


E  P  E  N   D  E  N  T 


If 

VIDEO 

T 


AND       FILMMAKERS 


Ofl 


never  had  formal  training  in  film,  so  when  i  decided 

to  make  one,  I  joined  AiVF.  They  have  resources 
^aot  writing  bud^etin^  directing  and  distribution, 

not  to  mention  a  ^est  community  of  fellow  studen 
For  $"  a  year,  it's  a  lot  cheaper  than  film  school.' 


r^ 


Ruth  L  Dzeki     , 

Director,  Halvirfifffie  Bones 
Author,  My  Year  of  Meats 


Photo;  Tom  LeGoff 


Design.  Nik  Ives 


TOTALLY  IHDtPfHOfHT^ 

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S3.95  us  S5.25  can 


Gill  Holland 

on  Picking 

Your  Producer 


Tony 

&  OTHER 

SUNDANCE 

WINNERS 


v  Bin';  U 


The  Politics  of 
Exhibition 

Digital  Preproduction 

The  Casting  Director 
as  Producer 


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Independent 

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Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
[editor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
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Intern:  Gesha-Marie  Bryant 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge.  Michelle  Coe, 

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Barbara  Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

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77ie  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  tor  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF).  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
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membership  dues  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers 
(AIVF).  the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  involved  in  independent  film  and 
video  Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr.  Contact;  AIVF.  304  Hudson  St..  6 
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Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  funds  from  the 
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the  Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  77;e  Independent 
does  not  constitute  an  endorsement  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims 
made  in  an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor  Letters  may  be  edit- 
ed for  length.  All  contents  are  copyright  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and 
Film,  Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's 
previous  appearance  in  The  IndependentJte  Independent  is  indexed  in  the 
Alternative  Press  Index. 

c  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff;  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director,  Michelle  Coe,  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director:  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  associate;  Eugene 
Hernandez,  webmaster;  Jodi  Magee.  development  consultant  Jessica  Perez,  admin- 
istrative director:  Marya  Wethers,  membership  assistant. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel;  Robert  I.  Freedman,  Esq.,  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors;  Loni  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Ruby  Lerner'.  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Linklater.  Cynthia  Lopez*.  Diane  Markrow  (sec- 
retary). Jim  McKay.  Robb  Moss  (chair).  Elizabeth  Peters  (ex  officio).  Robert  Richter 
(treasurer).  James  Schamus*  Valerie  Soe.  Barton  Weiss  (co-president) 
*  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only. 

2    THE    INDEPENDENT    April  1999 


26  Recasting  the  Casting  Director 


As  name  actors  have  become  more  of  a  necessity  for  greenlighting  independent  features,  the  casting 
director's  role  has  grown  in  importance.  Some  are  now  asking  for — and  getting — producer  credits. 

by  Amy  Goodman 

29  Someone  to  Watch  Over  Me 

Picking  a  producer  is  like  hiring  your  own  boss.  A  veteran  independent  producer  offers  some  words  of 
advice  to  novice  directors  looking  for  that  special  someone  to  produce  their  films. 

by  Gill  Holland 

32  Indie  Jones  &  the  Raiders  of  the  Lost  Art 

Has  the  artsyplex  boom  housebroken  independent  film?  An  in-depth  look  at  the  politics  of  arthouse 
exhibition. 

by  Rob  Nelson 


k.  v  ■- 


Departments 


Upfront 


5  News 

The  Gore  Commission  Report  arrives  not  with  a  bang,  but  a  whimper;  two 

new  distributors  open  shop. 

by  Gary  O.   Larson,   Richard  Baimbridge 


10  Profiles 

Jill  Godmilow  and  Cauleen  Smith. 
BY  Cara   M  ertes 

&.KATE    HAUG 


12  Fest  Circuit 

Highlights  from  the  Sundance  and  Slamdance  film  festivals. 

by  Richard  Baimbridge,   Mark  J.   Huisman, 

Cara   Mertes,   Patricia  Thomson   &  Jay  Lowie 


l  i 


21  Books 

Short  takes  on  Christine  Vachon's  Shooting 
to  Kill:  How  an  Independent  Producer  Blasts 
through  the  Barriers  to  Make  Movies  that 
Matter  and 

The  Filmmaker's  Handbook:  A 
Comprehensive  Guide  for  the  Digital  Age, 
by  Steven  Ascher  &  Edward  Pincus 
by   Robert  S e i g e l   6k 
Ryan   Deussing 

22  Technology 

Digital  still  cameras  make  their  mark  on 
preproduction,  revising  how  to  approach 
storyboarding  and  location  scouting. 
by   Rob  rownd 

25  On  View 

Independents  opening  at  a  theater  or  on 
national  television  this  month. 

by  Paul  Power 


FAQ  &  Info 

38  Distributor  FAQ 

Formed  two  years  ago,  Stratosphere 
Entertainment  is  a  hopeful  up-and-comer 
in  the  arena  of  medium- sized  theatrical 
distributors. 

BY    LlSSA    GIBBS 

40  Funder  FAQ 

The  Creative  Capital  Foundation,  brand 
new  as  of  January  1999,  will  be  funding 
media,  among  other  disciplines.  Heading 
it  is  former  AIVF/FIVF 
executive  director  Ruby  Lerner. 

by  Michelle    Coe 

Festivals  42 
Notices  48 
Classifieds  52 


David  Edelsleii 


@AIVF 


Events  58 

Letter  to  AIVF  Members  59 
Trade  Discounts  60 
Salons  61 


Cover:  Nguyen  Ngoc  Hiep  in  Three  Seasons,  by  Tony  Bui,  which  swept  three  top  awards  at  the 
Sundance  Film  Festival.  For  festival  coverage,  see  pages  12  - 16.  Photo  courtesy  October  Films 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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THE  GORE 
COMMISSION  REPORT 

Expanding  the  Vast  Wasteland 


Between  the  impeachment  proceedings  in 
Washington  and  the  bombing  runs  over  Iraq, 
the  mid-December  release  of  a  final  report  by 
the  Advisory  Committee  on  Public  Interest 
Obligations  of  Digital  Television  Broadcasters 


al  scandal,"  citing  in  particular  its  failure  to 
address  spiraling  campaign  costs  by  requiring 
broadcasters  to  provide  free  airtime  to  political 
candidates.  Ironically,  14  of  the  panel's  22 
members  had  supported  such  a  requirement 


ic 


Advisory  Committee  on  Public  Intere 
Obligations  of  Digital  Teievision  Broadcasters 


NEWS 


EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 

Actually,  we  won't  have  to  wait  quite  that 
long  to  lament  the  Gore  Commission's  failure. 
The  digital  television  roll-out  has  already 
begun  in  several  cities,  and  DTV  signals  will  be 
available  to  half  of  all  households  by  year's  end. 
Adoption  by  large  numbers  of  households  will 
proceed  much  more  slowly,  but  once  affordable 
set-top  boxes  become  widely  available  after  the 
turn  of  the  century,  we'll  begin  to  see  the  real 
fruits  of  the  digital  television  harvest.  It  won't 
be  the  high-definition  television  broadcasts 
we've  heard  so  much  about  (a 
money-losing  proposition  until 
monitors  large  enough  to  take 
advantage  of  the  HDTV  stan- 
dard become  much  more  com- 
mon), but  rather  multiplexed 
signals.  Such  digital  magic  will 


„. 


The  official  Gore  Commission  web  site. 

didn't  stand  much  of  a  chance.  Even  on  a  slow 
news  day,  this  was  not  the  kind  of  material  to 
create  much  of  a  stir.  Still,  the  issue  under  con- 
sideration— determining  what  the  nation's 
1,600  TV  stations  owe  their  communities  in 
exchange  for  free  use  of  the  public  airwaves — 
remains  a  vital  one,  especially  as  the  Federal 
Communications  Commission  prepares  to  take 
up  the  matter  in  a  formal  rulemaking  process. 
At  stake  is  a  range  of  new  civic,  educational, 
and  cultural  programming  that  will  be  possible, 
given  the  vastly  expanded  capacity  of  the  new 
digital  TV  platform,  but  not  very  probable  in 
light  of  the  current  diminished  state  of  public- 
service  regulations. 

The  so-called  "Gore  Commission,"  appoint- 
ed by  the  Clinton  administration  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1997,  was  in  a  position  to  strengthen 
those  regulations,  but  it  wasn't  quite  up  to  the 
task.  Like  a  lot  of  blue-ribbon  committees 
formed  in  Washington  over  the  years,  this  lat- 
est version  (pitting  such  noncommercial  stal- 
warts as  the  Independent  Television  Service's 
James  Yee  and  children's  television  pioneer 
Peggy  Charren  against  such  industry  insiders  as 
CBS  president  Leslie  Moonves  and  USA 
Networks  chairman  Barry  Diller)  came  up  with 
a  typically  colorless  set  of  recommendations 
(www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/piac 
report.pdf  and  www.benton.org/PIAC).  So 
bland  was  the  committee's  final  report,  in  fact, 
that  the  reaction  to  its  tepid  recommenda- 
tions— including  some  strong  dissenting  opin- 
ions from  several  of  the  panel's  own  members — 
proved  far  more  newsworthy. 

A  Los  Angeles  Times  editorial  entitled 
"Airwave  Avarice"  called  the  report  a  "nation- 


before  caving  in  to  industry  pressure  and  call- 
ing for  a  voluntary  "five  minutes  each  night  for 
candidate-centered  discourse  in  the  thirty  days 
before  an  election."  National  PTA  President 
Lois  Jean  White,  meanwhile,  a  dissenting 
member  of  the  committee,  brought  her  criti- 
cism much  closer  to  home:  "The  recommen- 
dations contained  in  the  report  do  little  to  pro- 
mote, and  nothing  to  secure,  the  interests  of 
families  and  children." 
But  leave  it  to  for- 
mer FCC  chairman 
Newton  Minow  to 
come  up  with  the  best 
line  of  all.  The  man 
who  bestowed  the 
"vast  wasteland"  label 
on  network  television 
in  1962  had  equally 
sharp  words  for  the 
consensus-driven 
process  of  the  Gore 
Commission,  one  that 
sought  common 

ground  between  the 
TV  moguls  and  their 
critics  before  arriving,  after  over  a  year  of  delib- 
erations, at  a  decidedly  unhappy  medium. 
"[T]he  price  paid  for  this  laudable  effort  to 
accommodate  conflicting  views,"  wrote  Minow 
in  his  dissent  to  the  full  committee  report,  "left 
us  with  a  low  common  denominator  at  a  time 
when  we  need  a  broader  vision  equal  to  the 
promise  of  new  digital  channels  ...  Our  grand- 
children will  one  day  regret  our  failure  to  meet 
one  of  the  great  communications  opportunities 
in  the  history  of  democracy." 


yield  four  or  more  extra  chan- 
nels of  programming  for  each  existing  station  in 
the  country,  along  with  a  variety  of  computer 
data  services.  The  potential  for  this  new  pro- 
gramming environment  to  serve  the  public 
interest — including  the  interest  of  independent 
video  and  filmmakers — is  incalculable.  But  in 
the  absence  of  adequate  new  public-interest 
requirements,  the  digital  TV  revolution  will 
likely  prove  even  less  hospitable  to  public  ser- 
vice than  network  television  is  today,  if  that's 
possible. 


Celebrating  "the  high  standards  of  public  service 
that  most  stations  follow  and  that  represent  the 
ideals  and  historic  traditions  of  the  industry,"  the 
committee's  attempt  to  build  a  regulatory  frame- 
work out  of  wishful  thinking  was  doomed  from  the 
outset.  The  road  to  primetime  in  the  new  digital  era, 
it  seems,  will  be  paved  with  good  intentions — along 
with  pay-per-view  programming,  home  shopping, 
and  personalized  advertising. 


It  cannot  be  said,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
the  Gore  Commission  didn't  tackle  the  impor- 
tant issues,  including  plans  for  enumerating 
specific  public-interest  requirements,  for  set- 
ting aside  space  for  noncommercial  program- 
ming, and  for  developing  local  alternatives  to 
the  existing  public  broadcasting  bulwark.  But 
the  recommendations  that  the  panel  ultimately 
came  up  with  in  these  areas,  vague  and  lofty 
promises  at  best,  were  compromised  beyond 
recognition.  In  one  of  its  most  extraordinary, 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      5 


ead  i  ng     for 


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fox-guarding- the -henhouse  recommendations, 
the  Gore  Commission  called  on  the  National 
Association  of  Broadcasters — vocal  in  its  oppo- 
sition to  the  committee  process  from  the  out- 
set— to  draft  a  new  voluntary  code  of  conduct. 
The  committee  favored,  in  its  own  words,  "pol- 
icy approaches  that  rely  on  information  disclo- 
sures, voluntary  self-regulation,  and  economic 
incentives,  as  opposed  to  regulation."  In  other 
words,  in  exchange  for  the  free  use  of  what  is 
estimated  to  be  $70  billion  worth  of  spectrum 
for  the  eight-year  digital  transition,  the  broad- 
casters will  be  asked  merely  to  conduct  business 
as  usual.  Celebrating  "the  high  standards  of 
public  service  that  most  stations  follow  and 
that  represent  the  ideals  and  historic  traditions 
of  the  industry,"  the  committee's  attempt  to 
build  a  regulatory  framework  out  of  wishful 
thinking  was  doomed  from  the  outset.  The  road 
to  primetime  in  the  new  digital  era,  it  seems, 
will  be  paved  with  good  intentions — along  with 
pay-per-view  programming,  home  shopping, 
and  personalized  advertising. 

For  all  its  shortcomings,  however,  the  Gore 
Commission  at  least  managed  to  identify  a  pair 
of  issues  that  warrant  further  study.  "First,  the 
recommendation  that  "the  FCC  should  adopt  a 
set  of  minimum  public  interest  requirements  for 
digital  television  broadcasters"  raises  the  possi- 
bility that  federal  regulators  will  be  able  to  do 
what  the  all-star  panel  could  not:  lift  the  pub- 
lic-service obligations  from  their  current 
embarrassingly  low  level  (namely,  the  scattering 
of  late-night  public-service  announcements, 
three  paltry  hours  of  allegedly  educational  chil- 
dren's programming  each  week,  and  some  of 
the  shallowest  local  news  coverage  this  side  of 
the  supermarket  tabloids)  to  something  approx- 
imating genuine  public  service.  But  even  the 
least  onerous  new  requirements  are  sure  to 
incur  the  wrath  of  the  NAB  and  its  multi-mil- 


DISTRIBUTION 


lion-dollar  lobbying  operation.  It's  not  clear 
whether  the  new  FCC  chairman  William  E. 
Kennard,  who  assumed  his  post  in  the  fall  of 
1997,  will  prove  any  less  resistant  than  the 
Gore  Commission  to  industry  pressure. 

Second,  in  the  area  of  educational  program- 
ming, the  Gore  Commission  came  up  with  a 
three-pronged  strategy,  calling  for  (1)  the  cre- 
ation of  a  trust  fund  for  the  support  of  public 
broadcasting  ("to  remove  it  from  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  the  political  process");  (2)  the  reserva- 
tion of  the  digital  equivalent  of  6  MHz  of  ana- 
log spectrum  for  noncommercial  educational 
programming  in  each  community  (when,  some- 
time after  2006,  the  stations  return  the  extra 
channel  space  they  were  lent  for  the  transition 
to  digital  broadcast);  and  (3)  the  incorporation 
of  noncommercial,  community-service  material 
by  those  stations  using  the  new  digital  platform 
for  potentially  lucrative  Internet  datacasting 
activities.  In  one  of  its  most  profound  under- 
statements, the  commission  acknowledged  that 
"the  market  alone  may  not  provide  program- 
ming that  can  adequately  serve  children,  the 
governing  process,  special  community  needs, 
and  the  diverse  voices  in  the  country." 

That  frank  admission  might  well  serve  as  a 
starting  point  (along  with  an  acknowledgment 
that  public  broadcasting  as  it  currently  exists  is 
equally  ill-equipped,  financially  and  philosoph- 
ically, to  serve  community  and  diversity)  for  the 
FCC  deliberations.  A  consortium  of  advocacy 
organizations,  led  by  the  the  Civil  Rights 
Forum,  the  Project  on  Media  Ownership,  and 
Center  for  Media  Education  (and  including 
AIVF,  among  40  other  organizations),  has 
formed  to  press  the  case  for  new  public-interest 
obligations.  Thus  the  work  left  unfinished  by  the 
Gore  Commission  can  now  begin.  Stay  tuned. 

Gary  O.  Larson 

Gary  O.  Larson  lglarson(<>arts<wire.com]  is  a 
contributing  editor  at  The  Independent 


NEW  HOPEFULS 

Indican  &  Urbanworld  Films  Hang  Out  Shingles 


TWO  NEW  COMPANIES  HAVE  RECENTLY 
announced  plans  to  step  into  the  ring  of 
national  theatrical  distribution  for  independent 
films,  hoping  to  capitalize  on  smaller  films  and 
niche  markets  that  they  believe  are  being  over- 
looked in  an  environment  of  distributors  who 
are  increasingly  allying  themselves  with  larger 
studios  and  corporations.  Late  last  year,  Indican 


Pictures,  a  Los  Angeles-based  distribution  com- 
pany, entered  the  scene  with  their  first  release, 
a  feature  addressing  neo-Nazi  violence,  called 
Pariah.  The  film,  directed  by  Randolph  Kret, 
received  commendations  from  the  NAACP 
and  Martin  Luther  King  Foundation  that 
American  History  X,  which  was  released  by  New 
Line  around  the  same  time  and  deals  with  sim- 


ilar subject  matter,  failed  to  receive.  Pariah 
opened  in  Pittsburgh  this  January  and  has  had  a 
national  release,  screening  in  venues  from  Iowa 
City  to  New  York  and  Los  Angeles,  while 
Indican's  second  pickup,  John  Reiss'  Cleopatra's 
Second  Husband,  is  due  for  a  late  summer 
release. 

Meanwhile,  Stacey  Spikes,  former  Miramax 
and  October  Films  marketing  exec,  as  well  as 
current  executive  director  of  the  Urbanworld 
Film  Festival,  also  recently  announced  plans  to 
open  a  distribution  company,  name  Urbanworld 
Films,  which  he  says  will  release  approximately 
10  titles  per  year,  mostly  (though  not  exclusive- 
ly) for  African  American  audiences.  "Though 
we  are  related,  the  Urbanworld  distribution 
company  will  be  a  completely  separate  entity 
from  the  Urbanworld  Film  Festival,"  Spikes  says 
from  the  company's  New  York  headquarters. 

These  two  announcements  come  at  a  time 
when  most  news  surrounding  the  indie  distribu- 
tion market  is  of  companies  such  as  Miramax 
and  October  merging  with  major  studios.  Yet  it 
is  exactly  that  phenomenon,  says  30-year-old 
Kevin  Ramon,  vicepresident  and  head  of  mar- 
keting for  Indican,  that  inspired  him  and  his 
partners  (most  of  whom  are  in  their  late  20s, 
with  little  direct  industry  experience)  to  get  into 
the  business.  "Since  distributors  like  October 
and  Fine  Line  have  all  moved  into  the  studio 
system,  we  feel  that  they  have  left  a  vacuum  in 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


their  wake.  A  lot  of  good  films  that  would've 
been  picked  up  just  a  few  years  ago  are  now 
being  missed,"  Ramon  says.  "We  see  this  as  an 
opportunity  to  pick  up  the  films  that  we  believe 
are  powerful  and  give  them  a  real  chance." 

Spikes  says  Urbanworld  also  saw  a  niche  in 
the  studio  system  that  he  thinks  it  can  fill. 
"There  is  a  huge  void,"  says  Spikes.  "African 
Americans  make  up  one  quarter  of  all  box 
office  sales,  spending  $1  billion  a  year.  If  you 
look  at  those  averages,  you  see  that  out  of  the 
300-400  films  released,  at  least  100  should  be 
black  films.  Yet,  on  average,  only  about  15 
black  films  are  being  made.  If  we  can  double 
that  and  get  just  ten  percent  of  the  [African 
American]  box  office,  you're  looking  at  a  little 
company  sailing  to  the  tune  of  $100  million  a 
year." 

With  the  success  of  the  Urbanworld  Festival, 
which  in  only  two  years  has  managed  to 
become  a  force  in  the  industry,  premiering  such 
hits  as  Soul  Food  and  How  Stella  Got  Her  Groove 
Back,  Spikes'  expectations  seem  feasible. 
Importantly,  he  adds,  Urbanworld  Films  will 
also  be  focusing  on  the  much-overlooked 
potential  among  African  American  tilmgoers  to 
support  independent  film.  "We  will  be  going 
out  and  conducting  a  grassroots  campaign  to 
create  support  for  independent  films  by,  for 
example,  going  to  historically  black  colleges 
and  doing  promotion  there,"  Spikes  says. 
Urbanworld  Films  further  hopes  to  bring  what 
Spikes  calls  "the  Gospel  market"  to  movie  the- 
aters by  getting  black  Broadway  and  off- 
Broadway  productions  like  Bring  in  da  Noise, 
Bring  in  da  Funk  to  the  big  screen. 

But,  even  with  all  the  hopes  and  good  inten- 
tions of  Indican  and  Urbanworld  Films,  the  sta- 
tistics are  clearly  against  them. 

Jeffrey  Jacobs,  who  booked  New  York's 
Angelika  theater  for  seven  years  before  it  was 
sold  to  Reading  Entertainment  in  late  97  and 
who  remains  one  of  the  nation's  leading  book- 
ing agents,  scrolls  down  his  list  of  clients,  not- 
ing approximately  90  active  distribution  com- 
panies in  the  U.S.  today.  "Of  those,"  he  says, 
"about  90  percent  of  the  films  I  book  come 
from  less  than  30  distributors.  After  those  30, 
I'd  say  that  perhaps  40  others  occasionally  have 
films." 

Jacobs  says  that  though  technically  there  are 
more  distribution  companies  than  there  were 
12  years  ago,  the  actual  number  of  players  in 

ERRATA 

On  the  cover  of  the  March  1999  issue, 

St.Clair  Bourne's  name  was  misspelled. 

The  Independent  apologizes  for  this  error. 


8    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


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the  market  is  shrinking,  not  expanding.  "After 
these  larger  companies  like  Artisan,  October, 
and  New  Line,  who  have  the  money  to  do  pro- 
motion and  get  prints  made,  acquire  all  the 
good  films,  there's  just  not  that  much  left,"  he 
says.  "But  there's  always  room  in  the  industry 
for  someone  who  has  a  good  film  that  people 
will  go  see.  There's  never  been  a  time  that  I 
know  of  when  there's  been  enough  good  films 
to  fill  theaters  52  weeks  out  of  the  year. 

For  their  part,  Ramon  says  Indican  Pictures 
believes  the  key  to  success  will  be  the  compa- 
ny's ability  to  go  beyond  traditional  arthouse 
releases,  bringing  indie  film  to  Cinemark  and 
United  Artist  theaters  (with  whom  they  have 
effectively  established  a  first-look  relationship), 
while  still  developing  arthouse  venues  in  parts 
of  the  country  that  he  thinks  are  being  neglect- 
ed. Indican  will  also  stress  a  very  direct  rela- 
tionship with  the  filmmakers,  he  notes. 


"If  one  of  our  films  fails,  it's  going  to  be 
everybody's  responsibility,  including  the  film- 
maker, because  they'll  be  with  us  every  step  of 
the  way,"  Ramon  says,  citing  Six-String  Samurai 
as  a  film  he  wished  he'd  had  a  crack  at  distrib- 
uting. "I  think  that  could've  been  a  midnight 
movie  classic,"  he  laments. 

Urbanworld's  recipe  for  success  is  to  be  to 
African  American  and  other  minority  film- 
makers what  Miramax  is  to  indie  filmmakers. 
"Indies  want  to  be  with  Miramax  because  of 
the  company's  reputation  in  dealing  with 
independent  film,"  Spikes  says.  "That's  how 
we'd  like  to  be  perceived,  as  well." 

Either  way,  for  small-scale  distribution 
companies  in  today's  big  business  environ- 
ment, the  road  ahead  is  an  increasingly  diffi- 
cult one. 

Richard  Baimbridge 

Richard  Baimbridge  is  a  regular  contributor 
to  The  Independent. 


PUBLIC  TV 


Missing  LlnCS 


ITVS  revises  station 

Circle  April  30th  in  your  calendars:  this  is 

the  application  deadline  for  a  new  Independent 
Television  Service  initiative  entitled  LlnCS 
(Local  Independents  Collaborating  with 
Stations).  The  LlnCS  program  is  designed  to 
facilitate  full  production  partnerships  between 
independent  producers  and  local  public  TV 
stations  and  has  emerged  to  replace  and 
improve  on  the  successful  Station-Independent 
Partnership  Production  (SIPP)  fund. 

LlnCS  will  provide  incentive  or  matching 
funds  (from  $10,000  to  $65,000)  to  any 
approved  partnerships,  representing  an 
increase  on  SIPP's  ceiling  of  $50,000.  Other 
differences  include  the  administration  of  the 
$1  million  annual  fund  centrally  by  the 
Independent  Television  Service  (ITVS), 
instead  of  through  a  number  of  local  network 
agencies,  and  the  fact  that  station  funding  will 
now  match  all  funds  raised,  not  just  station-in- 


partnership  program 

kind  funds. 

"We're  focusing  on  civic  discourse,  shows 
that'll  get  people  to  talk  about  issues  in  their 
community,"  says  Heidi  Schuster,  production 
manager  at  ITVS  in  charge  of  LlnCS.  "We  fund 
the  kind  of  shows  that  don't  get  shown  else- 
where and  take  creative  risks,"  she  continues, 
adding  that  regionally  and  culturally  diverse 
projects  will  be  considered.  Casting  the  net  fair- 
ly wide,  LlnCS  is  looking  for  series,  single 
shows,  and  interstitial  packages  plus  projects  in 
any  genre  or  stage  of  development.  The  LlnCS 
panel  will  make  decisions  during  the  summer, 
and  the  first  programs  will  go  to  contract  in 
early  fall. 

For  further  info,  contact  ITVS  at  (415)  356- 
8383  x.  444  or  download  an  application  form 
from  www.itvs.org 

Paul  Power 


Quote  of  the  Month 

"Even  recognizing  shorts  as  eligible  with  a  gnat-like  seven-day  life  in  a  theater,  we've 
seen  both  the  numbers  and  the  quality  of  [Oscar-qualifying  short  documentary] 
entries  diminish  to  the  point  that  some  years  we're  embarrassed  to  be  listing  some  of 
our  nominees  in  our  historical  record. " 

—  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sciences  President  Robert  Rehme,  in  response  to  a  letter  from 

AJVF's  Board  of  Directors  protesting  the  Academy's  decision  to  abolish  the  Documentary  Best  Short 

category  in  1 999.  Read  Rehme  s  entire  response  and  get  involved  in  ATVF's  online  discussion:  www.aivf.org 


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April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


Jill  Godmilow 

WHAT  FAROCKI  TAUGHT 


by  Cara  Mertes 


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Jill  Godmilow  is  distressed.  The  liberal 
documentary  form,  she  writes,  "is  soft,  inade- 
quate, and  a  relatively  useless  cultural  form." 
With  its  reliance  on  description,  evidence,  and 
emotionality,  it  is  currently  the  lingua  franca  of 
American  documentary  style,  and,  according  to 
Godmilow's  critique,  it  is  a  tradition  bereft  of 
thought-provoking  models  to  which  documen- 
tarians  can  turn  for  new  strategies — filmmakers 
who  believe  that  documentary  should  be  social- 
ly engaged,  formally  innovative,  and  should 
catalyze  action. 

Godmilow's  30-year  career  as  one  of 
America's  most  interesting  and  unpredictable 
independent  filmmakers  is  laced  with  chal- 
lenges like  this  to  dominant  filmmaking  prac- 
tice. Though  Godmilow  has  made  both  nonfic- 


tion  and  fiction  films,  she  is  known  primarily 
for  her  documentaries  and  is  given  to  intricate 
experiments  with  filmic  form.  Her  focus — 
obsession  even — is  with  narrative,  whether  fic- 
tional, factual,  or  more  commonly,  a  little  of 
both. 

"I've  been  lucky  enough  to  do  films  I  wanted 
to  do,"  Godmilow  says  when  asked  about  her 
eclectic  career.  Nominated  for  an  Oscar  with 
her  1974  film,  Antonia: 
Portrait  of  a  Woman  (co- 
directed  with  Judy  Collins), 
Godmilow  saw  success  early 
and  has  continued  to  pro- 
duce and  direct  through  the 
seventies,  eighties,  and 
nineties.  Each  decade  has 
seen  major  new  works:  Far 
from  Poland  (1984);  Waiting 
for  the  Moon  (1986);  Roy 
Cohn/]ack  Smith  (1995) — 
all  films  that  stubbornly 
patrol  the  borders  of  docu- 
mentary and  fiction. 
Atilmmaker's  filmmaker, 
Godmilow  is  dedicated  to 
expanding  the  film  form, 
marshaling  her  considerable 
skills  as  a  storyteller  to 
weave  performance,  poli- 
tics, and  history  in  new 
combinations.  Her  newest 
piece,  What  Farocki  Taught, 
is  paradoxically  someone 
else's  film.  She  has  spent 
over  a  year  re-making, 
frame  by  frame,  a  1969,  22- 
minute,  black-and-white 
film  called  MCHT  loschbare 
Feuer  (Inextinguishable  Fire), 
the  first  tilm  made  by  Harun  Farocki,  now  one 
of  Germany's  most  accomplished  documentari- 
ans.  "It  was  a  film  I  wish  I  had  made  and  that 
everybody  had  seen,"  she  explains,  "so  I  made  it 
again,  exactly,  and  made  sure  it  was  well  dis- 
tributed." In  a  single  audacious  move, 
Godmilow  has  created  a  provocation  and  a 
pedagogical  tool  simultaneously.  (Oddly,  the 
phenomenon  is  not  confined  to  Godmilow. 
Both  videomaker  Elizabeth  Subrin  and  film 
director  Gus  van  Sant  have  replicated  films 
over  the  last  18  months  as  well,  making 
remakes  of  Shulie  and  Psycho,  respectively.) 

Originally  made  for  German  television, 
Inextinguishable  Fire  was  a  protest  against  the 
Vietnam  War,  conceived  in  opposition  to  the 
way  conventional  documentaries  about  the  war 


were  being  made.  Rather  than  relying  on  heart- 
rending actuality  footage  of  atrocities  and  war- 
time inhumanity  to  horrify  and  move  his  audi- 
ence, Farocki's  film  is  a  deceptively  simple 
scripted  series  of  monologues  and  short 
exchanges  that  take  place  in  a  generic  research 
setting  representing  the  Dow  Chemicals  plant 
in  Illinois,  where  Napalm  B  was  perfected. 

Napalm  B  was  one  of  the  Vietnam  War's 
most  appalling  weapons.  A  gasoline -based,  jelly- 
like substance  that  ignites  on  contact  and  burns 
at  3000  degrees  fahrenheit,  it  was  dumped  out 
of  planes  onto  Vietnamese  villages  and  civilians. 
It  will  not  come  off  once  applied  and  cannot  be 
extinguished. 

Farocki's  approach  to  such  a  loaded  subject 
was  startlingly  direct.  He  starts  his  film  as  nar- 
rator by  asking,  "How  can  we  show  you  the 
damage  caused  by  napalm.7  If  we  show  you  pic- 
tures of  napalm  damage,  you  will  close  your 
eyes.  First  you  will  close  your  eyes  to  the  picture. 
Then  you  will  close  your  eyes  to  the  memory. 
Then  you  will  close  your  eyes  to  the  facts.  Then 
you  will  close  your  eyes  to  the  connections 
between  them.  If  we  show  you  a  picture  of 
someone  with  napalm  burns,  we  will  hurt  your 
feelings.  If  we  hurt  your  feelings,  you  will  feel  as 
if  we  have  just  tried  out  napalm  on  you,  at  your 
expense.  We  can  give  you  only  a  weak  demon- 
stration of  how  napalm  works."  He  then  reach- 
es off-screen,  picks  up  a  lit  cigarette,  and  puts  it 
out  on  the  back  of  his  hand. 

Farocki's  solutions  to  the  problems  of  repre- 
sentation— re-enactments,  an  analysis  of  labor, 
self-reflexive  representation  strategies — are  an 
extension  of  European  forays  into  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  documentary  form.  Like  Jean  Rouch, 
Chris  Marker,  Alexander  Kluge,  and  Jean-Luc 
Godard,  Farocki  tackles  questions  of  truth- 
telling,  historical  representation,  and  audience 
with  an  intellectual  vigor  that  has  a  long  histo- 
ry in  Europe.  By  contrast,  in  America  such 
experiments  are  infrequent  and  appear  radical. 
And  according  to  Godmilow,  they  are  critical  to 
explore  in  order  to  escape  the  pitfalls  of  liberal 
documentary. 

What  Farocki  Taught,  then,  is  an  homage  as 
well  as  an  artistic  manifesto;  an  attempt  to  cap- 
ture some  of  the  vitality  of  the  original,  and  re- 
situate  it  in  a  contemporary  context  that  cries 
out  for  a  type  of  political  analysis  beyond  the  1 
fetishization  of  personality  and  image  that  are  I 
prevalent  in  the  U.S.  today.  In  Farocki's  terms,  f 
What  Farocki  Taught  is  a  weak  model  of  a  weak  Z 
model — a  shadow  of  the  original — challenging  ° 
filmmakers    and    viewers    to   reconsider   their   g 
assumptions  about  film.  Like  Farocki,  Godmil-  £ 


10    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  15 


ow  asks  her  audience  to  consider  how  each 
individual  engages  in  acts  that  add  up  to  the 
production  of  violence  and  terror  known  as 
war. 

What  Farocki  Taught:  Video  Data  Bank  in 
Chicago,  (312)  345-3550. 

CARA  MERTES 

Cara  Merles  is  an  independent  producer/director 

and  writer  based  in  New  York  City,  currently 

teaching  at  Hunter  College. 


Cauleen  Smith 


DRYLONGSO  (ORDINARY) 


by  Kate  Haug 


In  a  1995  interview,  Cauleen  Smith  Ex- 
pressed ambivalence  about  her  reputation  as  a 
successful  experimental  filmmaker.  Her  films 
Daily  Rains  (1990)  and  Chronicles  of  a  Lying 
Spirit  by  Kelly  Gabron  (1992)  were  by  then  well 
known  and  highly  regarded  for  their  complex 
discussion  of  race,  history,  and  representation. 

It's  now  four  years  later,  and  Smith  is  once 
again  on  the  brink  of  success,  this  time  with 
her  first  dramatic  feature,  Drylongso  (ordinary). 
After  the  1998  Independent  Feature  Film 
Market,  Village  Voice  critic  Amy  Taubin 
remarked  that  Drylongso  (ordinary)  was  "the 
only  feature  film  [at  IFFM]  that  moved  me." 
The  film  has  since  moved  onto  the  festival  cir- 
cuit, playing  at  such  major  roadstops  as 
Sundance  and  Berlin. 

Smith's  ambition  to  cross  the  divide  be- 
tween the  circumscribed  world  of  academic 
circulation  and  mainstream  audiences  is  now 
being  realized.  Yet  the  filmmaker  remains  the 
same:  "I'm  just  as  ambivalent  about  main- 
streaming  as  about  being  experimental.  The 
potential  here  is  for  accessing  more  people  and 
playing  with  form  ...  I  feel  that  I'm  accepting 
the  challenges  of  mainstreaming  and  all  that 
comes  with  it — the  good  and  the  bad.  It's  an 
interesting  fight,  if  nothing  else." 

Drylongso  (ordinary)  is  the  story  of  Pica 
(Toby  Smith)  and  Tobi  (April  Barnett),  two 
young  African  American  women  coming  into 
their  own  in  Oakland,  California.  Although 
the  protagonists  come  from  different  class 
backgrounds,  they  are  both  live  in  a  context  of 
everyday  violence.  While  there  have  been  sev- 
eral coming-of-age  films  about  African  Ameri- 
can men,  and  rappers  have  chronicled  their 
lives  through  music,  Smith  wanted  her  film  to 
describe  an  adolescent  girl's  experience.  Pica's 


artistic  work  and  political  consciousness 
revolve  around  the  high  incarceration  and 
death  rates  of  African  American  men,  yet  it  is 
her  own  development  that  advances  the  plot. 

As  an  experimental  director,  Smith  had 
never  represented  violence  on  screen.  During 
the  filming  of  a  murder  scene,  she  thought, 
"This  is  what  selling  out  is.  I'm  standing  here.  I 
have  a  gun.  I  have  a  woman  shooting  a  man  in 
a  film  because  that's  the  way  you  have  to  tell 
the  story  in  this  form."  But  as  a  storyteller,  she 
sees  an  interdependence  between  narrative 
and  extreme,  often  violent  action:  "You  need 
forces  to  come  and  overtake  characters  in 
order  to  get  them  to  another  place.  In  the 
course  of  our  everyday  lives,  that  takes  nine 
months.  In  the  course  of  a  ninety-minute 
movie,  that  takes  nine  minutes." 

Drylongso  is  not  overwhelmed  by  violence. 
Far  from  it.  The  complexity  of  Smith's  charac- 
ters and  their  day-to-day  lives  is  presented  with 
clarity  and  subtlety.  Pica  and  Tobi  are  involved 
in  extraordinary  circumstances,  but  retain  the 
shape  of  everyday  people.  "It's  like  those  neigh- 
borhood people,"  says  Smith  of  her  characters. 
"They  are  not  part  of  hiphop  or  the  news.  It's 
the  other  eighty  percent." 

Although  many  experimental  filmmakers 
have  an  interest  in  the  commercial  world,  it's  a 
difficult  bridge  to  cross.  As  an  undergraduate 
at  San  Francisco  State  University,  Smith 
worked  with  experimental  filmmakers  Lynn 
Hershman  and  Trinh  T.  Minh-ha.  But  for  her 
graduate  work,  she  chose  the  more  commer- 
cially geared  UCLA.  Although  the  graduate 
curriculum  does  not  encourage  it,  she  took  her 
newly  acquired  skills  and  produced  Drylongso. 

Smith  raised  funds  the  way  she  knew  how — 
from  foundations  and  grants.  The  Rockefeller 
Foundation,  American  Film  Institute,  and 
National  Black  Programming  Consortium  all 
contributed  funds.  She  didn't  believe  any  fea- 
ture producers  would  be  interested.  And 
besides,  "I  didn't  have  the  pressure  of  investors 
while  I  was  shooting,"  she  says.  "That  was 
something  I  didn't  want  or  need." 

Her  experience  with  experimental  shorts 
gave  her  an  invaluable  foundation  for  this  larg- 
er project:  "Shorts  allow  you  the  freedom  to 
focus  in  on  a  particular  emotion,  idea,  or 
image.  You  explore  and  push  it  to  the  outer 
boundaries  in  a  very  concentrated  way.  It's  like 
exercising  a  particular  muscle." 

Working  with  actors,  she  reflects,  was  "the 
biggest  hurdle,  the  biggest  struggle  for  me. 
Because  I  was  intimidated  by  actors  at  that 
point."   She   relied   heavily   on   the   casting 


process  to  find  her  performances.  "It's  all  about 
the  casting.  I  can't  take  credit  for  the  way  the 
actors  move  in  and  out  of  emotions  fluidly."  For 
casting,  Smith  found,  "Just  talking  to  an  actor  is 
more  enlightening  in  terms  of  what  they're 
going  to  be  able  to  do  than  an  audition." 

With  no  budget  for  rehearsals,  Smith  did  a 
lot  of  primary  work  on  set.  But  like  many  inde- 
pendent directors,  she  shot  Drylongso  quickly — 
in  22  days,  to  be  exact.  (She  then  spent  the 
next  three  years  in  the  editing  room.)  What 
helped  her  move  so  quickly  on  set  was  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  her  story.  The  most  impor- 
tant parts  of  her  two-month  preproduction 
were  "hashing  over  the  story,  doing  the  story- 
boards,  location  scouting,  and  just  spending 


time  at  the  locations.  It  was  critical  to  know 
what  was  possible  at  a  certain  place  and  being 
really  familiar  with  it."  This  way,  when  time  was 
running  out,  Smith  knew  exactly  what  the  nar- 
rative needed  to  work  and  how  it  could  be  shot. 

While  Drylongso  marks  a  significant  change 
in  Smith's  filmmaking  process,  her  experimen- 
tal foundation  shows  through.  Just  as  her  shorts 
are  formally  evocative,  so  too  is  her  narrative. 
Smith  strategically  brings  her  avant-garde 
background  to  the  feature.  "Drylongso  has 
moments  where  it  plays  a  lot  and  then  goes 
back  to  the  regular  movie.  I  would  definitely 
attribute  that  to  the  experimental  thing." 

Drylongso  (ordinary):  Neil  Friedman, 
Menemsha  Entertainment,  1157  S.  Beverly 
Drive,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90035;  (310)  712- 
3720. 

Kate  Haug 

Kate  Haug  is  a  filmmaker  living  in  Los  Angeles. 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


IVAL  CIRCUIT 


SUNDANCE  '99 

The  Best  and  the  Worst 


digita 


f  it's  January,  it  must  be  Park  City. 
The  Sundance  Film  Festival, 
unequivocally  the  most  important 
event  of  the  year  for  independents, 
drew  another  record  audience 
(12,000)  and  number  of  submissions 
(1,300  features  altogether,  including 
840  American  dramatic  features).  At 
this  last  edition  of  the  millennium, 
movies  started  creeping  into  the  line-up, 


money,  given  its  $10  million  production  bud- 
get.) 

Sundance  is  different  things  to  different  peo- 
ple: a  showcase,  a  market,  a  zoo,  a  ski  vacation, 
a  nonstop  party.  But  everyone  agrees  that  it's 
the  best  occasion  to  get  a  preview  of  the  year's 
indie  releases.  With  the  following  awards,  The 
Independent  tips  its  hat  to  some  of  the  meritori- 
ous films  and  memorable  moments  of 
Sundance  '99  (and  its  satellites): 


Filmmaker  Barbara  Sonneborn 

and  her  translator,  Xuan  Ngoc 

Evans,  both  war  widows  who  deal 

with  their  loss  in  Regret  to  Inform. 


Theme  of  the  Year: 

Vietnam 

In  Vietnam,  they  call  it  the  American 
War;  in  America,  it  was  the  Living  Room 
War.  It  was  over  30  years  ago  that 
Americans  started  debating  in  earnest 
whether    Vietnam    was    a    place    that 


documentaries  stole  the  limelight,  and  the 
number  of  spin-off  events  soared.  (In  addition 
to  the  five-year-old  Slamdance,  there  were 
Lapdance,  Soul  Dance,  No  Dance,  Vandance, 
and  IndieDog  among  the  renegades,  plus 
enough  concerts  to  start  luring  music  critics  to 
this  mountain  resort  town.) 

With  only  one  prominent  bidding  war  (tor 
Happy,  Texas,  bought  by  Miramax  for  $2.5  mil- 
lion, plus  a  hefty  back  end),  film  acquisitions 
were  more  level-headed  than  in  previous 
years,  largely  remaining  below  the  $1.2  million 
mark.  This  no  doubt  reflects  the  disappointing 
box  office  of  recent  Sundance  "hits." 
(According  to  Filmmaker  magazine's  annual 
domestic  box  office  chart  of  Sundance  films, 
only  eight  of  1998's  releases  grossed  the  equiv- 
alent of  their  production  budgets.  Most  earned 
in  the  $2  million  range  or  lower,  with  the 
exception  of  Smoke  Signals  ($6,750,000),  The 
Opposite  of  Sex  ($6,100,000)  Next  Stop 
Wonderland  ($3,390,000),  and  The  Spanish 
Prisoner  ($9,580,000),  the  latter  actually  losing 


12    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


by    Richard    Baimbridge, 

Mark   J.    Huisman, 

Cara    Mertes    & 

Patricia   Thomson 

that  loss  is  universal,  no  matter  which  side  you 
are  on.  From  another  angle,  filmmakers  Frieda 
Lee  Mock  and  Terry  Sanders  use  interviews  and 
Vietnamese  film  documentation  of  prisoners  of 
war  in  Return  with  Honor  to  reveal  the  stories  of 
American  POWs  who  survived  the  infamous 
Hanoi  Hilton.  In  Chuck  Workman's  The 
Source,  protest  against  the  Vietnam  war  is 
included  in  his  portrait  of  the  Beat  Generation. 
And  in  the  fiction  arena,  Tony  Bui's  first  fea- 
ture, Three  Seasons,  chronicles  the  lives  of  sev- 
eral characters  in  contemporary  Vietnam. 

—  CM 

Scariest  Indie  Film  of  the  Decade: 

The  Blair  Witch  Project 

Sheer,  unadulterated  terror.  That's  what  the 
three  actors  convincingly  convey  as  they 
improvise  their  way  through  The  Blair  Witch 


American  soldiers  should  be  fighting.  Memories 
about  the  war  run  deep,  and  this  year  there 
were  a  group  of  films  that  explored  the  Vietnam 
War  from  very  different  angles. 

Barbara  Sonnenborn's  10-year  effort,  Regret 
to  Inform,  is  an  in-depth  look  at  the  war  from 
the  point  of  view  of  young  war  widows. 
(Sonnenborn  herself  became  a  widow  in  her 
early  twenties.)  A  story  rarely  heard, 
Sonnenborn  seeks  out  not  only  American 
women,  but  Vietnamese  as  well,  in  her  belief 


Project.  The  set-up:  a  filmmaking  trio  backpack  f 
into  the  woods  to  investigate  a  local  legend,  the 
Blair  Witch,  and  they're  never  seen  again.  A 
year  later  their  footage  is  found,  which  is  what 
we're  ostensibly  viewing.  The  result  is  a  fiction 
film  that  has  many  viewers  convinced  it's  the 
real  thing.  In  some  respects  it  is.  Florida-based 
directors  Eduardo  Sanchez  and  Daniel  Myrick 
had  no  shooting  script;  rather,  each  day  they 
left  the  actors  minimal  cues  about  destination 
and  action — and  a  decreasing  amount  of  food. 


The  Triple  Crown  Winner 

by  Mark  J.   Hui 

His  leading  actor  hasn't  yet  won  an  award  for  his  many     fabric  of  modern  Vietnam." 


acclaimed  performances,  but  first-time  director  Tony 
Bui  took  home  a  shelf  full  from  Sundance.  Three 


Three  Seasons,  due 


Seasons,  Bui 


TOJOTiMflagiMaMicaMiililBni 


A  dreamlike  series  of  events  that  began  at  the  1996 
Sundance  producers'  lab  (where  he  met 
the  film's  producers,  Open  City's  Joanna 
Vicente  and  Jason  Kliot),  Bui's  project, 
was  off  and  running.  October  Films  had 
already  expressed  interest,  but  it  quickly 
solidified  when  Harvey  Keitei  came 
aboard  as  executive  producer  and  actor. 
This  enabled  the  producers  to  get  a  com- 
pletion bond  from  Film  Financers,  the 
first  ever  for  an  American  production  in 
Vietnam.  With  a  $2  million  budget  and  a 
four-month  schedule,  Three  Seasons 
was  ready  to  go.  Among  the  obstacles 
were  language— Bui  and  his  co-pro- 
wns,  due  fa^  brother  Timothy,  were  the  only 
Americans  who  spoke  Vietnamese,  so 
translators  were  hired — and  the  physi- 
cal change  being  wrought  on  the  country  by  its 


and  people  of  his  native  Vietnam,  took  the  Best     overnight  discovery  as  new  capital  market. 


Cinematography  prize  (Lisa  Rinzler  was  the  director  of 


"Saigon  was  changing  every  single  day,"  Bui  whis- 


photography),  the  Audience  Award  for  Best  Dramatic     pers  with  amazement.  "We  shot  a  street  scene  from 
Feature,  and  the  Grand  Jury  Prize  for  Best  Dramatic     0ne  angle  and  the  art  department  went  out  to  make 


Feature. 

Bui  was  born  in  Saigon,  where  his  father  was  a  mil- 
itary officer  who  had  to  flee  after  the  south  collapsed. 


notes  so  we  could  flip  the  location.  But  the  city  crew 
had  already  blocked  it  off  and  started  construction." 
Other  elements  of  the  production  were  meticulously 


The  family  relocated  to  California's  Silicon  Valley  when     crafted,  including  the  stunning  temple  and  lotus  lake 
Bui  was  two.  He  didn't  return  to  his  homeland  until     that  serves  as  the  focal  point  for  one  story. 


after  high  school. 


"Ponds,  lakes,  and  flowers  are  very  much  a  part  of 


"I  hated  the  heat,  the  humidity,  everything  about  Vietnamese  culture,"  says  Bui.  "But  the  temple  does- 
it,"  Bui  says,  wrinkling  his  nose.  "I  had  never  been  out  n't  really  exist.  The  entire  thing  was  built."  Although 
of  California,  except  to  Tijuana.  After  I  got  back  home  the  art  department  had  planted  lotus  flowers  months 
[from  Vietnam],  I  was  so  depressed.  Three  months  earlier  to  allow  them  time  to  mature  (they  bloom  red 
later  I  went  back."   Bui  stayed  longer  and  learned  the  and  turn  white),  they  ran  out  of  time. 


language,  which  enabled  him  to  talk  to  people,  "a  big 
hole"  in  his  first  visit. 

During  the  trip  he  wrote  a  short,  Yellow  Lotus 
(Sundance  1996),  that  was  eventually  filmed  in 


"We  cut  off  the  red  blooms  and  replaced  them  with 
fakes.  That  entire  lake  is  white  plastic  flowers."  Bui 
laughs  loudly."  But  the  lotus  flower  close-ups  are 
real."  But  even  more  important  than  visual  reality  was 


Vietnam  and  starred  one  of  Vietnam's  most  noted     Bui's  desire  to  create  an  even  deeper  sense  of  reality 
actors,  Don  Duong,  who  plays  a  cyclo  driver  in  Three     about  characters,  Vietnamese  people  long  caricatured 


Seasons.  After  the  short's  success,  Bui  was  hounded 
by  agents  and  others  promising  the  moon  but  offering 


in  American  film. 
"This  was  not  going  to  be  a  story  about  Vietcong 


less."  I  was  getting  TV  movies  of  the  week,  teen  angst     running  through  the  jungle  with  guns.  It  was  not  going 


films,"  says  Bui,  who  had  other  ideas. 


to  be  about  a  suave  white  man  sweeping  an  Asian  girl 


"I  had  been  thinking  about  the  stories  in  Three  0ff  of  her  feet  But  those  fictional  people  are  based  on 

Seasons  as  separate  features,"  Bui  explains.  "But  I  real  people  I  met.  They  are  all  worried  about  being 

realized  the  voices  and  points  of  view  were  linked.  In  swept  away,  about  losing  their  country.  The  film  had  to 

Vietnamese  literature  and  folklore,  stories  have  a  do  them  justice,  or  I  would  have  I  failed." 
thread-like  quality.  They  weave  in  and  out,  often  into 
other  stories.  I  like  to  think  of  Three  Seasons  as  the 


National 
Educational 
Media 
Network 


& 


supporting  excellence  in 
educational  media 

Presents 

Content  '99 


13th  Annual  Media  Market 

Conference  &  Festival 

May  19-22,  1999 

Airport  Hilton  Hotel 

Oakland,  CA 

The  Nation's  Only  Event  Exclusively  for 
Educational  Media  Professionals 

Media  Market 

May  19-21 

The  best,  low-cost  way  to  find  a 

distributor  for  works-in-progress  or 

finished  productions 

Submission  Deadlines: 

Early  Bird:  March  15 

Final:  April  27 

Conference 

May  20-21 

Learn  the  latest  trends  in  production, 

distribution  &  exhibition 

Early  Bird  Deadline:  April  19 


Apple  Awards 
Film  &  Video  Festival 

May  21-22 

A  curated  selection  of  Apple  Award  winners 

at  the  Oakland  Museum  of  California 


The  Media  Market  was  key  in  securing 

distribution.  Meeting  so  many  distributors 

face  to  face  was  invaluable.  I  will  definitely 

be  back  with  my  next  film!" 

Lisa  Leeman,  Fender  Philosophers 


NEMN 

655  Thirteenth  St.,  Suite  100 

Oakland,  CA  94612-1220 

PH:  510.465.6885         FX:  510.465.2835 

E-Mail:  content@nemn.org 

www.nemn.org 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


AL  CIRCUIT 


.  course  of  eight  days  in  the  woods,  the 
trio  becomes  increasing  cold,  hungry,  lost,  and 
ite,  especially  as  they're  terrorized  by 
invisible  agents  each  night.  It's  method  acting 
at  its  most  intense.  Though  placed  in  the  rela- 
tively low-profile  Midnight  Films  category,  The 
Blair  Witch  Project  hit  a  homerun  with  audi- 
ences and  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first 
acquisition  of  the  festival  (an  Artisan  pick-up). 

—  PT 

Best  Cinematic  Revenge: 

Treasure  Island 

Once  upon  a  time,  films  that  broke  the  mold 
were  lauded  at  Sundance.  Now  distribution 
and  marketing  executives  snicker  about  them 
in  the  hallways,  as  if  they  don't  belong.  Such 
was  the  case  this  year  with  Scott  King's  Treasure 
Island,  a  tale  of  two  Naval  spies  set  in  San 
Francisco  during  WWII  who  battle  both  the 


Film  with  the  Most  Pizazz: 

Run,  Lola,  Run 

Start  with  a  life-or-death  plot  (something  like: 
Lola's  boyfriend  loses  100,000  Deutche  Marks 
from  a  drug  run,  and  our  punk  heroine  has  20 
minutes  to  come  up  with  the  cash,  or  he's  a 
goner) .  Mix  in  a  hefty  dose  of  video  game  trap- 
pings, add  a  multiple-choice  storyline,  stir  in  an 
up-and-coming  actress  (Franka  Potente),  fabu- 
lously inventive  editing,  a  pulsing  musical  beat, 
and  100  mgs  of  adrenaline,  and  you've  got  Run, 
Lola,  Run,  by  far  one  of  the  most  original  cre- 
ations at  the  festival.  The  darling  of  Toronto 
'98,  this  German  pic  by  Tom  Tykwer  also 
became  a  word  of  mouth  hit  in  Park  City,  over- 
coming the  indifference  that  usually  greets 
films  in  the  World  Cinema  category  here.  —  PT 

The  Tuva  Love  Award: 

Throat  Singer  Kongar-ol  Ondar 

The  tiny  Catholic  Church  perched 
near  the  top  of  Main  Street  was 
packed.  At  8  p.m.,  all  of  the  pews 
were  filled  with  festival-goers  look- 
ing for  a  good  time.  They  weren't 
there  to  pray,  though,  but  to  listen 
to    the    star    of    Genghis    Blues, 
Kongar-ol   Ondar,   one   of  Tuva's 
best  known  singers.  Tuva,  it  turns 
out,  is  a  country  between  Siberia 
and  Mongolia — part  of  the  ancient 
Silk  Route.  And  Ondar  turned  out 


explained  every  aspect  of  his  traditional  Tuvan 
outfit.  He  and  the  documentary's  makers,  Roko 
and  Adrian  Belie,  spent  Sundance  setting  up 
free  concerts  around  town,  giving  out  and  soak- 
ing up  the  good  vibes,  and  picking  up  an 
Audience  Award  for  their  efforts.     —  CM 

Biggest  Hoax: 

Happy,  Texas  and  other  "gay"  films 

The  curious  thing  about  Sundance  films 
described  as  having  gay  or  lesbian  "interest"  was 
how  little  they  offer  the  viewers  to  whom  they're 
being  marketed.  Films  that  lived  up  to  the 
promise  were  either  foreign,  like  Simon  Shore's 
coming  of  age  tale  set  in  hateful  surroundings, 
Get  Real,  or  documentaries,  like  Thorn 
Fitzgerald's  muscle  mag  expose,  Beefcake. 

The  impostors:  2  Seconds  had  exactly  that 
much  lesbian  content;  Go.'  proves  you  can  claim 
relevance  to  queers  if  you  lace  your  flick  with 
drug  use;  The  Adventures  of  Sebastian  Cole  is  a 
thoroughly  reprehensible  affair  whose  creators 
(like  their  protagonist)  confuse  deciding  to 
change  your  gender  with  deciding  to  become  a 
drag  queen  (and  a  straight  one  at  that) . 

The  worst  "how  to  make  queers  spend 


Japanese  and  their  own 
psycho-sexual  demons. 
The  film  is  a  stylish 
combination  of  spy  flick, 
propaganda  newsreel, 
and  forties  romance.  Its 
gray-toned  cinematog- 
raphy wasn't  the  only 
thing  that  freaked  the 
suits:  King  deftly  weaves 
a  critique  of  class  and 
race  relations  into  his 
story,  with  results  that 
make  you  squirm  even  if  you  don't  immediate- 
ly realize  you're  doing  so.  In  spite  of  the  snick- 
ering, King  was  awarded  a  Special  Jury  Prize  for 
Distinctive  Vision  in  Filmmaking,  a  much- 
deserved  tribute  to  a  director  with  the  guts  to 
make  such  a  personal  creation.    —  MH 


to  be  an  outstanding  ambassador.  A  kind  of 
James  Taylor  of  the  Mongolian  steppes,  Ondar 
specializes  in  throat  singing,  an  ancient  Tuvan 
singing  tradition  where  the  singer  can  produce 
several  notes  simultaneously.  A  true  performer, 
his  concert  was  funny  and  moving — even  when 
he  went  anthropological  on  the  audience  and 


money  to  see  a  straight  flick"  offender  is 
Happy,  Texas.  This  ditty  gives  two  straight 
guys  a  change  to  play  gay  (which  somehow 
helps  them  bed  girls)  without  experiencing 
a  hint  of  homophobia  or  ridicule. 
Suspension  of  disbelief  failed  me  entirely. 
This  is  Texas,  a  state  ruled  by  the  nation's 
oldest  sodomy  law,  the  Bush  family,  and  the 
Second  Amendment:  for  queers,  there's  nothing 
happy  about  it.  The  only  actual  gay  character  is 
a  sheriff  played  to  the  nines  (but  without  pumps, 
thank  goodness)  by  William  H.  Macy.  The 
unhappy  math:  Three  gay  characters  (two  of 
whom  are  bookend-style  plot  devices)  plus 
dozens  and  dozens  of  straight  characters,  plus 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


THE  OFFICIAL  1999 


SUNDANCE  AWARDS 


GRAND  JURY  PRIZES 

DRAMATIC:  THREE  SEASONS  (Tony  Bui) 

DOCUMENTARY:  AMERICAN  MOVIE 

(Chris  Smith  &  Sarah  Price) 

AUDIENCE  AWARDS 

DRAMATIC:  THREE  SEASONS  (Tony  Bui) 

DOCUMENTARY  GENGHIS  BLUES  (Roko  Belie) 

WORLD  CINEMA:  RUN,  LOLA,  RUN  (Tom  Tywker,  Germany) 

TRAIN  OF  LIFE  (Radu  Mihaileanu,  France) 

FILMMAKERS  TROPHY 

DRAMATIC:  TUMBLEWEEDS  (Gavin  O'Connor) 

DOCUMENTARY:  SING  FASTER:  THE  STAGEHANDS'  RING 

CYCLE  (Jon  Else) 

DIRECTING  AWARD 

DRAMATIC:  JUDY  BERLIN  (Eric  Mendelsohn) 
DOCUMENTARY:  REGRET  TO  INFORM  (Barbara  Sonneborn) 

CINEMATOGRAPHY  AWARD 

DRAMATIC:  THREE  SEASONS,  photographed  by  Lisa  Rinzler 

DOCUMENTARY  RABBIT  IN  THE  MOON  &  REGRET  TO 

INFORM,  photographed  by  Emiko  Omori 

FREEDOM  OF  EXPRESSION  AWARD 

DOCUMENTARY:  THE  BLACK  PRESS:  SOLDIERS  WITHOUT 
SWORDS  (Stanley  Nelson) 

WALDO  SALT  SCREENWRITING  AWARD 

GUINEVERE,  written  by  Audrey  Wells 
JOE  THE  KING,  written  by  Frank  Whaley 

JURY  PRIZE  in  SHORT  FILMMAKING 

MORE,  Mark  Osborne 

JURY  PRIZE  in  LATIN  AMERICAN  CINEMA 

SANTITOS,  Alejandro  Springall 

SPECIAL  JURY  PRIZE  for  COMEDIC  PERFORMANCE 

HAPPY,  TEXAS,  Steve  Zahn 

SPECIAL  JURY  PRIZE  for 
DISTINCTIVE  VISION  IN  FILMMAKING 

TREASURE  ISLAND,  Scott  King 

SPECIAL  JURY  PRIZE  for  DOCUMENTARY 

ON  THE  ROPES,  Brett  Morgen  &  Nanette  Burstein 

SPECIAL  JURY  AWARD  in  SHORT  FILMMAKING 

FISHBELLY  WHITE,  Michael  Burke 


SPECIAL  JURY  AWARD  in  LATIN  AMERICAN  CINEMA 

LIFE  IS  TO  WHISTLE,  Fernando  Perez 


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?gr 


i\  romance,  plus  three  real  straight 

plus   two   scenes   of  heterosexual 

urse,   plus  no  gay  sex.  What  does  it 

C  )ne  major  misleading  marketing  cam- 

—  MH 

Documentary  Hot  Spot: 

San  Francisco 

The  Bay  Area  created  tremors  of  its 
own  this  year  at  Sundance,  with 
four  of  seven  top  documentary 
awards  going  to  projects  from  the 
area.  Taking  Best  Director  was 
Barbara  Sonnenborn's  Regret  to 
Inform;  the  Belie  brothers  locked  up 
the  Audience  Award  for  Genghis 
Blues;  Best  Cinematography  went  to 
Emiko  Omori  who  co-shot  both  her 
own  film,  Rabbit  in  the  Moon,  about 
the  Japanese  internment  camps,  as 
well  as  Regret  to  Inform;  and  Jon 
Else's  engaging  saga,  Sing  Faster: 
The  Stagehands'  Ring  Cycle,  won  the 
Filmmakers  Trophy.  Three  of  these  films  were 
sponsored  by  Films  Arts  Foundation.  FAF 
director  Gail  Silva  explains  that  "There  has 
always  been  a  long  tradition  of  social  issue  doc- 
umentary in  the  Bay  Area.  It's  part  of  the  lega- 
cy of  the  social  movements  of  the  sixties  and 
seventies."  Their  influence  reaches  far  beyond 
Sundance.  FAF  itself  has  sponsored  14  docu- 
mentaries nominated  for  the  Oscar,  and  two 
that  have  won.  This  year's  Regret  to  Inform  is 
following  in  that  tradition  and  may  bring  yet 
another  statue  to  the  Bay  Area.  —  CM 

Best  Adaptation  of  a  Novel: 

The  War  Zone 

Based  on  the  highly-acclaimed  novel  The  War 
Zone  by  Alexander  Stuart,  actor  and  first-time 
director  Tim  Roth  does  an  outstanding  job  of 
addressing  the  complex  and  painful  topic  of 
sexual  abuse  in  the  family.  Roth  also  succeeds 
in  keeping  alive  the  true  essence  of  the  novel 
throughout  the  film — there  is  almost  a  sense 
here  of  pages  being  turned  as  the  viewer  is  pro- 
pelled deeper  and  deeper  into  the  story — yet 
the  cinematic  feel  is  equally  compelling.  Roth 
manages  to  create  a  crushingly  claustrophobic 
environment  for  his  characters,  including  two 
of  the  best  debut  performances  in  memory 
(from  total  newcomers  Lara  Belmont  and 
Freddie  Cunliffe).  The  exterior  shots,  set  in  the 
cliffs  of  southwest  England,  give  a  hint  as  what 
it  must  be  like  to  stand  on  the  edge  of  the  world 
in  total  isolation,  making  Happiness  look  like 
The  Brady  Bunch.  —  RB 


Best  Promotional  Enticement: 

On  the  Ropes 

Hang  up  those  tired  baseball  caps.  A  documen- 
tary on  boxing  calls  for  other  promotional 
hooks.  And  so,  On  the  Ropes'  codirectors 
Nanette  Burstein  and  Brett  Morgen  came  up 
with  a  unique  offer  for  acquisitions  staffers:  a 
free  training  session  with  Harry  Keitt,  the  box- 


Boxer  George  Walton 
fights  his  way  through 
On  the  Ropes. 


ing  coach  at  the  Brooklyn  gym  that  is  featured 
in  their  documentary.  "We  figured  if  there  was 
a  bidding  war,  they  could  duke  it  out,"  quips 
Morgen.  Burstein  had  firsthand  knowledge  of 
the  treat  they  were  offering,  having  trained 
with  Keitt  for  a  year  before  beginning  the  film. 
(Weighing  in  at  103  pounds,  the  itsy-bitsy 
director  is  classified  as  a  "flyweight.")  But  so  far, 
only  one  acquisitions  person  has  taken  them  up 
on  it:  Miramax's  Elizabeth  Dreyer.  No  doubt 
she's  looking  to  learn  a  knockout  punch. 

—  PT 

Strangest  Press  Conference: 

Stan  Brakhage's  Video  Address  at 
Lapdance 

Video  depositions  seem  to  be  growing  in  popu- 
larity these  days,  so  it  seemed  somewhat  suiting 
that  legendary  experimental  filmmaker  Stan 
Brakhage  follow  in  the  President's  footsteps. 
Though  he  was  supposed  to  be  the  (live)  guest 
of  honor  at  Lapdance,  a  one-night  film  festi- 
val/nose-thumbing-at-Sundance  that  was 
spearheaded  by  Certified  Renegade  American 
Products  (CRAP)  and  South  Park  boys  Matt 
Stone  and  Trey  Parker,  Brakhage  opted  instead 
to  make  a  virtual  appearance.  "My  dream  is 
that  somebody  will  hire  me  to  play  a  little  bit 
part  or  a  little  cameo  role  in  some  movie  to 
flesh  out  my  otherwise  pathetic  salary  at  the 
University  of  Colorado,  so  that  I  can  survive 
and  raise  my  kids  and  go  on  with  my  work," 
said  the  avant-garde  auteur's  avatar. 
"Otherwise  I'm  completely  content  with  the 


world."  With  the  Starlet  Express  parked  outside 
(a  tour  bus  for  adult  video  stars),  strippers 
prancing  about  in  the  background,  and  French 
TV  news  cameras  falling  all  over  each  other  for 
a  close-up  of  bare  buns,  this  was  hands  down 
the  most  bizarre  press  conference  in  Park  City. 

—  RB 

Worst  Technical  Nightmare 

American  Movie  Screening  from  Hell 

Tuesday,  January  26,  began  innocently  enough: 
A  Sundance  morn  like  any  other.  But  that  day, 
three  patrons  attending  a  screening  of  Chris 
Smith's  American  Movie  were  injured  by  a  piece 
of  ventilation  duct  that  fell  from  a  wall  above 
their  seats.  Two  were  treated  and  released;  one 
was  removed  by  paramedics  on  a  stretcher  and 
taken  to  a  clinic,  from  which  he  was  released 
later  that  evening.  An  hour  into  the  American 
Movie  screening,  the  sound  was  garbled  for 
nearly  15  minutes.  After  that  was  sorted  out, 
the  bulb  burned  through  the  print.  All  tell  the 
same  tale,  however:  Director  Chris  Smith  and 
the  audience  were  valiant  to  the  end.  So  were 
members  of  the  Documentary  Jury  attending 
that  screening:  American  Movie  won  the  Grand 
Jury  Prize  and  was  picked  up  by  Sony.     —  MH 

Most  Unique  Screening: 

Nusrat:  A  Voice  from  Heaven 

For  days  before  the  world  premiere  of  Nusrat  at 
Slamdance,  a  mini-van  full  of  Pakistanis  slowly 
cruised  Park  City's  Main  Street,  blasting  the 
Quawwali  music  of  Nusrat  Fateh  Ali  Khan. 
Rather  than  attempting  to  start  a  new  lowrider 
trend  in  Utah,  however,  they  were  generating 
publicity  for  this  wonderfully  compelling  docu- 
mentary on  the  life  of  this  great  (and  recently 
deceased)  Sufi  vocalist.  The  screening  was  no 
less  interesting,  with  Persian  tapestries  adorning 
the  walls  and  rugs  on  the  floor  sprinkled  with 
rose  petals,  while  the  smell  of  incense  lingered 
sweetly  in  the  air,  as  director  Guiseppe  Asaro 
showed  Nusrat:  A  Voice  from  Heaven  as  a  work- 
in-progress.  When  the  makeshift  screen  went 
down  afterward,  a  stage  was  prepared  for  a  spe- 
cial performance  by  Nusrat's  nephew  Rahat  Ali 
Khan,  who  was  accompanied  by  a  full  band, 
including  many  of  Nusrat's  original  players. 
They  had  made  the  journey  to  Park  City  from 
Pakistan  at  their  own  expense  just  for  this  occa- 
sion, and  it  was  by  far  one  of  the  most  uplifting 
moments  of  the  festival.      —  RB 

Richard  Baimbndge,  Mark  ].  Huisman,  and  Cara 

Mertes  are  contributing  editors  to  The  Independent; 

Patricia  Thomson  is  editor  in  chief. 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


tHe  A^ 
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^^        Gen  Art 
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new  york  city 
april  28-may  k 
^rating  the  works  of 
emerging  American  filmmaker: 

for  tJcL 


IVAL  CIRCUIT 


MAY  I  HAVE  THIS  DANCE? 

Things  to  Know  about  Slamdance 


mmediately    after   getting 

ifth  annual  Slamdance  Film 

ir  web  site  (www.slamdance. 

s  out.  I  read  about  a  feature 

14  Ways  to  Wear  Lipstick, 

r,  Daniel  Pace,  smuggled  a 

i  camera  into  the  U.S.  in 

no.)  This  was  my  kind  of 


festival. 


The  odds:  Slamdance  got  1,716  submissions, 
and  accepted  14  features  and  17  shorts  in  com- 
petition (1.8%).  Sundance  had  approximately 
3,000  submissions,  and  accepted  80  features 
and  53  shorts  (4%).  Compare  the  numbers  to 
Harvard  (10%)  or  Stanford  (16%). 

The  history:  The  festival  started  when  a  bunch 
of  guys  got  rejected  from  Sundance  and  started 
their  own  screenings.  Co-founder  Dan  Mirvish 
admits,  "It  started  as  a  very  selfish  act,  but  then 
we  realized  we  could  do  it  for  other  people." 
When  asked  if  Slamdance  is  a  copy-cat  leech- 
ing off  of  the  luster  of  Sundance,  Mirvish  says, 
"Of  course!  When  Robert  Redford  called  us  a 
parasite  on  the  Sundance  festival,  it  was  some 
of  the  best  press  we  ever  got.  The  following 
year,  Redford  added  'Well,  there  are  good  para- 
sites and  bad  parasites.'  " 

The  setup:  The  main  operations  take  place  in 
the  Treasure  Mountain  Inn  at  the  top  of  Main 
Street  in  Park  City,  less  than  half  a  block  from 
the  Egyptian  Theater  used  by  Sundance.  The 
inn's  lobby  is  constantly  buzzing  with  activity, 
with  twenty-something  hipsters  mingling,  buy- 
ing tickets  and  Slamdance  paraphernalia,  and 
listening  for  buzz. 

Next  to  the  lobby  is  the  competition  screen- 
ing room — a  converted  hotel  conference  room 
with  136  folding  chairs  and  cushions  on  the 
floor.  All  competition  screenings  include  a 
short  film  and  a  feature.  Down  the  hall  is  the 
Filmmakers  Lounge,  a  room  full  of  armchairs, 
couches,  and  a  giant  6'  x  8'  screen  projecting  a 
roaring  fire.  People  can  come  and  go  from  the 
lounge  at  all  hours,  catching  readings  from 
screenplays,  fireside  chats  about  the  industry, 
short  film  programs,  and  skiers  wandering  in  to 
get  warm. 


Imitation  and  flattery  in 
Jordan  Brady's  Dill 
Scallion. 


ed  road  documentary;  and  finally,  Mike 
Mitchell's  Herd,  a  short  film  that  won  the  Spirit 
of  Slamdance  award,  about  how  an  alien 
changes  the  life  of  a  lonely  fry  cook. 

Special  mention  to  Casey  Steele  and  Elizabeth 
Rovnick  for  their  work  on  the  Slamdance  festi- 
val trailer.  The  jazzed  up,  buzzed  out  30  seconds 
felt  like  every  frame  was  cut  up  in  pieces  and 
put  back  together  by  hand.  It  brought  the 
house  down  every  time. 

The  parties:  In  the  past,  Slamdancers  were 
always  trying  to  sneak  into  the  Sundance  par- 
ties. This  has  not  changed,  because  there  are 
more  celebrities  there.  However,  this  year's 
Slamdance  had  at  least  a  dozen  parties  of  its 
own  that  kept  people  standing  outside  all  night 
in  the  cold,  which  is,  of  course,  the  goal. 

Celebrity  sightings:  Janeane  Garofalo,  Henry 
Winkler,  Sheryl  Crow,  Allison  Anders,  Carl 
Lewis,  Kathy  Griffin,  Perry  Farrell,  Tim  Roth, 
Steve  Zahn,  Ken  Kesey,  Guns  and  Roses, 
Stewart  Copeland,  Rae  Dawn  Chong,  Illeana 
Douglas,  Rosanna  Arquette  .  .  . 


The  features:  All  the  features 
had  an  edgy  vibe.  Chi  Girl,  a 
stalkumentery  made  by  Heidi 
Van  Lier  with  one  other  crew 
member  and  completed  for  less 
than  $50,000  (borrowed  from 
her  mom),  won  the  Grand  Jury 
Award  for  best  feature.  Man  of 
the  Century,  the  Audience 
Award  winner  for  best  feature,  is  a  comedy 
about  a  sharp-witted  fast-talking  young  jour- 
nalist living  in  modern  day  Manhattan  who's 
convinced  he's  living  in  the  1920s.  Following,  by 
Christopher  Nolan,  is  a  taut,  stylish  thriller  and 
won  the  Ilford  black-and-white  award  and  dis- 
tribution with  Zeitgeist.  The  movie  was  shot  on 
location  in  London  on  Saturdays  for  almost  a 
year.  Jordan  Brady's  Dill  Scallion,  a  country 
send-up  of  Spinal  Tap,  was  another  audience 
favorite  playing  to  jam-packed  crowds.  Leann 
Rimes  was  on  hand  to  sing  "Amazing  Grace" 
after  the  screening. 

The  shorts:  Standout  shorts  included  Billy's 
Balloon,  by  Don  Hertzfeldt,  an  animation  about 
a  boy  and  a  balloon  that  beats  him  senseless; 
Plug,  Meher  Gourjian's  exploration  of  virtual 
reality  with  digital  animation;  Roadhead,  Bob 
Sabiston  and  Tommy  Pallotta's  oddball  animat- 


The  awards:  Every  winner  gets  a  small  but  glo- 
rious bronze  statuette  of  a  grinning  dog — com- 
plete with  dog  tag.  It's  called  "The  Sparky." 

Life  after  Slamdance:  In  this  year's  program 

catalog,  director  Kevin  DiNovis  writes,  "About 

a  month  after  my  film  Surrender  Dorothy  won 

the  jury  prize  at  last  year's  Slamdance,  I  had 

lunch  with  this  big  agent  in  Beverly  Hills.  'I 

didn't  see  your  movie,'  he  told  me,  'but  I  loved 

the  reviews.  I  want  to  be  in  the  Kevin  DiNovis 

business.'  My  heart  sank.  I  had  been  in  the 

Kevin  DiNovis  business  all  my  life,  and  I  was 

dying  to  get  out  .  .  .  Better  luck  to  the  class  of 

'99." 

Jay  Lowi 

}ay  Lowi  is  a  member  of  the  class  of  '99.  His  12 
Stops  on  the  Road  to  Nowhere  won  the 
Audience  Award  for  Best  Short  Film  at  this  year's 
Slamdance. 


18    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


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First  or  second-time  directors  only 


Features  and  Shorts,  narrative  and  non-narrative 
35mm  or  16mm  formats  only 
Entry  Fees:  $25  Features,  $15  Shorts 


Submission  Dates 
May  1- August  20, 1999 


Prizes 


2 


Emerging  Filmmaker  Award  (features),  the  Best  Short  Award,  plus 

other  awards 

Cash  awards,  industry  goods  and  services,  plus  one-week  St.  Louis 

theatrical  run 

Finalists  of  competitive  feature  films  attend  the  New  Filmmakers 

Forum  Weekend  as  guests 


New  Filmmakers  Forum  Weekend  Includes 


Competitive  Screenings/Q&A's 

Seminars/Workshops 

Demonstrations 

Informal  Coffees  /Networking  Parties  with  filmmakers 


Contact  ) 

Saint  Louis 
International 
Film  Festival 

55  Maryland  Plaza, 

Suite  A 

St.  Louis,  Missouri 

63108-1501 

USA 

Phone:  314-454-0042 
Fax:  314-454-0540 

E-mail:  info@sliff.org 
Website:  www.sliff.org 


Festival  Dates 


Oct  29-Nov  7, 1999 


SAINT  LOUIS 

INTERNATIONAL 

FILM 

FESTIVAL 


estival  Featured 


•We  are  a  facility  specializing  in 
picture  and  audio  post  for  projects 
finished  on  film.  We  offer  full  audio 

services;  sound  design,  foley,  ADR 
and  mixing.  Film  editing  at  24  or  30 

fps  on  high  end  digital  non  linear 
systems  and  full  technical  support  at 

every  stage  of  your  project  Please 

contact  us  for  more  information. 


MERCER  STREET 


s 


DIGITAL  AUDIO 
-  PRODUCTION  - 

for  Film  and  Video 
and  Multimedia 


Pro    Xools 
Media    lOO 

Sound  Design  •  Original  Music  •  Sound  Effects 

Voice  Over  and   ADR  •  Sound   Editing  and   Mixing 

Non  Linear  Video  Editing  •  Multimedia  and  Internet 

Alan  Berliner  •  Lisa  Lewenz  •  Jem  Cohen  •  Cathy  Cook 
Maria  Venuto  •  Shelley  Silver  •  Brett  Morgen  •  Tony  Oursler 
Peggy  Ahwesh  •  Kathy  High  •  Ellen  Spiro  •  Lewis  Klahr 
Ardele  Lister  •  Hillary  Brougher  •   Adam  Cohen   •   Greg  Bordowitz 

Discount  Rates  for  Independents 


76  MERCER  ST.    NYC  10012  •  212.966-6794    •    E-mailmercerst@aol.com 


Thff  ROBERT 

FLAHERTY 


International  Film  Seminars 

in  association  with  the  Program  in  Film  and  Video  and 

the  Center  for  International  Studies  at  Duke  University 

presents 

OUT-TAKES  ARE 
HISTORY 

The  45th  Robert  Flaherty 
Film  Seminar 

Programmed  by 
Richard  Herskowitz  and  Orlando  Bagwell 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY 

Durham,  North  Carolina 
Friday,  June  4  -  Thursday,  June  1 0,  1 999 


INTERNATIONAL  FILM  SEMINARS,  INC. 

462  Broadway.  Suite  510  •  New  York,  NY  10013 

voice:  212.925.3191  •  fax:  212.925.3482  •  email:  ifsnyc@aol.com 

www.flahertyseminar.org 


A  Veteran's  Tale 

hooting  to  Kill:  How  an  Independent 
Producer  Blasts  through  the  Barriers 
to  Make  Movies  that  Matter 
by  Christine  Vac/ion,  with  David 
Edehtein;  Avon  Books,  New  York, 
1998;  335  pp,  softcover  $12 


5 

Christine  Vachon  has  created  a 

highly  readable,  informative,  and  insightful 
book.  Combing  through 
her  experience  producing 
such  notable  indie  films 
as  Todd  Haynes'  Poison 
and  Safe,  Tom  Kalin's 
Swoon,  and  Larry  Clark's 
Kids,  Vachon  has  pulled 
together  (with  the  assis- 
tance of  veteran  film  crit- 
ic David  Edelstein)  a  con- 
cise yet  comprehensive 
overview  of  the  low-bud- 
get producing  process. 
The  book  includes  sepa- 
rate chapters  on  script 
development,  budgeting 
(including  mock  budgets 
for  films  at  various  lev- 
els), financing,  prepro- 
duction,  principal  pho- 
tography, and  postproduction,  as  well  as  mar- 
keting and  distribution. 

Rather  than  use  theoretical  terms,  Vachon 
illustrates  her  points  with  examples  from  her 
producing  career.  We  are  privy  to  the  evolution 
of  scripts  for  Swoon  and  I  Shot  Andy  Warhol,  as 
well  as  Vachon's  dealings  with  the  Screen 
Actors  Guild  on  Kids,  the  casting  of  Velvet 
Goldmine  and  Kids,  shooting  in  earthquake - 
shaken  California  during  Safe;  and  doing  the 
distributor  dance  on  I  Shot  Andy  Warhol.  Unlike 
other  authors  of  film  production  books,  Vachon 
avoids  telling  "war  stories"  just  to  show  how  she 
overcame  adversity  and  instead  illustrates  how 
other  filmmakers  can  deal  with  such  difficulties. 

Diary  interludes  from  Vachon's  journals  are 
interspersed  throughout  the  book,  enabling 
readers  to  see  the  producer's  mindset  during 
the  different  stages  of  filmmaking:  trou- 
bleshooting on  the  I  Shot  Andy  Warhol  shoot, 
enduring  postproduction  hell  on  Velvet 
Goldmine;  and  playing  the  festival  game  when 
Safe  and  Kids  had  their  1995  premieres  at 
Sundance  and  Cannes. 


According  to 
Vachon, 

"Low-budget 
filmmaking  is 
like  childbirth. 

You  have  to 

repress  the 
horror  or  you'll 

never  do  it 
again." 


Vachon  discusses  films  at  differing  budget 
levels,  including  Poison  ($250,000),  Kiss  Me, 
Gvtido  ($800,000),  and  Happiness  ($2.5  mil- 
lion). She  proves  that  in  independent  film  "low 
budget"  is  a  matter  of  perspective  and  more 
money  does  not  lead  to  fewer  problems  (often 
the  reverse  is  true). 

As  well  as  interweaving  anecdote  and  infor- 
mation, Vachon  provides  a  forum  for  other 
voices  from  the  indie  film  community.  Mark 
Tusk  (Miramax),  Marcus  Hu  (Strand  Relea- 
ing),  and  David  Linde  (Good  Machine)  discuss 
marketing  and  distribution;  Velvet 
Goldmine  editor  James  Lyons  describes 
how  editing  can  make  or  break  an  inde- 
pendent film;  and  Good  Machine  co- 
founders  Ted  Hope  and  James  Schamus 
outline  the  role  of  the  producer  and  the 
future  of  the  industry. 

Shooting  to  Kill  is  more  than  just  a  no- 
nonsense  guide  to  independent  film- 
making or  a  compendium  of  insightful 
yet  dourly  entertaining  anecdotes 
about  some  of  the  most  respected  inde- 
pendent films  of  the  past  decade.  The 
book  provides  a  clear  yet  comprehen- 
sive answer  to  that  inevitable  question: 
"What  does  a  producer  do?"  According 
to  Vachon,  "Low-budget  filmmaking  is 
like  childbirth.  You  have  to  repress  the 
horror  or  you'll  never  do  it  again." 
Through  her  example,  Vachon  has 
shown  how  the  good  producer  can  do  it,  again 
and  again. 

Robert  L.  Seigel 

Robert  L.  Seigel  [Rlsentlaw@aol.com]  is  a  New 

York  entertainment  attorney  and  a  principal  in  the 

Cinema  Film  Consulting  firm. 


The  Bible,  Updated 

The  Filmmaker's  Handbook: 

A  Comprehensive  Guide  for  the  Digital  Age 

by  Steven  Ascher  &  Edward  Pincus;  Plume 
(Penguin  Putnam),  New  York  1999;  614  pp,  soft- 
cover,  $18.95 

The  Filmmaker's  Handbook  was  first  pub- 
lished  in  1984  and  has  been  a  production  bible 
ever  since.  But  now  that  technology  has  forev- 
er changed  the  way  films  are  made,  and  docu- 
mentary filmmakers  Edward  Pincus  (Black 
Natchez;  Diaries:  1971-76)  and  Steven  Ascher 
(Troublesome  Creek:  A  Midwestern)  have  taken 
up  the  challenge  of  revising  and  updating  their 


original,  so  as  to  render  it  is  as  relevant  today  as 
it  was  1 5  years  ago.  As  the  title  of  this  second 
edition  suggests,  much  of  what  has  changed  in 
filmmaking  is  attributable  to  digital  technology, 
and  the  bulk  of  the  revisions  and  additions  pre- 
sumably apply  to  the  chapters  devoted  to  video 
production  and  nonlinear  editing.  The  rest  of 
the  600-plus  pages,  however,  are  devoted  to  the 
film  in  filmmaking  and  provide  an  invaluable 
course  in  both  technology  and  technique. 

Starting  with  the  most  fundamental  func- 
tions of  the  camera,  The  Filmmaker's  Handbook 
outlines  the  processes  that  create  both  film  and 
video  images  and  guides  the  reader  through 
every  stage  of  production — from  assembling  a 


crew  to  delivering  a  print  or  broadcast  master. 
Encyclopedic  in  scope,  the  book  breaks  every 
subject  down  to  its  component  elements, 
resulting  in  a  reference  work  for  students  and 
working  filmmakers  alike.  It  may  not  make  for 
compelling  bedtime  reading,  but  The  Film- 
maker's Handbook  is  a  great  tome  to  have  handy 
when  you  have  a  crucial,  specific  question: 
What  film  stock  reacts  best  to  forced  process- 
ing? How  does  an  A/D  converter  work?  Can  a 
DAW  reconstruct  online  audio  tracks  using  an 
OMF  file  and  my  masters? 

Although  the  word  "digital"  is  on  the  cover, 
it's  important  to  note  that  The  Filmmaker's 
Handbook  is  not  a  production  guide  specifically 
tailored  to  the  digital  filmmaker;  rather,  it's  a 
careful  rewrite  of  a  filmmaking  resource  that 
brings  the  original  (and  the  reader)  up  to  date. 
But  as  independent  filmmakers  often  wear 
many  hats  (say,  producing,  shooting,  and  edit- 
ing their  own  project),  The  Fihnmaker's 
Handbook  is  a  valuable  tool  that  can  prepare 
them  for  the  problems  and  challenges  unique  to 
every  stage  of  production — digital  or  analog. 

Ryan  Deussing 

Ryan  Deussing  is  a  filmmaker  and  former 
managing  editor  of  The  Independent. 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


Digital  Preproduction 

Digital  still  cameras  make  their  mark  on 
storyboarding  and  location  scouting. 


by   Rob   Rown  d 


The  new  breed: 

Nikon's  Coolpix 

900  offers 

1280x960 

resolution 

and  lists 

for  $799. 


VERYBODY  KNOWS  THAT  OLD  ALFRED 
Hitchcock  chestnut  about  produc- 
tion being  boring  because  all  the 
decisions  were  made  during  prepro- 
duction. Everybody  also  knows  that 
late-night  jittery  third  pot  of  coffee 
moment  when  you  look  at  those 
nasty  little  ballpoint  thumbnails 
you're  struggling  to  turn  into  story- 
boards  and  just  want  to  cry  out  of 
frustration.  The 
tension  between 
the  glorious  cinemascope 
Dolby  vision  in  your  head 
and  the  pale  imitation  in 
your  notebook  is  familiar  ter- 
ritory to  all  of  us. 

Unless  you're  a  micro  - 
budget  maverick  director  like 
Jon  Jost  and  able  to  get  by 
with  a  guerrilla  crew  of  three, 
or  a  TV  commercial  or  epi- 
sodic director  coming  to  that 
first  feature  with  years  of  on- 
set experience,  that  private 
tension  also  has  a  very  public 
side.  Directing  independent  (and  therefore 
low-budget)  work  puts  you  in  a  position  of  try- 
ing to  make  the  vision  in  your  head  as  clear  as 
possible  to  department  heads  who  usually  only 
have  the  time  and  resources  to  take  one  shot  at 
expressing  that  vision  via  lenses,  dolly  track, 
props,  and  set  decoration. 

Film  directing  is  always  a  cross  between  a 
team  sport  and  that  freshman-year  acting  exer- 
cise where  you  fall  backwards  off  a  table  and 
pray  that  six  people  you've  just  met  will  catch 
you  before  you  hit  the  floor.  True,  you're  the 
captain,  but  once  you're  in  mid-air,  that's  not 
really  all  that  important.  In  a  very  real  sense, 
preproduction  is  the  last  chance  to  look  over 
your  shoulder  and  plan  how  to  fall  before  mak- 
ing that  leap  of  faith.  It's  also  about  making 
sure  everyone  is  aware  of  where  you  want  to  go 


and  can  help  you  land  with  some  degree  of 
grace. 

For  this  chapter  on  digital  filmmaking,  we  go 
back  to  the  point  where  the  words  begin  to 
leave  the  page  and  get  turned  into  images. 
Since  working  independently  means  using  your 
resources  efficiently,  the  methods  described 
below  are  designed  to  use  as  few  pieces  of  soft- 
ware and  hardware  as  possible. 


independent  film,  I  was  once  given  a  non-scale 
picture  of  a  farmhouse  drawn  with  a  ball  point 
on  a  bar  napkin  and  told  to  be  ready  for  a  night 
exterior  tomorrow.  I  don't  think  that  particular 
Artist  Formerly  Known  as  Location  Manager 
gets  a  whole  lot  of  work  anymore,  but  you  get 
my  point.  The  flow  of  information  between 
departments  can  be  pretty  haphazard. 

Under  the  old  studio  system  there  was  an 


Digital/Photochemical  Briccolage 
By  any  means  .  .  . 

The  personal  computer  began  to  change  the 
way  we  manipulate,  process,  and  digest  words 
and  numbers  15  years  ago.  It  has  completely 
changed  the  way  film  and  tape  are  edited. 
Today  the  off-line  aspects  of  postproduction  are 
handled  on  a  tape-based  system  or  flatbed  as 
infrequently  as  the  first  draft  of  a  screenplay  is 
written  on  a  legal  pad  with  a  #2  pencil. 

But  for  a  variety  of  reasons,  the  computer 
revolution  leap-frogged  over  the  visual  side  of 
preproduction  and  most  of  production  itself. 
Aside  from  CAD  programs  for  set  design,  com- 
puters haven't  begun  to  be  truly  integrated  into 
the  visualization  process.  Instead  we  have  loca- 
tion stills,  ball  point  drawing,  Post-It  notes,  and 
lots  of  tracing  paper.  Working  as  a  gaffer  on  an 


entire  division  of  storyboard  artists  and  produc- 
tion illustrators  charged  with  rendering  the 
look,  mood,  and  feel  of  each  shot  in  paper,  ink, 
and  charcoal.  They  still  work  in  large-budget 
projects  today,  especially  in  television  commer- 
cials, because  spots  have  to  go  through  such  an 
extended  approval  process  that  it  is  vital  every- 
body who  can  say  no — and  there  are  a  lot  of 
them — completely  understands  the  project 
before  production  begins.  With  all  the  cards  on 
the  table  beforehand  and  a  creative  team  will- 
ing to  stick  to  the  original  concept,  these  com- 
mercial productions  move  faster  and  more  effi- 
ciently than  any  independent  production  I've 
ever  seen. 

Unfortunately,  it's  still  a  bit  early  to  be  look- 
ing for  new  digital  tools  to  aid  in  the  visualiza- 
tion and  communication  process  of  preproduc- 


22     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


don.  While  there  are  software  programs  and 
cameras  available  that  enable  you  stay  com- 
pletely within  the  digital  realm  while  planning 
shots  and  sequences,  they  are  still  a  little  too 
basic  to  allow  for  much  flexibility.  Since  prepro 
duction  is  about  making  up  your  mind — and 
then  changing  it — it  is  important  to  have  as 
much  room  to  manipulate  and  cajole  images  as 
possible. 

Unhappy  with  the  ready-made  software 
packages,  I  took  a  step  backwards  technologi- 
cally and  explored  ways  to  use  several  standard 
editing  and  image  manipulation  programs  and 
good  old-fashioned  400  ASA  print  film  to  pre- 
determine the  final  look  of  a  film. 

Digital  Still  Cameras 

Every  major  35mm  still  camera  manufacturer 
and  most  camcorder  manufacturers  now  make 
two  varieties  of  digital  still  cameras.  All  of  the 
lenses  are  mediocre  at  best.  For  $200-400  you 
can  buy  a  camera  that  captures  a  low-res  image 


program — no  developing  or  printing  costs. 
Cameras  at  both  price  ranges  deliver  full- 
screen image  qualities  that  are  good  enough  to 
pick  locations  and  decide  what  props  and  set 
dressing  to  use  that  will  turn  that  catering 
office  in  an  industrial  neighborhood  into  a  chic 
downtown  boutique. 

All  of  this  can  be  done  very  easily  in  Adobe 
Photoshop.  You  start  with  the  location  photo  as 
a  background  and  then  import  digital  cut-outs 
of  the  set  dressing,  props,  and  additional  con- 
struction as  individual  channels  on  top  of  it. 
You  can  then  electronically  erase  and  clean  up 
the  image  and  have  a  pretty  good  idea  of  your 
new  background.  Shoot  enough  coverage  of 
the  set  from  a  variety  of  angles,  and  you'll  be 
able  to  experiment  with  different  versions  of 
the  location  without  leaving  the  house. 


Ways  of  Seeing 


Storyboarding  is  another  area  that  invites  digi- 
tal images.  But  it's  here  that  the  weaknesses  of 

digital  acquisi- 
tion are  exposed, 
especially  when 
compared  to 
good  old-fash- 
ioned drugstore - 
processed  glossy 
prints  scanned 
into  the  comput- 


The  limitations 

of  digital  pix: 

A  view  of  what 

happens  when  a 

digital  photo 

with  a  locked 

number  of  pixels 

is  enlarged. 


(640  x  480  pixels)  that 
will  never  be  mistaken  for 
an  average  Instamatic 
snapshot.  For  $350-800 
you  can  double  the  num- 
ber of  pixels  recorded  and 
get  a  decent  image,  but  it 
still  looks  slightly  off 
when  compared  to  an 
image  originating  on  neg- 
ative film. 

After  the  initial  pur- 
chase, digital  still  cam- 
eras are  cheap  to  use 
because  they  record  the  picture  information 
directly  to  disc,  which  can  then  be  hosed  into  a 
PC.  Once  inside  the  PC,  the  photos  can  be 
used  as  JPEG  or  PICT  files  in  any  image-editing 


Since  preproduction  is 

about  making  up  your 


The  number  of 
pixels  in  images 
shot  with  digital 
still  cameras  is 
fixed  when  the 
image  is  record- 
ed. This  is  not  a 
problem  when  working 
with  either  the  entire 
image  or  cropping  that 
image  to  use  a  detail  at 
its  original  size.  The 
images  are  better  than 
stills  taken  from  video- 
tape, but  not  as  sharp  as 
scanned  35mm  prints. 
They  are  usable,  but 
not  inspiring.  ' 
However,  when  you 
radically  change  your 
mind  about  a  camera 
position  or  lens  choice — and  you  will — but 
don't  have  time  to  go  back  and  shoot  another 
set  of  photos,  the  fixed  number  of  pixels  limits 
the  degree  to  which  you  can  blow  up  a  detail  to 


changing  it— it  is    \ 

important  to  have 

as  much  room  to 

manipulate  and  cajole 

images  as  possible. 


Avid  Non-Linear  Editing,  available  in 
both  PAL  &  NTSC  for: 
Short  Films/Documentaries/ 
Music  Videos  &  Commercials 
Demo  Reels 

Post  Production 


Video  Tape  Transfers  in  all  formats, 
including:  DV  Cam  &  DVC  Pro 

■  International  Standards  Conversion, 
PAL  &  SECAM 

High  Quality  Duplication  from  any 
Source  Master 
Film  to  tape  Transfer 


ANALOG  DIGITAL  INTERNATIONAL 

20  East  49th  Street,  2nd  floor 

New  York,  NY  10017 

Tel:  (21 2)  688-51 1 0  Fax  (21 2)  688-5405 

E-MAIL  address:  adidigital@aol.com 


ENTRY 

(Fees,  that  is) 

WYBE  Public  Television  in  Philadelphia 
seeks  works  up  to  56  minutes  for 
THROUGH  THE  LENS,  an  award-winning 
weekly  series  showcasing  innovative  film 
and  video  from  around  the  world. 

NO  ENTRY  FEE 

ACQUISITION  FEE:  $25  PER  MINUTE 

ALL  STYLES  AND  GENRES 
WELCOME 


Submission  deadline  April  20,  1 999 


For  an  application: 


WYBE  Public  Television 
attn:  Carl  Lee,  TTL 
6070  Ridge  Avenue 
Philadelphia  PA  19128 
(215)483-3900 

email:  ttl@wybe.pbs.org 


or  visit  www.wybe.org  and  follow  the  links 
to  a  printable  application. 

we'll  take  you  there 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


TECHKTOLOGT 


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our  goal  is  to  help 

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full-screen  size.  Open  any  picture  file  in 
Photoshop,  hit  Command  +  a  few  times,  and 
you'll  see  what  I  mean  (see  photos  on  pages  22- 
23).  The  image  becomes  progressively  more 
blocky  as  it  expands.  Combine  several  such 
images  and  you  create  a  storyboard  that  is  as 
confusing  as  a  bad  ballpoint  sketch.  Since  the 
point  of  this  whole  exercise  is  to  make  better, 
more  readable  storyboards,  there  has  to  be  a 
better  way. 

One  solution  is  to  shoot  35mm  stills  at  the 
location  and  then  scan  them  into  the  PC  with 
a  bargain  basement  flatbed  scanner.  A  300  x 
600  dots  per  inch  (dpi)  scanner  runs  at  about 
$100.  It  is  considered  a  home  office  item  not 
suitable  for  serious  graphic  work,  and  its  resolu- 
tion power  is  actually  less  that  the  cheaper  dig- 
ital cameras.  However,  even  working  with  tast 
film,  average  exposures,  and  drugstore  process- 
ing, this  method  still  produces  scanned  images 
that  have  a  better  tonal  range  and  more  detail 
than  the  expensive  digital  camera.  When 
forced  to  use  available  (in  this  case  meaning 
bad)  light,  the  visual  difference  between  the 
two  becomes  even  more  extreme. 


Ways  of  Cheating 


Images  made  with  a  digital  still  camera  are 
locked  into  the  resolution  of  the  capture. 
Scanning  a  photo  chemical  print  makes  it  easi- 
er to  selectively  crop  and  re-crop  images  down 
to  their  most  useful  size. 

The  trick  with  scanning  is  to  over-sample 
the  number  of  pixels  in  the  print.  You'll  be 
working  with  factors  of  72,  which  is  the  dpi  of 
every  computer  screen.  For  example,  scanning 
a  print  at  144  dpi  (double  the  screen's  limita- 
tion) or  288  dpi  (quadruple  the  screen'*  limita- 
tion) produces  a  file  with  two  or  four  times  the 
detail  of  that  file's  on-screen  representation. 

This  comes  in  handy  when  you  want  to  blow 
up  a  detail.  Since  the  computer  cannot  exceed 
the  72  dpi  limitation  and  because  it  must 
adhere  to  the  number  of  pixels  per  inch 
assigned  to  the  file  during  the  scan,  it  simply 
displays  every  pixel  in  the  grid  that  makes  up 
the  image  as  if  it  were  a  72  dpi  file.  The  end 
result  of  the  intersection  of  these  two  limita- 
tions is  that  over-sampling  the  scan  rate  leads 
to  a  very  large  screen  display  of  that  file.  For 
example,  if  a  17"  monitor  is  set  to  1280  x  960 
pixel  resolution,  a  640  x  480  file  will  fill  half  the 
screen  and  a  1280  x  960  version  of  the  same  file 
will  fill  the  entire  screen.  Correspondingly,  the 
people,  props,  and  set  dressing  in  the  second 
scan  will  be  twice  as  large  as  those  in  the  first, 


but  without  the  blockiness  you  find  when  you 
expand  a  640  x  480  file  to  twice  its  original 
screen  size. 

Ways  of  Distributing 

Once  you  have  set  your  storyboards — and 
spent  another  week  fiddling  with  them — you 
can  import  them  as  JPEG  or  PICT  files  into  an 
MS  Word  or  Wordperfect  version  of  the  script. 
This  can  be  opened  on  any  PC  (Mac  or 
Wintell)  as  a  document  that  resembles  a  comic 
book  or  photo  novel.  Since  nearly  everybody 
who  works  in  film  owns  a  computer  with  one  or 
the  other  word-processing  program,  this  is  usu- 
ally an  adequate  first  step,  and  it  will  save  a  few 
trees. 

However,  if  you  want  to  print  them  out,  this 
will  take  some  more  finagling,  since  we've 
taken  the  file  resolutions  to  lower  levels  than 
are  usually  applied  to  printed  materials.  Of 
course  you  can  redigitize  all  of  the  picture  ele- 
ments at  a  higher  resolution,  recreate  all  the 
photoboards,  then  re-import  them  into  the 
script.  Or,  more  simply,  you  can  take  screen 
shots  of  each  page  of  the  script  [hit  Command, 
Shift,  and  3  on  a  Mac  or  Control,  Shift,  and  3 
on  its  slightly  less  clever  clone  from  Redmond, 
Washington]  and  then  trim  and  print  those 
files  from  either  Photoshop  or  Adobe 
Illustrator. 

It's  important  to  remember  that  the  comput- 
er thinks  of  screen  shots  as  apicture  of  the  script 
and  photoboards  rather  than  a  word  processing 
document.  True,  it  has  text,  but  it  cannot  be 
altered.  Think  of  this  last  step  as  a  photocopy, 
and  you'll  understand  its  limitations. 

Ways  of  Concluding 

Digital  preproduction  provides  a  way  to  bring 
some  of  the  best  elements  of  the  old  studio  sys- 
tem and  current  high-end  commercial  produc- 
tion system  to  the  indie  game.  Planning  and 
thinking  aren't  free,  but  they  are  easily  the  most 
cost-effective  part  of  the  filmmaking  process. 
Every  independent  project  I've  worked  on 
could  have  benefited  from  a  clearer  sense  of  the 
director's  intention.  With  the  help  of  the  com- 
puter, that  vision  can  be  a  few  key  strokes  away. 

Editor  and  broadcast  designer  Rob  Rownd 

lrobroumd(<J  hottnaU.com]  makes  24  frame -per-second 

content  for  E  =  mc2  in  New  York  and  Los  Angeles  and 

for  KPEVF  in  Chicago. 


24    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


no  time  for  slow  builds.  With  this  is  mind, 

"On  View"  offers  shameless  plugs  for 

current  releases  and  national  broadcasts  of 

independent  films  &  videos  in  the  hope  that 

you'll  support  them.  You  knows— maybe 


HEATRICAL 


IWindhorse  (Shadow  Distribution) 
Opens  mid-April.  Set  in  current-day 
Tibet  under  Chinese  occupation,  the 
dramatic  feature  follows  Dolkan,  a 
Tibetan  singer  who  aspires  to  pop 
stardom.  However,  her  collabora- 
tion with  Chinese  authorities  is  com- 
promised when  her  cousin,  a  Buddhist  nun,  is 
tortured  because  of  her  faith.  Paul  Wagner's 
impressive  first  feature,  shot  secretly  in 
Nepal  and  Tibet  on  digital  video,  takes 
full  advantage  of  his  extensive  documen- 
tary background  to  bring  a  dramatic 
sense  of  place  while  conveying  the  chill- 
ingly oppressive  climate  of  contemporary 
Tibet. 

Hard  (Jour  de  Fete  Films)  Opens 
March  26.  A  brutal  serial  killer  of  young 
male  hustlers  is  hunted  by  a  rookie  detec- 
tive who  himself  becomes  the  quarry. 
John  Huckert's  LA-shot  thriller,  was 
inspired  by  Seven  and  has  already 
received  wildly  polarised  views  on  its 
brave  and  hard-hitting  content. 

This  is  My  Father  (Sony  Pictures 
Classics)  Opens  April  30.  A  triumph  for 
brothers  Aidan  Quinn,  DP  Declan 
Quinn  and,  particularly,  first-time  fea- 
ture writer/director  Paul  Quinn  in  this 
beautifully  wrought  and  tragic  story  set  in 
Ireland  of  the  1930s.  Paul  Quinn  treats  the 
tragic  love  story  between  Aidan  and  radiant 
newcomer  Moya  Farrelly  with  sensitivity  and 
assurance,  delivering  a  tale  of  pathos  and  pas- 
sion without  any  of  the  green-tinted  glasses  a 
production  like  this  may  have  been  filtered 
through. 

TELEVISION 

A  Letter  without  Words  (PBS,  April  5,  10  p.m.) 
Lisa  Lewenz  uses  her  own  material  in  collabo- 
ration with  pioneering  amateur  color  film  shot 


by  her  late  grandmother  Ella  to  tell  the  tale  of 
one  family's  German  Jewish  identity  and  mem- 
ory. This  account  of  the  wealthy  Lewenzes 
includes  footage  of  family  friends  such  as  Albert 
Einstein,  Brigette  Helm,  and  Gerard  Haptman, 
shot  against  the  backdrop  of  the  rising  Third 
Reich.  Lisa's  contemporary  footage,  which 
includes  interviews  with  Ella's  surviving  chil- 
dren, diaries,  photos,  and  home  movies,  pro- 
vides a  compelling  counterpoint  to  the  20s  and 
30s  footage,  which  together  weave  the  tapestry 
of  one  family's  generational  travels  through  the 
20th  century. 

Forgotten  Fires  (PBS,  April  29,  10  p.m.) 
Michael  Chandler's  account  of  race-hate 
crimes  in  South  Carolina  is  salutary  for  anyone 
who  thinks  that  racial  antagonism  is  burying  its 
ugly  head.  The  film  focuses  on  the  burning  of 
two  black  churches  in  Clarendon  County.  In 
his  filming  of  the  Haley  family  that  effectively 
rules  the  county  like  feudal  lords,  Chandler 


allows  viewers  to  make  up 
their  own  minds  as  to  the  motives  underlying 
racial  tensions  and  the  arson  attacks.  This 
study  of  irrationality  features  a  remarkably 
frank  arsonist  Timothy  Welch,  and  the  black 
churchgoing  community  quite  openly  showing 
their  sense  of  loss.  In  addition,  some  of  the 
apparently  secret  night  footage  of  Grand 
Dragon  Horace  King  at  Klan  rallies  is  chilling. 
Vietnam  Long  Time  Coming  (rebroadcast 
on  NBC,  April  17,  4  p.m.)  Impressive  doc 
charting  the  reunion  of  Vietnamese  and  U.S. 
vets  on  a  two -week  bicycle  ride  from  one  end  of 
Vietnam  to  the  other.  [See  "Fresh  Produce," 
Dec.  1998.] 

Paul  Power 


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April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


CASTING  THE 

CASTING  DIRECTOR 

by     Amy     Goodman 

I  roducer  Sandra  Katz  has  tried  for  three  years  to  raise  money 
for  Nothing  Men,  a  film  by  first-time  director  John  Serpe.  "It's  a  vicious 
cycle,"  she  says.  "You  can't  get  all  your  financing  until  you  get  a  name 
actor,  and  you  can't  get  a  name  actor  until  you  get  your  financing." 

Sound  familiar.'  It's  a  common  scenario:  A  first-time  director  and 
producer  are  seeking  $1  million  and  a  cast  for  an  independent  feature. 
They  have  a  script,  hut  are  having  trouble  convincing  anyone  to  read 
it.  Agents  and  managers  don't  have  the  time  or  patience  to  consider  a 
project  with  no  money  and  no  shooting  date.  Investors  want  to  know 
what  talent  is  attached  and  the  filmmakers  don't  happen  to  be  friends 
with  A-list  talent — or  B-list,  for  that  matter. 

Enter  the  casting  director.  She  (the  Casting  Society  of  America  esti- 
mates that  three  out  of  four  casting  directors  are  female)  has  been  cast- 
ing long  enough  to  have  developed  relationships  with  agents,  man- 


AS  NAME  TALENT  BECOMES  A  KEY  TO  FILM 


FINANCING,  MORE  CASTING  DIRECTORS  ARE 


ASKING  FOR  PRODUCER  CREDITS 


these  questions  to  an  array  of  directors,  producers,  and  casting  direc- 
tors. 


J 


ULiETTE  Taylor  has  been  a  casting  director  in  New  York  for 
the  past  three  decades  and  is  a  firsthand  witness  to  the  evolution  of  her 
trade.  Her  credits  include  "around  30"  of  Woody  Allen's  films  and 
many  features  by  Mike  Nichols,  Nora  Ephron,  and  Alan  Parker. 
According  to  Taylor,  the  casting  director  began  as  a  kind  of  adminis- 
trator. "There  was  a  period  probably  up  until  the  early  sixties  when 
casting  directors  in  the  big  studios  only  made  grocery  lists  and  had  big 
cattle  calls  for  actors,"  she  recalls.  "It  was  not  a  selective  process. 
Marion  Dougherty  was  really  the  person  who  broke  the  mold." 
Dougherty  revolutionized  her  art  during  her  tenure  as  unofficial  queen 
of  New  York  television  and  feature  casting,  spawning  half  the  casting 


agers,  and  actors.  They  trust  her. 

Here  comes  the  latest  twist:  After  a  month  of  pitching,  our  hypo- 
thetical casting  director  gets  the  script  in  front  of  supermodel  Claudia 
Schiffer,  whom  the  director  agrees  would  be  great  in  the  role  of  the 
blonde  girlfriend,  and  Schiffer  agrees  to  attach  her  name.  According  to 
Phoenician  Films'  VP  of  Production  Mark  McGarry,  Claudia  Schiffer 
means  $400,000  in  German  pre-sales.  Soon,  an  investor  returns  calls. 
As  a  result,  an  agent  returns  calls.  Next  the  casting  director  is  talking 
to  Stephen  Dorff,  who  also  means  big  money  overseas.  A  few  months 
later,  the  cast  is  locked,  the  film  is  fully  financed,  and  the  first  day  of 
principle  photography  is  set.  Upon  her  request,  the  casting  director 
(who  has  since  moved  on  to  two  or  three  new  projects)  will  be  listed  as 
associate  producer. 

This  scenerio  is  happening  more  and  more  often  these  days,  and  it 
raises  a  few  questions.  What  exactly  is  the  role  of  a  casting  director  in 
independent  film  today?  Is  it  legitimate  for  a  casting  director  to  get  a 
producer  credit  if  he  or  she  indirectly  assists  in  financing  a  film?  How 
do  casting  directors — and  producers  and  directors,  for  that  matter — 
balance  a  film's  creative  and  financial  needs?  The  Independent  posed 


directors  in  this  article.  "Before  Marion,  casting  directors  were  more 
secretarial  and  organizational;  nobody  really  looked  at  them  for  their 
opinions.  They  were  up  against  directors  who  expected  to  see  hundreds 
of  people,  all  of  them  the  same.  But  Marion  chose  to  show  directors  two 
or  three  actors  who  were  all  quite  different.  She  added  dimension  to 
the  roles  she  cast.  Of  course,  people  loved  that  because  she  was  so  cre- 
ative and  bright  and  had  such  great  instincts."  According  to  Taylor, 
Dougherty  was  one  of  the  people  who  pushed  the  casting  director's 
name  from  the  credits  crawl  at  the  back  of  the  picture  to  the  main  title 
credits  at  the  front. 

When  casting  directors  were  elevated  from  facilitators  to  creative 
players,  their  power  increased  accordingly.  With  the  advent  of  inde- 
pendent film,  there  has  been  another  metamorphosis  in  the  casting 
director's  role.  As  a  result  of  the  increasing  pressure  to  cast  name  tal- 
ent, the  role  of  casting  director  in  low-budget  independents  has 
evolved  past  the  creative  stage;  it  has  become,  in  some  ways,  produco- 
rial.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  market  for  low-budget  film  is  flood- 
ed with  product  and  that  the  supply  of  funds  has  dwindled.   Investors, 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT    April  1999 


studios,  and  distributors  are  scrambling  to  hedge  their  bets.  "Studios  or 
mini-majors  are  always  driven  to  make  sure  they  can  leverage  their  risk 
by  having  some  sort  of  quantifiable  commercial  entity,"  says  Ted  Hope, 
Good  Machine's  co-founder/producer,  "i.e.  a  star."  Due  to  the  increas- 
ing pressure  to  cast  name  talent,  for  many  rookie  directors  and  pro- 
ducers attaching  a  seasoned,  well-connected  casting  director  may  indi- 
rectly determine  the  size  of  their  budget.  In  some  cases,  she  may  mean 
the  difference  between  development  hell  and  a  green  light.  If  a  film 
gets  its  financing  because  of  the  talent  attached  and  the  casting  direc- 
tor is  the  creative  and  strategic  force  behind  this,  then  she  is  effective- 
ly helping  to  produce  the  film.  Or  so  the  argument  goes. 

Todd  M.  Thaler  is  one  of  those  casting  directors  who  now  has  an 
associate  producer  credit  to  his  name.  After  beginning  his  film  career 
in  production,  Thaler  moved  into  casting  and  cast  such  films  as  Heavy, 
Copland,  and  Mr.  Jealousy.  Recently,  however,  Thaler  started  itching  to 
get  back  into  production.  In  1997,  he  sheparded  a  film  by  William 
DeVizi  called  Lesser  Prophets  through  a  lengthy,  troubled  casting 
process  and  managed  to  convince  actor  John  Turturro  to  commit. 
Since  Turturro  is  an  "actor  magnet,"  according  to  Thaler,  the  rest  of 
the  cast  and  financing  fell  into  place.  "They  were  happy  to  reward  me 
with  [an  associate  producer]  credit,"  he  says,  "because  they  wouldn't 
necessarily  have  to  reward  me  with  any  more  money."  Is  what  he  did 


whether  that's  attaching  names  or  not.  It's  different  if  somebody  comes 
to  me  and  the  budget  of  their  movie  will  change  drastically  or  they 
don't  have  money  in  the  bank.  Then  because  of  what  I  may  be  able  to 
do  for  them — enable  them  to  make  their  movie — asking  for  producer 
credit  is  viable." 

The  request  for  producer  credit  is  by  no  means  standard  among 
casting  directors,  at  least  not  yet.  Many  casting  directors  have  no  inter- 
est in  producing  or  producer  credit  whatsoever,  including  such  stal- 
warts as  Ellen  Lewis  {Big  Night,  Goodfellas),  Laura  Rosenthal  (Velvet 
Goldmine,  Bullets  Over  Broadway),  and  Ann  Goulder  (Welcome  to  the 
Dollhouse,  Happmess).  They  recognize  the  financial  implications  of 
casting,  but  see  it  primarily  as  a  creative  act. 

For  independent  films  with  larger  budgets,  established  producers 
and  directors,  or  the  support  of  a  more  reputable  production  company, 
the  role  for  the  casting  director  is  typically  a  more  traditional  one.  The 
producers  might  even  cast  the  leads  themselves.  "If  I'm  developing  a 
script  and  trying  to  attach  an  actor  to  help  with  the  financing,"  says 
Good  Machine's  Ted  Hope,  "there's  not  a  huge  list  there.  Plus,  we're 
pretty  savvy  on  who  the  companies  like  as  up-and-comers  [so]  we'd 
probably  cast  leads  by  ourselves."  In  such  cases,  a  casting  director  is 
hired  after  the  leads  are  locked.  Higher  budgets  may  also  allow  the  pro- 
ducer to  sufficiently  pay  a  casting  director  up  front. 


considered  producing.7  Although  Thaler  acknowledges  he  wasn't  a 
"hands-on,  on-the-set,  continue-on-through-postproduction  kind  of 
producer,"  he  feels  the  title  fits.  "Considering  the  situation,"  he  says, 
"who  really  is  as  much  a  producer  but  me?  I  truly  feel  that  if  I'm  going 
to  avail  myself  to  low-  or  no-budget  films,  films  that  come  to  me  before 
there's  even  a  promise  of  full  financing,  my  reward  will  be  included  in 
that  producing  unit." 

Casting  director  Susan  Shopmaker  (Hurricane  Streets,  Ties  to  Rachel) 
got  her  first  associate  producer  credit  on  a  film  she  cast  last  summer 
called  Saturn,  which  she  describes  as  "a  very  small  movie  ...  a  true 
labor  of  love."  Like  Thaler,  Shopmaker  had  been  entertaining  the  idea 
of  moving  from  casting  to  producing  and  believes  that  "the  credits  you 
get  on  these  smaller  movies  hopefully  become  a  means  to  an  end." 
Careful  to  qualify  the  terms  under  which  she  would  ask  for  a  producer 
credit,  Shopmaker  says  such  a  request  "depends  on  the  size  and  scope 
of  the  movie  and  how  the  budget  changes  because  of  my  involvement. 
If  somebody  comes  to  me  with  a  simple  budget  and  they've  got  money 
in  the  bank,  it  is  my  job  as  casting  director  to  try  to  do  what  they  want, 


Many  casting  directors  will  tell  you  that,  typically,  working  on  inde- 
pendents takes  time,  energy,  and  tremendous  patience  for  little  finan- 
cial gain.  A  casting  director  must  be  willing  to  break  down  walls  with 
finesse  and  win  the  interest  of  actors  and  their  representation  despite 
the  fact  that  the  project  may  not  yet  be  financed.  "This  is  the  same 
thing  a  producer  is  doing,"  says  casting  director-turned-producer  Alexa 
Fogel,  who  recently  quit  her  job  helming  ABC/New  York's  casting 
department  to  produce  her  own  projects.  "It's  based  entirely  on  your 
energy  and  your  relationships,  and  it  is  exhausting,  producorial  work." 
Over  the  years,  Fogel  has  been  approached  "all  the  time"  by  indepen- 
dents to  "put  together  packages  that  ultimately  lead  to  financing"  in 
return  for  either  a  nominal  fee  or  a  deferment.  Fogel  estimates  that  "by 
and  large,  casting  directors  make  less  than  heads  of  any  other  depart- 
ment." She  says  they  are  "trying  to  rally  enough  so  that  there's  a  stan- 
dard that  can  be  applied  as  far  as  pay  scales,  but  it's  tough.  There  is 
always  someone  who  might  do  it  for  less."  Especially  in  independent 
film,  many  casting  directors  do  not  get  paid  upfront. 

That  is  one  reason  why  many  casting  directors  are  asking  for  some- 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


thing  else — additional  credit,  or  speculative  involvement  on  the  back 
end.  Producer  Laura  Bickford  (Playing  God,  Bongwater)  is  developing  a 
film  for  which  she  hired  a  casting  director  specifically  "to  cast  a  role  to 
get  us  the  money."  She  insists  that  giving  this  person  a  producer  credit 
"seems  a  ridiculous  use  of  [the]  credit,  because  that's  what  casting  direc- 
tors are  supposed  to  do.  We've  paid  this  casting  director  a  small  fee,  and 
she'll  get  a  bigger  fee  and  a  percentage — a  participation  in  the  movie 
(which  a  casting  director  normally  wouldn't  get) — if  she  gets  the  star 
that  makes  the  movie.  She  wouldn't  do  it  for  a  producing  credit  alone." 

There  are  those  who  will,  however.  "I'd  much  rather  have  a  produc- 
ing credit  than  a  monetary  reward,"  says  Bonnie  Finnegan,  who  has 
been  a  casting  consultant  for  Paramount  Television/New  York  for  almost 
20  years  and  whose  casting  credits  include  The  Prince  of  Tides  and  The 
Mirror  Has  Two  Faces.  "You  don't  do  independent  films  for  the  money; 
there  isn't  any  money.  You  work  on  them  because  you  like  the  writing 
and  the  director  and  because  it  expands  your  world  a  little  bit." 
Finnegan  echoes  the  main  reason  cited  by  casting  directors  for  working 
on  independent  films — the  pleasure  of  nurturing  unusual,  innovative 
material.  "Some  of  the  scripts  are  completely  different  from  the  TV 
work  I  do,"  Finnegan  says.  "In  my  mind  the  TV  stuff  supplements  work- 
ing on  independent  films  that  pay  nothing,  but  the  writing  is  so  extra- 
ordinary." 

Everyone  agrees  that  bringing  in  money  is  a  producer's  job.  So  if  a 
casting  director's  efforts  help  supply  you  with  your  budget,  why  not 
oblige  him  or  her  with  a  producing  credit? 

Before  doling  out  credits,  you  might  first  stop  to  consider  the  other 
side  of  this  question.  Namely,  how  do  we  determine  exactly  why  a  pro- 
ject is  greenlighted?  Are  we  sure  it's  because  of  the  talent  the  casting 
director  brought  in?  If  so,  shouldn't  the  director  get  producer  credit, 
since  he's  probably  the  one  who  makes  final  casting  decisions?  And 
what  about  the  actor?  "If  actors  find  out  that  your  financing  has  come 
about  because  of  their  involvement,"  says  Hope,  "they,  more  than  a 
casting  director,  have  the  legitimacy  to  speak  of  producer  credit."  Then 
there's  the  writer.  Every  casting  director  will  tell  you  that  actors  most 
often  commit  to  a  project  based  on  the  strength  of  script.  "The  only  way 
you  can  approach  anybody  with  name  value  in  the  independent  arena," 
says  Fogel,  "is  to  entice  them  with  material  that  is  worthy  or  a  phenom- 
enal role  to  act.  You  have  nothing  else  to  offer.  You  can't  offer  money." 
So  if  the  play,  and  not  the  player,  is  still  the  thing,  shouldn't  the  writer 
get  producer  credit? 


The  way  producers  are  settling  this  question — at  least  for 
the  moment — is  described  by  Hope:  "If  the  movie  is  being 
financed  on  the  basis  of  the  cast  that  the  casting  director 
truly  brought  in,  current  expectations  are  that  the  casting 
director  would  receive  some  form  of  producer  credit.  But 
it's  often  impossible  to  attribute  an  actor's  commitment  to 
only  one  person's  effort."  Therefore,  he  notes,  casting 
directors  with  producing  credits  are  still  in  the  minority. 

I  HE  JOB  OF  CASTING  DIRECTOR  TODAY  IS  VERY  MUCH  A  PRE- 
carious  creative -financial  balancing  act,  as  the  pressure  has 
increased  to  bring  in  name  actors  in  order  to  attract  finan- 
cial backers.  As  Bickford  says,  "Everybody  needs  a  hook  to 
sell  a  movie,  and  the  easiest  hook  is  a  star."  But  most  cast- 
ing directors — whether  they  want  producer  credit  or  not — 
have  expressed  frustration  at  the  increasing  limitations  that 
casting  known  names  imposes  on  their  creative  process. 
"I  would  hope  that  I  can  bring  the  best  actor  to  the  part 
and  be  a  possible  creative  entity,  but  this  happens  less  and  less,"  says 
Shopmaker.  "I  think  the  whole  business  has  changed — and  there's  the 
word  right  there:  business." 

"In  every  small  film,  casting  names  has  been  an  issue,  and  I  dread 
it,"  says  Ellen  Lewis.  Likewise,  according  to  Fogel,  the  growing  impor- 
tance of  casting  name  talent  "is  ruining  us.  If  star  power  is  what  is  nec- 
essary in  a  foreign  sales  market,  then  we  have  no  choice  but  to  adhere  to 
what's  being  dictated.  But  do  I  think  we  have  a  limited  pool  from  which 
to  cast?  Do  I  think  that  to  some  degree  it's  eroding  the  aesthetic  possi- 
bilities? Absolutely.  Without  question."  Put  more  bluntly,  High  Art  direc- 
tor Lisa  Cholodenko  says,  "I've  seen  that  kind  of  casting  fuck  up  a  lot  of 
films  that  otherwise  could  have  been  good." 

There  are,  of  course,  countless  examples  of  independent  films  that 
have  been  successful  despite  the  relative  anonymity  of  their  casts.  Pi, 
Welcome  to  the  Dollhouse,  High  Art,  and  Girls  Town  are  just  a  few  exam- 
ples of  films  that  have  created,  rather  than  capitalized  on,  name  talent. 
"That  kind  of  casting  isn't  really  dead,"  says  Ann  Goulder.  "When  I  cast 
The  Adventures  of  Sebastian  Cole,  which  was  made  on  a  very  small  bud- 
get, the  money  was  already  there,  and  the  director,  Ted  Williams,  had  a 
great,  refreshing  attitude:  he  wanted  the  best  actor  for  the  part  and  was- 
n't desperate  for  names." 

Among  the  reasons  for  making  films  independently  is  the  ability  to 
maintain  artistic  freedom  without  submitting  to  genres,  financial  pres- 
sures, or  mainstream  cultural  taste.  Producer/director  Jim  McKay  (Girls 
Town)  stresses  that  "It's  a  beautiful  experience  for  an  audience  to  watch 
a  movie  and  not  recognize  anyone.  They  can  enter  new  terrain  and  find 
new  stories;  they  don't  just  say,  'That's  Stanley  Tucci!  I  love  that  guy!'  " 
Fogel  will  cast  McKay's  next  feature,  Our  Song,  and  while  McKay  does 
not  yet  have  financing  in  place,  he  insists  that  "I  will  not  cast  for  money. 
I'm  actually  trying  to  cast  unknowns." 

There  will  probably  always  be  independent  filmmakers  who  think  like 
McKay,  but  the  rise  of  the  casting  director-as-producer  indicates  that,  in 
today's  climate,  casting  for  independent  film  has  become  as  much  a  num- 
bers game  as  it  is  pure,  unflinching  artistic  expression.  Whatever  her 
final  credits,  the  casting  director  is  the  linchpin  in  this  process. 

Amy  Goodman  is  a  writer  living  in  New  York  City  and  the  line  producer  of  Treasure 
Island,  a  film  totally  devoid  of  name  talent,  which  won  the  Special  )ury  Prize  for 
Distinctive  Vision  in  Filmmaking  at  the  1 999  Sundance  Film  Festival. 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT    April  1999 


Someone  to  Watch  Over  Me 

Picking  a  producer  is  like  hiring  your  own  boss.  Indie  veteran  GlLL    HOLLAND   offers 
some  words  of  advice  to  novice  directors  looking  for  that  special  someone  to  produce  their  films. 


T 

J.  HE 


.  HERE  HAVE  BEEN  MANY  STEREOTYPES  OF  MOVIE  PRODUCERS  OVER 
the  years,  hut  the  quintessential  one  has  to  be  the  fat  cat  smoking  cig- 
ars with  a  platinum  blonde  at  his  side.  Other  variations  that  come  to 
mind  are  Gene  Hackman  in  Get  Shorty,  Zero  Mostel  in  The  Producers, 
and  even  the  funny  Shakespearean  theater  producer  parodied  by 
Geoffrey  Rush  in  Shakespeare  in  Love.  But  for  those  of  us  in  the  inde- 
pendent film  industry,  where  budgets  are  tight  and  hours  are  long, 
other  stereotypes  apply.  Indie  producers  are  usually  broke  and  sleep - 
deprived,  smoke  cheap  cigarettes,  and  are  lucky  if  they  have  time  to  go 
on  dates.  But  without  one  of  these  sorry  excuses  for  a  human  being,  a 
director  may  never  realize  his  or  her  vision.  Which  means  that  direc- 
tors either  have  to  get  a  producer  or  be  able  to  think  like  one. 

There  is  a  certain  irony  in  the  fact  that  a  filmmaker  essentially  has 
to  hire  someone  who  in  many  ways  will  end  up  functioning  as  a  boss. 
For  a  first-time  writer/director,  it  is  hard  to  know  who  will  make  a  good 
producer.  What  are  the  qualifications/  For  that  matter,  what  is  the  job 
description?  Producer  Scott  Macaulay  (Joe  the  King;  What  Happened 
Was...)  calls  the  producer  the  "most  elastic  job  title  in  the  world." 
Jamin  O'Brien,  a  veteran  first  assistant  director  who  recently  produced 
his  first  feature,  Pure,  says  a  producer  is  someone  who  instinctively  rec- 
ognizes a  good  story  and  then  takes  nothing  and  turns  it  into  a  million 
dollars.  Some  say  that  a  producer  is  nothing  but  a  dog  with  a  script  in 
his  mouth;  others  that  a  producer  is  the  mayonnaise  in  the  sandwich. 
You  may  never  really  know  exactly  what  producers  do,  but  the  sand- 
wich just  doesn't  taste  right  without  the  mayo. 

So  what  qualities  should  one  look  for?  In  New  York  you  cannot 
throw  a  rock  without  hitting  a  film  producer.  How  do  you  pick  one  out 
of  the  crowd?  We  asked  a  number  of  producers  and  directors  to 
share  their  views  on  how  to  distinguish  the  wannabes  from 
the  doers. 


CjTo 


lORDON  ERJKSEN  HAS  DIRECTED  FOUR  FEATURES 
(three  in  tandem  with  his  wife,  Heather  Johnston 
over  the  last  10  years,  including  Lena's  Dreams 
and  The  Love  Machine;  all  are  highly  indepen- 
dent. (This  is  a  code  word  for  quality  films  with 
no  stars  and  miniscule  budgets.)  "Producing 
independent  films  is  insane,"  Eriksen  notes, 
"and  too  many  people  want  to  do  it  because 
they  think  they  are  going  to  have  lunch 
with  beautiful  actors  and  make  lots  of 
dough.  You  need  someone  with  a  solid 
track  record  who  has  been  through  the 

5  proverbial  mill.  In  low-budget  films 

~    you   also   need   someone   who   is 

%  going  to  be  a  friend,  someone  you 

|   like  working  with,  because  you    i 
are  going  to  have  to  be  in  bed 


I 


is 


with  them  for  years,  suffering  and  celebrating  together."  Eriksen  also 
wryly  notes  that  it  is  helpful  to  have  a  producer  who  is  "not  an  idiot" 
when  it  comes  to  taste,  and  who  appreciates  good  actors  and  not  just 
the  pretty  ones.  "First-time  filmmakers  should  beware  of  producers 
who  are  frustrated  directors,  because  they  can  become  too  meddle- 
some in  the  creative  process,"  he  adds.  "A  good  producer  believes  first 
and  foremost  in  the  director's  artistic  vision.  There  is  a  big  difference 
between  constructive  creative  input  and  meddling." 

Alison  Swan,  director  of  the  award-winning  Mixing  Nia,  says,  "Indie 
film  producing  is  a  selfless  act.  You  really  have  to  wade  through  the 
muck  to  find  out  who  is  serious  and  as  committed  to  the  project  as  you 
are.  You  want  to  end  up  with  someone  who  actually  is  getting  movies 
made,  not  someone  who  is  doing  it  for  their  egos  or  so  they  have  some- 
thing to  talk  about  at  cocktail  parties." 

Those  who  do  it  for  the  money  are  in  for  a  rude  awakening. 
"Especially  in  low-budget  filmmaking,  the  first  four  or  five  projects  you 
work  on  are  probably  not  going  to  have  enough  money  in  the  produc- 
tion budget  to  afford  giving  the  producer  a  salary,"  says  O'Brien.  And 
the  producer  has  to  be  able  to  stretch  this  slim  budget.  O'Brien  sug- 
gests making  the  potential  producer  do  a  budget  as  a  litmus  test  to  see 
if  they  know  what  they're  doing.  If  the  director  doesn't  have  the  expe- 
rience to  judge,  then  it's  a  good  idea  to  show  it  to  some  experienced 
people  to  see  if  it  looks  right.  Otherwise  "you  might  end  up  with  your 
right  hand  not  having  any  fingers."  O'Brien  cannot  count  the  number 
of  budgets  he  has  seen  that  don't  include  basic  costs  like  negative  cut- 
ting. 

Another  qualification  is  mentioned  by  Jodie  Markell,  Obie-winning 
actress  and  writer/director/star  of  Wliy  1  Live  at  the  RO.  In  her  view,  a 
great  producer  has  to  be  a  "Renaissance  Man  who  can 
respond  artistically,  but  also  has  good  business  sense  and 
ho  understands  people  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
can    talk    to    actors,    crew    members,    as    well    as 
investors."  It's  true  that  filmmaking  requires  deal- 
ing  with   right-brainers    and   left-brainers    who 
process  information  differently  and  want  to  hear 
completely  different  things  about  the  same  pro- 
ject. The  actors  want  to  talk  on  an  emotional 
vel  about  performance  and  character  develop- 
ment, while  the  investors  want  to  know  when 
and  how  they  are  going  to  make  money.  Since 
the  director  focuses  on  the  actors,  the  produc- 
er is  often  in  this  demilitarized  zone  dodging 
bullets,  solving  problems,  and  strategizing. 
Bennett  Miller,  director  of  the  feature 
documentary  The  Cruise,  says  succinctly 
that  all  you  need  in  a  producer  is  expert- 
ly    ence,    honesty,    and    commitment. 
"Your  producer  should  probably  be 
i    someone  who  doesn't  lie  a  lot." 
Sometimes    experience    is    the 


Api3  l*w   THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


mportant  of  these  three  quali- 
ties. Macaulay  actually  thinks  that 
the  less  experienced  producer  might 
be  better  for  the  job,  at  least  in  low- 
budget  filmmaking,  because  that  lack 
of  knowledge  can  lead  to  blind  faith, 
which  gets  the  film  done.  "The  more 
films  you  do,"  he  says,  "the  more  you 
think,  'I  cannot  do  this  film  without 
this  specific  crew  person  or  this  cer- 
tain piece  of  equipment.'  "  However, 
a  first-time  producer  is  well  advised  to 
get  an  experienced  person  to  serve  as 
an  executive  producer  and  mentor 
the  project.  This  was  the  case  with  my 
first  film  as  a  producer,  Hurricane 
Streets.  My  first  day  on  set,  I  kept 
wondering  who  Dolly  was,  why  peo- 
ple called  her  "the  Dolly,"  and  why  I 
hadn't  met  her  yet!  Thankfully,  I 
brought  LM  Kit  Carson  on  as  execu- 
tive producer,  and  he  was  invaluable 
in  the  development  and  production 
phases  of  the  film. 


I 


It's  interesting  to  note  how 
often  honesty  is  mentioned  as  a  key 
trait.  One  can  infer  from  this  that 

there  are  a  lot  of  dishonest  people  running  around  saying  they  are  pro- 
ducers and  misrepresenting  reality.  The  horror  stories  abound. 
Columbia  film  school  graduate  Fredrik  Sundwall  says  that  the  produc- 
tion of  his  first  feature  Crazy  (a.k.a.  Hostage)  was  a  classic  nightmare 
situation.  One  of  the  Swedish  producers  lied  about  his  experience,  but 
Sundwall  initially  trusted  him  and  did  not  check  his  references.  They 
are  now  in  court,  with  Sundwall  accusing  the  producer  of  embezzling 
around  $80,000  from  the  production  budget.  "Investigate  their  track 
record  and  find  out  what  that  person  did  on  each  film,"  he  recom- 
mends. Since  credits  are  often  given  in  exchange  for  investments,  you 
may  find  out  that  your  "producer"  has  never  set  foot  on  a  film  set 
before. 

Sundwall  warns  directors  not  to  rush  into  anything  unless  the  pro- 
ducer has  a  very  logical  explanation  for  the  hurry.  The  director  should 
always  make  sure  there  is  a  separate  corporate  entity  and  bank  account 
for  the  film  where  the  director  and  producer  have  to  co-sign  checks. 
Also,  make  sure  that  you  assign  the  script  to  the  company.  [See  "Chain 
of  Title:  How  Not  to  Get  Shackled,"  The  Independent,  August/ 
September  1998.)  Sundwall  is  now  in  the  unfortunate  position  where 
this  producer  owns  the  copyright  to  his  movie. 

Another  cautionary  tale  about  picking  the  wrong  producer  is 
recounted  by  a  director  who  prefers  to  remain  anonymous:  "I  was  a 
classic  film  school  grad  with  an  award-winning  short  who  goes  to 
Hollywood  and  jumps  at  the  first  guys  with  money  who  came  along," 
he  recalls.  The  director  had  a  smooth  six-week  shoot,  then,  after 
another  six  weeks  in  of  editing,  had  a  140-minute  rough  assemblage. 
But  at  that  point,  "the  producer  decided  to  take  over  the  editing."  As 
a  result,  the  hired  editor  quit  "and  the  producer  locked  me  out  of  the 
edit  room  and  cut  the  film  himself — even  cutting  the  negative,  creat- 
ing a  print,  and  spending  a  gross  amount  of  money  in  the  process. 


With  no  industry  connections, 
director/actor  John-Luke 
Montias  [Bobby  G.  Can't 
Swim)  turned  to  Backstage' % 
classifieds  when  hunting  for 
a  producer — with  mixed 
results. 


Supposedly,  his  version  is  dreadful. 
I  broke  into  the  edit  room  one 
night  and  downloaded  some  old 
cuts,  since  I  couldn't  get  the  mas- 
ters, and  ended  up  escaping  into 
the  sunrise  with  about  five  hours  of 
footage."  The  director  cut  a  ver- 
sion off  the  VHS,  and  the  film's 
stars  paid  to  make  100  dubs,  which 
according  to  the  director,  "look 
like  mud  and  sound  incomprehen- 
sible." Nonetheless,  after  showing 
the  tape  around  and  collecting  50 
letters  of  support,  the  director  pre- 
vailed upon  the  film's  investors 
(who  happened  to  be  the  produc- 
er's family  members)  to  implore 
him  to  release  the  negative,  which 
he  ultimately  did.  "So  now,  two 
years  later,  I'm  finishing  the  film  on 
my  credit  cards,"  says  the  director. 
Not  to  mention  working  around 
missing  frames  from  an  already-cut 
negative. 

Director  Jodie  Markell  also  had 
her  share  of  producer  nightmares. 
She  tells  the  story  of  a  producer 
who  kept  saying  he  had  the  money, 
but  who  disappeared  the  week  everyone  was  supposed  to  go  to  loca- 
tion. The  shoot  obviously  had  to  be  cancelled.  When  they  finally 
found  the  alleged  producer  and  asked  why  he  hadn't  called,  he  said 
that  he  had  been  having  dental  work  and  his  jaw  had  been  wired  shut. 
Markell  says  they  still  don't  know  if  he  was  telling  the  truth,  but  notes 
that  there  are  other  forms  of  communication  in  today's  society. 

This  tale  brings  up  another  point:  You  should  very  clearly  determine 
the  producer's  commitment  level  in  terms  of  how  much  time  they  real- 
ly have  to  devote  to  the  project  and  what  else  they  have  on  their  plate. 
On  Joe  the  Kmg,  Macaulay 's  producing  partners  had  to  drop  off  the 
project  three  days  before  shooting  and  took  half  the  financing  with 
them  (which  demonstrates  that  producers  as  well  as  directors  can  be 
the  victims  of  cold  feet). 

When  entering  into  discussions  with  potential  producers,  it  would 
be  helpful  if  there  were  a  kind  of  codification  of  producer  credits. 
Executive  Producers  have  something  to  do  with  money.  Producers 
(maybe  they  should  be  called  "full"  producers)  nurture  the  film  from 
script  to  screen.  Line  and  associate  producers  deal  with  the  physical 
production  and  postproduction  or  are  actors  who  attach  themselves  to 
a  project  and  enable  the  project  to  get  made.  (It  is  unfortunate  that  so 
much  of  film  financing  comes  down  to  the  talent  attached,  and  many 
actors  want  producer  credits.  This  is  fine  if  they  are  serious  about  pro- 
ducing and  are  not  just  doing  it  for  vanity's  sake.)  Coproducers  could 
be  the  term  used  for  line  producers  who  are  so  experienced  that  they 
bring  the  equivalent  of  equity  investment  to  the  table  in  the  form  of 
free  goods  and  services  or  people  who  bring  money,  connections,  and 
experience. 

If  you  know  what  to  expect  out  of  a  producer,  you  will  have  fewer 
problems.  It  is  often  said  that  the  best  producer  is  the  guy  who  gives 
you  a  bag  of  cash  and  says,  "Go  make  your  movie  and  invite  me  to  the 


30    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


"First-time  filmmakers  should  beware  of  producers  who  are 
frustrated  directors,  because  they  can  become  too  meddlesome 
in  the  creative  process."  -Gordon  eriksen 


premiere."  But  if  you  need  something  more,  it's  best  to  know  that  early 
on.  When  looking  for  a  producer,  think  long  and  hard  about  what  you 
have  and  what  you  realistically  can  do.  Then  determine  what  you  are 
missing  and  where  you  need  complementing.  That's  where  the  pro- 
ducer's skills  come  in. 

And  don't  underestimate  the  gift  they  bring.  Peter  Glatzer,  produc- 
er of  Shepherd,  believes  producing  is  the  hardest  job  in  the  world,  espe- 
cially with  first-time  directors.  "You  are  guiding  them  through  every 
facet  of  production,  thinking  like  a  director  yourself — about  coverage 
and  'making  your  days.'  Even  if  the  filmmaker  went  to  film  school,  they 
never  had  to  make  thirty  days  in  a  row.  Then  the  director  gets  all  the 
glory,  gets  flown  around  the  world  to  film  festi- 
vals, gets  another  picture  because  the  industry  . 
is  all  about  building  them  up.  The  producer  is 
often  left  starting  from  scratch  again." 


Gordon  Ericksen,  director  of  The  Love  Machine,  and  the  subjects  of 
his  fictionalized  documentary  expose  of  a  prank  "adult"  website. 


^gggggfe 


a  study  of  sexual  fantasy  on  the  internet 

Finding  the  right  producer  can  be  a  matter  of  trial  and  error.  John- 
Luke  Montias,  who  wrote,  directed,  and  starred  in  Bobby  G.  Can't 
Swim,  knew  virtually  no  one  in  the  industry  when  he  decided  to  make 
his  film,  so  he  took  out  an  ad  in  Backstage  looking  for  producers.  He 
met  some  people,  decided  to  go  with  one  man  who  said  he  had  the 
contacts  and  the  production  team,  but  after  six  weeks  the  alleged  pro- 
ducer had  arranged  only  one  meeting  for  Montias  with  a  director  of 
photography.  "You  gotta  have  somebody  who  actually  produces  some- 
thing, gets  results,  and  follows  through,"  Montias  says.  "I  ended  up  fir- 
ing the  guy  and  going  with  a  producer  who  was  a  first  timer  but  who 
was  hungry  and  I  knew  I  could  trust  him  to  watch  my  back.  He  is 
Dutch,  so  I  do  wish  he  spoke  a  little  better  English,  though!" 

Gil!  Holland's  producing  credits  include  Hurricane  Streets,  Dear  Jesse, 
Desert  Blue,  Getting  Off,  Spin  the  Bottle,  and  The  Eden  Myth.  He  is 
in  postproduciton  on  Kill  by  Inches  and  Spring  Forward. 


What  to  Look  For  in  a  Producer 


HONESTY:  You  should  check  references,  but  a  lot 
of  times  it  comes  down  to  going  with  your  gut  instinct. 

ENTHUSIASM:  Not  delusional  enthusiasm  and 
not  enthusiasm  for  a  perceived  financial  gain,  but 
heartfelt  excitement  about  the  project  and  knowledge 
that  producing  it  will  be  a  selfless  act.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  if  they  think  they  will  make  any  money  in  inde- 
pendent film,  they  probably  do  not  know  what  they're 
talking  about. 

ARTISTIC  HARMONY:  If  they  think  Baywatch 
is  better  than  Casablanca,  you  probably  should,  too. 

TRACK  RECORD:  This  can  refer  to  previous 
films  the  producer  has  worked  on,  but  it  can  also 
mean  that  you  should  look  at  what  they  have  done  in 
their  life  and  assess  whether  they  "put  it  all  together 
and  make  it  happen."  Remember,  size  does  matter: 
Do  they  have  a  big  Rolodex? 


LUNCH:  In  indie  film,  watch  out  for  anybody  eating 
pricey  lunches  and  "expensing  them." 

REFERENCES:  If  more  than  three  people  say 
they  would  never  work  with  that  person  again,  it's 
probably  a  bad  sign. 

DO  THEY  SNORE?  You're  going  to  be  in  bed 
with  them  for  a  long  time. 

PAST  PERFORMANCE:   Do  you  see  more 
than  12  boom-in-shots  in  their  previous  features? 
Was  there  any  coverage?  Was  there  a  clear  marketing 
concept  behind  the  film?  Did  people  see  it  and 
respond?  (This  does  not  mean  the  film  had  to  make 
money!) 

While  you're  at  it,  ask  a  few  questions  of  yourself, 
like,  What  do  you  really  know  about  how  to  direct  a 
movie?  Use  common  sense  and  assess  where  your 
strengths  are,  what  you  need,  and  what  you're 
expecting. 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


„  (he  judges  of  the  Association  of  Alternative  Newsweeklies'  editorial  contest  in  1998,  it  was  my  pleasure  to  grant  one  of  the  two  top  prizes  in  the  Film 
.gory  to  Rob  Nelson  for  the  following  essay  on  the  politics  of  arthouse  distribution.  Nelson  is  film  critic  for  the  Minneapolis  weekly  City  Pages,  where 
ired.  Though  the  film  titles  have  changed  since  this  article  was  first  published,  the  situation  remains  all  too  much  the  same. 

ie  Jones  &  the  Raiders  of  the  Lost  Art 

Has  the  artsyplex  boom  housebroken 

independent  film?   Rob    Nelson    examines 

the  politics  of  arthouse  exhibition. 

.    t's  a  cold  friday  night  in  the  Twin  Cities.  Another  long,  tough  week  has  finally 
-'    come  to  an  end.  You  feel  like  going  out  to  a  movie,  just  to  quench  your  thirst 
for  that  thick  brew  of  story,  sound,  and  image.  You  want  one  of  those  magical 
screenings — a  roomful  of  strangers,  a  beam  of  light,  a  swirl  of  collective  ener- 
gy- 
Skimming  the  "Movie  Guide"  listings  in  the  Star  Tributes  Weekend  section, 

you  notice  that  a  lot  of  theaters  under  the  heading  "General  Cinema"  seem  to 
wmmmi    be  playing  Starship  Troopers,  some  of  them  on  two  or  more  screens.  This  trig- 
gers a  memory  of  loud  TV  commercials  with  these  huge  bugs  squashing  everything  in 
their  path — including  some  moist-looking  teenagers  with  lily-white  faces  and  big  white 
teeth.  A  full- color  photo  of  one  of  the  slimy  bugs  peers  out  from  the  paper  in  front  of 
you.  You  recall  reading  about  the  director,  Paul  Verhoeven,  and  how  he's  hoping  this 
risky,  $100-million  blockbuster  will  make  up  for  his  cheap  and  awful  Showgirls.  Hmmm. 


Then  you  spy  an  ad  for  The  Full  Monty,  playing  at  more  than  a  half- 
dozen  locations  across  town,  including  General  Cinema's  Centennial 
Lakes  8  and  Uptown's  Lagoon  Cinema,  the  five-screen  arthouse 
owned  by  the  national  Landmark  chain.  Same  goes  for  Eve's  Bayou:  It's 
at  Lagoon  and  at  GC's  14-plex  in  the  megamall.  How  odd.  You 
thought  Lagoon  only  played  exclusive  runs  of  specialty  films  like  Fast, 
Cheap  &  Out  of  Control — which  starts  there  tonight  at  7:45. 

You  pick  up  the  phone  to  call  your  date — the  die-hard  cineaste  who 
knows  everything  about  movies — when  you  stumble  upon  a  very  long, 
very  odd  film  title  under  the  heading  "Independents":  something 
called  M;y  Sex  Life  .  .  .  Or  How  I  Got  into  an  Argument.  Just  as  you're 
mulling  over  how  well  the  title  resonates,  your  date  picks  up  the  phone 
on  the  first  ring,  pissed  that  you  haven't  called  until  now.  By  way  of 
appeasement  you  suggest  M;y  Sex  Life — which,  had  it  been  his  sugges- 
tion, would  have  led,  like  the  title,  to  an  argument.  He's  thrilled,  of 
course,  and  offers  to  pick  you  up  on  the  way  to  the  Seventh  Place 
Cinema  in  downtown  St.  Paul.  You  didn't  know  there  was  a  theater  in 
downtown  St.  Paul  that  played  those  kinds  of  films. 

So  you  get  there  and  discover  that  the  movie  is  French,  subtitled, 
and  three  hours  long.  Ugh.  But  the  first  scene  is  intrigu- 
ing: A  rumpled,  29-year-old  grad  student  in 
philosophy   (who  looks  a  lot  like  your 
date)  is  asleep  at  his  desk  atop  a  pile 
of  papers.  A  narrator  explains  that 
this  guy  can't  finish  his  disserta- 
tion and  can't  break  up  with  his 
girlfriend  of  10  years.  To  resolve 
either  of  these  issues  would  mean 
that  he  has  become  a  grown  man,  and 
he's  not  ready  for  that,  in  part  because 
he's  secretly  in  love  with  his  best  friend's  girl- 
friend. About  halfway  through  the  film,  there's  a  bizarre 
and  hilarious  scene  in  which  the  chair  of  the  philosophy  department 
enlists  the  guy's  help  in  rescuing  a  scared,  violent  monkey  who's  stuck 
behind  a  boiling  radiator.  Meanwhile,  the  protagonist  can't  get  the 
other  monkeys  off  his  back. 

The  next  day  you're  still  thinking  about  this  screwball  romantic 
comedy  that  left  you  exhilarated  and  exhausted — appropriately,  it 
seems,  to  the  experience  of  surviving  your  20s.  You  can't  remember  the 
last  time  you  saw  a  film  whose  plot  was  based  around  chronic  indeci- 
sion, provoking  more  than  it  resolves  and  causing  you  to  wonder 
whether  it's  time  to  give  your  date  his  walking  papers.  You  also  can't 
believe  how  close  you  came  to  not  seeing  this  weird,  amazing  movie. 


For  all  practical 

purposes,  films  that 

screen  \r\  out-of-the-way  places 

without  the  benefit  of  much 

publicity  or  critical  coverage 

simply  don't  exist. 


I 


T  WAS  LESS  THAN  A  YEAR  AGO  THAT  THE  OSCAR  NOMINATIONS  FOR 
Shine,  Fargo,  Secrets  &  Lies,  and  The  Eriglish  Patient  got  tongues  wagging 
about  the  death  of  the  old  studio  system  at  the  hands  of  the  grubby 
"indies."  Since  then,  everyone  from  the  New  York  Times  Magazine  to 
Premiere  and  Entertainment  Weekly  has  been  busy  measuring  the  vast 
gulf  between  "the  two  Hollywoods":  There's  the  big-budget  nest  that 
hatched  the  $100-million  Starship  Troopers,  and  the  low-budget,  "inde- 
pendent" sector  that  scooped  up  the  sleeper  Fast,  Cheap  &  Out  of 
Control.  Never  mind  that  the  proceeds  from  both  films  flow  in  the 
same  direction — to  the  Sony  corporation.  And  never  mind  that  the 
meager  likes  of  M;y  Sex  Life  get  no  play  in  this  argument  whatsoever. 

The  split-personality  profiles  claim  to  be  blowing  the  lid  off  a  new 
phenomenon,  and  perhaps  even  a  "revolution"  (per  the  New  York 


Times).  But  in  fact,  it  was  obvious  to  any  moviegoer  who  paid  attention 
to  the  1994  ruckus  around  the  "independent"  Pulp  Fiction — which 
grew  consecutively  from  a  cult  must-see  into  a  critical  fetish  object,  a 
vehicle  for  John  Travolta's  second  coming,  and  a  $250-million  world- 
wide smash — that  the  once-monolithic  film  industry  had  become  a 
two-party  system.  In  '94,  Quentin  Tarantino  played  the  "rock  6k  roll 
president"  Bill  Clinton  to  Forrest  Gump's  Bob  Dole — or  something  like 
that. 

But  not  for  long.  After  all,  why  would  the  major  studios  and  their 
mega-conglomerate  parents  tolerate  outside  competition?  Most  mini- 
major  "indie"  companies  have  either  been  acquired  or  spawned  by  the 
big  studios,  while  those  studios'  even  larger  parent  corporations  con- 
tinue trading  media  marbles  at  a  pace  that  makes  it  hard  to  keep  track 
of  (or  care  about)  who  really  owns  what. 

To  wit:  Just  before  releasing  Pulp  Fiction  and  the  no-budget  Clerks  in 
the  fall  of  '94,  Disney  bought  the  art-film  boutique  Miramax  to  work 
the  other  side  of  the  street  from  its  live-action  and  animation  depart- 
ments. Gramercy  Pictures  (Bean)  is  half-financed  by  MCA/Universal, 
which  has  also  owned  October  Films  (Career  GiWs)  since  earlier  this 
year.  20th  Century  Fox  begat  Fox  Searchlight   (The  Full 
Monty);   Sony   Pictures   Classics    (The   Myth   of 
Fingerprints)  sits  on  the  same  lot  as  both 
Columbia  Pictures  and  Tri-Star  Pictures; 
and  New  Line  Cinema  (Boogie  Nights) 
and  its  offshoot,  Fine  Line  Features 
(Shine),  were  absorbed  in  1993  into 
the  Turner  empire,  which  was  itself 
recently    absorbed    into    the    Time 
Warner  empire.  Disney's  Miramax  gave 
birth  in   '94   to   a   "genre"   division  called 
Dimension  Films,  whose  Scream  last  year  grossed 
over  $100  million — roughly   the   same   amount  as   Uncle 
Walt's  The  Hunchback  of  Notre  Dame.  Quasimodo,  meet  your  new  best 
friend,  the  teenage  psycho  killer. 

I  know  what  you're  thinking:  So  what!  Are  these  corporate  indies  auto- 
matically devoid  of  artistic  value!  No,  they  aren't.  But  neither  are  they 
indies — at  least  not  as  defined  by  films  that  exist  outside  the  studio  sys- 
tem. And  yet,  because  they're  widely  perceived  as  independent  films, 
they  occupy  that  sacred  spot  in  the  minds  of  audiences  and  critics — 
and  on  the  screens  of  chain-owned  arthouses — as  the  only  alternative 
to  the  big-studio  productions  that  play  in  the  malls.  Where  once  the 
distinction  was  made  between  big  Hollywood  and  non-Hollywood, 
now  it's  between  big  Hollywood  and  little  Hollywood,  with  the  rest 
going  largely  unreported. 

To  put  it  another  way:  Despite  what  we  read  in  publications  owned 
by  companies  that  own  studios  in  both  arenas,  the  struggle  in  movies 
today  isn't  between  the  old  and  new  Hollywoods,  but  between  every- 
thing non-Hollywood  and  one  increasingly  powerful  system — the  latter 
made  to  seem  like  two  distinct  entities  in  order  to  retain  the  illusion  of 
choice.  Ain't  democracy  grand? 


M, 


.EANWHILE,  THE  LOW- END  RANGE  OF  NONCORPORATE  CINEMA 
stands  in  constant  danger  of  falling  off  the  map.  This  includes  the  new 
work  of  English-speaking  iconoclasts  like  Abel  Ferrara  (The  Blackout), 
Gregg  Araki  (Nowhere),  and  Steven  Soderbergh  (Schizopolis) ;  the  new 
New  Wave  of  vital  French  cinema  in  films  like  A  Single  Girl;  the  old 
New  Wave  tradition  of  the  still-prolific  but  rarely  screened  Jean-Luc 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


BOX  OFFICE 


Godard  (Forever  Mozart) ;  the  modern  classics  of 
Iranian  auteur  Abhas  Kiarostami  (Through  the 
Olive  Trees);  the  Japanese  policiers  of  Takeshi 
Kitano  (Sonatine) ;  and  the  post-Chungking 
Express  work  of  Hong  Kong  hipster  Wong  Kar- 
Wai  (Fallen  Angels  and  Happy  Together) . 

If  you  haven't  seen  many  (or  any)  of  the 
above,  I'm  not  surprised:  Only  four  have  earned 

one-time-only  screenings  at  U  Film  Society's  Mpls./St.  Paul  Film 
Festival  or  (in  the  case  of  Sonatine)  at  Asian  Media  Access's  "Cinema 
with  Passion"  program  at  the  Rivervievv.  For  now,  take  my  word  that 
any  one  ot  them  would  be  enough  to  preserve  your  faith  in  the  medi- 
um. 

One  reason  these  good  and  great  films  remain  largely  invisible  is 
because  they  compete  with  a  highly  publicized,  nationally  reviewed 
roster  of  "independents"  released  by  the  big-studio  offshoots — films 
that  enjoy  privileged  access  to  chain-owned  arthouses  and,  not  coinci- 
dentally,  resemble  their  high-budget  Hollywood  counterparts  in  being 
premised  around  fashionably  marketable  packages  of  stars,  genres,  and 
proven  formulas.  Ghastly  as  it  sounds,  Noah  Wyle  and  Parker  Posey 
have  become  the  poor  studio's  Tom  Cruise  and  Nicole  Kidman. 
Accordingly,  films  like  Sony  Pictures  Classics'  The  Myth  of  Fingerprints 
and  Miramax's  The  House  of  Yes  benefit  further  from  "PA  tours"  in 
which  actors  and  directors  are  flown  from  city  to  city  at  the  studios' 
expense,  meeting  journalists  at  each  stop  and  generating  a  flurry  of  fluff 
just  before  the  films  open.  By  contrast,  small  companies  like  Strand 
Releasing  (The  Delta),  Kino  International  (Fallen  Angels),  Zeitgeist 
Films  (Taste  of  Cherry),  and  New  Yorker  Films  (Underground)  have  only 
their  great  movies,  which  isn't  always  enough  to  attract  attention  or 
secure  a  screen. 

The  supremacy  of  the  bottom  line  is  hardly  surprising  given  that  film 
is  the  most  expensive  medium  around;  but  it  is  depressing  that,  even 
after  nonstandard  fare  has  proven  its  ability  to  attract  an  audience, 
there's  still  so  much  missing.  For  all  practical  purposes,  films  that 
screen  in  out-of-the-way  places  without  the  benefit  of  much  publicity 
or  critical  coverage  (if  they  screen  at  all)  simply  don't  exist.  And  what's 
really  frustrating  is  that  most  people,  critics  included,  don't  really  know 
what  they're  missing  and  don't  really  care  to  know  either — not  when 
support  for  Shine  registers  as  an  easily  placed  vote  for  alternative  film. 

You  might  say  Shine  is  a  great  movie,  and  maybe  it  is — but  it's  also 
one  whose  reputation  was  made  for  reasons  that  had  very  little  to  do 
with  its  merits  as  filmmaking.  Shine  sparked  a  multimillion-dollar  bid- 
ding war  at  the  Sundance  Film  Festival  because  of  its  earning  potential 
as  an  uplifting  biopic.  It  benefited  from  an  avalanche  of  publicity 
because  of  the  distributor's  need  to  protect  its  inevitably  big  invest- 
ment; and  it  earned  prominently  placed  and  overwhelmingly  positive 
reviews  because  any  "independent"  movie  with  that  much  mainstream 
hype  must  be  important.  For  the  record,  I  like  Shme.  But  if  quality  were 
the  primary  cause  of  its  success,  there  would  be  a  long  line  of  films  from 
smaller  distributors  comfortably  awaiting  their  own  mainstream  acco- 
lades and  artsyplex  grosses. 

The  odd  fact  is  that  the  indie  "revolution"  may  have  made  it  hard- 
er, not  easier,  for  worthy  films  to  get  out:  As  the  number  of  players  in 
the  field  has  increased,  so  has  the  competition.  Even  the  Sony  empire's 
art-film  division  ranks  as  a  smaller  distributor  in  the  mini-major  peck- 
ing order  topped  by  Miramax.  This  is  because  Sony  Pictures  Classics 
releases  a  higher  percentage  of  foreign  features  and  other  films  that, 
compared  to  the  likes  l  r  The  English  Patient,  appear  to  have  low  com- 


fmercial    potential.    Locally,    the    release   of 
_  SPC's  widely  acclaimed  Thieves  (Les  Voleurs) 

was  held  up  for  five  months  in  the  Twin 
Cities,  stemming  from  the  abrupt  decision  of 
Landmark  Theatres  to  cancel  a  mid-February 
opening  at  Lagoon.  This  news  was  made 
known  to  local  critics  just  after  the 
announcement  that  Thieves  had  failed  to  earn 
an  Oscar  nomination. 

Directed  by  Andre  Techine  (Ma  Saison  Preferee),  Thieves  is  a  fasci- 
nating melodrama  that  doubles  as  a  crime  film — even  though  the  only 
action  occurs  when  an  unfortunate  car  thief  makes  the  mistake  of 
peeking  around  a  corner.  Otherwise,  the  movie  digs  deep  into  the  rot- 
ten relationship  between  two  brothers,  a  hard-boiled  Lyon  cop  (Daniel 
Auteuil)  and  a  gangster  (Didier  Bezace),  who  share  an  elusive  woman 
without  knowing  it.  Complicating  matters  further,  Techine  brilliantly 
alternates  narrators,  arranges  a  series  of  flash-backs  and  -forwards 
around  one  character's  death,  and  teases  his  audience  with  the  notion 
that  everyone  who  crosses  the  frame  is  a  voleur  of  one  sort  or  another. 
Thieves'  only  crime  was  not  being  nominated  for  Best  Foreign  Film. 

Now,  I'm  not  suggesting  conspiracy  here:  Thieves  probably  does 
constitute  a  hard  sell  in  the  current  climate.  Yet  it's  hardly  an  unmar- 
ketable film.  Like  the  hallowed  Shine,  Thieves  earned  raves  at  1996  fes- 
tival screenings  before  its  release  on  the  coasts  late  last  year.  As  a 
crime  drama,  it  had  the  advantage  of  genre,  along  with  distribution  by 
Sony,  an  award  at  the  Cannes  Film  Festival,  a  well-known  star 
(Catherine  Deneuve),  and  a  director  (Techine)  whose  much-admired 
Ma  Saison  Preferee  had  recently  played  at  no  fewer  than  three  local 
venues. 

Still,  judging  from  the  lineup  at  Uptown  and  Lagoon  during  the 
week  Thieves  was  supposed  to  open  (Hamlet,  Marvin's  Room,  Kolya, 
Prisoner  of  the  Mountains,  Shine,  and  The  English  Patient),  we  can  sur- 
mise that  there  wasn't  room  for  even  one  non-Oscar-nominated 
film — even  though  Shme  and  The  English  Patient  could  each  be  seen  at 
no  fewer  than  10  other  area  theaters.  For  months  afterward,  Thieves 
still  wasn't  worth  the  risk  of  a  week-long  run  on  one  of  Landmark's  six 
local  screens.  Nor  was  it 
picked  up  by  another 
exhibitor  in  town,  as 
the  theater  chain  waf- 
fled over  whether  to 
exercise  its  customary 
privilege  of  first  dibs. 
The  independent  Oak 
Street  Cinema  was 
finally  allowed  to  pre- 
miere the  film  in  mid- 
July,  just  before  its 
release  to  home  video 
and  long  after  the  theater 
could  have  hoped  to  capitalize  on  the  wav< 
of  national  press. 


BUYERS 


B, 


'EFORE     GOING     ANY     FURTHER,     1 
should  mention  that  I'm  not  unaware 
of  the  basic  laws  of  capitalism,  nor  do 
I    mean    to    rip    unduly    on    the 
Landmark  chain  and  its  friends  in 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


high  places.  I  understand  that  the  primary  motivating  force  is  greed — 
pardon  me,  good  business.  But  I  don't  believe  that  chains  which  made  a 
fortune  on  their  audience's  hunger  for  non-Hollywood  fare  should 
mock  those  audiences  by  screening  predominantly  safe  selections. 
They  might  do  well  to  remember  that  the  fine  art  of  movie  love  is 
founded  equally  on  generosity  and  surprise,  plus  a  pinch  each  of  per- 
sonal involvement  and  affirmative  action. 

In  those  terms,  I'd  make  the  following  modest  proposal:  that 
Landmark  devote  one  of  its  six  screens  to  foreign  and  indie  esoterica 
on  a  regular  basis.  This  year's  release  dates  being  equal,  for  example, 
Lagoon/Uptown  could  have  passed  on  Smilhx's  Sense  of  Snow,  Love 
Serenade,  Kicked  in  the  Head,  Leo  Tolstoy's  Anna  Karenina,  Going  All  the 
Way,  and  Paradise  Road  (none  of  which  stood  to  be  huge  box-office  hits 
or  critical  faves — and  weren't)  in  favor  of,  say,  Soderbergh's  Schizopolis, 
Eye  of  Cod  with  Martha  Plimpton,  the  French  Nenette  et  Boni  by  direc- 
tor Claire  Denis  (J  Can't  Sleep),  the  basketball  doc  Soul  in  the  Hole,  the 
Jim  Thompson  adaptation  This  World,  Then  the  Fireworks,  and  the 
Japanimist  Tetsuo  II:  Body  Hammer,  to  name  a  few.  None  of  the  latter 
are  without  distributors  or  commercial  potential,  and  none  of  them 
have  played  elsewhere  in  town  or  been  actively  pursued  by  our  indie 
exhibitors. 

Recently  I  put  this  one-in-six  idea  to  a  Landmark  vice  president, 
Bert  Manzari — a  smart,  funny,  and  honest  gentleman  with  whom  I've 
maintained  a  friendly  debate  about 
the  politics  of  distribution  over  the 
last  two  years.  Speaking  from  his 
L.A.  office,  where  he  makes  booking 
decisions  for  Lagoon/Uptown  as  well 
as  Landmark's  150  other  screens 
across  the  country,  Manzari  summa- 
rized his  position  as  "a  delicate  bal- 
ancing act."  He  emphasized  Land- 
mark's refusal  to  book  "commercial" 
films  like  Titanic  and  As  Good  As  It 
Gets.  Later,  apropos  of  the  chain's  long  runs  of  commercial  films  like 
Shine  and  The  English  Patient — the  latter  19  weeks  past  its  release  to 
suburbia — he  explained  that  it's  hard  to  tell  a  distributor  with  whom 
he's  trying  to  keep  "the  best  possible  relationship"  that  a  movie  should 
close  when  it's  still  doing  big  business.  He  noted  that  Shine  and  Patient 
grossed  twice  as  much  at  Uptown/Lagoon  than  elsewhere,  and  that  he 
was  "under  a  tremendous  amount  of  pressure"  to  keep  Marvin's  Room 
open. 

As  for  Thieves:  "We  screwed  up,"  he  said.  "We  should  not  have  tried 
to  book  anything  for  that  period."  He  explained  that  there  are  simply 
too  few  screens  in  Minneapolis  to  "get  deeper  into  eclecticism,"  adding 
that  in  cities  like  Seattle,  where  Landmark  controls  28  screens,  the 
programming  better  suits  my  personal  taste.  I  told  him  that  the  point 
isn't  my  taste,  but  the  need  for  more  variety  and  more  titles  from  small- 
er distributors.  He  told  me  it  was  too  bad  I  didn't  live  in  Seattle. 

Manzari  went  on  to  explain  that  Landmark  has  to  pay  for  the 
Lagoon  complex,  built  two  years  ago  in  a  pricey  urban  location.  Of 
course.  But  would  one  screen  out  of  six  really  jeopardize  that  goal?  The 
traffic  through  these  theaters  is  always  brisk,  and  on  weekends  they're 
often  jammed:  Put  something  weird  and  great  on  one  of  those  screens, 
place  a  few  tiny  ads,  and,  especially  as  reviews  of  Landmark  films 
appear  to  be  given  priority  at  local  newspapers,  the  audience  will  come. 
And  if  they  don't?  Consider  it  a  worthy  investment  in  the  local  film 
culture,  dividends  to  follow. 


If  quality  were  the  primary  cause 

of  a  film's  success,  there  would 

be  a  long  line  of  films  from 

smaller  distributors  comfortably 
awaiting  their  own  mainstream 

accolades  and  artsyplex  grosses. 


As  it  stands,  the  Uptown  and  Lagoon  do  show  some  great  films;  and 
some  of  these,  owing  to  their  distributors'  acquisition  power,  are  among 
the  very  best  of  the  year.  And  that,  in  fact,  is  the  rub:  In  terms  of  its 
steady  access  to  high-profile  product,  Landmark  has  a  virtual  monop- 
oly on  arthouse  moneymakers.  By  contrast,  U  Film  Society  has  been 
able  to  snare  only  two  premiere  runs  of  mini-major  product  in  the  last 
12  months:  Miramax's  barely  supported  Albino  Alligator  in  mid-May 
and  Fine  Line's  stigmatized  Gummo  in  December,  the  bookings  of 
which  clearly  evinced  their  distributors'  lack  of  confidence. 

It  wasn't  always  this  way.  Three  years  ago,  at  the  time  of  the 
Miramax/Pn!p  Fiction  boom,  U  Film  Society  enjoyed  an  exclusive,  15- 
week  premiere  engagement  of  Miramax's  Clerks,  which  was  enough  to 
butter  U  Film's  bread  for  the  rest  of  another  typically  risk-taking  sea- 
son. Miramax  must  have  rightly  figured  that  Clerks'  core  audience 
lived  on  campus,  and  that  a  long  run  even  at  a  second-tier  arthouse 
would  help  the  film  gather  word-of-mouth  momentum. 

But  everything  changed  with  the  arrival  of  Lagoon's  five  screens  a 
few  months  later  (on  the  very  day  after  Clerks  closed  up  shop  at  U 
Film,  ironically).  Landmark  was  able  to  hold-over  successful  titles  as 
long  as  it  needed  to  extract  a  film's  full  gross,  which  added  further  to 
the  appeal  of  a  theater  featuring  modern  decor,  state-of-the-art  pro- 
jection and  sound  equipment,  and  a  well-trod  location. 

Of  course,  these  advantages  are  of  great  interest  to  independent  dis- 
tributors as  well — to  the  extent 
that  the  vast  majority  of  these 
companies  won't  consider  booking 
their  films  anywhere  until 
Landmark  has  passed  on  them 
(which  can  take  several  months). 
And  since  Lagoon/Uptown's  reper- 
toire in  the  last  year  has  included 
the  occasional  foreign  and/or  inde- 
pendent title  on  slow  weeks  (e.g. 
Fire  and  Guantanamera) ,  the 
promise  of  a  Landmark  playdate  now  carries  the  hint  of  likelihood. 

Oddly,  to  squelch  competition  in  this  way  could  only  be  to  the  dis- 
tributors' disadvantage.  Granted,  independent  theaters  cannot  afford 
the  same  rental  agreements  as  Landmark,  nor  are  they  likely  to  bring 
in  as  many  ticket  buyers.  But  some  box  office  is  better  than  nothing — 
which  looks  to  be  the  reward  of  locally  unscreened  films  like  Nowhere 
and  This  World,  Then  the  Fireworks.  These  and  other  titles  have  either 
been  released  to  video  or  are  headed  there  soon  because  their  distrib- 
utors feel  that  if  they  can't  get  into  Landmark,  there's  no  use  trying 
elsewhere. 

Here's  where  the  arrival  of  other  arthouses  such  as  the  Reading 
Cinema  chain's  newly  acquired  St.  Anthony  Main  could  be  benefi- 
cial— not  least  in  convincing  distributors  who  underestimate  the  Twin 
Cities'  art-film  culture  (no  thanks  to  the  caricatured  yokels  in  Fargo) 
that  there  is  a  buck  or  two  to  be  turned  even  at  a  non- Landmark 
venue.  Competition  of  this  sort  would  likely  solidify  Landmark's  com- 
mitments to  playing  the  titles  it  wants — leaving  the  others  free  to  find 
their  own  exclusive  engagements.  There's  plenty  to  go  around.  (On 
the  national  level,  the  recent  announcement  of  Robert  Redford's  deal 
with  the  mainstream  General  Cinemas  chain  for  the  creation  of 
Sundance  artsyplexes  also  bodes  well  in  terms  of  increasing  competi- 
tion and  exposure — especially  if  this  chain  adopted  a  measure  of  the 
Sundance  festival's  benevolence  toward  uncommercial  films  and/or 
those  without  distributors.) 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


T, 


H  *.&  ^  #?  $?  ?j&  si 

5,   . 


SCREENPLAY 


June  15th,  1999 

ROSARITO  BEACH, 
BAJA  CALIFORNIA 

ihp  filming  location  of  the  rnovip  epic,  "TITANIC" 


1ST  PRIZE  $2,000  plus 
2ND  PRIZE  $1,000  plus 
3RD  PRIZE    $500   plus 


FOR  INFORMATION  &  APPLICATION 
Send  S.A.S.E.  to  our  U.S.  Border  address 

BISC 

P.O.Box  439030 

SanYsidro,  CA  92143 

(619)  615-9977 


Marion  O.  Hoffman 

1 

New  Community  Cinemas 

presents 

The  3rd  Annual 

Huntington 

International 

Film  Festival 

July  1999 

Seeking  fiction  &  documentary  features  from  around 
the  world  and  short  films  from  Long  Island  &  NY 
Metro  Region  for  the  festival  and  "Meet  the  Maker" 
ongoing  independent  film  series.  Exhibition  formats 
include  35mm,  16mm,  betacam,  3/4"  video. 

Call      800.423.7611 
Email  CinArtsCtr@aol.com 
Fax      516.423.5411 
Mail     Cinema  Arts  Centre 

P.O.  Box  498 

Huntington,  NY  11743 


Food  for  Thought 


•  In  Minneapolis,  Landmark  yanked  John 
Boorman's  The  General  three  days  before  it  was 
scheduled  to  open.  Why?  The  1999  Oscar  nomina- 
tions had  just  been  announced,  and  nominees 
Life  Is  Beautiful,  Hilary  and  Jackie,  Central 
Station,  Little  Voice,  and  Elizabeth  were  held  over 
instead  (even  though  Life  Is  Beautiful,  Little 
Voice,  and  Elizabeth  could  already  be  seen 
elsewhere  in  town). 

•  Your  feelings  matter.  Call  your  local  papers  and 
theaters  and  express  your  views.  And  remember — 
when  specialty  films  do  play,  vote  with  your  feet. 


HE  OBVIOUS  COUNTERPOINT  HERE  IS  THE  RISK 
OF  OVERSATURATING  THE  ART-FILM  MARKET.  But  it's 
equally  obvious  that  the  audience  for  The  Full 
Monty  is  not  the  same  as  for  Sonatine  or  Soul  in  the 
Hole — just  as,  in  the  local  theater  scene,  Jeune 
Lune  is  able  to  pay  its  bills  despite  Rent.  The  reali- 
ty is  that  there  is  a  substantial  audience  for  off- 
Uptown  indie  fare,  as  proven  by  the  number  of  suc- 
cessful one-  and  two-night-only  engagements  this 
year.  In  September,  Oak  Street  packed  the  house 
for  its  sneak  previews  of  Michael  Moore's  new  doc- 
umentary feature  The  Big  One  (acquired  by 
Miramax  for  a  song — and  after  the  Oak  Street  gig 
had  been  booked,  natch).  Two  back-to-back 
screenings  were  sold  out,  and  a  third  at  midnight  might  have  been,  too,  had  Miramax  not  for- 
bade it.  (Suggestion  to  Miramax:  How  about  giving  Oak  Street  a  crack  at  running  this  philo- 
sophically independent  film  when  it  opens  next  year?) 

Similarly,  Walker  Art  Center's  previews  of  Spike  Lee's  4  Little  Girls  were  jam-packed,  as  were 
its  Juneteenth  Film  Festival  showings  of  Charles  Burnett's  Nightjohn;  the  Walker  also  crammed 
'em  in  tor  two  screenings  of  Sarah  Jacobson's  self-distributed  sex-romp  Mary  Jane's  Not  a  Virgin 
Anymore.  Asian  Media  Access  took  a  rare  and  successful  break  from  action  films  with  the 
romantic  melodrama  Comrades,  Almost  a  Love  Story  at  the  Riverview  Theater.  And  the  Parkway 
was  rewarded  for  daring  to  premiere  two  American  documentaries  for  extended  runs:  Paradise 
Lost:  The  Child  Murders  at  Robin  Hood  Hills  and  Troublesome  Creek:  A  Midwestern,  both  of  which 
became  word-of-mouth  sleepers.  (The  theater  also  capably  handled  about  half  of  this  year's 
Twin  Cities  Black  Film  Festival.) 

And  then  there's  U  Film  Society — which,  despite  struggles  that  could  convincingly  be 
pinned  on  any  of  two  dozen  or  more  factors,  pulled  off  another  pair  of  essential  Mpls./St.  Paul 
and  Lesbian,  Gay,  Bisexual  and  Transgender  film  festivals  to  enthusiastic  crowd  support.  In 
terms  of  what  this  organization  brings  to  the  Twin  Cities,  it  bears  mentioning  that  in  1997  U 
Film  premiered  the  following  10  movies,  all  of  them  superb:  La  Ceremonie,  The  Wife,  Project 
Grizzly,  The  Keeper,  Three  Lives  and  Only  One  Death,  Irma  Vep,  East  Side  Story,  Pretty  Village, 
Pretty  Flame,  Flamenco,  and  Ulysses'  Gaze.  And  as  this  story  was  going  to  press,  U  Film 
announced  plans  to  open  Emir  Kusturica's  Underground  on  January  9.  This  screwball  war  movie 
about  Yugoslavia's  violent  history  has  had  a  tough  time  opening  anywhere  since  winning  the 
Palme  d'Or  at  Cannes  in  1995 — which  is  another  way  of  saying  that  it's  one  of  a  kind. 

Now,  you  can  take  these  examples  in  one  of  two  ways:  as  evidence  that  plenty  of  great  for- 
eign and  fringe  cinema  does  make  it  to  these  parts,  and  so  I  should  quit  my  crabbing;  or  as  a 
reminder  that  U  Film's  perennially  precarious  condition  stems  largely  from  its  daring,  which 
ought  to  continue  at  all  costs  and  especially  in  the  artsyplex  era.  If  we  agree  on  the  latter,  then 
keeping  up  with  what's  coming  out  at  U  Film  and  other  indie  venues  will  require  the  close  (and, 
at  times,  special)  attention  of  buffs  and  critics. 

On  that  score,  however,  movie  lovers  meet  the  passive  resistance  of  some  powerful  players, 
not  least  among  them  daily-newspaper  critics  like  the  Star  Tribune's  Jeff  Strickler.  About  a  year 
ago,  Strickler  told  a  Minnesota  Daily  reporter  that  coverage  of  indies  other  than  Landmark  fare 
is  limited  in  his  paper  by  meager  space  and  resources,  then  added  a  revealing  comment:  "My 
job  is  to  report  and  review,  not  to  support  local  filmmaking.  It  is  not  my  job  to  sell  tickets  to 
their  movies." 

So  if  I  understand  this  correctly,  the  Strife's  comprehensive  and  prominently  placed  coverage 
of  studio  films  week  in  and  week  out  does  not  constitute  "selling  tickets  to  their  movies."  It's 
simply  a  matter  of  "reporting  and  reviewing"  whatever's  most  worthy  of  attention.  In  practice, 
this  has  meant  that  a  movie  that's  wide-released  by  a  major  studio,  even  if  it  sucks,  is  automat- 
ically deemed  more  worthy  than  a  foreign  and/or  independent  movie  playing  at  Oak  Street  or 
U  Film,  even  if  it's  great  (and  could  use  a  leg  up).  The  justification:  The  studio  movie  is  the  one 
most  readers  will  be  interested  in.  And  the  reason  for  thatl  It's  never  discussed,  only  proven 
again  and  again. 

No  conspiracy  theory  here,  either.  The  problem  with  a  lot  of  film  reviewing  isn't  necessarily 
that  the  critics  are  prohibited  from  writing  about  revival  films  or  independent  features  at  length, 


36     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


but  that  they  wouldn't  want  to.  And  maybe 
the  bulk  of  their  readers  wouldn't  want  them 
to  either — but  I  have  a  feeling  we'll  never 
know  about  that.  And  so,  per  Casablanca,  it's 
still  the  same  old  story. 

Which  reminds  me:  Any  film  town  that 
can  provide  screens  for  Gumma,  Sick,  and  The 
Ride  on  the  same  weekend — as  well  as  an 
Elvis  double-bill  at  Oak  Street,  a  Hong  Kong 
kick-fest  at  the  Riverview,  a  French  movie 
about  a  street  urchin  at  the  Parkway,  a  pro- 
gram of  local  shorts  at  Bryant-Lake  Bowl, 
some  British  TV  ads  at  the  Walker,  and  a  pair 
of  documentaries  about  pot-smoking  and 
Hasidism  at  U  Film,  not  to  mention  the  anti- 
American  Starship  Troopers  at  area  theaters — 
is  a  film  town  worth  living  in.  But  why  stop 
there?  Why  settle  for  a  great  film  scene  when 
we  could  have  an  even  better  one? 

1  OSTSCRIPT:  MOVIE  NIRVANA,  SCENE  1, 
Take  1.  Enough  about  the  politics  of  movie 
distribution.  Pure  and  simple:  Great  movie 
plus  attentive  audience  equals  bliss.  About 
six  weeks  ago,  I  was  part  of  an  audience  at 
one  of  those  magical  screenings.  For  reasons 
that  will  soon  become  clear,  I  can't  tell  you 
the  name  of  the  movie.  Suffice  to  say  that  it's 
foreign;  it  has  opened  successfully  in  New 
York  and  L.A.;  and  its  distributor  has  been 
waiting  for  a  definitive  answer  from  the  local 
arthouse  chain.  And  it's  one  of  the  best  films 
of  1997. 

Anyway,  we  were  packed  in  a  tiny  room 
watching  this  beautiful  film  that  featured  a 
pair  of  drop-dead  gorgeous  actors,  a  hot  sex 
scene,  spectacular  scenery,  and  a  pulsating 
soundtrack.  It  resembled  the  other  brilliant 
work  of  its  director,  and  yet  it  was  like  noth- 
ing else  he  or  anyone  had  ever  done  before.  It 
was,  in  short,  the  definition  of  "visionary" 
filmmaking. 

Now  a  confession:  This  private  screening 
took  place  at  my  house,  in  a  flagrant  breach 
of  preview-tape  etiquette.  My  friends  and  I 
had  a  great  time — but  the  whole  thing 
seemed  a  little  sad,  too.  Sad  because  we  were 
watching  this  consummate  work  of  cinema 
on  videotape.  Sad  because  this  film  was  with- 
out a  local  release  date  and  I  didn't  know 
when  I'd  get  to  write  about  it.  Sad  because  it 
reminded  me  again  that  daring  and  originali- 
ty are  seldom  seen  as  virtues  in  the  market- 
place. But  mostly  it  was  sad  because  you 
couldn't  be  there. 

Rob  Nelson  is  the  film  editor  at  City  Pages  and  a 
member  of  the  National  Society  of  Film  Critics. 


American  Montage,  Inc. 


Digital  /Analog 

Film,  Video  &  Web  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

After  Effects  /  Motion  Graphics 

ixperienced  in  feature  length 
locumentaries  and  narratives 


375  WEST  B'WAY  3R,  NY,  NY  10012 

3  3  4-8283 

www.americanmontage.com 

WE  ACCEPT  ALL  MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS 


Classes  offered  monthly 

Introduction  to  Media  Composer, 
Tips  and  Techniques,  and  Media 
Composer  Effects. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts  is  an 
Avid  Authorized  Education  Center 
serving  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
Western  Pennsylvania  and  Kentucky. 

Call  for  more  information 

Maria  Troy,  6/4  292-7617 

Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts 

The  Ohio  State  University 
1871  North  High  Street 
Columbus,  Ohio  43210 


Film  Video  Arts 


serving     independents     since    1  9  6  £ 

30th  Anniversary  Benefit 

Lincoln  Center's  Walter  Reade  Theater 
May  25,  1999 


celebrating 


Honorees 

Filmmaker  Mira  Nair 
{Mississippi  Masala,  Kama  Sutra) 

Film/Video  Arts  Co-Founder  Rodger  Larson 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 


years  21  2  .673.93  6  1 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


www.aivf.org 


DISTRIBUTOR  F.A..**,. 


(: 


'mft 


Enterta  i  n  ment 


BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

Stratosphere  Entertainment,  767  Fifth  Ave,  47th  fl., 
New  York,  NY  10153;  (212)  605-1010;  fax:  (212)  813- 
0300;  stratent@aol.com.  Contact:  T.C.  Rice,  vice 
president  of  distribution  and  marketing. 


The  great  quality  of  our  films  and  the  quality  of  our  dis- 
tribution of  them. 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

What  collection7  There  are  currently  10  films  in  our 
library — four  in  release  and  six  upcoming! 


Left:  T.C.  Rice,  VP  of 
Distribution  and  Marketing 
at  Stratosphere. 
Right:  The  girls  in  the  band 
in  Katja  Von  Garnier's 
Bandits. 


film?  Good  ones. 

Best  known  title  in  Stratosphere's  collection: 

The  Thief. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

It's  hard  to  say  because  we  really  take  each  film  on  an 
individual  basis  and  go  from  there. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles? 

We  look  at  films  at  all  stages  of  pro- 
duction. And  we  look  at  them  anywhere 
we  can  find  them.  Really. 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles 
in  your  collection: 

From  the  low  six  figures  and  up. 


Elina  Lowensohn 
and  Norman  Reedus 
share  a  moment  in 
Six  Ways  to  Sunday 


What  is  Stratosphere? 

We're  a  new  theatrical  motion  picture  distribution  com- 
pany based  in  New  York  City. 

Who  is  Stratosphere? 

Founded  by  investor  Carl  Icahn  and  former  film  profes- 
sor Paul  E.  Cohen,  it  is  currently  run  by  Richard 
Abramowitz. 

Total  number  of  employees: 

15. 

When  did  Stratosphere  come  into  being? 

In  the  fall  of  1997. 

Driving  philosophy  behind  Stratosphere: 

To  get  as  much  attention  as  we  can  for  our  films  with- 
out spending  like  a  studio. 

What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn 
about  Stratosphere? 


38    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


Films  and  filmmakers  you  distribute: 

Some  of  the  filmmakers  we  work  with  include 
Gillies  MacKinnon,  Katja  von  Gamier,  Ada 
Bernstein,  Benoit  Jacquot,  Rowan  Woods,  and 
Joan  Chen. 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 
Good  ones. 

What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  films  you  do? 

It's  a  combination  of  things,  but  primarily  we 
look  for  quality  films  with  unique  visions  that 
we  feel  can  be  successful  in  the  marketplace 

Is  Stratosphere  also  involved  in  co-pro- 
duction or  co-financing  of  works? 

Not  at  the  moment,  but  soon  we  are  looking 
to  be. 

Is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  "Stratosphere" 


Most  important  issue  facing  Stratosphere  today: 

Finding  new  films  and  doing  a  great  job  releasing  the 
ones  we  already  have. 

Where  will  Stratosphere  be  10  years  from  now? 

Ideally,  we'll  be  making  and  releasing  films. 

Best  distribution  experience  you've  had  lately: 

The  enthusiastic  response  to  our  line-up  by  exhibitors 
and  the  press. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  what  would  you  be 

doing? 

Repping  them. 

Other  distributors  you  admire  and  why: 

Some  of  the  foreign  sales  agents  I  like  are  Curb, 
Forefront,  Fortissimo,  and  Amazing.  They  are  all  very 
honest  and  do  a  good  job. 

The  difference  between  Stratosphere  and  other  dis- 
tributors of  independent  films  is . . . 

I  refuse  to  speak  ill  of  our  competition. 

If  you  could  only  give  independent  filmmakers  one 
bit  of  advice  it  would  be  to . . . 

get  a  decent  still  photographer. 

Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 

We've  got  six  new  films  opening  so  far  in  1999:  The 
School  of  Flesh,  directed  by  Benoit  Jacquot,  as  adapt- 
ed from  a  novel  by  Yukio  Mishima  and  starring  Isabelle 
Huppert;  Six  Ways  to  Sunday,  by  Adam  Bernstein, 
based  on  the  novel  Portrait  of  a  Young  Man  Drowning 
and  featuring  pop  icon  Deborah  Harry;  Bandits,  by  Katja 
Von  Gamier,  about  a  four  women  who  form  a  rock  band 
in  prison  as  a  form  of  rehabilitation;  Hideous  Kinky,  by 
Gillies  MacKinnon  and  starring  Kate  Winslet;  Xiu  Xiu, 
actress  Joan  Chen's  directorial  debut;  and  The  Boys,  by 
Australian  director  Rowan  Woods. 

Famous  last  words: 

Don't  walk  too  closely  behind  elephants. 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


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April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


S3Z8 


Creative  Capital 
Foundation 

by   Michelle   Coe 


Creative  Capital  Founda- 
tion, 65  Bleecker  Street,  7th  fl., 
New  York,  NY  10013;  (212)  598- 
9900;  fax:  598-4934;  submissions 
©creative-capital. org;  www.cre- 
ative-capital.org.  Contact:  Ruby 
Lerner,  executive  director;  Esther 
Robinson,  media/performing  arts 
program  officer. 


What  is  the  Creative  Capital  Foundation? 

Creative  Capital  is  a  new  national  organization  that  will 
manage  a  revolving  tax-exempt  fund  designed  to  sup- 
port artists  who  are  pursuing  innovative,  experimental 
approaches  to  form  and/or  content  in  the  visual,  per- 
forming, and  media  arts. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  Creative  Capital  come  into 
being? 

All  kinds  of  developments  in  the  1990s — good  and 
bad — made  it  clear  to  a  wide  variety  of  people  that  a 
healthy  society  had  to  support  freedom  and  continual 
creativity.  Artists,  entrepreneurs,  and  arts  funders 


talked  together  in  1997  and  1998  and  initiated  Creative 
Capital.  It  began  operations  on  January  4th,  1999. 

What  is  your  relationship  to  the  Warhol  Foundation? 

Archibald  Gillies,  president  of  the  Warhol  Foundation, 
has  taken  the  leadership  role  in  developing  the  Creative 
Capital  idea  and  by  January  1999  had  enlisted  14  other 
foundations  and  individuals  to  support  the  effort.  The 
foundation  is  providing  us  with  office  space  and  some 
in-kind  support.  We  are,  however,  a  separately  incor- 
porated 501(c)(3)  organization  and  have  no  legal 
affiliation  with  the  Warhol  Foundation. 

What  is  your  relationship  to  AIVF? 

six  years  as  executive  director  of  AIVF  taught  me 
that,  as  hard  as  it  is  for  producers  to  find  money  to 
produce  work,  it's  even  harder  to  get  media  work 
out  into  the  world.  This  seems  to  be  the  more  dif- 
ficult part  of  the  equation,  and  it's  what  we're 
going  to  focus  on  at  Creative  Capital. 

The  driving  philosophy  behind  Creative 
Capital  is . . . 

In  contrast  to  traditional  charitable  grants  pro- 
grams in  the  arts,  which  usually  provide  only 
one-time  financial  assistance  to  an  artist, 
Creative  Capital  will  work  closely  with  the 
artists  it  supports  to  help  ensure  the  success 
of  their  projects  by  providing  other  non-artis- 
tic assistance  (for  exam- 
ple, marketing  campaign 
approaches,  researching 
distributors,  etc).  Crea- 
tive Capital  will  help  each 
project    maximize    its 
audience    potential    by 
providing   resources    it 
needs  in  order  to  suc- 
ceed. 

In  return  for  Creative 
Capital's  financial  and 
managerial       support, 
artists  selected  will  share 
a  portion  of  the  proceeds 
generated  by  their  pro- 
jects    with     Creative 
Capital's    fund.    These 
proceeds  will  be  used  to  replenish  the  fund  and  will 
enable  Creative  Capital  to  support  more  artists  in  the 
future. 

The  Creative  Capital  concept  will  not  be  right  for  all 
artists  or  projects,  however.  While  we  are  providing  a 
valuable  service  we  will,  unfortunately,  not  be  the  sole 
solution  to  the  serious  funding  problems  facing  individ- 
ual artists. 

What  is  the  total  amount  of  funding  that  you  will 
have  for  grants? 

We  hope  to  have  at  least  one  million  dollars  a  year  for 
project  support.  We  will  grant  out  about  $700,000,  hold- 


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New  York's  only  Louis  Sullivan  building  serves  as  headquarters. 
(Below)  January  4:  Creative  Capital's  birthday. 


ing  the  remaining  $300,000  in  reserve  for  further  pro- 
motional and  exhibition  support  for  funded  projects. 

What  percentage  of  your  overall  funding  will  go 
towards  film  or  video  projects? 

Approximately  25%. 

How  many  media  awards  are  given  out  per  year?  For 
other  disciplines? 

We  hope  to  award  approximately  20  grants  in  each  dis- 
cipline area  each  yean  20  in  media,  20  in  performing 
arts,  20  in  visual  arts,  and  20  in  new  media/interdisci- 
plinary arts. 

What  will  the  average  grant  sizes  be? 

Most  initial  grants  (about  15  in  each  discipline)  will  be 
in  the  $5,000  range,  with  a  few  (about  five)  in  the  $15- 
20,000  range  for  projects  further  along  in  their  develop- 
ment. 

What  are  the  requirements  for  media  applicants? 
Are  there  geographic  limitations? 

We  are  in  the  process  of  creating  guidelines  now.  We 
will  be  providing  support  to  artists  working  in  the  United 
States  who  are  over  18  years  of  age.  We  are  a  national 
fund,  but  some  money  has  been  earmarked  by  funders 
for  specific  regions,  including  New  York,  California, 
Minnesota,  and  Hawaii. 

Do  you  fund  projects  at  various  stages  of  production 
(e.g.,  script,  development,  production,  distribution, 
etc.)? 

We  haven't  made  this  decision  yet,  but  given  our  limit- 
ed resources,  we  will  probably  have  some  restrictions. 

Explain  your  funding  cycle  and  deadlines. 


40    THE    INDEPENDENT     April 


For  this  year,  our  open  submission  period  will  be  July  1 
to  August  15.  There  will  be  a  preliminary  proposal  round 
which  will  require  applicants  to  submit  a  one-page  pro- 
posal and  a  resume.  Successful  candidates  will  then  be 
asked  to  submit  a  more  detailed  project  and  budget 
which  will  be  reviewed  by  a  panel.  We  hope  to  notify 
these  candidates  before  the  Christmas  holidays. 

Who  makes  up  the  staff  of  the  Creative  Capital 
Foundation? 

Ruby  Lerner,  executive  director;  Leslie  Singer,  director  of 
administration;  Ken  Chu,  visual  arts  program  officer; 
Esther  Robinson,  media/performing  arts  program  offi- 
cer; Eugene  Hernandez,  web  consultant;  and  Jodi 
Magee,  development  consultant. 

Who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 

We  will  work  with  independent  panels  of  five  to  seven 
people  from  the  field  who  will  make  funding  recommen- 
dations. The  panel  decisions  will  go  to  the  board  for 
final  approval. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  in  putting 
forth  a  strong  application? 

There  are  so  many  projects  that  are  worthy  of  support, 
and  we'll  only  be  able  to  fund  a  small  number.  It  will  be 
critical  to  communicate  what  is  unique  about  your  pro- 
ject, what  makes  your  project  a  bold  and  innovative 
one.  We  are  also  very  interested  in  helping  artists  reach 
audiences,  so  people  who  have  thought  about  who  the 
audiences  are  for  their  work  will  probably  make  a 
stronger  impression. 

In  your  experience  with  funding  panels  and  organi- 
zations, what  are  common  mistakes  that  applicants 
make? 

A  lack  of  clarity  in  communicating  the  core  ideas  in  their 
work  and  poor  work  samples. 

What  would  people  most  be  surprised  to  learn 
about  this  new  foundation? 

That  it  is  not  an  endowed  foundation  and  will  have  to 
fundraise  and  earn  its  annual  budget  each  year,  just  like 
any  other  arts  organization. 

Other  foundations  or  grantmaking  organizations 
you  admire  and  why. 

The  Warhol  Foundation,  the  Jerome  Foundation,  the 
Rockefeller  Foundation,  the  Texas  Filmmaker  Fund,  and 
Jim  McKay  and  Michael  Stipe's  C-100  efforts.  They  are 
all  creative  funders  willing  to  take  risks,  and  all  have 
taken  leadership  roles  within  the  arts  field. 

Famous  last  words: 

Be  bold! 

Meet  the  staff  of  this  exciting  new  foundation  and  find  out 
more  about  Creative  Capital's  submission  process.  Ruby 
Lerner  and  Esther  Robinson  will  be  featured  in  AlVF's  June 
Meet  &  Greet.  Stay  in  touch  with  our  website,  or  check  out  the 
June  issue  of  The  Independent. 

Michelle  Coe  is  program  and  information  sen/ices  director  at  AIVF. 


Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  Inc. 


Your  Avid  Film  Composer  Matchback  Specialists 


Negative  cutting  &  Conforming 

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e-mail:  nenm(q)nenm.com 


Spin  Cycle  Post 

Proudly  congratulates  the 

following  1999  Sundance 

award-winning  films: 


Three  Seasons 

Grand  Jury  Prize 

Audience  Award 

Cinematography  Award 

Judy  Berlin 

Directing  Award 

Santitos 

Latin  American  Cinema 
Award 

Come  Unto  Me 

Honorable  Mention-Short 


Spin  Cycle  Post  is  a  full-service 
post-production  facility. 

1 2  West  27th  Street.  6th  Fl. 

New  York.  NY  10001 

T (212) 679-2720  •  F (212)  679-2730 


Pro  Tools  •  Sound  Editing 

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SERVING  INDEPENDENTS  SINCE  1971 

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April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


by   Scott   Castle 

LISTINGS  DO  NOT  CONSTITUTE  AN  ENDORSEMENT.  WE 
RECOMMEND  THAT  YOU  CONTACT  THE  FESTIVAL 
DIRECTLY  BEFORE  SENDING  CASSETTES,  AS  DETAILS 
MAY  CHANGE  AFTER  THE  MAGAZINE  GOES  TO  PRESS. 
DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE  MONTH  TWO  MONTHS  PRIOR 
TO  COVER  DATE  (APRIL  1  FOR  JUNE  ISSUE).  INCLUDE 
FESTIVAL  DATES,  CATEGORIES,  PRIZES,  ENTRY  FEES, 
DEADLINES,  FORMATS  &  CONTACT  INFO.  SEND  TO:  FES- 
TIVALS@AIVF.ORG 


Domestic 

black  harvest  international  film  and  video  festi- 
VAL. Aug.,  IL.  Deadline:  May  1.  Film  Center  at  the  School  of 
the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago  presents  5th  annual  test,  a  show- 
case for  contemporary  cinema  &  video  from  the  African  dias- 
pora. Black  Harvest  will  feature  films  from  around  the  world, 
reflecting  black  cultural,  political  &  social  experiences. 
Offerings  from  African  nations,  the  U.S..  Britain,  Canada. 
Latin  America  &  the  Caribbean  are  expected.  Recent  African 
American  film  &  video  provide  the  core  of  the  test.  Directors 
will  present  feature-length  &  short  work  in  all  genres  &  an 
artists  panel  will  provide  additional  commentary  &  insight  on 
the  black  experience  in  film.  Entry  fee:  none.  Contact:  Black 
Harvest  Int'l  Film  &  Video  Fest,  The  Film  Center.  The  School 
of  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago,  Columbus  Drive  at  Jackson 
Boulevard,  Chicago,  IL  60603;  (312)  443-3734;  fax:  332- 
5859;  jallan@artic.edu 

BOSTON  JEWISH  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  4-14.  Deadline:  May 
30.  Fest  is  a  non-competitive  event,  presenting  the  best  con- 
temporary films  &  videos  from  around  the  world  that  deal  w/ 
Jewish  themes.  It  has  become  one  of  the  highlights  of 
Boston's  cultural  calendar  &  is  the  best-attended  Jewish 
event  in  the  city,  w/  an  audience  of  over  8.500  attending  last 
fall's  10th  annual  fest.  It  consistently  receives  excellent 
media  coverage  &  has  frequently  been  recognized  for  the 
excellence  in  programming.  The  festival  presents  narrative, 
doc,  animated  &  experimental  works.  Formats;  35mm. 
16mm.  Beta  or  1/2".  They  can  be  of  any  length.  Submissions 
must  not  have  previously  screened  in  the  Boston  area. 
Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC  or  Pal).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  BJFF,  99 
Moody  St.,  Waltham.  MA  02453;  (781)  899-3830;  fax:  899- 
3799;  BJFF@aol.com;  www.bjff.cyways.com 

BRECKENRIDGE  FESTIVAL  OF  FILM.  Sept  16-19,  CO. 
Deadline:  May  30  for  scripts  &  June  30  for  films.  19th  annu- 
al festival  presents  4  day  program  of  films,  receptions,  pre- 
mieres, tributes,  writers'  seminars  &  film  education  activi- 
ties, providing  unique  &  varied  filmfare  shown  at  venues 
throughout  the  community.  Approximately  50  independent  US 
&  int'l  films  are  presented  from  over  300  entries.  Best  of  Fest 
awarded  to  films  in  5  categories:  drama,  comedy,  doc,  fami- 
ly/children &  shorts.  Our  third  Annual  Screenplay  competition 
will  honor  1st  place  winners  in  adult  drama,  children/family, 
comedy  &  action/adventure  categories.  Formats;  16mm  & 
3/4".  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC  only).  Scripts  should  meet  US 
Motion  Picture  Industry  standards  &  be  90-130  pages  in 
length.  Contact;  Terese  Keil,  Breckenndge  Festival  of  Film, 
Box  718.  Riverwalk  Center,  150  W.  Adams,  Breckenndge,  CO 
80424;    (970)   453-6200:    fax:   453-2692;   filmfest® 


brecknet.com;  www.  brecknet.com/bff/home.html 

CENTRAL  FLORIDA  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL.  Sept  24-0ct  3, 
FL.  Deadlines:  June  1  (early);  June  25  (late).  Celebrating  17th 
year,  Florida's  oldest  film  &  video  fest  continues  commitment 
to  encourage,  support  &  foster  indie  filmmaking;  to  recognize, 
promote  &  exhibit  indie  films;  &  to  honor  &  reward  the  inde- 
pendent filmmaker.  Entrants  receive  viewer  response  sheets; 
cash  awards  &  prizes  given  to  winning  artists  in  each  cate- 
gory in  addition  to  Audience  &  Best  of  Fest  awards  (over 
$6,000  in  cash,  services  &  prizes  awarded  in  1997).  Fest  will 
tour  throughout  Central  Florida  &  include  such  cities  as 
Orlando,  Melbourne,  Gainesville  &  Tampa.  Fest  accepts 
shorts  &  features.  All  formats,  genres 
&  categories  welcome  (incl.  anima- 
tion, doc,  experimental,  narrative, 


Chicago 
Underground 
Film  Festival 

"If  you  suspect  your  film  is 
underground,  it  probably  is,"  explains  festi- 
val programmer  Bryan  Wendorf.  Now  plan- 
ning its  sixth  installment,  the  Chicago 
Underground  Film  Festival  asserts  itself  as 
a  prime  showcase  for  DIY  cinema.  "When 
enough  of  a  film  will  repulse  or  confuse  the 
mainstream,  then  it's  underground,"  adds 
Jay  Bliznik,  the  test's  founder.  Last  year's 
six-day  fest  included  125  films,  from  1  min. 
animated  shorts  to  100  min.  narratives 
"shot  on  home  video."  Each  year  the  fest 
also  presents  the  Jack  Smith  Lifetime 
Achievement  Award,  whose  past  recipients 
have  included   Kenneth  Anger,   George 
Kuchar,  and  Paul  Morrissey.  Pictured:  1998 
doc  award-winner  Mark  Hejna.  [See  listing.] 


music  videos  &  features).  Fest  receives  entries  from  all  over 
US  &  int'lly  (over  120  films/videos  selected  in  1998).  Entry 
fees:  $20  to  $40,  depending  on  length.  Preview  on  VHS. 
Contact:  CFFVF  c/o  Brenda  Joyner,  1906  E.  Robinson  St., 
Orlando,  FL  32803;  (407)  839-6045;  fax:  898-0504; 
filmmaker@cffvf.org;  www.cffvf.org 

CHICAGO  INTERNATIONAL  CHILDREN'S  FILM  FESTIVAL  . 
Oct.  14-24,  IL.  Deadline;  May  28.  The  CICFF  is  the  largest 
competitive  festival  for  films  &  videos  for  children  in  North 
America,  which  programs  over  150  films  &  videos  targeted 
primarily  for  children  ages  6-13.  Productions  must  have  a 
production  completion  date  of  1997  or  later  &  be  dubbed  or 
subtitled  in  English.  Six  live  action  &  six  animated  categories 
w/  awards  given  by  both  adult  &  child  juries.  Best  of  fest 
award  &  Kenneth  F  &  Harle  Montgomery  award  both  incl. 
cash  prize  of  $2500.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC  or  PAL).  Entry 
fees;  $35  (short,  59  min.  or  less);  $75  (feature).  For  entry 
forms  &  guidelines  write;  CICFF,  c/o  Facets  Multimedia,  1517 
West  Fullerton  Ave.,  Chicago.  IL  60614;  (773)  281-9075;  fax: 


929-0266;  kidsfest@facets.org 

CHICAGO  UNDERGROUND  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Aug.  IL. 
Deadline  May  15.  Competitive  festival  now  in  its  6th  year  fea- 
turing works  of  underground,  independent  &  experimental  film 
&  videomakers.  Looking  for  works  that  innovate  in  form  &/or 
content  &  transcend  the  mainstream  of  indie  filmmaking. 
Past  guest  filmmakers  have  included  Richard  Kern,  Kenneth 
Anger,  George  Kuchar,  John  Waters  &  Paul  Morrissey.  1999 
guest  to  be  announced.  Also  presents  festival-sponsored 
screenings  throughout  the  year.  Cash  prizes  given  to  the  best 
film  or  video  in  these  categories:  Feature,  Short, 
Experimental,  Doc,  Animation  &  Audience  Choice  Award. 
Entry  Fee  $30.  Late  deadline  June  1.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  S-8,  Video.  Preview  on  1/2"  VHS. 
Contact;  Bryan  Wendorf,  Chicago  Underground  Film 
Festival,  3109  North  Western  Ave.  Chicago,  IL 
60618;  (773)  327-FILM;  fax:  327-3464, 
info@cuff.org;  www.cuff.org 

CINE  ACCION  FESTIVAL  ICINE  LATINO!  Sept.  16- 
19,  San  Franciso,  CA;  Sept.  25-26,  Berkeley,  CA. 
Deadline:  April  16.  Cine  Accion,  the  nation's  oldest 
Latino  media  arts  org.,  seeks  film  &  video  works 
reflecting  diversity  of  Latino  community  for  its  7th 
annual  fest.  All  film  &  video  works  by,  for  &  about  Latinos  & 
Chicanos  in  U.S.  as  well  as  works  that  originate  in  Latin 
America  &  the  Caribbean  are  encouraged  to  submit.  Festival 
is  open  to  all  lengths  and  genres  of  works  completed  after 
Jan.  1995.  English  subtitles  strongly  recommended.  Entry  fee: 
$35  (non  Cine  Accion  members;  cost  incl.  a  1  yr.  member- 
ship), $10  (Cine  Accion  members).  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
video.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  Cine  Accion,  Rosalia 
Valencia,  Director,  346  9th  St.,  San  Francisco.  CA  94103; 
(415)  553-8140;  cineaccion@aol.com 

CONTENT  '99,  May  19-22,  CA.  Deadlines:  April  19  (early), 
April  27  (final).  The  Natl  Education  Media  Network  presents 
its  13th  Annual  Media  Market  &  biennial  Conference  for  pro- 
ducers &  distributors.  The  Market — the  only  one  in  the  nation 
devoted  exclusively  to  educational  works — seeks  submis- 
sions by  film/video  producers.  At  the  conference  attendees 
learn  the  latest  trends  in  production,  distribution  &  exhibition 
(registration  continues  on  site  for  conference  only  May  20- 
21).  Rates  vary,  discounts  avail,  for  '99  Apple  Awards 
Competition  entrants.  CONTENT  will  culminate  in  the  29th 
Annual  Apple  Awards  Film  &  Video  Festival  at  the  Oakland 
Museum  of  California.  Send  request  for  brochure  &  forms  to 
NEMN,  655  Thirteenth  St.,  Ste.  100,  Oakland,  CA  94612; 
(510)  465-6885;  fax:  465-2835;  content@nemn.org 

DANCES  WITH  FILMS:  FESTIVAL  OF  THE  UNKNOWNS,  July 
23-29,  CA.  Deadline:  April  30  (early);  May  14  (late).  Fest 
promises  "No  politics.  No  stars.  No  shit."  Fest  is  a  competi- 
tive event  featuring  a  line-up  of  a  dozen  feature-length  nar- 
rative films  &  a  dozen  narrative  shorts.  All  films  admitted  for 
screening  are  selected  using  only  one  major  criterion;  they 
must  have  been  completed  w/out  any  known  director,  actors, 
producers,  or  monies  from  known  sources  (e.g.,  known  pro- 
duction companies).  Films  must  have  been  completed  by  Jan. 
1,  1997.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  Beta  SP  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  fee:  $50  (feature/early);  $35  (short/early);  all  late 
entries  are  $75.  Contact:  DWF,  Box  1766,  Beverly  Hills,  CA 
90213;  (323)  656-1974;  fax:  656-6471;  dwfilmfest® 
aol.com;  www.hometown.aol.com/dwfilmfest 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


ate 


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e  ► 


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Film  Fest  Postal  Station*  1594  York  Ave  •  Box  #23  •  New  York,  NY  10028 


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SEPTEMBER  7-12,  1999 

LATE  SUMMER  ON  THE 
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Documentaries 

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DEADLINES: 

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PO  Box  550 

Bar  Harbor,  ME  04609 

www.barharborfilmfest.com 

207.288.3686 

e.mail:  info@bhff.com 


Got  film? 


Then  let  the  crowds  drink  them  in  at  the 

Rehoboth  Beach 

Independent  Film  Festival 

Nov.  12  -  15 
Set  on  the  scenic  Delaware  Coast 

•  Six  theaters     •  Lectures  and  receptions 

•  100*  films       •  Video  programs 

Entry  deadline:  Sept  12, 1998 


P.O.  Box  1132  •  Rehoboth  Beach,  DE 19971 

(  J  0  2  )      2  2  6-3744 

www.rehobothfilm.com 

beachrun@dmv.com 


Rehoboth  Beach  Film  Society 


INDEPENDENT  FEATURE  FILM  MARKET,  Sept.  17-24,  NY 
Early  deadline:  May  21;  final  deadline,  June  11.  The 
Independent  Feature  Film  Market  is  the  only  U.S.  market 
devoted  to  new,  emerging  film  talent.  Market  is  attended  by 
over  2,500  filmmakers,  distributors,  television  &  home  video 
buyers,  agents,  development  executives  &  festival  program- 
mers from  the  U.S.  &  abroad.  IFFM  is  currently  accepting 
submissions  for  the  upcoming  21st  Market  in  the  following 
categories:  feature  films  (over  75  min.),  short  films  (under  60 
min.),  works-in-progress  (edited  scenes,  trailer,  intended  for 
feature-length),  script  (copyrighted,  for  feature-length  film). 
Separate  membership  &  entry  fees  apply.  All  applicants  must 
be  current  IFP  or  FAF  members.  Contact:  IFP,  104  West  29th 
St.,  12  fl,  NY,  NY  10001;  (212)  465-8200;  fax:  465-8525; 
IFPNY@ifp.org;  www.ifp.org 

LONG  ISLAND  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  &  July,  NY  Deadline: 
May  1;  June  1  for  screenplays.  A  leading  showcase  for  inde- 
pendent film,  last  year's  fest  screened  over  50  features  &  60 
shorts  selected  from  entries  submitted  from  around  the 
world.  Fest  celebrates  its  16th  year  at  four  diverse  venues: 
the  Westhampton  Beach  Performing  Arts  Center,  IMAC  in 
Huntington,  Staller  Center/Stony  Brook  &  the  Cinema  Arts 
Center.  Cats:  arts  &  entertainment,  doc  &  education  &  stu- 
dent. Fest  is  competitive  w/  1st  prizes  presented  in  all  cats 
(film  &  video).  Cash  awards  to  be  announced.  Entry  fees:  up 
to  15  minutes-$25  (30  min.  &  under);  $40  (31-60  min.);  $75 
(over  60  min).  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview 
on  VHS.  For  entry  forms,  contact  Chris  Cooke,  LIFF,  Box 
13243,  Hauppauge,  NY  11788;  (800)  762-4796;  fax:  (516) 
853-4888;  www.lifilm.org 

MAINE  STUDENT  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  July  10.  ME. 
Deadline:  June  1.  22nd  fest  will  be  held  in  conjunction  w/the 
Maine  Int'l  Film  Fest.  MSFVF  is  open  to  Maine  residents  19 
years  of  age  &  younger.  Entries  are  accepted  in  all  film  & 
video  formats  &  are  divided  into  3  categories:  Pre-Teen 
Division  (Grades  K-6),  Junior  Division  (Grades  7-9)  &  Senior 
Division  (Grades  10-12).  Submitted  movies  are  reviewed  by 
3  judges:  an  educator,  a  media  arts  professional  &  a  past 
MSFVF  winner.  Winners  &  finalists  receive  a  certificate  of 
merit  &  prizes  such  as  movie  tickets  &  videotapes.  Grand 
prize  winner,  selected  from  the  Senior  Division,  receives  a 
scholarship  worth  $1,400  for  the  2-week  Young  Filmmakers 
Program  at  Int'l  Film  &  Televison  Workshops,  Rockport, 
Maine.  All  formats  accepted.  Entry  fee:  none.  Contact:  Huey, 
Fest  Director,  MSFVF,  Box  4320,  Portland,  ME  04101-0520; 
(207)  773-1130;  hueyfilm@nlis.net;  www.agate.net/~ile/ 
mama/guest.html 

MARGARET  MEAD  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Nov,  NY 
Deadline:  May  8.  Premier  festival  in  US  for  indie/doc  film  & 
video.  This  year's  themes:  religious  movements,  body  art, 
children,  outer  space;  any  strong  nonfiction  titles;  all  lengths 
eligible.  Film-/videomakers  whose  works  are  selected  receive 
pass  to  all  festival  events;  limited  financial  assistance  & 
housing  avail.  After  NY  fest  presentation,  many  titles  pack- 
aged &  tour  to  ind.  film  centers,  museums  &  universities  as 
part  of  nat'l  touring  festival.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4", 
1/2",  Beta  (NTSC  only).  Preview:  1/2"  VHS.  Contact:  MMFVF, 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Dept.  of  Education, 
Central  Park  West  at  79th  St.,  NY,  NY  10024;  (212)  769-5305; 
fax:  769-5329;  meadfest@amnh.org;  www.amnh.org/Mead/ 

MARIN  COUNTY  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July  1-5,  CA. 


Deadline:  April  16.  Fest  runs  as  part  of  the  Marin  Co.  Fair  w/ 
films  screening  daily.  Cats:  narrative,  doc,  animated,  experi- 
mental &  family.  Up  to  $2,400  in  awards.  Maximum  running 
time  is  30  min.  Films  must  have  been  completed  after  Jan.  1, 
1997.  Formats:  16mm  only.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25 
(domestic),  $40  (int'l).  Entry  forms,  contact:  Mann  Co.  Fair, 
Ave.  of  the  Flags,  San  Rafael,  CA  94903;  (415)  499-6400; 
fax:  499-3700;  pgoodin@marin.org 


MILL  VALLEY  FILM  FESTIVAL  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  7-17. 
CA.  Deadline:  May  31  (early);  June  30  (final);  fee:  $20 
(early);  $25  (final).  Invitational,  noncompetitive  fest  screens 
American  ind.,  narrative,  doc,  animated,  short  &  experimen- 
tal films/videos  in  over  40  programs.  Fest  has  become  pre- 
miere West  Coast  event,  w/  commitment  to  bringing  new  & 
innovative  works  to  Northern  CA  audiences.  Filmmakers,  dis- 
tributors, press  &  large  local  audience  meet  in  "an  atmos- 
phere where  professional  relationships  thrive."  All  genres 
encouraged.  Fest  incl.  around  100  programs  of  ind.  features, 
docs,  shorts  &  video  works,  as  well  as  interactive  exhibits, 
tributes,  children's  filmfest,  seminars  &  special  events. 
Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in  previous  18  mo.; 
industrial,  promotional  or  instructional  works  not  appropri- 
ate; premieres  &  new  works  emphasized.  Annual  audiences 
estimated  at  35,000.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2", 
Beta,  multimedia.  Contact:  Mark  Fishkin,  executive  dir.,  Film 
Institute  of  Northern  California,  Mill  Valley  Film  Fest,  Mill 
Creek  Plaza,  38  Miller  Avenue,  Ste  6,  Mill  Valley,  CA  94941; 
(415)  383-5256;  fax;  383-8606;  finc@well.com; 
www.finc.org 

NEXTFRAME:  UFVA's  TOURING  FESTIVAL  OF  INTERNA- 
TIONAL STUDENT  FILM  &  VIDEO,  Sept.,  PA.  Deadline:  May 
31,  fee  $25,  $20  UFVA  members  &  int'l  entries.  Early  bird 
deadline  April  30  (save  $5).  Festival  founded  in  1993  to  sur- 
vey &  exhibit  the  very  best  in  current  student  film  &  video 
worldwide.  Emphasizes  independence,  creativity  &  new 
approaches  to  visual  media.  All  entries  must  have  been  cre- 
ated by  students  enrolled  in  a  college,  university  or  graduate 
school  at  time  of  prod.  &  should  have  been  completed  no 
earlier  than  May  of  previous  2  yrs.  Work  may  have  originated 
in  any  format  but  must  be  submitted  for  preview  on  VHS. 
Works  considered  in  categories  of  animation,  doc,  experi- 
mental &  narrative.  All  works  prescreened  by  panel  of 
film/videomakers;  finalists  sent  to  judges.  Over  $15,000  in 
prizes  awarded.  First,  second  &  third  place  prizes  awarded  in 
each  category  plus  an  Audience  Award  &  Director's  Choice 
Prize.  Starting  this  year,  NextFrame  will  hold  a  technical  com- 
petition, incl.  prizes  for  film  editing,  cinematography  &  sound 
design  (additional  $5  fee  for  entry  into  technical  competi- 
tion). About  30  works  showcased  each  year.  All  works  pre- 
viewed at  annual  conference  of  University  Film  &  Video 
Association  (UFVA),  in  Aug.  at  Emerson  College,  Boston. 
Premiere  held  in  Philadelphia  in  Sept.  Year-long  int'l  tour  of 
selected  fest  finalists  begins  after  premiere.  Tour  travels  to 
major  universities  &  art  centers  across  the  United  States  & 
around  the  globe.  Past  int'l  venues  have  included  Mexico, 
Australia,  Colombia,  Uruguay,  the  Philippines,  New  Zealand, 
Portugal,  &  Canada.  UFVA  is  int'l  org  dedicated  to  arts  &  sci- 
ences of  film  &  video  &  development  of  motion  pictures  as 
medium  of  communication.  UFVA's  Int'l  Fest  Directory  for 
Students  avail,  on  website.  Exhibition  formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Beta,  3/4",  1/2".  Contact:  NextFrame,  Dept.  Film  & 
Media  Arts,  Temple  University,  Philadelphia  PA  19122;  (800) 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


499-UFVA;  fax:  (215)  204-6740;  ufva@vm.temple.edii; 
www.temple.edu/nextframe 

NOMAD  VIDEOFILM  FESTIVAL,  June,  West  Coast.  Deadline: 
April  21.  Berkeley-based  NVF  has  been  a  Pacific  Coast  tour- 
ing venue  for  alternative  media  since  1992,  w/  stops  in  Port 
Townsend  WA,  Seattle,  Portland,  San  Fran.,  Santa  Monica  & 
others.  The  1999  tour  opens  June  5th  at  Fine  Arts  Cinema  in 
Berkeley.  This  year's  theme:  "the  videopoem" — 12  min. 
maximum.  Preview  on  VHS.  For  info  &  entry  form  contact: 
NVF,  Antero  Alii,  Box  7518  Berkeley  CA  94707;  (510)  464- 
4640;  anteros@speakeasy.org 

SOUTH  BEACH  ANIMATION  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  6,  FL. 

Deadline:  April  30.  The  most  outstanding  works  will  be 
screened  during  the  Anti  Film  Festival  at  Alliance  Cinema  in 
South  Beach,  FL.  Entries  should  not  exceed  20  min.  Preview 
on  VHS.  Tapes  will  not  be  returned.  Entry  fee:  $5.  Contact: 
SBAFF,  Imagine  That  Prod.,  1172  S.  Dixie  Highway,  Ste.  110, 
Coral  Gables,  FL  33146;  (305)  674-9998. 

WILLIAMSBURG  BROOKLYN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June,  NY. 
Deadline:  May  5.  Presented  in  collaboration  w/  Williamsburg 
Art  &  Historical  Center.  Int'l  fest  showcases  works  in  film  & 
video  in  following  categories:  feature  (above  75  min),  doc, 
experimental  &  short  subject.  Selected  entries  will  be  award- 
ed the  "Chameleon"  statuette  &  prizes.  Filmmakers  will  par- 
ticipate in  Q&A  sessions  &  panel  discussions.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  Beta,  1/2".  Preview  on  1/2"  only — non- 
returnable.  Entry  fee:  $30.  Contact:  Marco  Ursino,  Festival 
Director,  WAH  Center,  135  Broadway,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211; 
(718)  388-4306;  WBFF99@aol.com;  www.wahcenter.org 

YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  June,  OR 
Deadline:  May.  Founded  in  1975,  this  is  an  annual  juried  sur- 
vey of  outstanding  work  by  grade  &  high  school  students 
from  the  Northwest  (OR,  WA,  ID,  MT,  AK).  A  jury  reviews 
entries  &  assembles  a  program  for  public  presentation. 
Judges  Certificates  awarded.  About  20  films  &  videos  are 
selected  each  year.  Entries  must  have  been  made  w/in  pre- 
vious two  years.  Formats  accepted:  35mm,  16mm,  Super  8, 
3/4",  1/2",  Hi8.  Entry  fee:  none.  Contact:  Julie  Quarter, 
Festival  Coordinator,  Northwest  Film  Center,  1219  SW  Park 
Ave.,  Portland,  OR  97205;  (503)  221-1156;  fax:  294-0874; 
info@nwfilm.org 

Foreign 

BRITISH  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  16-23,  England. 
Deadline:  June  1.  BBC-sponsored  fest  takes  place  at  the  UCI 
Empire  in  London's  Leicester  Square.  During  the  course  of  a 
week  filmmakers  are  given  the  opportunity  to  screen  their 
films  at  a  prestigious  cinema  in  the  heart  of  London.  The  fes- 
tival also  enables  filmmakers  to  network  w/  like-minded 
people  &  industry  professionals.  Short  films  of  all  genres  are 
accepted  (40  min.  or  under).  Fest  is  competitive  (categs  vary 
each  year)  &  awards  will  be  given.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm, 
3/4",  Beta  SP  PAL,  S-VHS,  VHS.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry 
fee.  For  entry  form,  contact:  BSFF,  Lisa  Murray,  Festival 
Coordinator,  B202  Centre  House,  56  Wood  Lane,  London, 
W12  7SB;  Oil  44  181  743-8000  x.62222;  fax:  181 740-8540. 

CARROUSEL  INTERNATIONAL  DU  FILM  DE  RIMOUSKI, 

Sept.  20-27,  Canada.  Deadline:  May  16.  17th  annual  fest 
aims  to  promote  cinema  for  young  people  though  animation, 


WHEN  IT  COMES  TO 

ENTERTAINMENT  & 

MEDIA  INSURANCE 


WE  ARE 
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DeWIH  STERN 
GROUP,  INC, 

NEW  YORK 

420  LEXINGTON  AVENUE 

NEW  YORK,  N.Y.  10170-0199 

TEL:  (212)  867-3550  •  FAX:  (212)  983-6483 

JOLYON  F.  STERN,  President 


CAROL  A.  BRESSI-CILONA,  SR.  Vice  Pres. 


AFFILIATES  IN:   LONDON  •  PARIS  •  MUNICH 


THE 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  — 


•  Interformat  Online  Edit 

$  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post 

$  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit 

$120/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions 

Inquire 

Contact     us      for     other 

services, 

prices  and  access  information. 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:  (212)  219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


New  England's  Finest  Showcase  of  Independent  Film  &  Uideo 


thampton  Film  Festival 


tel:  413-586-3471 
fax:413-584-4432 
filmfest@nohofilm.or9 


November  3-7, 1999 
Northampton,  MA 

"The  No.  1  Small  Arts  Town 
in  the  Country" 


Call  for  Entries 


Deadline  June  30 

For  information  and  an  entry  form: 

visit  www.nohofilm.org 

or  send  SASE  to 

Northampton  Film  Festival 

351  Pleasant  St.,  No.  213 

Northampton,  MA  01060 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


FESTIVALS 


33rd  Annual  NEWYORK  EXPOSITION  OF  SHORT  FILM  AND  VIDEO 


SHORTS 

UNDER    10    MINUTES) 
FICTION 
ANIMATION 

DOCUMENTARY 

EXPERIMENTAL 
NEW  DIGITAL  MEDIA 

Co-sponsored  by  The  New  School  and  supported 
by  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  the 
Experimental  Television  Center.  Eastman  Kodak, 
Barbizon  Electric,  Future  Media  Concepts. 


DEADLINE    JUNE  1,1999 

festival  NOVEMBER  1999 

One  of  the  Major  American  Festivals  of  Independent  Rims. 
—THE  HEW  TORK  TIKES 

The  ideal  forum  for  breaking  new  indie  work. 
—  VILLAGE  VOICE 


FOR  ENTRY  FORM  AND  GUIDELINES:  New  York  Expo 

532  La  Guardia  Place  Ste  330  New  York.  NY  10012 

nyexpo@aol.com    www.yrd.com/nyexpo    212  505  7742 


CALL  FOR 
ENTRIES 


Documentary  Makers: 

Video  Animation  Stand 

3    CCD    CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  Price  In  New  York 

Contact:  Peter  cascone 


419  park  avenue  South 
TEL:  212-689-7678 


NEW  YORK,  NY  10016 
FAX:  212-689-7544 


— TMUM&lH 


an   independent  film  feiuvajr  ..* 

> 
may   7th   -   9th,    1999 

Birmingham,    alabama 


the  first   annual 


SIDEWALK   MOVING   PICTURE    FESTIVAL 

For    more    information,    phone:    205.414.1984.    fax:    205.870.0393 
info@sidewalkfest.com. 

www.sidewalkfest.com. 

(every  SIDEWALK   tells   a   story.) 


introductory  &  learning  activities,  film  screenings  & 
exchanges  among  the  various  int'l  players  in  the  film  indus- 
try. Films  must  not  have  commercial  distribution  in  Canada 
&  not  screened  at  any  other  Quebec  festival.  Films  must  be 
dubbed  in  French  or  in  its  original  version  w/out  subtitles  & 
accompanied  by  the  written  texts  of  dialogue  &  narration  in 
French  or  English.  Cats:  long  &  short  (competition),  long  & 
short  (information),  retro  &/or  tribute.  Awards:  Best  long 
film,  short  film,  actor,  actress;  Humanitas  award  &  public 
award.  Jury  members  are  14-17  yrs  old  &  from  various  coun- 
tries. Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  3/4".  For  entry  form  contact: 
Carrousel,  10  est  rue  de  I'Evanche,  CP  1462,  Rimouski, 
Quebec,  Canada  G5L  8M3;  (413)  722-0103;  fax:  724-9504; 
cifr@carrousel.qc.ca 

EURO  UNDERGROUND,  Oct.  14-Nov.  22;  Krakow,  Poland; 
Paris,  France;  Sofia,  Bulgaria;  Berlin,  Germany  &  Brussels, 
Belgium  w/  possible  other  countries  TBA.  Deadline:  June  1. 
3rd  annual  Euro  Underground  is  produced  by  the  Int'l  Film  & 
Performance  Society,  a  cross-cultural  arts  organization 
exhibiting  works  in  Europe  &  throughout  the  world.  EU  &  the 
IFPS  offers  filmmakers  a  global  exhibition  network.  Prizes 
include  post-festival  exhibition  in  Europe,  Asia  &  South 
America.  Euro  Underground  seeks  underground,  independent 
&  experimental  film  &  video  for  their  fall  '99  European  festi- 
vals. Cats  include:  features,  shorts,  docs,  animation,  exper- 
imental, installation,  performance  video  &  digital  work.  Euro 
Underground  will  exhibit  work  on  a  year-round  basis.  Euro 
Underground  Fall  festival  is  the  main  event  w/  exhibition 
series  set  up  throughout  the  year.  Filmmakers  are  encour- 
aged to  enter  early  for  consideration  in  the  global  exhibition 
network.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  experimental,  short,  anima- 
tion/digital, installation,  performance  video.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  First  round  judging:  preview  on  VHS.  $25 
for  short  work  60  min.  or  under;  $35  for  work  over  60  min. 
Contact:  Euro  Underground,  1658  N.  Milwaukee  Ave,  Ste 
142,  Chicago  IL  60647;  (888)  864-9644;  fax  (773)  292- 
9205;  lnfo@eurounderground.org;  www.eurounderground.org 

GALWAY  FILM  FLEADH,  July  6-11,  Ireland.  Deadline:  May 
28.  11th  annual  test  is  int'lly  recognized  &  is  the  foremost 
festival  for  presenting  new  Irish  films  alongside  cutting  edge 
int'l  cinema.  Last  year  over  30  Irish  &  int'l  filmmakers  were 
present  w/  their  films  as  well  as  a  comrehensive  selection  of 
int'l  critics  from  Variety,  Film  Comment  &  other  publications. 
Awards:  Best  Irish  short,  best  first  short,  best  doc,  best  ani- 
mation (all  must  be  directed  by  Irish  filmmakers)  &  best 
director  of  first  feature.  Entry  fee:  $10.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Beta-SR  VHS.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  Galway  Film 
Fleadh,  Guam  Mhuire,  Monivea  Rd.,  Galway,  Ireland;  Oil 
353  91 751655;  fax:  353  91 770746;  gafleadh@iol.ie;  www. 
ireland.iol.ie/~galfilm/fleadh 

IBC  WIDESCREEN  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  10-14,  Netherlands. 
Deadline:  June  4.  Fest  celebrates  creative  &  technical  excel- 
lence in  all  genres  of  widescreen  program  making.  Festival  is 
held  as  part  of  IBC — the  Int'l  Broadcasting  Convention,  the 
largest  broadcast  technology  &  electronic  media  event  held 
outside  the  US,  which  attracts  over  35,000  visitors  annually 
from  over  120  countries.  Festival  is  open  to  all  genres  of  tele- 
vision programs  but  entries  must  have  been  completed  after 
Jan.  1, 1998  &  must  have  been  broadcast  or  have  a  pending 
broadcast  date.  Awards:  Golden  Rembrandt  for  best  overall 
program  &  Silver  Rembrandt  for  best  runner-up;  craft  awards 


46    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


avail,  as  well.  Entries  accepted  on  VHS  (PAL  &  NTSC);  sub- 
mit widescreen  copies.  VHS  acceptable  for  nomination  stage 
but  nominated  programs  will  have  to  be  submitted  in  Beta  SP 
or  Digibeta.  Entry  fees:  Free  to  enter  a  program,  but  if  accept- 
ed for  the  festival  a  charge  of  $156  will  be  levied.  Contact: 
IBCWF,  Jarlath  O'Connell,  Festival  Co-ordmator,  Le  Nombre 
d'Or  Awards,  Int'l  Broadcasting  Convention,  IBC  Office, 
Savoy  Place,  London,  WC2R  OBL,  England;  Oil  44  171  344- 
5470;  fax:  44  171  240  8830;  joconnell@ibc.org.uk; 
www.ibc.org.uk/ibc 

MONTREAL  INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  NEW  CINEMA 
NEW  MEDIA,  Oct.  14-24,  Canada.  Deadline:  May  1.  Cats: 
feature,  short  &  medium-length  works,  new  media.  All  gen- 
res, all  formats.  Works  must  have  been  produced  after  Jan. 
1,  1998.  All  languages  accepted  w/  English  or  French 
(preferably)  subtitles.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC,  preferably,  or 
PAL).  Entry  fee:  $20  (subject  to  change).  Contact:  Claude 
Chamberlain,  Director,  MIFNCNM,  3668  Boul.  Saint-Laurent, 
Montreal,  Quebec,  H2X  2V4,  Canada;  (514)  843-4725;  fax: 
843-4631;  montrealfest@fcmm.com;  www.fcmm.com 

VIDEOART  LOCARNO  INTERNATIONAL  VIDEO  &  ELEC- 
TRONIC ART  FESTIVAL  Dec,  Switzerland.  Deadline  for 
VideoArt  competition:  June.  Founded  in  1980  annual  festival, 
programs  VideoArt,  video-installations,  multimedia  shows, 
colloquium.  Described  as  place  "where  artists,  critics  & 
philosophers  meet  to  have  a  point  to  discuss  the  state  of  the 
evolution  between  arts  &  technologies."  Competition  accepts 
works  produced  after  June  of  preceding  yr  &  unawarded  in 
other  tests.  Competition  criteria  incl.  any  work  that  falls 
under  the  heading  "video  art"  where  "artistic  research  & 
creativity  overshadow  both  technical  means  employed  &  ref- 
erence category  chosen  by  the  artist."  Awards:  Grand  Prix  del 
la  Ville  de  Locarno  (cash  prize  divided  between  Art  Video  & 
Installations:  15.000FRS),  UNESCO  &  Conseil  de  I'Europe 
Award  (2  grants  to  honor  new  talent),  Three  Laser  d'Or 
Awards  (to  artists,  theorists  &/or  institutions),  Artronic,  TV 
Picture,  World  Graph,  Prix  Lagomaggiore.  About  60  prods 
showcased  annually.  Formats:  3/4",  1/2".  Entry  fee:  none. 
Contact:  VideoArt  Festival  AIVAC  via  Varenna  45  Box  146, 
CH-6604,  Locarno,  Switzerland;  Oil  41  751 22  08;  fax:  41 
751 22  07;  avart@tinet.ch;  www.tinet.ch/videoart 

SAO  PAULO  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Aug. 
19-28,  Brazil.  Deadline;  May  30.  Founded  in  1990,  having  a 
cultural  &  noncompetitive  section,  the  festival  is  the  leading 
event  for  the  short  format  in  Latin  America.  Its  aims  are  to 
exhibit  short  films  produced  in  Brazil,  Latin  American  films 
as  well  as  int'l  films  that  may  contribute  to  the  development 
of  the  short  film  concerning  its  language  specific  shape  & 
way  of  production.  Festival  features:  Brazilian  Panorama, 
Latin  American  &  Int'l  Showcase  sections.  Entries  should 
have  a  maximum  running  time  of  35  min.  All  genres  accept- 
ed. Film  must  have  been  produced  in  1998/9.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Zita  Carvalhosa, 
Festival  Director.  SPISFF,  Associacao  Cultural  Kinoforum,  Rua 
Simao  Alvarez,  784/2,  05417  020,  Sao  Paulo-SR  Brazil; 
tel/fax:  Oil  55  11  852  9601;  spshort@ibm.net;  www. 
estacao.ignet.com.br/kinoforum/saoshortfest 


L  M  S 


512.471.6497 

fax  512.471.4077 

email  cinematx@uts.cc.utexas.edu 

web  http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/-cinematx 


1999  Call  for  Entries 


FIL7NA    FESTIVAL 

Iftk  Annual  Fill/Video  (estiva 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts/Stony  Brook  & 

Westhampton  Beach  Performing  Arts  Center 

May  20th-July  30th,  1999 

Call    or    Write    for    Entry    Forms    (Due  4/1/99) 

Christopher  Cooke,  Director 

Long  Island  Film  Festival 

c/o  P.O.  Box   13243 

Hauppauge,  NY   11788 

1-800-762-4769  .  (516)  853-4800 

From   10:00am-6pm,  Mon-Fri 

or  visit  our  website  at  www.lifilm.org 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  the 
number  of  placements  for  a  given  notice.  limit 
submissions  to  60  words  &  indicate  how  long 
info  will  be  current.  deadline:  1st  of  the 
month,  two  months  prior  to  cover  date  (e.g., 
april  1  for  june  issue).  complete  contact  info 
(name,  address  &  phone)  must  accompany  all 
notices.  send  to:  independent  notices,  fivf,  304 
hudson  st.,  6th  fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as 
current  as  possible,  but  double-check  before 
submitting  tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

BAY  AREA  VIDEO  COALITION  announces  1999  Artist 
Equipment  Access  Awards  call  for  entries,  in  postproduction 
grants  for  innovative  video  or  new  media  projects.  Every  year, 
BAVC  awards  multiple  grants  of  $1,500  worth  of  access  to 
BAVC's  media  facility  which  include  linear  &  nonlinear  video 
editing  equipment,  Windows  NT  &  Macintosh  computer  labs, 
closed/open  captioning  services  &  video  preservation  center. 
BAVC  takes  special  interest  in  video  artists  who  are  working 
on  projects  in  association  w/  community  groups  or  about 
community  issues.  Deadline:  Apr.  30.  Contact:  Natasha 
Perlis,  (415)  558-2119:  www.bavc.org 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  Two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 


1.  Contact:  OIFF,  2258  West  10th  St.,  #5,  Cleveland,  OH 
44113;  (216)  781-1755;  OhiolndiefilmFest@juno.com; 
www.rinestock.com/flickfest 


Conferences 


Workshops 


AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature 
films  &  shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  supervision  of  an 
experienced  feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple 
Avid  Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  13  features  & 
4  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  the  end  of  1999.  Principal 
photography  &  transfer  must  be  completed  on  feature-length 
film  (70+  min.)  or  short  (under  70  min.).  Can  be  doc,  nar- 
rative or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC  director. 
(503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

BAVC  offers  workshops  &  seminars  in  areas  of  video  &  mul- 
timedia production  &  postprod.  For  list,  contact  BAVC:  (415) 
558-2126;  www.bavc.org 

CINESTORY  NATIONAL  SCREENWRITING  CENTER  kicks  off 
its  4th  annual  Script  Session  in  San  Francisco,  June  4-6. 
Sponsored  by  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  &  Sciences 
Foundation,  San  Francisco  State  Univ.  Dept.  of  Cinema  & 
Film  Arts  Foundation,  the  conference  fuses  industry  profes- 
sionals w/  emerging  writers  in  an  intimate  10:1  ratio  via 
round  table  discussions,  one-on-ones  &  the  green  room, 
where  registrants  chat  casually  w/  pros.  Contact:  Cinestory, 




NEXT  WAVE  FILMS 


Known  for  providing  completion  funds 
to  feature  films,  IFC's  Next  Wave  Films 
[www.nextwavefilms.com]  is  expanding  with  a  new  digital  film  division. 
Entitled  Agenda  2000,  it  will  finance  and  produce  digital  films;  some  will 
presumably  have  their  premieres  on  the  Independent  Film  Channel. 
Structured  differently  than  the  Next  Wave  Film's  general  completion 
funds,  Agenda  2000  has  an  ongoing  deadline,  no  limit  on  financial  sup- 
port, and  a  comprehensive  on-line  digital  resource  guide.  [See  listing] 


ffffl 


(800)  6-ST0RY-6;  www. 
cinestory.com 


writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690; 
www.afionline.org 

F.O.C.U.S.  INSTITUTE  OF  FILM  call  for  screenplays:  "original, 
compelling  human  stories  that  promote  positive  values  & 
social  responsibility — material  that  endeavors  to  stir  the 
human  spirit."  2-5  screenwriters  selected  for  mentorship 
program  &  one  script  will  go  into  production.  Proceeds  from 
release  of  films  produced  by  F.O.C.U.S.  will  est.  academic  & 
vocational  scholarship  funds  for  underprivileged  foster  chil- 
dren. Deadline:  June  1.  Info  &  applic.  materials  avail,  by  fax- 
ing name,  address  &  tel.  no.  to:  (310)  472-1481  or  at 
www.focusmstituteoffilm.com 

OHIO  INDEPENDENT  SCREENPLAY  AWARDS:  Call  for  entries 
for  Best  Screenplay  Award  &  Best  Northcoast  Screenplay 
Awards.  All  genres  accepted.  Prizes  incl.  $1,000.  a  screen- 
play reading  at  the  Ohio  IFF  in  Nov.,  submission  to  a  LA  liter- 
ary agent,  screenwriting  software  &  industry  script  analysis. 
Entry  fee:  $40  per  screenplay.  Deadline:  Postmarked  by  June 


INDEPENDENT  TELEVI- 
SION SERVICE  considers 
proposals  for  new,  innova- 
tive programs  &  limited 
series  for  public  TV  on  an 
on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  Contact:  ITVS,  51  Federal 
St.,  Ste  401,  San  Francisco.  CA  94107;  (415)  356-8383; 
www.itvs.org 

MARK  LITWAK,  attorney  &  author  of  Reel  Power  & 
Dealmaking  in  the  Film  &  Television  Industry  presents  a 
seminar  on  Financing  Independent  Features  at  the  New 
School  for  Social  Research  on  Apr.  3.  Contact:  New  School  for 
Social  Research,  65  5th  Ave.,  New  York,  NY  10011,  (212) 
229-5620;  fax:  229-5648. 

Films  •    Tapes 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its  on- 
going program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for 
Independent  Film  Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on 
1/2"  VHS  tape.  Feature-length  independent  film,  doc  &  new 
media  projects  wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Ste  717,  LA.,  CA 
90028.  For  more  info,  call  (213)  466-FILM. 

ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All 


media  incl.  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622  or  call  (312)  733-2787. 

ASHLAND  CABLE  ACCESS  seeks  video  shows.  VHS.  S-VHS  & 
3/4"  OK.  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient  SASE. 
Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide,  Southern 
Oregon  State  College,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd.,  Ashland.  OR 
97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

THE  BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  & 
multimedia  works  made  specifically  for  Internet.  We're  look- 
ing for  original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  &  screen  ratio  for 
Internet,  that  challenge  assumption  of  bandwidth  limitations. 
Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium7  For  submission 
guidelines  check  out:  www.lnPhiladelphia.com/TheBitScreen 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS,  in  its  4th  year,  is  accepting 
video,  film,  computer-art  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
monthly  screening  program  called  "Independent  Exposure." 
Artists  will  be  paid  honorarium.  Looking  for  experimental,  dra- 
matic, narrative,  animation,  but  will  review  anything  for  a  pos- 
sible screening.  Submit  a  VHS  (or  S-VHS),  clearly  labeled  w/ 
name,  title,  length,  phone  number  along  w/  any  support  mate- 
rials, incl.  photos.  Incl.  $5  entry  fee  which  will  be  returned  if 
work  not  selected;  SASE  if  you  wish  work(s)  to  be  returned. 
Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair  Prod.,  2318  2nd  Ave.,  #313- 
A,  Seattle,  WA  98121.  Info/details:  (206)  568-6051; 
joel@speakeasy.org;  www.speakeasy.org/blackchair 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  &  feature-length 
European  films  on  video  for  language  project,  preferably 
without  subtitles.  We  desire  only  limited  rights.  Contact: 
Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970)  925- 
2805;  fax:  925-9880;  briann@rof.net;  www.rof.net/ 
yp/cinelingua.html 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  w/  up  to  350  industry 
attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up-S- 
corning filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams/Marceil  Wright, 
Doboy's  Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA 
90028;  (213)  293-6544;  doboydozen@aol.com 

DOCUMENTAL:  doc.  &  exp.  bimonthly  film  video  series  at 
LA's  historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of 
any  length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S-VHS,  &  3/4" 
accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie  Rudman, 
DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm  4026, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@post. 
drexel.edu;  www.httpsrv.ocs.drexel.edu/~dutv/ 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  for  the  99-00  exhibition  sea- 
son. All  media  considered  incl.  2-D,  3-D,  performance,  video, 
&  computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable  doc- 
umentation &  SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman  132, 
Central  Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  &  works-m-progress 
seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial  resources  for 
CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invited  audience  of 
industry  professionals.  Deadline:  On-going.  Contact: 
Tommaso  Fiacchino,  (212)  971-5846. 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for 


48    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


public/commercial  TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to 

Floating  Image  Productions,  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica,  CA 

90406  (incl.  SASE  for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www. 
artnet.net/~floatingimage 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  w/  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  &  distribution  within 
underground  community.  DIY,  exp.  &  activist  work  encour- 
aged. Send  VHS,  SASE  to  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for  on- 
going bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/ 
brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220 
Canal  St.  Station,  New  York,  NY  10013.  Info:  kf_vl@ 
hotmail.com 

MEDIASPACE  AT  DECORDOVA  ARCHIVE:  DeCordova 
Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of  video  art  & 
documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  &  new  genres 
from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new  media  arts 
archive.  Contact:  George  Fifield,  Mediaspace  at  DeCordova, 
DeCordova  Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd„  Lincoln,  MA  01773- 
2600. 

MIRROR,  MIRROR,  ON  THE  SCREEN  seeks  submissions  of 
re-edited  Hollywood  or  independent  shorts  for  May  exhibition 
of  works  which  explore  identification  w/  &  representation  of 
onscreen  characters.  All  participants  will  receive  a  small 
honorarium.  Send  VHS  &  SASE.  Deadline:  Apr.  20.  Contact: 
Liss  Piatt,  c/o  Visual  Arts  Department,  Mason  Gross  School 
of  the  Arts,  Rutgers  University,  33  Livingston  Ave.,  New 
Brunswick,  NJ  08901;  lissplatt@thorn.net 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  administrative 
fee  to:  New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W.  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY 
10011;  (212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  a  brief  Q&A  w/  audience. 
Works  longer  than  15  mins  will  be  considered  for  the  regular 
group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on 
16mm  w/  an  optical  track.  Please  send  all  films,  together  w/ 
completed  entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short  Film 
Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N. 
6th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax  (718)  388-8713; 
ocularis@billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  on-going 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  &  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  &  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact:  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286  or  kensherman@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE,  presented  by  Rodeo  FilmCo.,  is 
Portland-based  roving  showcase  &  distr.  co-op  for  exp  & 
underground  film/video.  Curated  shows  exhibited  bi-monthly. 
Formats:  16mm,  VHS.  $5  entry  fee.  Contact:  Peripheral 
Produce,  Rodeo  FilmCo.,  Box  40835,  Portland,  OR  97240; 


NEW  DAY  FILMS  is  the  premiere  distrib- 
ution cooperative  for  social  issue  media. 
Owned  and  run  by  its  members,  New 
Day  Films  has  successfully  distributed 
documentary  film  and  video  for  twenty- 
five  years. 

Call  415.332.7172 

Seeking  energetic 
independent  makers 
of  social  issue 
documentaries  for 
new  membership. 

http:/ /www.  newday.com 

Finding  Stock  Footage 


with  a  process  which  is 

pleasurable,  productive, 

and  even  inspiring 


ENERGY 


1. 800. IMAGERY  |  conadal.800.361.3456 
www.digital-energy.com|   Fuel  lor  Thought. 


June  15th,  1999 

ROSARITO  BEACH, 
BAJA  CALIFORNIA 


I  Ik*  m  lining  location  of  ihr  movie  epic,  "fl  I ANK 


1ST  PRIZE  $2,000  flus 
2ND  PRIZE  $1,000 />/"-< 
3RD  PRIZE    $500   pfus 


FOR  INFORMATION  &  APPLICATION 
Send  S.A.S.E.  to  our  U.S.  Border  address 

BISC 

P.O.Box  439030 

SanYsidro,  CA  92143 

(619)  615-9977 


Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  15  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project. 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support. 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


ProTools  24  Mix  Plus 
ADR,  Voice  Over 
Foley  Recording 
Duplications 


Solar  Film/Video  Productions 


212.473.3040 


632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


NOTICES 


STUDENTS:  CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

How  is  POPULATION  GROWTH  affecting 

CONSUMPTION  •  ENVIRONMENT  •  SUSTAINABILITY 

$10,000  IN  PRIZES 

NO  ENTRY  FEE 

TV  EXPOSURE*  NATIONAL  TOUR 

For  more  information,  a  resource  guide  and 
a  copy  of  the  video  Best  of  Festival ,  contact: 
WPFVF  •  46  Fox  Hill  Road,  Bernardston,  MA 

01 337  •  TL:  800  638-9464  •  FX:  41  3  648-9204 

eM:  info@wpfvf.conn  •  www.wpfvf.com 

Sponsored  by  Sopris  Foundation,  Searchlight 

Films  &  Population  Communications  International 


TRULY    MODERN 


•  AATON  XTRprod  SUPER  16/16mm 

•  ARRI  SR2  16mm 

•  SONY  DVW-700  DIGITAL  BETACAM 
WITH  FILM-STYLE  ACCESSORIES 

•  SONY  BVW-D600  BETACAM  SP 

•  STEADICAM  PRO 

•  1  &  3-TON  GRIP  &  LIGHTING  /  HMI'S 

•  FIELD  AUDIO  FOR  FILM  &  VIDEO 

•  INDIE  FRIENDLY-LOW  WEEKLY  RATES 


MQDERN  M9UIE 

MACHINE! 


QUALITY    PRODUCTION    EQUIPMENT   RENTALS 

281-561-7200 

888-569-7200 

mmm@insync.net 

www.modernmovie.com 

HOUSTON,  TEXAS 


mattmproduce@msn.com 

SHORT  TV,  a  new  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  direct- 
ed to  show  &  promote  short  films,  is  seeking  submissions. 
Contact:  Short  TV,  (212)226-6258. 

THE  SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST  The  Net's  first  on-going  film 
festival  seeks  short  noncommercial  indie  films  &  videos.  Web 
users  can  vote  for  their  favorite  shorts  in  each  of  six  cats: 
animation,  doc,  experimental,  less  than  a  min.,  narrative, 
made  for  Net.  New  films  are  added  each  month  &  there  are 
new  winners  every  minute.  Fest  never  ends.  Filmmakers 
must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  music.  Send  VHS  &  entry 
forms  (avail,  at  site)  to  Carla  Cole,  The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh 
Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD  20740;  info@thesync.com 

WORLD  OF  INSANITY  looking  for  videos  &  films  to  air  on  local 
cable  access  channel,  particularly  anything  odd,  bizarre, 
funny,  cool.  Any  length.  One  hr  weekly  show  w/  videos  followed 
by  info  on  makers.  Send  VHS/S-VHS  to:  World  of  Insanity,  Box 
954,  Veneta,  OR  97487;  (541)  935-5538. 

WXXI  Public  TV's  The  Screening  Room  wants  short 
films/videos,  animation,  art  films  &  longer-length  docs  for  pos- 
sible screenings  on  weekly  primetime  series.  Topics  are  your 
choice,  but  should  be  suitable  a  general  television  audience. 
Submit  on  VHS.  If  chosen,  a  broadcast  quality  version  will  be 
required.  Contact:  (716)  258-0244;  kmeyers@wxxi.org 

Publications 

IFFCON  99  transcripts  are  now  avail.  Topics  discussed  by 
financiers  &  producers  include:  "Myths  &  Realities  of 
Domestic  Financing"  &  "The  New  Digital  Frontier"  Send  $45 
to  IFFCON;  360  Ritch  St.;  San  Francisco,  CA  94107.  For  more 
info  call  (415)  281-9777. 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION  Save  the  Ideas1 
Without  independent  sources  of  ideas  &  discussion,  democ- 
racy &  dissent  cannot  thrive.  IPA  works  to  nurture  indie  pub- 
lications committed  to  justice  for  all.  Contact:  IPA,  2390 
Mission  St.,  #201,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110-1836;  (415) 
634-4401;  indypress@indypress.org;  www.indypress.org 

MEDIA  MATTERS:  Media  Alliance's  newsletter,  provides 
comprehensive  listings  of  New  York  area  events  &  opportuni- 
ties for  media  artists.  For  free  copy,  call  Media  Alliance  at 
(212)  560-2919;  www.mediaalliance.org 

THE  SQUEALER  Quarterly  journal  produced  by  Squeaky 
Wheel  puts  upstate  NY  spin  on  media-related  subjects.  Once 
a  year  The  Squealer  publishes  "State  of  the  State,"  a  com- 
prehensive resource  issue  w/  detailed  info  on  upstate  media 
arts  organizations,  access  centers,  schools  &  coalitions. 
Subscriptions:  $15/year.  Contact:  Andrea  Mancuso,  Squeaky 
Wheel,  175  Elmwood  Ave.,  Buffalo,  NY  14201;  http:// 
freenet.buffalo.edu. -wheel/ 

Resources  •  Funds 

BAVC  OPENS  JOB  RESOURCE  CENTER:  Funded  by  San 
Francisco  Mayor's  Office  of  Community  Development,  the  Job 
Resource  Center  provides  San  Fran  residents  w/  free  access 
to  info  &  resources  pertaining  to  video  &  new  media  industries. 
Internet  access  avail,  for  online  job  searches,  industry  publi- 


cations, career  development,  books  &  job/internship  listings. 
Open  Mon.-Fri.  12-6  p.m.  BAVC,  2727  Mariposa  St ,  2nd  fl., 
San  Francisco,  CA  94110;  (415)  861-3282;  www.bavc/org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  film  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts 
Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916) 
322-6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@ 
cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.,  501(c)(3),  nonprofit  arts  education 
organization  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is 
planning  to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools 
&  is  looking  for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound, 
lighting  &  editing  equip,  in  good  working  order.  Donations  of 
equipment  gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan 
Blanchfield,  Executive  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

FUND  FOR  JEWISH  DOCUMENTARY  FILMMAKING  offers 
grants  from  $5,000-$50,000  for  production/completion  of 
original  films  &  videos  that  interpret  Jewish  history,  culture  & 
identity  to  diverse  public  audiences.  Applicants  must  be  US 
citizens  or  permanent  residents.  Priority  given  to  works-in- 
progress  that  address  critical  issues,  combine  artistry  & 
intellectual  clarity,  can  be  completed  within  one  yr  of  award, 
&  have  broadcast  potential.  Deadline:  Apr.  6.  Contact:  Natl 
Foundation  for  Jewish  Culture,  330  7th  Ave.,  12th  fl.,  New 
York,  NY  10001.  (212)  629-0500  x.  205. 

LATINO  PUBLIC  BROADCASTING  PROJECT  (interim  replace- 
ment for  the  National  Latino  Communications  Center)  is  now 
accepting  funding  requests.  Independent  producers  or  pro- 
duction entities  of  Latino  origin  which  are  creating  their  pro- 
posed programs  on  an  independent  basis  (no  funding  from  a 
film  studio  or  public/commercial  broadcast  entity,  whether 
on  a  for-hire,  commission  or  employment  basis)  are  eligible 
to  apply.  Looking  for  television  programs  such  as  drama,  doc, 
comedy,  satire,  animation,  experimental  works  or  innovative 
combinations  either  as  single  programs,  limited  series,  new 
productions,  or  works-in-progress.  Especially  interested  in 
projects  that  provoke  thoughtful  dialogue  &  impact  on  how 
the  general  public  understands  &  interprets  the  Latino 
American  experience.  You  may  submit  only  one  appl.,  for  one 
program  or  series,  per  review  period.  A  limited  number  of 
applicants  will  be  asked  to  submit  additional  support  mater- 
ial for  Phase  II.  Submissions  must  be  received  by  May  4. 
Contact:  LPBP  6777  Hollywood  Blvd.,  Ste.  501,  Los  Angeles, 
CA  90028;  (323)  466-7110;  www.cpb.org/library/mconsortia/; 
www.latinofilm.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  foun- 
dation or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
non-profit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

NEW  DAY  FILMS:  premier  distribution  cooperative  for  social 
issue  media,  seeks  energetic  independent  film  &  videomak- 
ers  w/  challenging  social  issue  documentaries  for  distr.  to 
nontheatrical  markets.  Now  accepting  applications  for  new 
membership.  Contact:  New  Day  Films,  22D  Hollywood  Ave., 
Ho-Ho-Kus,  NJ  07423;  (201)  332-7172;  www.newday.com 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
was  est.  to  help  exceptionally  talented  filmmakers  launch 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


their  careers.  In  addition  to  furnishing  finishing  funds,  com- 
pany also  helps  implement  festival  &  press  strategies,  serves 
as  a  producer's  rep  &  assists  in  finding  financing  for  film- 
makers' next  films.  Contact  company  before  production  & 
then  apply  for  finishing  funds  w/  rough  cut.  Contact:  Tara 
Veneruso/Mark  Stolaroff,  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste. 
E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  launch® 
nextwavefilms.com 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard 
TV  lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr).  Contact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346  9th 
St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814;  fax: 
863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  www.naatanet.org 

OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  program 
offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system  for  first 
serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp.  or  narrative 
form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered.  Provides 
camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  deadline,  but 
allow  10  week  minimum  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana 
Meaux,  Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA 
98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  dana@ 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  offered  by  Film  Arts  Foundation  to 
doc  filmmakers  living  in  California,  Oregon  &  Washington. 
Limited  to  organizations  certified  as  public  charities  which 
control  selection  of  individual  recipients  &  supervise  their 
projects.  Grants  range  from  $l,000-$8,000  w/  approx. 
$75,000  awarded  annually.  For  proposal  summary  sheet, 
send  SASE  to:  Film  Arts  Foundation,  346  Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl., 
San  Francisco,  CA  94103,  or  call:  (415)  454-1133. 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs.  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  incl.  student  thesis  films.  Send  SASE  to:  Kelly 
Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto 
Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367-2602. 

PEN  WRITER'S  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS WITH  AIDS.  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers,  incl. 
screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emergency  funds 
are  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or  professional 
development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center,  568  Broadway, 
New  York,  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  Student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, doc  &  experimental/animation/multimedia.  Deadline: 
Jan.  1, 2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on  grants). 


AIVF  MEMBERS: 
SEND  US  YOUR  EMAIL! 

aivf  is  collecting  email  addresses 

to  better  inform  you  of  upcoming 

events  and  membership  matters. 

Send  to:  members@aivf.org 


AVID  EDIT  SUITES 

OFFLINE/ON    LINE/3DFX 

Grafix  Suite /After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O.  Booth /Read  To  Picture 


VOICE 


1D4  WEST  Z9TH  ST     NY  1DDD1 


212.244.0744 


212.244.0690 


Avid    MC9000,    MCIOOO 

Film  Composer,  Xpress  Plus 

off/on-line  AVR77  &  3D  DVE 

Digital  Betacam,   Digital  I/O 

DVCPRO,   3/4  SP,   HIS  S  VHS         V        I        D 

transfers  &  duplication  Crush  available] 

Macintosh  graphics  &  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  (Jazz,   Zip,   Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  &    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

offering  special  ra-^es  fcf  ar-ijs't.s  and  ind<  pendents  since  1  tch 

212.529.82D4 

DV8VIDE0  /  738  BHORDUHV  /  PENTHOUSE  /  H V C  10003 


rirf 


Mini-DV  and  DVCAM  dubs  to  BETA 

...at  prices  independent 
filmmakers  can  afford 


212-765-0600  Lichtenstein  Creative  Media 

1600  Broadway  Suite  601  New  York,  M.Y.  10019 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


&ASSIFIEDS 


CONTACT:  [scott@aivf.org]  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 
MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  APRIL 
1  FOR  JUNE  ISSUE).  CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240  CHAR- 
ACTERS (INCL.  SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST 
$25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEM- 
3ERS;  240-480  CHARACTERS  COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR 
AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR  NONMEMBERS.;  480-720 
CHARACTERS  COST  $60/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS, 
$90  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER 
ID#.  ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE 
EDITED.  ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPA- 
NIED BY  A  CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF, 
304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY 
CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD 
NUMBER;  NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING 
ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5  + 
TIMES  RECEIVE  A  $5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 
making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely 
up-to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film 
festivals,  distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition 
venues,  media  arts  funders,  film  and  video  schools,  broad- 
cast venues  &  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video 
Coalition,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110; 
(415)  861-3282;  fax:  861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

EMOTIONAL  MASTURBATION:  collection  of  4  award-winning 
short  films;  provocative  visual  poetry,  VHS.  $15  check/m.o. 
to  Gothic  Prod.,  3145  Geary  Blvd.,  Box  405.  San  Francisco, 
CA  94118.  Info:  www.netlingo.com/gothic 

FOR  RENT:  Sony  DCR-VX1000  3-chip  digital  camera.  Also 
available:  mic,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both  short 
&  long-term  rentals.  Call  (718)  284-2645. 

GUERILLAQUIP  Light  &  Grip  equipment  rental.  Mole- 
Richardson,  Arri,  Lowell;  complete  light  &  grip  packages  & 
light  kits  for  the  true  low-budget  indie  filmmaker  Our  prices 
will  help  you  get  it  in  the  can!  (212)  252-2485;  gonllaquip® 
smartweb.net 

MINT  CONDITION  Postproduction  equip,  packages  for  sale: 
Lightworks  "Heavyworks  system"  film  editorial  (2)  20"  Sony 
monitors,  (8)  nine  gig  drives  (4  are  new  Seagate  drives),  19" 
Sony  NTSC  monitor,  HD  rolling  metal  racks,  custom  bundled 
&  labeled  cabling.  •  Pro  Tools  Sound  Mix  (8  channel)  v  4.0 
PCI  135  MHz.  64  Mb  ram.  9  gig  drive,  D10  DAT  w/TC  Board. 
CD  player  w/  effects  library,  celestion/velodyne  speakers. 
DA-88,  Sprint  Folio  Board,  Zip.  Jaz,  VSD.  CD  burner,  HD  rolling 
racks,  Alesis  M  500  amp,  custom  bundled  cables.  •  Media 
100  Video  &  Graphics  station,  PCI  132  MHz  Power  Mac,  144 
Mb  ram,  300  Kb  frame  resolution,  2x9  gig  Raid  Array,  20" 
Sony  monitor,  Mackie  mixer,  Roland  speakers,  After  Effects. 
PhotoShop,  Quark  &  more  software,  Arcus  II  bed  scanner  All 
3  systems  avail,  for  working  inspection.  Provide  your  own 
technical  operator/consultant.  Call  (212)  414-0736  for 
appointment. 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  lloewinger@earthlink.net 


SOUND  CREW  &  EQUIPMENT  FOR  RENT  Need  a  reliable 
sound  recorder  &  boom  operator  for  high  quality  recordings 
w/  modern  equipment?  We  have  qualified  staff,  Sony  DAT 
recorders,  Nagras  &  Sennheiser  mics.  Competitive  rates. 
Reductions  for  low  budgets.  Laterna  equipment  (718)  965- 
3885. 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I 

Deliver!  All  types/best  prices:  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW- 
1800)  $150/day,  $450/week.  S-VHS  offline  edit  system 
$350/week.  Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Lights, 
mics  &  mixers.  David  (212)  362-1056. 


Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER'  Distributor  of  award- 
winning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disability  & 
related  issues  invites  new  work.  Fanlight  Productions,  4196 
Washington  St.,  Ste.  2,  Boston,  MA  02131;  (800)  937-4113; 
www.fanlight.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  considera- 
tion. Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr., 
Derry,  NH  03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5 
Powderhouse  Lane,  Sherbom,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquariusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

ATOMFILMS  is  a  new,  innovative,  short-film  distribution 
company  seeking  high-quality  short  films  in  all  genres  (30 
minutes  or  less)  to  distribute  to  broadcast  and  cable  TV, 
home  video,  DVD,  Internet,  hospitality  &  other  major  markets. 
Films  must  have  all  clearances  and  rights  for  commercial 
distribution.  Submissions  on  VHS  (NTSC,  PAL,  SECAM): 
AtomFilms  Acquisitions.  80  S.  Washington,  Suite  303, 
Seattle,  WA  98104;  information@atomfilms.com;  www. 
atomfilms.com 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR7  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788  or  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 

violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribu- 
tion. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTHx.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distnb, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassett.es  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Ste  506,  NY  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com.  Ask  for  our 
Distribution  Services  brochure. 


Freelancers 

35MM/16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the 
low-budget  feature!  Call  TOM  today  for  booking.  (201)  807- 
0155. 

AATON  &  DAT  equipped  team  seek  projects  of  interest.  Years 
of  experience  include  indie  films,  docs,  commercials  & 
b'cast.  We  have  talent,  experience,  style  &  dedication  for 
filmmaker  w/  vision.  (888)  699-8881;  cinedirect@ 
hotmail.com 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video, 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACADEMY,  EMMY  NOMINATED  producer/director/writer/edi- 
tor Hoop  Dreams.  20  years  expertise,  all  areas,  fundraising 
to  distribution:  features,  documentaries,  theatrical,  broad- 
cast/cable. Work  1  hr-1  yr  Contact  only  if  s.th.  in  cash.  (773) 
278-8278;  Fmfilm@aol.com 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172;  AndrewD158 
@aol.com 

ARCHIVAL  FILM  RESEARCHER,  highly  regarded,  compre- 
hensive archival  film  researcher  avail,  for  doc  projects,  films, 
commercials  &  videos.  References  avail.  Contact:  Rosemary 
Rotondi;  799  Greenwich  St.,  Loft  Six  S.,  NY,  NY  10014;  (212) 
989-2025;  fax:  989-4607;  RotondiResearch@onepine.com 
I  will  locate  the  footage  you  need,  on  schedule. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  (212)  627- 
9256. 

BETA-SP  videographer  w/  new  Sony  Betacam  SR  mics  & 
lights.  Very  portable,  lightweight  &  I'm  fast.  Experience 
includes:  docs,  interviews,  industrials,  fashion  shows  & 
comedy  clubs.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand-held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking 
interesting  projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam 
SR  cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to 
travel.  Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com.  Credits:  Tromeo 


52    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brush  fire, 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  productiv- 
ity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/  Std.  16 
Aaton  XTR  Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass® 
concentric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
RS.A.S,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel.  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

COMPOSER  for  film/video,  new  media  projects.  Innovative 
sounds  that  won't  strain  your  pocketbook.  For  a  free  demo  & 
brochure,  contact  Progressive  Media  Arts  at:  (415)  550- 
7172;  pma@progmedia.com;  www.progmedia.com 

COMPOSER:  David  Majzlin  has  composed  for  award-winning 
directors,  video  games  &  dance  companies.  Fully  digital 
recording  studio.  Free  consultation  &  demos  on  request. 
(212)  838-0485;  david@davidmusic.com;  www. 
davidmusic.com 

COMPOSER:  Affordable  original  music  in  any  style  that 
enhances  the  mood/message  of  your  project.  Save  money 
without  compromising  creativity.  Full  service  digital  recording 
studio,  Yale  MM.  FREE  demo  CD/intial  consultation/rough 
sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242-2691;  joe56@ 
earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  versatile  composer  avail,  for  scor- 
ing, sound  design.  Can  meet  all  postproduction  requirements. 
Video  &  audio  reels  avail.  Cam  Millar  (212)  781-7737; 
Ccmillar@aol.com 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  Well- 
known  composer/performer  &  expert  in  World/Ethnic  music 
styles.  Call  for  CD  incl.  new  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaver@aol.com 

COMPOSER  FOR  FILM/TV:  Academy  Award  winning. 
Broadcast:  PBS,  NBC,  ABC,  CBS.  Highly  experienced  &  dedi- 
cated. Music  in  all  styles  w/  an  original  touch.  Complete  dig- 
ital studio.  Reasonable  rates.  Leonard  Lionnet  (212)  980- 
7689. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/D.P  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065;  365892@ 
newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  with  Arri  SR  II  w/  tap,  and 
Panavision  filters,  Sony  Beta  SR  HMI's,  Kino  Flos,  Jimmy  Jib 
&  grip  truck.  I  make  great  pictures,  work  fast  &  have  tons  of 
experience.  Call  for  reel:  (203)  254-7370;  page:  (917)  824- 
3334. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  8891775 


Let's 

Make  History 

At  WPA,  all  we  really 
think  about  is  history. 

\^s^^1       British  Pathe                 '\ 
ySy^^SI        News  Archive                 v 
■4^m       £jjk.     <1896t°197°) 

And  time.  We're  a  film 

and  video  archive,  and 

we  act  as  custodians  to 
the  world's  most  cele- 

4^J 

^■W      JT~~M       WETA-TV          |' 

Ammr    L^       \  \         Public 

brated  collections  of 

^MmmB^mr             mrnw^                          ^     Television 
|E»      m           Amr                                        Archive 

moving  images.  We 

^1   m       fk 

provide  historical          i 
footage  to  television 
programs.  Lots  of  it.  Al 
of  it  wonderful  to  look 
at.  But  we  also  provide 

r 

I 

3 

^W^^JV           ^X^^^^^^^^             ^mr          The 

Sn'^H^m^ii  wf^   ^^^Bw        willie  Nelson 

^K'"M|wVI                                   ^^Bk.           Archive  of 
SrV-^V-  "            h^^^J    ^^^             ^^k    (1958  to  1984) 

ideas.  And  context.  Anc 
a  producer's  sensibility. 

i 

^Ff 

mWm^mWm^m. 

1  %     ^^\  *    V 

When  you  work  with 

WPA,  you  work  with  a 
remarkable  team  of  his- 

mm                        The  Hullabaloo 
mm              ^L\            Archive  of 
—W              H        Popular  Culture 
km              MM       (1964to1966) 

torians  and  archivists, 

researchers  and  artists, 
movie  buffs  and  rights 
specialists.  We  call 

k-W               /  *  ^¥f        ColorStock 
MkW                 1     ^^^     \      Archive  of  Retro 
JmW                  i-^*"^\.  \          Americana 
l        MLW                                       N|      (1945  to  1975) 

ourselves  Merchants  of 

Time.  Let's  Work  Together 
Let's  Make  History. 

^*s.         ?     \     40,000  hours  of  history, 
rt"    m      music,  nature,  and 
V/*'***^^       popular  culture 

The  WPA  Film  Library 

Merchants     of    Time 

1-800-77 

16101  South  108th  Avenue  •  Orlai 

A  si* 

7-2223 

sijiiiry  of  the  MP1  Mcjia  Gump 

www.mpimedia.com/wpa 

L<H>! 

rk,  1L  •  60467 

•  708-460-0555  .  Fax:  708-460-0187  •  Email:  wpasales@mpimedia.com 

April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


A VI DS  TO  GO 


Luna  delivers. 


* 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term //short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


PMEnna 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


Mil 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  £i£  MicroNet  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


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212  253  9472 


BRAVO 

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Sound  Stage  Rentals 

34'  x  28'  x  14' 

600  amps 

Hard  Cyc/Blue  Screen 

$595/day 

On-line  Editing 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  VC,  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

DVE:  Pinnacle  Alladin  with  many  Effects 

Video  Toaster  4.1 

S85/hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages 

Sony  DVCam: 

DSR-130 $325  /day 

DSR-300 $225/day 

Audio  Services 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55/hour 

In-house  Sound  Design  &C 

Scoring  also  available. 

Tel:  212  679  9779   Fax:  212  532  0444 


CLASSIFIEDS 


16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  35mm,  S16mm/16mm. 
Creative,  experienced,  award  winning,  w/  feature,  ads,  docs, 
music  videos  &  industrial  credits.  Own  Am  SR  1  S16/16mm 
pkg  w/  Zeiss  lens,  tungstens,  sound  pkg.  LKB  Prod.:  (718) 
802-9874. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page:  (917)  953- 
1117 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award  winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/  new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg.;  Media  100  editing.  Trilingual  in 
English,  Spanish  &  German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project. 
Reasonable  rates.  Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7398. 

DOCUMENTARY  TEAM  wants  new  challenge.  DP  &  mixer  with 
decades  of  experience  seek  filmmakers  with  mission.  Film  & 
video  packages  avail.  (888)  699-8881;  docuteam@ 
hotmail.com 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778  Derek 
Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle  rates. 

DP/EDITOR:  Avid  (AVR  77,  Sony  D-30  Beta  SP  or  Aaton  XTR 
package.  Sound  &  lights.  Edit  suite  w/  city  view.  Speak 
French,  Spanish,  Farsi.  Commercial,  doc  &  feature  credits. 
Andre:  (212)  367-3730  or  (917)  873-7953. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/  18  years 
experience  in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  pro- 
jects. Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952- 
0848;  Ruvn@aol.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID,  14  years  experience,  including  4  fea- 
tures. Full  featured  Avid  MC1000  w/  AVRs  3-77,  3D  DVE, 
Ultimatte  &  Film  matchback.  Low  price  package  deals  for 
independent  projects.  Contact  Dan  Lantz  at  (610)  337-3333. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec,  dir  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  and  equip- 
ment. 16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  and  features.  Vincent 
(212)  995-0573. 


54    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 
MTV,  feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

INDIE  RECORD  LABEL:  Do  you  need  original  soundtrack 
material  for  your  independent  film?  Great  tracks  available 
from  independent  record  label.  Small  budget7  No  budget? 
Let's  discuss!  Contact:  NeveRecords:  (718)  623-2660; 
amias@pobox.com 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  pro- 
jects. Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music 
video  &  documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246- 
8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national Network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  time  code 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  pro- 
jects. Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  beeper  (800) 
796-7363  (ext/pin  1021996);  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

SONY  VX1000  DIGITAL  CAMERA  w/  cameraman.  Kenko  wide 
angle  lens,  Sennheiser  ME  66  shotgun  mic,  boom,  XLR 
adapter,  pro  tripod,  3  Bescor  4  hour  batteries.  $150/day. 
(212)  677-6652. 

SOUNDS  LIKE  a  "cross  between  Steely  Dan  &  Jackson 
Browne  with  some  Frank  Zappa  humor  thrown  in."  Good, 
short,  varied,  pop  songs  avail,  for  films.  Will  work  with  your 
budget.  Boomer  Music  &  Records.  Toll  free  (877)  298-9953; 
Boomerrec@aol.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

STEADICAM:  Videographer  creating  dolly-like  movements 
w/out  heavy,  cumbersome  dolly  equipment.  Steadicam  is 
able  to  strike  lines  w/  graceful  curves.  Avail,  for  all  applica- 
tions. Vic  Blandburg  (703)  941-4497;  Box  2254,  Merrifield, 
VA  22116;  photo8224@aol.com 

Opportunites  •  Gigs 

COLUMBIA  COLLEGE  CHICAGO  invites  applications  for  sev- 
eral full-time  tenure-track  teaching  positions  avail.  Sept. 
1999  in  large,  production-oriented  dept.  Duties  may  incl.  stu- 
dent advising,  registration,  departmental  &  college  commit- 
tee work,  as  well  as  supervising  MFA  thesis  productions. 
Review  begins  March  15  &  continues  until  all  positions  are 
filled.  •  Production  Faculty:  Significant  professional  exp 
required  in  one  or  more  areas:  cinematography,  directing, 
editing,  production  management,  producing  &  screenwriting. 
Teach  entry-level  production  classes;  knowledge  of  filmmak- 
ing digital  appls  a  plus;  M.F.A.  preferred.  •  Cinema  Studies/ 
Production  Faculty:  Teach  undergraduate  classes  in  Film/ 
Video  History  &  Aesthetics  &  supervise  multi-section  cours- 
es. Teaching  &  production  exp  in  one  or  more  areas:  audio, 
cinematography,  directing,  editing,  production  management, 
producing,  or  screenwriting  is  required.  M.F.A.  or  Ph.D.  pre- 
ferred. •  Computer  Animation:  Experienced  teacher  w/ M.F.A. 
or  M.A.  degree  in  Art/Design  &/or  professional  w/  at  least  4 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212)  889-1775 


Judge  us 
By  The 


"We:    Kee 


Smithsonian  Institution 

Tifie  film  collection  from  the  gieat  cultural 
institution's  Office  of  lelecommunications. 


KHJJAM 

Trie  world's  premier  collection  of  early  motion 
pictures,  silent  features,  and  shorts:  1896-1940. 


Hearst  historical 

'np  nl  thp  nrpmipr  nktnrirni  rnllprtir 


One  of  the  premier  historical  collections 
dating  back  to  the  turn  of  the  century. 


Andrew  Conti 
tel:  (212)  653-1558 
fax:  (21 2)  799-9258 


HOT 


COOL,      OT7TS 

email:  clips@filmclip.com 


WPIXTV11 

footage  from  Ws  best  news  station.  From  I948  to  the  present. 
[  lackie  0,  Yankees,  Studio  54  &  morel 


Rick  DeCroix 
tel:  (212)  799-1978 
fax:(212)  712-9297 


THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  CONTEMPORARY  &  ARCHIVAL  STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


CLASSIFIED  S 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

"3?  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  "» 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41s1  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


Context  Studios 

Film  &  Video  Services 


LOW  COST 


film-to-video 

transfer 

•  double  system 

•  time  coded  transfers 

precise  drop  frame  sync  for  computer  editing 
and  original  picture  matchback 

•  mag  track  recording 

PLUS: 

•  non-linear  editing 

•  1 6  track  digital  recording  studio 

•  film  and  video  screening 

•  theater  with  lights,  sound  system,  multiple 
camera  video  recording  and  live  switching 

•  10,000  Sf  Of  Space  for  rehearsal, 
shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  StUdiOS    •  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009*  (212)505-2702 


Creative  editorial 
services  for  film 
and  television. 

A  seasoned  and  capable  editor 
with  documentary  and  feature 
credits,  as  well  as  national 
•    TV  commercials  and  award- 
winning  corporate  video. 
• 

MEDIA  100  EDIT  SUITE... 

'ledia  100XR  (300kB, 

..eal-Time  transitions). 
54GB  storage,  BetaSR  SHVS, 
DAT,  CD,  Scanner,  After  Effects, 
Photoshop,  Illustrator... 


John  Slater 


(800)      807-4142 

MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS  WELCOME 


yrs  exp.  on  SGI  workstations,  Softimage  &  Alias  software. 
Strong  record  of  professional  accomplishment  as  an  inde- 
pendent &/or  fraditional  animator  preferred.  Ability  to  teach 
traditional  animation  courses  &/or  computer  animation  his- 
tory a  plus.  Program  emphasis  on  story  &  content  rather  than 
technology,  as  students  prepare  for  employment.  Duties  incl. 
curriculum  refinement  &  budget  preparation.*  Cinemato- 
graphy: Teach  cinematography  classes,  including  camera 
operation,  image  design  &  composition,  lighting  for  motion 
picture  &  video,  photochemistry,  laboratory  processing  & 
densitometry.  Significant  professional  exp  as  D.P  &  be  willing 
to  expand  into  areas,  incl.  digital  appls.  M.F.A.  preferred; 
teaching  exp  highly  desirable.  •  Columbia  College  Chicago  is 
a  diverse,  open  admissions,  urban  institution  of  8,600 
undergraduate  &  graduate  students  emphasizing  arts  &  com- 
munications in  a  liberal  education  setting.  We  offer  a  com- 
petitive salary  &  excellent  benefits  pkg.  Minority  &  women 
especially  encouraged  to  apply.  Film/Video  Search  (Specify 
Position),  Columbia  College  Chicago,  600  S.  Michigan  Ave., 
Chicago,  IL  60605,  eoe  m/f/d/v 

FRESH  AIR  FUND  seeks  photography  teacher  to  lead  studio 
&  documentary  classes  during  9  wk.  summer  residential 
camp  in  Fishkill,  NY  for  NYC  teens.  Prior  teaching  exp.  req'd. 
Resume  to  Miriam  Seidenfeld,  1040  6th  Ave.,  3rd  fl„  NYC 
10018;  (800)  367-0003.  eoe. 


long  &  short  form  nonlinear  editing  affordable 

rates  for 
online/offline,  motion  graphics,  film  independents! 


INDIE  PROJECTS:  Innovative  film/video  co.  seeks  entrepre- 
neurs in  arts,  all  areas:  equip,  operators,  directors,  crews, 
editors,  etc.  Visit  www.scnproductions.com/eia.htm  to  view 
projects.  Compensation  is  end  determinative. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 

Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns.  Shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  Low  budget  indie 
rates,  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

SCREENPLAYS,  SHORTS  SOUGHT  by  producer  &  director 
for  production  in  '99.  Under  30  min.  only.  Magic  Child 
Productions,  10  Park  Ave.,  Ste.  #18B,  NY  NY  10016. 
Include  SASE  for  return. 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/ 
films-in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials 
include:  Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates. 
Brochure:  (212)  219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 


P0STPR0DUCTI0N 


65  st.  marks  place,  suite  16,  nyc  10003  David  Chmura,  editor 


TN^i^,,  -^  FILM  &  VIDEO 
JJGuOLLJL  212-228-1914 


16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


I 


THE    ASSOCIATI 

VIDEO    AN 


N    OF    INDEPENDENT 
i    FILMMAKERS 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
video  and  filmmakers.  ATVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
an  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
increased  public  appreciation  of 
independent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
&  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  ATVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  letting  you  know 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 

thelndependent 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
Membership  provides  you  with  a 
year's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
Thought-provoking  features,  news, 
and  regular  columns  on  business, 
technical  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
festival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
funder  profiles,  funding  deadlines, 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  ATVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing 
transfers,  editing  and  other  production 
necessities.  Plus  long-distance  and 
overnight  courier  services  are 
available  at  special  rates  for  AIVF 
members  from  national  companies. 
Members  also  receive  discounts  on 
hotels  and  car  rentals. 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  www.aivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 
on-line  services  such  as  searchable 


databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  distribute  informational  resources 
on  financing  funding  distribution, 
and  production;  members  receive 
discounts  on  selected  titles.  With 
over  600  volumes,  our  office  library 
houses  information  on  everything 
from  distributors  to  sample  contracts 
to  budgets. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers 
called  AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities 
across  the  country.  These  member- 
run,  member  organized  salons 
provide  a  unique  opportunity  for 
members  and  non-members  alike  to 
network  exhibit,  and  advocate  for 
independent  media  in  their  local 
area.  To  find  the  salon  nearest  you 
check  the  back  pages  of  The 
Independent  the  AIVF  website,  or 
call  the  office  for  the  one  nearest 
you.  If  you  can't  find  one  in  your 
area  then  start  one! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts  • 
on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events  •  book 
discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  members' 
only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 
subscription  to  The  Independent,  which  is  shared  by  both 

NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION/BUSINESS  fr  INDUSTRY  MEMBERSHIP 
All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to  The 
Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  special  mention  in 
The  Independent 


UBRARYAJNIVERSnY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIW  TODAY! 


□  $100/1  yr. 

□  $150/1  yr. 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES 

Student  □  $35/1  yr. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr. 

Supporting         □  $9S/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization 

Business  8r  Industry 

LIBRARY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 

Name 

Organization __ 

Address 

City 


□  $60/2  yrs. 

□  $100/2  yrs. 

□  $150/2  yrs. 


State 


ZIP 


Weekday  teL 
Email      


Country 
fax 


MAHJN6  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  Canada  -  add  $1S 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 


Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  S01(cX3). 


X 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF* 

(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 

Or  please  bill  my      Q  Visa      D  Mastercard 

Acct# 

Exp.  date:        /        / 

Signature 


Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  Floor,  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  £07-1400  x236, 
by  fax  (212)  463-SS19,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org 


IsTm 


rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown,  near 
all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925-1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 
services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft).  Call 
TOM  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less7  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  EDITOR:  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  resolutions.  Beta  SR  DAT,  Extra  hard  dri- 
ves. Pro-tools  sound.  Editing-mixing.  Fast  &  easy  to  get  along 
with.  Will  work  on  your  Avid  or  mine.  Drina  (212)  561-0829 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal  only. 
Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Betacam 
SP  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by-scene  only. 
Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
w/  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Use  your  equipment  or  my  well-equipped  stu- 
dio. Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incL  major  agencies 
(Young  &  Rubicam,  Seiden  Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  & 
Johnson,  Weight  Watchers,  Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW, 
Goldman  Sachs).  Media  100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After 
Effects,  Beta,  Scanner,  DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John 
Slater:  (800)  807-4142;  www.johnslater.com 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID  in  a  spacious  air-conditioned 
suite,  located  at  180  Varick.  Avid  1000;  AVR  3-77;  69  GB 
storage;  Beta  deck;  Media  Composer  6.5.3.;  Power  Mac 
9600.  Available  now.  Call  Moxie  Films,  Inc.  (212)  620-7727 

MEDIA  100  for  rent  in  Boston:  Excellent  rates!  Top  of  the  line 
XR  system  with  300  KB  resolution;  32  gigs  hard  drive  space; 
Beta  SP  deck;  Private  office  with  24  hour  access  and  beau- 
tiful garden.  Call  Liz  Canner  (617)  266-2418. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8  .  .  .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates, 
tech  support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available.  (212) 
431-9299. 

MEDIA  100  PCI,  broadcast  quality,  real  time  suite:  Beta-SR 
Hi8,  3/4",  VHS.  AfterEffects,  Elastic  Reality,  PhotoShop, 
Illustrator,  Hi  Res  Scanner.  Short-  &  long-term  TV  or  feature 
projects  in  comfortable  Tribeca  setting.  (212)  941-7720. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee.  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpost 
video.com 

THE  MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  & 
3/4  suites,  Hi-8  video,  Super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services. 
Call  Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 


www.16x9dtv.com 


ShOOt  for  the  Future 

I  6 '.9  DTV  is  our  business 

RGni3l    digital  cameras  /  lights  /  sound 

ECl  it  on-line  /  off-line  non-linear 

Ur    &  OTGW      35  features / documentaries  ... 
16:9  Broadcast  Camera 
w/DP,  Lights,  Sound  w^  doing  greal  in  4  3  ,or  20  years. 

we're  now  delving  Into  nDTV 

Produce  for  the  Next  Millennium 

Discount,  Benefits  &  Co-prod.  Opportunities  for  our  h8-VtSK)N  members     Call  for  details  212  334  4778 


THE SCHOOL  of  FILMMAKING 

•  Professional  conservatory  program 

to        •  Complete  production  and  post-production 
facilities  in  the  all-new  Studio  Village 

1  Award-winning  professional  faculty 


North  Carolina. 


School  of  the  Arts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina. 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  listed  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office: 
304  Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &.  Vandam)  6th 
fl.,  in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.); 
C,  E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.)  We  encourage 
people  to  RSVP  for  events  (larger  events  require 
50%  deposit  to  save  seats)  as  well  as  check  in  tor 
updates  and  potential  time  changes.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  ext.  301  for  the  latest  info. 

April  Events 

AIVF  PROUDLY  CO-SPONSORS 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT  SCREENPLAY  READING 
AND  SHORT  FILM  SERIES 
When:  Every  Tuesday 

Doors  at  7:30,  short  film  screening  starts  at  8 
Where:  Nuyorican  Poets  Cafe,  236  East  3rd  St.,  NY 
G«t:  AH  tickets  $8. 

To  make  reservations/hear  more  details:  Contact  Fifth 
Night  (212)  529-9329. 

The  Fitch  Night  Screenplay  Reading  and  Short 
Film  Series  has  presented  over  1 50  readings,  with 
nearly  30  scripts  curretnly  in  production  or 
already  produced.  This  acclaimed  weekly  program 
presents  narrative,  feature 'length  readings  that 
can  push  a  script  to  the  next  level.  Past  screen- 
plays have  included  Kicked  in  the  Head,  Trees 
Lounge,  and  Sudden  Manhattan,  read  by  such 
actors  as  Stanley  Tucci,  Janeane  Garofalo,  and 
Frances  McDormand.    Screenings  of  short  films 


precede  all  readings.  The  Fifth  Night  provides  an 
inspiring  environment  for  screenwriters,  produc- 
ers, actors,  agents,  and  financiers  to  network  and 
create  community. 

AIVF  ANNUAL  MEMBERSHIP  MEETING 
When:  Thursday,  April  9,  6:30-10  p.m. 
Mingling  starts  at  6:30; 
Meeting  comes  to  order  at  7 
Where:  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network 
537  W.  59th  St  (&  10th  Ave.),  NYC 
Cost:  Free  to  all  and  open  to  the  general  public 
To  register /hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 
RSVP  required. 

Join  fellow  AIVF  members,  the  AIVF  Board,  and 
staff  and  learn  more  about  our  plans  tor  the 
upcoming  year.  Enhancing  the  evening  will  be  a 
special  surprise  guest  and  screening!  Details  will 
appear  on  our  website  and  on  our  Events  Hotline. 

meet  &  greet: 
Eureka  Pictures,  Inc. 

When:  Thursday,  April  15,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10/general  public 

T>  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

RSVP  required. 

Eureka  Pictures,  Inc.  is  a  New  York-based  produc- 
tion company  committed  to  producing  low-budget 
independent  features  with  unique  perspectives, 
focusing  on  emerging  directorial  talent.  Eureka's 
feature  productions  include  The  Myth  of 
Fingerprints,    Breathing    Room,    and    Alexandre 


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Jennifer  Low 
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director),  and 

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Jodi  Collins 

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Rockwell's  Louis  and  Frank.  Currently  in  post  is 
The  Opportunists,  starring  Christopher  Walken. 
Eureka  is  also  in  its  fourth  season  of  Split  Screen,  a 
half-hour  magazine-style  series  seen  on  Bravo  &. 
the  Independent  Film  Channel  hosted  by  indie 
maverick  John  Pierson. 

PANEL  DISCUSSION: 
FILMMAKING  TECHNOLOGY— PAST  AND  PRESENT 
(WITH  A  SPECIAL  DEMONSTRATION  OF  EDITDV) 

Steve  Ascher  discusses  his  revised  version  of  The 
Filmmaker's  Handbook:  A  Comprehensive  Guide  For 
the  Digital  Age 

When:  Monday,  April  19,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  $5  AIVF  mem- 

bers/$  1 0        general 

public 

To  register/hear  more 

details:    (212)    807- 

1400  x.  301.  RSVP 

required. 

The  Filmmaker's 
Handbook  has  been 
a  staple  of  produc- 
tion know-how 
since  its  publication 
in  1984-  Ascher,  whose  acclaimed  documentary 
Troublesome  Creek:  A  Midwestern,  won  the 
Audience  Award  and  the  Special  Jury  Prize  at  the 
1996  Sundance  Film  Festival,  has  revised  this 
essential  reference  book  to  incorporate  digital 
technology.  Join  AIVF  as  Ascher  leads  a  discus- 
sion with  David  Leitner  on  new  and  old  meth- 
ods— traditional  and  computer-based  editing  sys- 
tems, film-to-tape  transfers  and  vice  versa,  shoot- 
ing with  film  and  video  cameras,  and  analog  and 
digital  recording.  The  discussion  will  be 
enhanced  by  a  demo  of  editDV,  courtesy  Smart 
Machines. 

Signed  copies  of  The  Filmmaker's  Handbook:  A 
Comprehensive  Guide  for  the  Digital  Age  ($18.95) 
will  be  available  for  purchase. 


AIVF  CO-SPONSORS  NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-Sponsored  by  Angelika  Entertainment  Corp. 
6k  the  New  York  Underground  Film  Festival 
When:  Every  Wednesday;  shorts  at  7  p.m.; 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


features  at  8 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave) 
Cost:  $5  for  both  shows.  Tkts  avail,  at  box  office. 
For  a  complete  schedule:  Visit  the  AIVF  Resource 
Library  to  pick  up  an  Anthology  monthly  schedule,  or 
call  Anthology  at  (212)  505-5110. 

New  Filmmakers  gives  independent  film-  and 
videomakers  the  chance  to  exhibit  their  work  to 
the  public  and  New  York  audiences  the  opportu- 
nity to  see  outstanding  new  films.  A  year-round 
festival,  the  program  is  administered  by  filmmak- 
ers for  filmmakers. 

IVIsy  Preview 

FIFTH  NIGHT  READING  SERIES  AND  AIVF  PRESENT: 
THE  ART  OF  THE  SHORT  FILM 

When:  Saturday,  May  15,  all  day.  (Launched  with 
The  Fifth  Night  2nd  Bi-Annual  Spring  Party  on 
Friday,  May  14.  Details:  (212)  529-9329.) 

This  comprehensive  workshop  will  combine 
screenplay  readings,  film  screenings,  and  discus- 
sion. Scripts  of  one  narrative  and  one  documen- 
tary will  be  examined,  followed  by  screenings  of 
the  completed  films  and  filmmaker  Q&A.  The 
day  will  wrap  up  with  a  panel  of  festival  program- 
mers, curators,  and  filmmakers  on  the  marketabil- 
ity and  lifespan  of  the  short.  Details  to  be 
announced  on  the  AIVF  Events  Line  and  on  our 
website. 

LET  AIVF  DO  THE  NETWORKING  FOR  YOU 

We  get  an  average  of  35  walk-ins  per  week  of  film- 
makers looking  to  crew  up  or  get  involved  in  pro- 
jects. Our  resume  bank  and  bulletin  boards  are 
filled  with  listings  of  talented  cast  and  crew  look- 
ing for  projects  and  collaborators.  We  are  currently 
updating  our  resources,  so  send  us  your  resumes  or 
business  cards! 

Likewise,  if  you  are  looking  to  crew  up  your 
project,  mail  or  fax  us  your  posting.  (Please 
include  a  deadline  or  announcement  date  on  the 
flyer  to  help  keep  our  boards  current.)  Send  infor- 
mation to  the  attention  of  Michelle  Coe,  program 
and  information  services  director,  Resume  Bank 
c/o  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fL,  NY,  NY  10013. 

FILM  BYTES 

Every  Monday  at  8  p.m.  ET  at  www.pseudo.com, 
AIVF  co-hosts  FILM  BYTES,  a  webcast  series 
about  independent  media  production.  Produced 
by  Kinotek  6k  Pseudo  Network. 

NOT  RECEIVING  YOUR  INDEPENDENT! 

If  you  have  any  problems  receiving  The 
Independent  or  questions  regarding  your  AIVF 
membership,  please  call  LaTrice  Dixon  or  Marya 
Wethers  x.  236. 


Dear  AIVF,  FAF,  and  IDA  Members: 

The  National  Coalition  of  Independent  Public  Broadcasting  Producers 
seeks  your  feedback! 

In  1988  Congress  established  the  Independent  Television  Service 
(ITVS)  to  bring  independently  produced  programs  to  public  televi- 
sion. This  action,  in  response  to  wide-spread  grassroots  pressure 
from  public  television  audiences,  promised  to  foster  programs  that 
involve  creative  risk  and  to  address  the  needs  of  unserved  and 
underserved  audiences,  particularly  children  and  minorities.  In  the 
past  decade,  ITVS  has  funded  171  single  programs,  19  limited  series, 
and  55  kids  spots  totaling  260  hours  of  programming. 

The  National  Coalition  of  Independent  Public  Broadcasting 
Producers,  a  dedicated  group  of  media  representatives  from  across 
the  country,  was  created  by  the  same  enabling  legislation  which  cre- 
ated ITVS.  The  Coalition  serves  two  important  functions:  1)  to 
appoint  members  to  the  ITVS  board  of  directors;  and  2)  to  serve  as 
a  "watchdog"  through  political  challenges,  controversies,  and 
changes  in  the  independent  media  landscape.  The  Coalition  works  to 
assure  that  ITVS  fulfills  its  hard-won  place  in  support  of  makers 
and  audience  alike. 

In  199  8  our  three  membership  organizations  became  permanent 
designees  on  the  Coalition.  Joining  AIVF,  IDA,  and  FAF  representa- 
tives will  be  two  independent  representatives  from  the  field.  During 
the  transition  in  fall  of  1998,  Louis  Massiah  (of  Scribe  Video 
Center),  Lillian  Jimenez  (representing  the  previous  Coalition),  and 
Dee  Davis  (as  a  departing  ITVS  board  member)  served  on  the 
Coalition. 

The  first  and  very  important  task  this  newly-configured  group 
undertook  was  to  nominate  to  the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting 
five  ITVS  board  members  to  serve  alongside  those  board  members  whose 
terms  expire  in  1999  and  2000.  The  newly  appointed  board  members 
are  Juanita  Anderson  (independent  producer,  Boston),  Cynthia  A. 
Gehrig  (Jerome  Foundation,  St.  Paul),  Kevin  Martin  (KERA,  Dallas), 
Cara  Mertes  (independent  producer,  New  York),  and  David  Rosen  (media 
consultant,  San  Francisco). 

Appointing  ITVS  board  members  and  watchdogging  ITVS'  activities 
are  ongoing  responsibilities.  In  this  spirit  we  ask  you,  our  mem- 
bers, to  make  the  success  of  the  Coalition— and  the  future  of  ITVS— a 
high  priority. 

We  commit  our  best  efforts  to  represent  the  interests  of  inde- 
pendent producers  in  this  newly  restructured  Coalition.  We  welcome 
your  comments,  questions,  and  ideas  as  we  join  together  to  maximize 
the  future  potential  of  the  Independent  Television  Service. 

Very  sincerely, 

Diane   Markrow,    Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers 

Gail    Silva,    Film  Arts  Foundation 

David  Haugland,     International  Documentary  Association 

NOTE:  Correspondence  to  the  Coalition  may  be  sent  via  email  to 
"itvscoalition@hotmail.com"  or  snail  mail  to  Coalition,  c/o  Film  Arts 
Foundation,  346  Ninth  Street,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103. 


ALL-NEW   RESOURCES! 

PRINTED  TO  ORDER'CONTINUALLY  UPDATED  frnm   A|VF/FIVF 


i  must 


THE  AIVF  FILM  AND  VIDEO  SELF-DISTRIBUTION  TOOLKIT 

edited  by  loannis  Mookas  $25/20  members  plus  shipping  and  handling 

A  comprehensive  collection  of  articles  and  interviews  with  filmmakers  and  industry  professionals  on  how  to  make 
a  go  on  your  own  and  come  out  ahead.  The  Toolkit  includes  case  studies  of  successful  self-distribution  models 
with  emphasis  on  theatrical  and  educational  distribution  for  features,  documentaries,  and  experimental  projects. 

THE  AIVF  FILM  AND  VIDEO  EXHIBITORS  GUIDE 

edited  by  Kathryn  Bowser  $30/25  members  plus  shipping  and  handling 

have  for  film  and  videomakers  searching  for  exhibition  outlets.  The  Exhibitors  Guide  presents  handy  pro- 
files of  over  900  screening  sites,  from  commercial  arthouses  to  colleges  and  universities  to  artists'  spaces. 


CALL  NOW  (212)  807-1400  x.303,  or  visit  www.aivf.org 


April  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


TRADE  DISCOUNTS 


School 


Learn  How 

Independent  Filmmaking 

Really  Works 

THE  ART  OF  THE  PITCH 

The  Shooting  GalleryS  Jim  Powers 

coaches  you  on  pitching 

your  project  to  the  industry. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY 
FOR  THE  DIGITAL  AGE 

A  breakdown  of  digital  video 

from  shooting  through  post, 

with  screenings  on  video  and 

35mm. 

Spring  Session  Begins  In  March 

Call  for  complete  class  listing. 

212-965-9444  x240 

reelschool@filmmakers.org 

http://www.filmmakers.org/school.htm 


m5^0 


Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

audio  &  video 
post-production 

protools  4  /  media  100  /after  effects 

1 6  -  track  lock  to  betacam  sp  &  3/4 

voice  over  &  adr/sound  effects 

video  capture  &  compression 

original  music/sound  design 

special  rates  for  independents 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

2  12.431.1130      x  I  0 

596  Broadway,  Suite  602,  NYC  10012 

http://www.li  arvestworks.org 


Discounts  are  available  to  current  AIVF  members 
with  card.  NY  discounts  listed  in  the  Jan/Feb  issue. 

ARIZONA 

FX  Factory 

(520)  623-3175;  FXFactory@aol.com 
Special  effects  production  studio  specializing  in  film  effects, 
prosthetics,  and  makeup  effects  for  film,  TV,  and  theater.  AIVF 
members  receive  15%  to  30%  discount  on  labor. 

CALIFORNIA 

Aries  Post 

1680  Vine  Street,  Ste.  216,  Hollywood,  CA  90028 
Contact:  Kevin  Glover  (213)  463-6296;  ariespost@aol.com 
10%  discount  off  rate  card  for  all  video  post-production  ser- 
vices including:  Beta  SR  Hi8,  3/4",  S-VHS  &  DVC  to  Beta  SP 
analog  A/B  editing  &  AVID  nonlinear  suite. 

Mill  Valley  Film  Group 

104  Eucalyptus  Knoll,  Mill  Valley,  CA  94941 
Contact:  Will  Pamnello  (415)  381-9309;  fax:  389-9110; 
MVFG@aol.com 

Independent  documentary  producers,  established  &  award- 
winning  provide  free  consultation  when  you  rent  from  us  with 
35%  discounts  on  Media  100SX,  Media  lOONubus,  Avid  400s, 
VHS  cuts  only  system  &  Beta  SP  production  package. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

215  N  Highland  Ave.,  Hollywood,  CA  90038 

Contact:  Richard  Kaufman  (800)  824-3130; 

fax:  (213)  463-2121;  SFTSERVICE@SPTWEB.COM 

10%  discount  on  new  Fuji  16mm  film,  llford  16mm  b/w  film, 

Maxell  videotape  (all  formats),  all  editorial  supplies  mcl.  leader. 

mag  stock,  splicing  tape  &  computer  data  storage  media. 

Virgin  Moon  Post 

56  E.  Main  St.,  Ste.  207,  Ventura,  CA  93001 

Contact:  Ken  Finning  (805)  652-6890;  fax:  (805)  652-6899 

10%  discount  on  all  post-production  services-.  Media  100XS, 

Betacam  SP.  Adobe  After  Effects,  Adobe  Photoshop,  Boris 

Effects,  online/offline,  Fresh  Music  Library,  DLT  Back-up,  Quick 

Time. 

COLORADO 

MovieMaker 

4730  Table  Mesa  Dr,  Ste.  B-100,  Boulder,  CO  80303 
Contact:  Susan  L.  Kinney  (303)  449-6300;  fax:  (303)  499-7245 
15%  discount  on  video  production  services  including  shooting, 
editing  script  consultation. 

FLORIDA 

Film  Friends 

729  NE  71st  St.,  Miami,  FL  33138 
Contact  Mik  Cribben  (305)  757-9038;  fax:  (305)  757-9795; 
mikcamera@earthlmk.net 

20%  discount  on  extensive  range  of  equipment  rentals-,  cam- 
era, video,  lighting  sound,  grip  &  Steadicam. 

ILLINOIS 

Cybertech  Media 

26  W.  482  Blair,  Winfield.  IL  60190 

Contact:  Larry  Spiegel  (630)  690-7611;  fax:  690-2143; 

MEDIA@CYBERTECHMEDIA.COM 

10%  discount  on  all  videotape  conversions  to  streaming  video 


formats  such  as  Real  Video,  NetShow,  or  Vivo  for  use  on  the 
Internet,  or  Quicklime  and  AVI  formats  for  use  on  CD-ROM. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

110  WKinzie  St..  Chicago,  IL  60610 

Contact:  Max  Good  (800)  467-0070;  fax:  (312)  467-0074; 

SFTchi@Ameritech.net 

10%  discount  on  new  Fuji  film  &  llford  B/W  film. 

MARYLAND 

East  Light  Productions 

413  S.Ann  St.,  Baltimore,  MD  21214 
Contact:  John  Kavanaugh  at  (410)  276-4696  or  Jaime  Roberts  at 
(410)  583-2583;  fax:  (410)  342-1368;  LCPJK@ER0LS.COM  or 
LAMIER@H0ME.COM 

30%  discount  on  Avid  editing  or  negotiate  for  projects.  10% 
discount  on  Beta  SP  shoots,  Sony  600  (switchable  16x9  for- 
mat), or  Sony  70IS  camera  package. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  Inc. 

25  Riverview  Terrace,  Springfield,  MA  01108-1603 

Contact  Ins  Girard  (413)  736-2177;  fax:  734-1211 

nenm@nenm.com 

10%  minimum  discount  on  negative  cutting  services  on  any 

format.  FREE  use  of  16mm  or  35mm  8-plate  Steenbeck  editing 

suites.  Call  for  details. 

NEW  JERSEY 

Ren  Media 

2011  St.  George  Ave.,  Rahway,  NJ  07065 

Contact:  Ruth  Kennedy  (732)  382-6815;  fax:  382-5329 

Discounts  on  music  scoring  for  film/video. 

TEXAS 

R.W.  Productions 

Contact  Ken  Herbert  (713)  522-4701;  fax:  522-0426 
10-25%  discounts  off  the  standard  price  of  D-Vision  (offline), 
Media-100  (online),  Beta  SP  camera  package,  16mm  Arn-BLs. 

Texcam 

3263  Brenard  Ave.,  Houston,  TX  77098 

(713)  524-2774;  fax:  524-2779;  texcam@iapc.net 

Up  to  15%  discount  on  film  camera  packages  (16mm  and 

35mm). 

VERMONT 

Edgewood  Motion  Picture  and  Video 

162  N.  Main  St.,  Rutland,  VT  05701 

Contact:  David  Giancola  (802)  773-0510;  pbeckwl968@ 

aol.com 

25%  off  production  (Betacam  SP,  3/4",  ARRI  16mm  and 

35mm),  editing  (AVID  Media  Composer  1000,  Betacam  SP/ 

3/4"  on-line)  and  audio  mix  (digital  audio  facilities). 

WASHINGTON,  D.C. 

Yellow  Cat  Productions 

505  11th  St.  SE,  Washington,  D.C.  20003 

Contact:  Mary  Flannery  (202)  543-2221;  fax:  543-2287; 

yellowcat@yellowcat.com 

15%  off  of  a  full  day  video  shoot  with  a  2  person  crew,  15%  off 

any  Avid  editing  in  charming  townhouse  on  Capitol  Hill. 

*  See  www.aivf.org  for  our  comprehensive  listing. 


60     THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


@SEsa 


AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for  members  to 
discuss  work,  meet  other  independents,  share  war 
stories,  and  connect  with  the  AIVF  community 
across  the  country.  Note:  Since  our  copy  deadline  is 
two  months  before  the  meetings  listed  below,  be  sure 
to  call  the  local  organizers  to  confirm  that  there  have 
been  no  last-minute  changes. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  1st  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30  p.m. 

Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 

Contact:  Mike  Camoin  (518)  489-2083;  videos4c@ 

cris.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  6:30  p.m. 
Where:   Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets  off  of 
Monroe  Dr. 
Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE  (404)  352-4225  xl2 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday  of  the  month,  8  p.m. 
Where:  Electric  Lounge,  302  Bowie  Street 
Contact:  Ben  Davis,  (512)  708-1962 

Birmingham,  AL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Michele  Foreman,  (205)  298-0685 

Boston,  MA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Susan  Walsh,  (508)  528-7279 

Brooklyn,  NY: 

When:  4th  Tuesday  of  each  month;  call  for  time. 
Where:  Ozzie's  Coffeehouse,  7th  Ave.  &  Lincoln  PI. 
Contact:  Glenn  Francis  Frontera,  (718) 
646-7533 


Charleston,  SC: 

When/Where:    Last   Thursday   of 

each   month   from    6:30-8:45    p.m.    at   Charleston 

County  Library  Auditorium,  68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolim,  (843)  805-6841;  filmsalon@ 

aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Annetta  Marion,  (216)  781-1755 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  3rd  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7p.m. 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice  Center, 

1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location 

Contact:  Diane  Markrow,  (303)  449-7125  or 

Jon  Stout  (303)  442-8445 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 


Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:  Houston  Film  Commission  Hotline,  (713) 

227-1407 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  each  month,  5:30  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  location 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or  dot(a  inet- 

nebr.com 

Kansas  City,  MO: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  John  Sjlobom  (816)  333-7574 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month,  call  tor  time. 

Where:  Cappiccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial  Village 

Rte.  27  &  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 

Contact:  Allen  Chou  (908)  756-9845  or  www.pas- 

sionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:   Jim  Gherer,   ACES   Media   Arts  Center, 

(203)  782-3675 

Portland,  OR: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254 

San  Diego,  CA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:    Paul    Espinosa,    espinosa(5!electriciti.com 

(619)  284-9811 

Seattle,  WA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  locations. 
Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  282-3592 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Monday  of  each  month  from  6-8 
p.m.  at  Club  Congress,  311  E.  Congress,  in  down- 
town Tucson. 

Contact:  Beverly  Seckinger,  (520)  621-1239,  Robert 
Ashle  at  robert@access.tucson.org  or  visit  http:// 
access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4 

Westchester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:    Bob   Curtis,    (914)    741-2538;   reel  11(5 

aol.com  or  Jonathan  Kaplan  (914)  948-3447;  jkap3(a 

juno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  times. 

Contact:   Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique,  www.cboss. 

com/flickclique 

For  updates  or  changes  to  this  listing  contact  LaTrice 

Dixon  x.  236  or  members@aivf.org 


NO  SALON  IN  YOUR  AREA? 

We  have  a  new  resource  kit  for  folks  wanting 

to  start  an  AIVF  salon  in  their  community. 

If  you  are  interested,  call  Latrice  Dixon  at 

(212)  807-1400  x.236,  or  visit  the  salon 

section  at  www.aivf.org 


J  /  n  e/  &  & 


Create 


non-linear  video  editing 


in  the  comfort 


of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Hanley,  Editor 

212.254.1106 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 

FEATURES 

SHORTS 

DOCUMENTARIES 

BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

DEMO  REELS 

MUSIC  VIDEOS 

CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services  with 
experienced  cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/563  0210 

FAX:  212/563  0221 

mercient@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


AA 


l/\ 


April  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


V 


D 


O 


REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM    SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —   3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)   219-9240 
Fax  (212)   966-5618 


w 


Learn 

Film 

Making 

in  Vermont 


u . 


B.A.  Degree  program. 

Learn  from  successful  independent 

filmmakers  in  beautiful  Burlington. 

Vermont.  Call  for  more  information. 


Jw!/?  Burlington 

lh'/>t  MM,  95  Worth  Ave.  Burlington  VT  05401 
1-800-862-9616    www.  burkol.edu 


»~^~-l-~  =  *V    »    ^ 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 


Academy  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs 

The  Man1  Duke  Biddle  Foundation 

Home  Box  Office 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation 

Jerome  Foundation 


NYSCA 


Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 
Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3; 
Intrepid  Film  6k  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  Respectable  Street  Inc.;  GA: 
Legacy  Pictures  Inc.;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  MI:  Jes  6k  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MO:  Wild 
Pictures,  LLC;  NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  Galarza  6k  Associates,  Inc.;  NV:  United  Pictures; 
NY:  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  C  6k  S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment;  Catherine  Carey;  Dynamism;  Fred 
Ellis;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  G  Productions;  LD  Media  Corp;  Media 
Principia;  Merci  Entertainment,  Inc;  New  Rican  Filmmaker;  One  Such  Films;  Remez  Corp; 
Sundance  Channel  LLC;  Surf  and  Turf  Films  Inc.;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune  Pictures; 
Wonder  Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI:  Treasure  Chest  Television;  TX:  Aries 
Productions;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services; 
WA:  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures;  Spain:  Sogecable 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona 
University;  CA:  Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish 
Film  Festival;  Media  Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  RJB  Productions;  USC  School  of  Cinema 
TV;  University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest  New  Haven;  GA: 
Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii;  IL:  Community 
Television  Network;  The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The 
Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media  Working  Group;  MA:  Harvard  Medical  School; 
Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film  Festival;  MD:  Laurel  Cable 
Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  Public  Benefit 
Corp;  WTVS  Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts; 
Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  NC:  Institute  For  Public  Media  Arts;  NE: 
Ross  Film  Theater;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  ASCAP;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for 
Visual  Arts,  Inc.;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Cinema  Arts  Centre; 
Communications  Society;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster 
Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Film  Forum;  Films  for  Educators;  Ford  Foundation; 
Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.; 
Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network  Museum  of  Modern  Art;  National  Video  Resources; 
New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Society  Institute;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod., 
Inc;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange;  Rochester  Film  Office;  Ross-Gafney;  Squeaky 
Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies;  Syracuse  University;  Third  World  Newsreel 
Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WKSG  Public  Television  6k  Radio;  WNET/13;  Women  Make  Movies 
OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  6k  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  Cleveland  Filmmakers 
Flick  Clique;  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival;  Ohio  University-Film;  OR:  Communications 
Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty 
Productions;  Council  On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  Film/Video  Assoc;  Scribe  Video 
Center;Temple  U./Dept.  of  Media  Arts;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  RI:  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative; 
SC:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin 
Cinemaker  Coop;  Austin  Film  Society;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U  of  Texas  Dept. 
Radio-TV-Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WI:  Madison  Film  Forum;  Mexico:  Centro  De 
Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Australia:  Clememger  Harvie;  Canada:  Video  Pool;  York 
University;Reach  Foundation  Norway:  Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket;  Singapore:  Ngee 
Ann  Polytechnic  Library  * 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT     April  1999 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash  re- 
serve fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than 
$91,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund'. 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cahlevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts;  Washington  DC  Film  Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 
AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck;  Peter 
Buck/C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  C&S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Hugo 
Cassirer/  Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge, 
Linda  &  Boh  Curtis;  Richard  Linklater/ 
Detour  Film  Foundation;  Loni  Ding; 
Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen  Freedman  & 
Roger  Weisberg;  David  Haas;  Henry 
Hampton;  Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey;  Jewish 
Communal  Fund;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz; 
Richard  Kylberg;  Tom  LeGoff;  Helaine  6k 
Sidney  Lemer;  Ruhy  Lerner;  Juan 
Mandelbaum;  John  Bard  Manulis;  Diane 
Markrow;  Jim  McKay/C-Hundred  Film 
Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins;  David  &  Sandy 
Picker;  Sarah  E.  Petit/  R.E.M.  Athens 
LLC;  Barbara  Roberts;  James  Schamus; 
Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza  Vann  Smith; 
Miranda  Smith;  Michael  Stipe;  Ann 
Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records/Videos/Books; 
Walterry  Insurance  Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  & 
Nancy  Meyer;  Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan 
Wittenberg. 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals 
and  organizations  who  have  recently 
made  or  renewed  generous  donations  of 
$100  or  more  as  MCF  FRIENDS  (12/15/98 

to  2/15/99): 

David  H.  Brown;  Barry  Ellsworth; 
Matthew  &  Katie  Heineman;  Jodi  Magee; 
Camila  Motta;  Robert  Richter;  Robin 
Schanzebach. 


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included. 

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636  broadway,  suite  214 

tel.  212.228.1133 

fax  212.228.1101 

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To  request  a  catalog  or 
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[call:  212-229-5630  x225 


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T  I  0  N       D  F      INDEPENDENT      VI 


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TOTALLY  INDEPENDENT 


Design:  Nik  Ives 


■     Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  thrEe  yEar  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers   ™ 
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Name. 


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J 


and  up 
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Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF.  304  Hudson  St..  Gth  Floor.  NY.  NV  10013.  For  more  information  call  (2121  807-1400.  ext.  223. 
The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization-  Your  contributinn  is  tax-deductible. 


MAY  1999 


A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film     www.aivf.org 


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^Independent 

m  a fom&vwxo  monthly 


Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.org] 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
(independent@aivf.orgl 

Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.org] 

Intern:  Gesha-Mane  Bryant 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge,  Michelle  Coe, 

Lissa  Gibbs,  Mark  J.  Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Mertes, 

Barbara  Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 

(212)807-1400x225: 

ldisplayads@aivf.org] 

Advertising  Rep:  Scott  Castle 

(212)807-1400x233; 

lscott@aivf.org] 

Articles  from  The  Independent  are  archived  online  at 
lwww.elibrary.com] 


May  1999 

VOLUME  22,  NUMBER  4  www.aivf.org 


r 


National  Distribution:  Total  Circulation 

(Manhattan)  (201)  342-6334; 

Ingram  Periodicals  (800)  627-6247 

Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft.  NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF),  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film.  Subscription  to  the  magazine  ($55/yr  individual;  $35/yr  student; 
$100/yr  nonprofit  organization;  $150/yr  business/industry)  is  included  in  annual 
membership  dues  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers 
(AIVF),  the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  involved  in  independent  film  and 
video  Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr  Contact:  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6 
fl.,  NY,  NY  10013,  (212)  807-1400;  fax:  (212)  463-8519;  independent@aivf.org; 
www.aivforg  Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY,  and  at  additional  mailing 
offices. 

Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  pari  with  public  funds  from  the 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  National  Endowment  for 
the  Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  The  Independent 
does  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims 
made  in  an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor.  Letters  may  be  edit- 
ed for  length.  All  contents  are  copyright  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and 
Film,  Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's 
previous  appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the 
Alternative  Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director,  Michelle  Coe,  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director,  LaTrice  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  associate;  Eugene 
Hernandez,  webmaster;  Jodi  Magee,  development  consultant;  Jessica  Perez,  admin- 
istrative director;  Marya  Wethers,  membership  assistant. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I.  Freedman,  Esq..  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Loni  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Ruby  Lerner*,  Peter  Lewnes,  Richard  Linklater,  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane  Markrow  (sec- 
retary), Jim  McKay,  Robb  Moss  (chair),  Elizabeth  Peters  (ex  officio),  Robert  Richter 
(treasurer),  James  Schamus*.  Valerie  Soe,  Barton  Weiss  (co-president). 
*  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only 


25    High  Definition,  Low  Profile:  PBS  Enters  the  Digital  Age 

In  November,  some  40  public  TV  stations  quietly  began  digital  broadcasting.  Here's  an  overview  of 
HDTV,  SDTV,  enhanced  TV,  datacasting,  and  other  elements  that  figure  in  the  digital  future  of  PBS. 
by  Gary  O .   Larson 

28  Over  There!  WDR  in  Germany  and  French  Public  TV 

In  the  U.S.,  commercial  television  had  a  two-decade  headstart  on  public  TV.  In  Europe,  conversely,  the 
private  channels  are  the  newcomers.  Has  this  made  a  difference  in  how  public  stations  have  responded 
to  increasing  commercial  competition?  Two  industry  observers  take  a  look  overseas. 
by  Claus  Mueller  &  Bethany  Ha  ye 

32  PBS  Potluck:  A  Sampling  of  Acquisition  Series 

While  most  filmmakers  are  familiar  with  PBS's  documentary  series  PO.V,  there  are  a  number  of  other 
independent  acquisition  series  on  public  television,  as  this  selection  demonstrates. 

by  Scott  Castle 


2     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Upfront 


7  News 

A  conversation  with  NEA  chair 
William  Ivey  after  a  year  on  the  job. 
by  Max  Alvarez 


11  Profiles 

Laurel  Ladevich,  Stevan  M.  Smith, 
Loretta  Todd 

by  Isabel  Sadurni, 
Andy  Spletzer  & 
Cara  Mertes 


erdatn  Film  Festival  and  the  Berlinale. 
Mueller 


FAQ  &  Info 

38   Distributor  FAQ 

Though  unknown  to  many  documentary  makers,  Films  for  the  Humanities 
and  Sciences  is  nonetheless  North  America's  largest  supplier  of  videos  and 
CD-ROMs  to  schools,  colleges,  and  libraries. 

BY     LlSSA    GlBBS 


40   Funder  FAQ 

Bringing  independently  produced 
programs  to  public  television  since 
1991,  ITVS  looks  toward  the  future 

by   Michelle  Coe 

44   Festivals 
48   Notices 
52  Classifieds 


@AIVF 


58  Events 

60  In  &  Out  of  Production 

61  Salons 


Coven  Cybercolumnist 
Robert  X.  Cringley  hosts 
PBS's  guide  to  the  digital 
future  of  television,  Digital 
TV:  A  Cringley  Crash  Course, 
produced  by  Oregon  Public 
Broadcasting  and  rebroad- 
cast  on  May  26.  See  Gary  0. 
Larson's  feature  story  "High 
Definition,  Low  Profile"  for 
what  else  PBS  has  in  store. 
Photo  courtesy  PBS 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


School  of  VISUAL  ARTS 


Film  Blasters 

Peter  Masters"^  WbrksllOpS 


Gordon  Willis  and 
Evan  Lottman 


Directing: 
Peter  Masterson 

July  6 -9, 1999 

A  comprehensive  overview  of  the 
director's  role  in  the  making  of 
feature  films.  Masterson  will  screen 
selections  of  his  work  and  discuss 
his  directorial  experiences.  The 
director's  collaboration  with  the  pro- 
duction team  and  most  importantly, 
the  actor,  will  be  examined  in  detail. 
Peter  Masterson,  director,  screen- 
writer, actor.  Feature  films  include: 
The  Trip  to  Bountiful,  Convicts,  Night 
Game,  Full  Moon  in  Blue  Water.  Co 
author  and  codirector,  The  Best  Little 
Whorehouse  in  Texas. 


Cinematography: 
Gordon  Willis 

July  12 -15, 1999 

The  cinematographer's  role  as  visual 
storyteller  is  the  focus  of  this  seminar. 
Preparation,  collaboration  with  the 
director,  lighting  design  and  framing 
will  be  discussed.  Emphasis  will  be  on 
the  choices  made  in  composing  the 
frame  and  the  relationship  of  those 
choices  within  a  frame,  from  cut  to  cut 
and  scene  to  scene.  Willis  will  screen 
and  discuss  selections  of  his  work. 
Gordon  Willis,  cinematographer. 
Feature  films  include:  The  Godfather; 
The  Godfather,  Part  II;  The  Godfather, 
Part  III;  All  the  President's  Men; 
Annie  Hall. 


Editing: 
Evan  Lottman 

July  19  -22, 1999 

This  workshop  offers  participants  the 
opportunity  of  having  their  films  cri- 
tiqued by  a  master  editor.  Emphasis 
will  be  placed  on:  subtext  of  a  scene, 
actor's  performance,  rhythm,  pacing, 
the  psychology  of  the  cut  and  the  art 
of  seamless  narrative  storytelling 
through  film  editing.  Lottman  will 
also  discuss  the  editing  of  selected 
scenes  from  his  work. 
Evan  Lottman,  editor.  Feature  films 
include:  Sophie's  Choice,  The 
MuppetsTake  Manhattan,  Presumed 
Innocent,  Panic  in  Needle  Park  and 
The  Exorcist,  for  which  he  received  an 
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1999,  Visual  Arts  Press,  Ltd. 


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One  Year  at  the  Helm 

A  Talk  with  the  NEAs  William  Ivey 


One  year  ago,  William  J.  Ivey  was  quietly 
confirmed  by  the  United  States  Senate  as  the 
seventh  Chair  of  the  bruised  and  battered 
National  Endowment  for  the  Arts.  Ivey's 
appointment  occurred  just  as  the  dust  was 
starting  to  settle  from  a  decade-long  assault 
against  the  government-funded  arts  agency  by 
congressional  critics  who  had  targeted  contro- 
versial works  by  individual  artists  receiving 
NEA  grants. 

In  1996,  when  Ivey's  predecessor,  Jane 
Alexander,  was  fighting  what  appeared  to  be  a 
futile  effort  to  keep  the  NEA  alive,  Congress 
slashed  40  percent  from  the  endowment's  bud- 
get. The  newly  Republican-controlled  Con- 
gress also  demanded  the  elimination  of  most 
individual  grants.  This  was  seen  as  a  blatant 
attempt  to  prevent  artists  whose  work  did  not 
reflect  the  neo-conservative  values  of  Congress 
from  receiving  any  further  public  arts  subsidies. 
There  was  even  serious  talk  in  the  House  and 
Senate  of  shutting  down  the  endowment 
entirely. 

Still,  the  NEA  has  managed  to  survive,  due 
in  no  small  part  to  the  efforts  of  artists  and  arts 
organizations  lobbying  tirelessly  on  its  behalf. 
When  The  Independent  paid  a  brief  visit  to 
Chairman  Ivey's  office  in  the  Old  Post  Office 
building  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  in  Washing- 
ton, DC,  he  did  not  seem  phased  by  the  tumul- 
tuous events  of  the  past  several  years.  A  soft- 
spoken  man,  the  53-year-old  Michigan  native 
served  as  Director  of  the  Country  Music 
Foundation  in  Nashville,  from  1971  until  his 
NEA  appointment. 

Ivey's  work  history  includes  stints  as  a  folk- 
lorist,  musician,  teacher,  and  writer,  and  is  fur- 
ther enhanced  by  his  having  chaired  or  served 
on  15  different  endowment  grant  panels  during 
the  past  two  decades.  With  Midwestern  roots, 
Southern  job  experience,  and  degrees  in  histo- 
ry, folklore,  and  ethnomusicology,  Ivey  seems 
the  ideal  NEA  figurehead  to  fend  off  any  fur- 
ther Capitol  Hill  attempts  to  penalize  the  arts 
in  the  United  States. 

Considerable  attention  is  now  focused  on 
Ivey  to  determine  whether  he  will  have  the 
diplomacy  and  temerity  to  convince  a  previous- 
ly hostile  Congress  to  restore  individual  NEA 
grants  to  future  endowment  budgets.  In  his 
conversation    with    The    Independent,    Ivey 


expressed  considerable  optimism  about  the 
future  of  individual  grants,  although  he  admit- 
ted the  agency  would  need  to  conduct  research 
and  studies  prior  to  overcoming  necessary  con- 
gressional hurdles.  [Editor's  note:  On  March  9th, 
after  this  interview  was  conducted,  Ivey  made  his 
first  foray  into  controversy  by  withdrawing  a 
$7,500  grant  from  an  El  Paso  publisher,  Cinco 
Puntos.  Ii^e;y  was  concerned  that  funds  for  an  apo- 
litical children's  book,  The  Story  of  Colors,  might 
end  up  in  the  hands  of  Zapatista  rebels,  since  its 
author,  Subcomaiidante  Marcos,  is  one  of  the  rebel 
leaders.] 

What  are  your  thoughts  on  the  future  of  individual 
grants? 

I'm  optimistic.  However,  there  are  two  pieces 
to  it  that  need  to  be  accomplished  and  are  like- 
ly to  slow  the  process  down  a  bit.  One  is  that 
Congress  told  us  legislatively  not  to  give  grants 
to  individual  artists,  so  that  means  when  we 
come  up  with  a  good  plan  on  how  to  get  back 
into  the  business  of  working  with  individual 
artists  directly  we  will  have  to  go  to  Congress, 
explain  it  to  them — it'll  have  to  make  sense  to 
them — and  there  will  have  to  be  change  in  our 
legislation.  Second,  one  of  the  things  I  really 
want  the  agency  to  do  is  proceed  according  to 
research,  studies,  and  specific  plans.  So,  one  of 


the  things  we  need  to  do  over  the  next  18 
months  to  two  years  is  determine  just  what  is 
the  situation  of  the  individual  artist  in  our  cre- 
ative economy.  How  much  does  it  vary  from 
field  to  field?  [How  can]  we  help,  given  the 
nature  and  size  of  our  resources,  to  advance  the 
careers  of  individual  artists?  When  we  have 
that  information,  then  we  can  go  to  Congress 
and  say,  "Here  is  a  study  that  points  to  the 
dimension  of  the  real  problem.  Here  is  the 
endowment's  strategy  for  addressing  that  prob- 
lem," while  continuing  to  be  aware  of  the  con- 
cerns of  Congress. 

What  is  NEA's  commitment  to  film/video  art  at  this  point? 
It's  a  substantial  commitment.  You  have  within 
the  entire  film  [arena] — particularly  if  you 
include  film  that  makes  its  way  onto  televi- 
sion— some  of  the  issues  that  affect  other  parts 
of  the  arts  spectrum.  You  have  some  arts  that 
are  very  expensive  and  others  that  are  less 
expensive,  some  that  involve  a  lot  of  outreach 
through  distribution  channels,  others  that  are 
almost  cottage  industries,  both  in  the  way 
they're  developed  and  the  way  they're  distrib- 
uted. So  you're  probably  talking  about  a  couple 
of  million  dollars  as  the  total  for  '98  [media 
grants].  The  commitment  in  total  is  pretty 
large,  but  just  as  our  commitment  to  music  is 
large,  it  ranges  from  very  expensive  opera  pro- 
ductions to  small  chamber  music  residencies. 
Total  dollars  might  be  vast,  but  when  applied  to 
individual  sections  might  be  smaller. 

How  solid  is  NEA  funding  beyond  Clinton  and  should 
mediamakers  be  concerned  about  a  possible  climate 
of  retrenchment  from  potential  grantgivers? 

I  would  say  no.  I  may  be  unreasonably  opti- 
mistic, but  I  think  there  have  been  some  very 
strong  signs  in  the  last  six,  eight  months  that 
indicate  the  agency  has  truly  turned  a  corner  in 
its  relationship  with  Congress.  That  has 
occurred  for  a  variety  of  reasons.  But  the  most 
tangible  evidence  of  that  change  is  that  last 
year  we  had  two  very  supportive  votes  in 
Congress  (one  in  each  house)  in  which  funding 
for  the  agency  was  preserved  by  overwhelming 
majorities.  So  far  in  my  meetings  with  members 
of  Congress,  we  are  not  talking  at  all  about 
eliminating  the  agency  or  cutting  the  agency 
back,  not  at  all.  We're  really  just  talking  about 
[how]  some  would  like  flat  funding  and  others 
would  like  us  to  move  forward.  Of  course,  we 
would  like  to  move  forward  because  we  think 
we  have  a  great  plan.  But  I  do  think  that  the 
strength  of  the  economy,  the  strength  and  sup- 
port that  coalesced  around  the  NEA  when  its 
existence  was  really  threatened  a  couple  of 
years  ago,  and  the  fact  that  the  hard-edged  pol- 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


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itics  of  anger  have  been  softened  or  blended  to 
a  certain  extent.  All  of  that  combined  gives  us 
good  reason  to  be  optimistic  about  the  future  of 
the  agency.  I  know  that  Vice  President  Gore  is 
very  supportive,  and  I  would  think  that  the  way 
the  agency  is  operating,  the  way  we  are  pre- 
senting our  goals,  our  strategies,  give  every 
indication  that  we're  going  to  have  strong  sup- 
port on  a  bipartisan  basis  regardless  of  who  will 
be  in  the  White  House  or  despite  what  the  pre- 
cise composition  of  Congress  will  be.  So  film- 
makers and  other  artists  or  arts  organizations 
should  at  this  time  be  looking  forward  to  a 
brighter  future  and  one  in  which  the  ability  of 
the  agency  to  support  work  around  the  country 
should  increase. 

How  do  you  see  the  Artsreach  program  (which  pro- 
vides grants  to  remote  or  underpopulated  regions  in 
the  20  states  receiving  the  smallest  NEA  grants) 
affecting  film-  and  videomakers? 

In  retrospect,  Artsrearch  is  almost  a  pilot  for 
aggressive  access  programming  on  the  part  of 
the  endowment.  Artsrearch  was  targeted  at  20 
states  that  have  received  the  smallest  number 
of  direct  grants  (five  or  fewer),  and  as  a  result  it 
has  a  very  strong  emphasis  on  mostly  geograph- 
ically remote  or  underpopulated  areas.  As  we 
move  into  Challenge  America — which  has 
some  elements  of  Artsrearch  preserved  in  it — 
we're  going  to  continue  to  be  aggressive  about 
access,  about  helping  small  communities  and 
rural  areas  to  begin  to  develop  their  own  arts 
infrastructures.  We're  also  going  to  work  with 
neighborhoods  within  communities,  under- 
served  parts  of  urban  districts. 

Organizations  that  deal  with  video  could  be 
a  significant  part  of  what  happens  in  this  kind 
of  access  programming.  A  good  example  would 
be  the  congruence  between  afterschool  pro- 
gramming for  young  people  on  the  need  for 
media  literacy  and  the  availability  of  media  pro- 
fessionals at  the  community  level.  I  think 
there's  enough  demand  and  enough  of  a  clear 
need  that  that  could  be  a  significant  area  of 
activity,  just  at  that  level  of  the  smaller  grants 
made  to  areas  that  have  historically  been 
underserved. 

What  are  your  thoughts  regarding  mediamakers 
working  to  achieve  the  same  goals  as  the  NEA? 

There  are  two  or  three  areas  where  I  think  the 
agency  can  work  with  filmmakers.  One  of  them 
is  an  area  that  is  of  great  personal  interest  to 
me,  coming  out  of  country  music  and  not-for- 
profit  and  [having]  dealt  with  the  commercial 
industry.  I'd  really  be  interested  in  how  the 
agency  can  help  strengthen  and  make  more 
meaningful  the  relationship  between  artists  and 


organizations  and  operating  not-for-profits  and 
those  that  are  operating  in  a  commercial  envi- 
ronment. Obviously,  there's  a  flow  in  the  media 
and  in  the  filmmaking  area,  probably  in  both 
directions,  but  I  know  there's  a  striving  in  many 
cases  to  leave  the  not-for-profit  realm  and  con- 
nect with  the  larger  budgets,  the  larger  reach  of 
the  commercial  industry. 

I  also  think  the  area  of  film  preservation  is 
one  where  we  can  get  together.  I'm  most  famil- 
iar with  the  difficulties  of  preserving  the  master 
tapes  of  audio  recording  sessions.  Way  too 
many  recordings  are  not  in  archives  or  even  in 
corporate  vaults  but  are  really  on  the  shelves  of 
the  homes  of  the  independent  record  producers 
who  developed  certain  projects.  I'm  confident 
that  exactly  the  same  thing  pertains  in  media 
and  in  film  whereby  the  independent  producer 
has  a  wonderful  project  and  yet  the  key  raw 
material — and  sometimes  even  most  of  the 
prints  or  duplicates — end  up  in  their  home  or 
in  a  few  boxes  in  the  basement.  I  think  that 
addressing  issues  of  preservation  of  our  cultural 
heritage  through  cooperative  efforts  and  link- 
ing the  not-for-profit,  small  independent  com- 
pany or  individual,  with  the  bigger  firms  that 
have  archives  and  also  have  many  problems 
with  preservation  could  be  an  area  where  we 
would  be  willing  to  work  with  all  aspects  of  the 
film  industry,  for-profit  and  not-for-profit. 

There  is  also  the  matter  of  bringing  the  arts 
to  young  people.  There  is  probably  no  art  form, 
particularly  if  it  is  carried  out  using  the  most 
contemporary  digital  technology,  that  would 
have  a  more  instant  appeal  and  resonance  with 
young  beginners  than  film  and  media.  I  think 
that  as  the  endowment  begins  more  aggressive- 
ly to  work  with  the  arts,  to  really  create  a  bet- 
ter America  tor  all  American  citizens,  filmmak- 
ing should  be  right  in  the  middle  of  that. 

What  you  hope  is  that  with  digital  technol- 
ogy coming  along,  it  would  first  of  all  make  it 
cheaper  and  easier  for  creative  people  to  work 
and  then  maybe  we  would  be  able  to  get  a  sys- 
tem of  distribution  that  would  allow  people  to 
audition  their  creative  work  for  audiences  with- 
out as  many  layers  and  mediaries  as  exist  now 
or  existed  in  the  past.  [Hopefully]  that  same 
digital  technology  can  help  preserve  historical 
work  and  make  it  available  to  young  people  so 
we  can  really  have  a  generation  of  young  peo- 
ple who  have  a  substantially  better  media  liter- 
acy than  somebody  from  my  generation  had. 

Max  Alvarez  is  Film  Coordinator  at  the 

National  Museum  oj  Women  in  the  Arts  in 

Washington,  DC,  a  film  critic  for  The  Washington 

Diplomat,  and  assists  in  the  coordination  of  film 

programs  for  The  Smithsonian  Associates. 


National 
Educational 
Media 
Network 


*? 


supporting  excellence  in 
educational  media 

Presents 

Content  '99 


13th  Annual  Media  Market 

Conference  &  Festival 

May  19-22,  1999 

Airport  Hilton  Hotel 

Oakland,  CA 

The  Nation's  Only  Event  Exclusively  for 
Educational  Media  Professionals 

Media  Market 

May  19-21 

The  best,  low-cost  way  to  find  a 

distributor  for  works-in-progress  or 

finished  productions 

Submission  Deadlines: 

Early  Bird:  March  15 

Final:  April  27 

Conference 

May  20-21 

Learn  the  latest  trends  in  production, 

distribution  &  exhibition 

Early  Bird  Deadline:  April  19 


Apple  Awards 
Film  &  Video  Festival 

May  21 -22 

A  curated  selection  of  Apple  Award  winners 

at  the  Oakland  Museum  of  California 


"The  Media  Market  was  key  in  securing 

distribution.  Meeting  so  many  distributors 

face  to  face  was  invaluable.  I  will  definitely 

be  back  with  my  next  film!" 

Lisa  Leeman,  Fender  Philosophers 


NEMN 

655  Thirteenth  St.,  Suite  100 

Oakland,  CA  94612-1220 

PH:  510.465  6885  FX:  510.465.2835 

E-Mail:  content@nemn.org 

www.nemn.org 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


ACN 


T 


MAriNC 


X       mm 


WRITE  •  SHOOT  •  DIRECT  •  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE 
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laurel  J[adevich 


FLY  GIRLS 


by  Isabel  Sadurni 


Outside  the  San  Anselmo,  California, 

office  of  Silverlining  Productions,  the  company 
writer/producer  Laurel  Ladevich  started  five 
years  ago,  a  late  winter  downpour  has  brought 
traffic  to  a  slow  roll.  "Bad  flying  weather.  I'm 
not  sure  how  they'd  maneuver  through  that," 
remarks  Ladevich,  "though  they  probably  had 
to  fly  through  worse."  On  a  short  break  from 
editing  her  documentary  Fly  Girls,  Ladevich 
speaks  with  pride  about  her  most  recent  sub- 
jects, the  Women  Airforce  Service  Pilots 
( WASPs) ,  who  were  the  first  female  pilots  to  fly 
for  the  U.S.  in  WWII.  "They're  unstoppable. 
Most  of  the  women  I  spoke  with  for  the  film  are 
in  their  seventies,  and  they're  still  leading  very 
adventurous,  unconventional  lives.  They  could 
probably  run  circles  around  me." 

Ladevich's  modesty  is  deceiving,  masking  a 
demonstrated  capacity  to  excel  during  her  20- 
plus-year  career  in  the  male-dominated  realm 
of  special  effects.  She's  carved  out  a  livelihood 
working  mostly  with  dramatic  blockbusters, 
such  as  The  Empire  Strikes  Back,  Return  of  the 
]edi,  Indiana  Jones  and  the  Temple  of  Doom,  and 
Jurassic  Park. 

Now  for  the  first  time,  Ladevich  is  producing 
a  historical  documentary.  Though  she  co-pro- 
duced documentaries  for  others  at  the  incep- 
tion of  her  career  in  California  in  the  late  sev- 
enties, this  is  her  first  solo  maneuver  as 
writer/producer.  Initially  a  dramatic  screen- 
play— one  of  several  Ladevich  had  written  dur- 
ing and  after  her  time  working  with  George 
Lucas  at  Industrial  Light  and  Magic — Fly  Girls 
caught  the  attention  of  a  WGBH  senior  pro- 
ducer Susanne  Simpson,  with  whom  Ladevich 
had  co-produced  an  Academy  Award-nomi- 
nated IMAX  feature  for  WGBH  entitled 
Special  Effects. 

"Susanne  called  me  up  and  asked  if  I  would 
be  interested  in  doing  this  as  a  television  docu- 
mentary. I  had  done  so  much  homework  for  the 
drama,  it  was  like,  'If  you've  got  the  money,  I've 
got  the  time'  kind  of  thing.  So  I  wrote  a  prelim- 
inary treatment  and  went  out  to  meet  with 
them  in  New  York,  and  we  all  decided  that  it 
would  be  a  good  thing  to  do.  Actually,  it  all 
went  very  quickly."  The  ability  to  deliver  the 
project  in  under  a  year  was  made  possible  by 
the  ready  $500,000  in  funding  from  WGBH's 
American     Experience     series,     as     well     as 


Ladevich's  prior  research — a  deep  excavation 
of  archival  materials  for  the  development  of  her 
dramatic  feature. 

Ladevich's  feminine  re-visioning  of  the 
familiar  Hollywood  trope  of  male-only  war 
movies  has  generated  much  interest  from  major 
press,  such  as  LIFE  magazine,  which  plans  to 
run  a  story  on  the  film  and  the  WASPs  fea- 
tured. Ladevich  isn't  surprised.  "It's  a  fascinat- 
ing topic,"  she  says.  "I  mean,  you  have  great 
role  models  in  the  film — hundreds  of  beautiful 
young,  strong,  intelligent  women.  You  have  fab- 
ulous vintage  aircrafts,  and  you  have  World 
War  II.  These  are  things  that  I  would  say  have 
tremendous  appeal  to  men  and  women  alike." 

The  nostalgic  anecdotes  offered  by  female 
pilots,  the  vintage  stills,  and  the  archival 
footage  lend  the  film  a  halcyon-days  aura,  as  if 
it  were  a  legend  retold  to  aspiring  upstarts  gath- 
ered around  the  flight  simulator.  Yet  certain 
aspects  of  the  flight  training  program,  started  in 
Sweetwater,  Texas,  in  1942,  haven't  changed. 
The  film  documents  the  vast  discrepancy 
between  a  woman's  wage  and  a  man's  higher 
earnings,  sexual  harassment  (the  female  pilots 
then  called  the  men's  training  grounds  "wolf 
swamp"),  and  sabotage  (a  fatal  crash  involving 
a  WASP  was  later  found  to  have  been  due  to 
sugar  dumped  in  the  fuel) — all  elements  that 
reflect  a  persistent  intolerance  of  women  in  the 
Armed  Forces.  But  despite  discrimination  and 
other  obstacles,  the  new  WASP  recruits 
accepted  into  the  training  program  on  "Aven- 
ger Field,"  the  only  all-female  Air  Force  base  in 
history,  won  over  skeptics  through  their  ability 
and  courage. 


The  most  challenging 
part  for  Ladevich  was  writ- 
ing the  voiceover.  "I  always 
wanted  to  go  off  writing  in 
anecdotes,  because  there 
are  so  many  interesting 
ones  I've  been  told  from 
the  former  WASPs,  but 
American  Experience  was 
very  consistent  in  their 
challenging  me  to  adhere 
to  a  simple,  clear  story- 
line," she  says.  "And 
they're  right." 

Conventional  in  its  ap- 
proach to  form,  unspooling 
as  a  familiar  documentary 
chain  of  archival  footage 
with  voiceover  narration 
cutting  to  interview,  Fly 
Girls  is  more  importantly  a  gesture  towards 
championing  the  legacy  of  the  female  pioneer 
spirit.  Included  in  the  historical  footage  are 
cameos  of  the  legendary  Jacqueline  Cochran, 
America's  foremost  female  aviator  and  the  first 
woman  to  fly  a  bomber  across  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  Several  pilots  interviewed  for  the  film, 
continue  as  role  models  of  the  hearty  adventur- 
ous spirit.  One  wrote  regularly  for  the  New  York 
Times,  another  continues  long-distance  sailing 
with  her  husband,  and  still  another  owns  and 
operates  her  own  aviation  company. 

"On  a  general  level,  I  want  the  piece  to  go 
out  there  and  offer  another  perspective  on 
what  women  can  do,"  says  Ladevich.  "These 
are  woman  who  can  do  anything,  and  often  did 
everything.  They  raised  families,  and  they  have 
careers.  So  to  me,  it's  extraordinary  not  only 
what  they  did,  but  who  they  are."  She  adds,  "I 
want  the  film  to  inspire  people  with  regard  to 
the  contribution  of  women  in  World  War  II. 
There  are  great  films  out  about  WWII  right 
now,  but  there's  more  to  the  picture  than  com- 
bat." Without  feminizing  war,  Fly  Girls  offers 
several  untold  stories  of  women's  heroism  and 
proves  the  value  of  a  high-flyin'  pistol-packin' 
mama. 

Fly  Girls  airs  on  May  24  on  PBS's  American 
Experience. 

Isabel  Sadumi  is  a  San  Francisco-based  writer 

and  filmmaker.  Her  first  film  portrait  of  a  woman 

in  non- traditional  role,  Mindy  Ward,  Welder, 

aired  on  KTEH  in  California. 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


m'h& 


LYRiaSTS/M.C.S 
POETS 

TURN  15  PAGES  OF  YOUR  WORDS, 
RII¥MES,POEMS,  INTO  A  SHORT  FILM, 
MUSIC  \TDEO  OR  FEATURE  FHJM  EXCERPT 


Stevan  M  Smith 

Kontum  Diary:  The  Journey  Home 


Scene  from  "Isolated  Incidents" 
The  film  that  takes  police  brutality  head  on! 

WW  W.I  sol  a  ted  lncidente.com 

HOOK  OR  CROOK  PRODUCTIONS,  INC. 

PRESENTS  15  PAGES  OF  FAME  1999 

SCREENWRITERS  PRODUCTION  GRANT 

Deadline:  August  2, 1999 

Grand  Prize 
Production  Deal 

$5,000  Cash 

Applications: 

www.l 5pages.com 

or  SASE  to: 

15  Pages 

P.O.  Box  0070 

Madison  Square  Station 

New  York,  N.Y.  10159-0070 


by  Andy  Spletzer 


Sgt.  Paul  Reed  fought  with  the  173rd 
Airborne  in  Vietnam.  Not  long  after  arriving  in 
the  central  highlands  in  1968,  he  wrote  his  par- 
ents, sending  along  a  package  of  souvenirs  he 
found  in  an  enemy  rucksack  during  a  scouting 
mission.  Twenty  years  later,  back  in  Dallas, 
Texas,  Reed's  mom  returned  the  package  to 
him.  Inside  Reed  found  a  diary  by  a  North 
Vietnamese  soldier  he  assumed  he  had  killed, 
along  with  some  photographs  of  his  former 
enemy.  Still  dealing  with  unresolved  issues  sur- 
rounding the  war,  the  diary  became  Reed's  key 
to  coming  to  terms  with  it.  He  would  have  the 
diary  translated  and,  in  a  gesture  of  reconcilia- 
tion, present  it  to  the  soldier's  family.  But  he 
needed  help. 

Enter  Stevan  M.  Smith,  himself  a  veteran  of 
two  tours  of  duty  in  Vietnam  with  the  Marines, 
from  1964-67.  After  his  second  tour,  he  went 
to  school  (mainly  to  meet  girls,  he  says),  and 
then,  with  a  degree  from  Oregon  State,  he  got 
a  job  working  in  TV  news  in  Seattle.  He  had 
been  doing  that  for  25  years  when  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  Two  Decades  and  a  Wakenp — in 
which  he  followed  a  Post  Traumatic  Stress 
therapy  group  back  to  Vietnam — for  KCTS, 
the  local  PBS  affiliate  in  Seattle.  Initially,  his 


boss  at  the  news  station  gave  him  permission  to 
take  leave  and  work  on  the  documentary. 
Then,  one  week  before  starting  production  in 
Vietnam,  his  boss  had  a  change  of  heart  and 
decided  he  didn't  want  an  employee  providing 
product  for  "the  competition" — for  PBS.  So 
Smith  quit.  He  now 
does  freelance  news 
pieces  for  the  networks, 
documentaries  for  him- 
self, and  lives  in  Des 
Moines,  Washington, 
just  outside  of  Seattle. 

Paul  Reed  had  seen 
Two  Decades  and  a 
Wakeup  and  contacted 
Smith  for  advice  on 
getting  background 
information  about  the 
diary  out  of  Vietnam. 
During  months  of  talk- 
ing back  and  forth  with 
Reed,  Smith  pumped 
his  contacts  in  Vietnam 
for  bits  of  information. 
Meanwhile,  the  idea  for 
Kontum  Diary  began  to 
take  form.  Smith  had 
the  diary  translated, 
which  had  been  written 
in  the  form  of  Vietnamese  poetry.  It  belonged 
to  Lt.  Ngiven  van  Nghia.  Recalls  Smith,  "The 
poetry  was  .  .  .  the  only  word  I  could  use  is  sac- 
charine. Nevertheless,  there  were  some  real 
and  interesting  human  revelations  in  there.  I 
think  for  Paul,  this  American  soldier,  when  he 
read  the  translation,  he  found  a  lot  of  his  own 
feelings  about  the  war." 

Finally,  greasing  the  wheels  by  sending 
money  to  his  contacts  in  Vietnam,  Smith  dis- 
covered that  Nghia  was  still  alive.  Even  better, 
he  was  willing  to  meet  with  Reed.  Kontum 
Diary  documents  Reed's  return  to  Vietnam  and 
his  emerging  friendship  with  a  man  (and  a 
country)  he  once  considered  his  enemy.  Made 
in  part  with  a  grant  from  ITVS  (an  organiza- 
tion about  which  Smith  has  nothing  but  good 
things  to  say),  Kontum  Diary  was  broadcast  on 
PBS  in  1994-  Along  with  footage  of  the  trip, 
shot  on  Beta  SR  the  program  includes  snippets 
from  the  diary  and  super  8  footage  from  Reed's 
tour  in  Vietnam. 

But  the  story  doesn't  end  there. 

Nghia  was  nearly  blind  because  of  injuries 

suffered  during  the  war.  After  Nghia  helped 

Reed  to  see  metaphorically,  Reed  wanted  to 

help  Nghia  see  physically.  He  arranged  for  hos- 


12    THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


PROFILES 


pitals  in  his  native  Dallas  to  donate  time  and 
resources  to  help,  and  then  teamed  up  with 
Smith  again,  this  time  to  arrange  to  bring 
Nghia  and  his  son  Dien  to  Dallas  for  the  tests 
and  surgery.  Smith  again  brought  out  his  cam- 
era and  created  a  follow-up  called  Kontum 
Diary:  The  journey  Home.  The  program  con- 
denses the  original  hour-long  show  down  to  a 
half-hour,  then  adds  Nghia's  trip  to  Texas  to  fill 
out  the  rest. 

Some  strange  things  happened  during 
Kontum  Diary:  The  journey  Home.  Nghia's  eyes 
were  inoperable,  but  he  was  able  to  get  glasses 
to  help  him  see.  They  built  two  weeks  into 
their  schedule  as  a  recovery  period  and  had 
some  time  to  kill,  so  they  decided  to  bring 
Nghia  in  for  a  physical.  They  found  out  he  had 
a  heart  valve  problem,  which  is  currently  being 
treated  with  medication.  Meanwhile,  Nghia's 
son,  Dien,  who  came  over  to  take  care  of  him 
as  he  recuperated,  detected  into  the  night, 
which  made  Smtih  and  crew  very  unpopular 
back  in  Vietnam.  That  doesn't  stop  them  from 
making  yearly  trips  back  in  order  to  deliver 
Nghia  his  heart  medication. 

Something  Smith  speaks  out  about  is  how 
the  dehumanization  of  the  enemy  is  one  of  the 
war's  most  detrimental  effects  on  the  individ- 
ual soldiers,  particularly  once  the  conflict  is 
over  and  the  governments'  business  relations 
resume.  Says  Smith,  "You  learn  the  enemy  is  a 
shadow  in  the  dark,  threatening  and  vicious, 
who  loves  to  live  in  the  jungle  and  lives  to  wipe 
you  out.  You  don't  think  of  this  person  as  expe- 
riencing the  same  problems  with  leeches,  or 
the  same  fear  of  tigers.  You  don't  view  this  as  a 
human  being;  he's  a  shadowy  enemy  who  you 
put  the  crosshairs  of  a  gun  on,  and  you  can  ease 
your  problems  if  you  hit  him." 

These  lessons  learned  in  war  are  difficult  to 
unlearn.  He  notes,  "Is  this  rehumanization 
process  a  big  revelation?  Not  to  a  lot  of  people, 
but  to  a  veteran  who's  been  in  combat,  it's  an 
important  step.  That's  one  of  the  things  that 
motivated  me  to  make  this,  is  that  they  have  to 
rehumanize  their  enemy  and  accept  the  idea 
that  this  is  a  human  being.  It's  painful  to  do 
that.  It  hurts  to  do  that.  But  it's  absolutely  crit- 
ical." Smith's  documentary  is  an  excellent 
example  of  just  that  sort  of  healing. 

Kontum  Diary:  The  Journey  Home  airs  on 
PBS  on  May  3 1  at  9  p.m.  (check  local  listings) 

Andy  Spletzer  is  film  editor  for  The  Stranger, 
Seattle's  weekly  alternative  newspaper,  and  is 
working  on  a  couple  of  short  films  that  will  proba- 
bly end  up  in  one  or  two  of  this  nation's  finer 
underground  film  festivals. 


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serving     independents     since      1968 


30th  Anniversary  Benefit 

Lincoln  Center's  Walter  Reade  Theater 
May  25,  1999     6 -10pm 

Honorees 

Film/Video  Arts  Co-Founder  Rodger  Larson 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 
Filmmaker  Mira  Nair  (Mississippi  Masala,  Kama  Sutra) 
Television  Producer  Tom  Fontana  {Homicide,  Oz) 


celebrating 


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May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


loMta 


TODAY  IS  A  GOOD  DAY: 
REMEMBERING  CHIEF  DAN  GEORGE 

by  Cara  Mertes 


"Filmmaking  is  a  physical,  spiritual,  intel- 
lectual,  and  emotional  act,"  says  director 
Loretta  Todd.  "There  has  to  be  a  spark  to  make 
you  want  to  tell  the  story."  Todd,  a  Canadian- 
Cree  filmmaker,  is  always  looking  for  that  spark. 
Today  Is  a  Good  Day:  Remembering  Chief  Dan 
George  is  her  latest  work.  Commissioned  for  the 
Canadian  Broadcasting  Corporation's  Biography 
series,  the  film  aired  in  March,  and  chronicles 
the  life  of  Dan  George,  one  of  the  best  known 
Native  film  actors  in  recent  memory  and  Chief 
of  the  Tsleil-Waututh  tribe.  Starring  in  such 
modern  classics  as  Little  Big  Man  with  Dustin 
Hoffman  and  The  Outlaw  Josie  Wales  with  Clint 
Eastwood,  George  made  film  history  by  bringing 
strength  and  humor  to  counter  the  stereotypical 
images  of  Native  people  in  Hollywood  movies. 
He  died  in  1981. 

This  is  the  first  video  the  Vancouver-based 
Todd  has  produced  for  the  CBC,  Canada's  pub- 
lic television  system,  although  several  others, 
including  the  award-winning  Forgotten 
Warriors,  have  aired  on  the  network.  She  has 
made  over  a  dozen  documentaries  and  short 
films  on  subjects  ranging  from  WWII 
Aboriginal  veterans  to  Native  women  artists  to 
Native  education  in  Canada. 

Todd  heard  about  a  new  biography  series 
being  planned  by  the  CBC  and  approached  the 
George  family,  whom  she  knew  through  work- 
ing at  the  Chief  Dan  George  Foundation  years 
earlier.  She  was  drawn  to  the  story  of  Chief  Dan 
George  because  "he  reminded  me  of  people  I 
grew  up  with.  He  was  someone  [with]  this 
tremendous  charisma  and  this  tremendous 
power  to  let  the  camera  be  intimate  with  him, 
but  he  was  able  to  maintain  a  humility.  That 
drew  me  on  an  emotional  level."  The  CBC  was 
also  attracted  to  the  idea  and  funded  the  pro- 
ject as  part  of  its  series. 

Todd  has  always  been  interested  in  a  combi- 
nation of  the  glamorous  and  the  mundane — of 
epic  stories  and  sweeping  sagas  that  involve 
history  and  politics,  told  through  larger-than- 
life  characters  and  the  small  details  of  life. 
"There  are  sometimes  crescendos  in  our  lives, 
but  for  the  most  part,  there  are  these  incre- 
ments" she  says.  "And  sometimes  you  don't 
even   realize   how   powerfully   something   is 


affecting  you  until  afterwards." 

Growing  up  in  Northern  Alberta,  Todd 
described  being  steeped  in  the  magic  of  old 
Hollywood  movies  on  late-night  television.  She 
has  taken  that  childhood  fascination  and  spent 


the  better  part  of  the  last  ten  years  building  a 
career  as  a  filmmaker.  Perfecting  the  craft  and 
exploring  the  storytelling  aspects  of  filmmaking 
have  been  her  two  most  important  tasks,  with 
storytelling  the  foundation  for  any  film  she 
makes. 

"There's  a  lot  of  talk  about  oral  history  and 
Native  storytelling,"  Todd  explains,  "but  it's 
really  hard  to  quantify.  Sometimes  people  try 
and  it  becomes  almost  didactic.  Like,  Native 
storytelling  is  a  person  by  a  fire  telling  a  story,  or 
Native  storytelling  is  an  eagle  flying  in  the  air. 
They've  become  cliches.  People  forget  that  the 
heart  of  storytelling  is  the  emotional  connec- 
tion." 

It  is  a  connection  made  evident  in  Today  Is  a 
Good  Day  through  Todd's  focus  on  George's 
family  life  and,  in  particular,  through  the  par- 
ticipation of  his  children  in  her  film.  Each  had 
a  close  relationship  to  George  and  remembers 
good  times  as  well  as  the  difficult  ones  with 
great  affection.  They  become  vehicles  to  find 
out  more  about  who  Chief  Dan  George  was.  As 
Todd  says,  they  allow  the  film  to  ask  "  'What 
affected  him.'  What  did  he  value.'  What  hurt 
him.'  What  made  him  laugh?'  The  family  was 
the  way  I  thought  you  could  get  a  sense  of  who 


he  was  and  open  that  up  for  the  audience." 

Todd  uses  standard  talking-head  interviews, 
but  also  taped  the  family  members  as  they  sat 
with  each  other  in  a  circle,  exchanging  memo- 
ries and  impressions  of  their  father.  In  these 
sequences,    the    trust    and    intimacy 
Todd  had  with  the  family  shows  in 
their  naturalness  and  humor.  Through 
their  memories,  we  understand  that 
George's  life  was  varied  and  in  many 
ways  encapsulated  the  contradictions 
of  being  Native  in  a  predominantly 
white  culture. 

Born  in  1899  near  Vancouver, 
British  Columbia,  George  eventually 
became  Chief,  working  as  a  logger  and 
a  longshoreman  most  of  his  life.  In 
middle-age,  he  became  a  performer  on 
the  Indian  rodeo  circuit.  He  didn't 
start  film  acting  until  he  was  60  years 
old,  appearing  as  a  last-minute  stand- 
in  for  someone  who  dropped  out  of  a 
film  his  son  was  acting  in.  George  stole 
the  show,  and  the  CBC  subsequently 
hired  him  to  star  in  the  ground-break- 
ing fifties  television  series  Caribou 
County,  which  was  notable  for  its  use 
of  Native  actors  to  play  Native  char- 
acters. Eleven  years  later,  director 
Arthur  Perm  hired  him  to  play  Old 
Lodgeskins  in  Little  Big  Man,  a  role  which  won 
him  Golden  Globe  and  Oscar  nominations. 

In  later  lite,  George  used  his  notoriety  to 
become  a  well-known  spokesperson  for  Native 
rights,  an  aspect  of  his  life  that  Todd  highlights 
in  the  film.  This  is  a  theme  that  consistently 
appears  in  Todd's  work  as  well,  which,  as  Todd 
says,  seeks  to  claim  the  screen  for  Native  sto- 
ries and  develop  a  filmic  language  that  com- 
municates those  stories  to  a  wide  audience. 

Support  for  Native  filmmakers  is  still  scarce 
in  both  Canada  and  America,  though  there  are 
clearly  new  generations  of  talented  makers 
ready  to  create  work.  Todd  says  she  was  recent- 
ly described  by  a  Canadian  broadcaster,  with 
whom  she  did  not  see  eye-to-eye,  as  being  "too 
arty  and  tot)  Native."  With  attitudes  like  that 
and  despite  her  successes,  it  is  clear  that  it  is 
still  an  uphill  battle  to  bring  Native  voices  to 
film  and  television.  For  now,  Todd  is  working 
on  a  feature  film  script  and  continuing  her  doc- 
umentary work,  always  asking,  "Who  are  the 
people  that  I  know?  What  is  it  that  we  do,  that 
we  care  about,  that  we  believe  in?" 

Cara  Mertes  is  a  producer,  teacher,  and  writer  in 
New  York  City. 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


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Total  Film 

The  International  Film  Festival  Rotterdam  &  CineMart 


by   Paul   Power 

In  the  early  seventies,  as  a  film  festival  was 
in  the  process  of  getting  started  in  Holland's 
second-largest  city,  the  Dutch  were  already 
making  their  presence  telt  on  another  stage.  In 
the  theater  of  sport,  the  national  team  coined  a 
new  term  for  the  type  of  fluid,  versatile  soccer 
that  was  being  displayed  by  the  likes  of  Cryuff, 
Neeskens,  and  Rep:  Total  Football.  Twenty- 
eight  years  later,  as  the  curtain  fell  on  the 
International  Film  Festival  Rotterdam  (January 
27-February  6),  one  had  the  sense  of  having 
been  at  the  center  of  an  event  that  touched  on 
almost  every  issue  in  contemporary  cinema.  If 
ever  a  festival  deserved  the  title,  Rotterdam  is 
Total  Film. 

Besides  the  festival's  120-plus  films,  which 
were  divided  into  several  categories  that 
included  work  from  developing  nations 
(Hubert  Bals  Fund  sidebar),  a  14-film  competi- 
tive section  (Tiger  Awards),  critics'  choice, 
Thai  crime,  digital  new  wave,  and  post- 
Glasnost  sidebars,  this  year  offered  a  strong  dig- 
ital and  multimedia  section  entitled  Exploding 


Cinema/Melting  Media.  And  coursing  for  three 
frenetic  days  through  the  festival,  in  tandem 
with  the  main  program,  was  the  10th  edition  of 
its  well-respected  co-production  market, 
CineMart  (February  1-3). 

As  the  first  major  European  festival  of  the 
calendar  year  and  coming  hot  on  the  heels  of 
Sundance,  Rotterdam  is  a  vital  stop  for  many 
filmmakers  who  have  spent  the  winter  in  hiber- 
nation honing  their  films,  trailers,  scripts,  or 
pitches.  (It  was  possible  to  pick  out  haggard 
refugees  from  Park  City,  the  bravest  of  whom 
were  even  heading  on  to  Berlin  the  following 
week.)  The  festival  proper  has  earned  a  reputa- 
tion tor  screening  work  that  is  daring,  edgy,  and 
bold  (see  sidebar  on  the  prevalence  of  sexually 
explicit  films),  with  a  traditionally  strong  selec- 
tion of  new  Asian  cinema — a  result  of  the  fes- 
tival's strong  links  with  filmmakers  and  festivals 
from  that  continent,  and  particularly  with  the 
Pusan  Production  Project  in  South  Korea. 
(This  year,  however,  apart  from  the  Thai  crime 
films,  the  festival  came  up  short  in  the  Asian 
department,    and   there   was   a   more   definite 


Eurocentric  slant  to  the  programming.) 

With  new  festivals  popping  up  like  crocuses, 
more  established  festivals  are  now  adding  mar- 
kets to  their  repertoire,  but  Rotterdam's  long- 
established  CineMart  (est.  1984)  is  an  impor- 
tant step  on  the  Euro  circuit  for  a  number  of 
reasons.  The  CineMart  has  already  spawned 
markets  at  festivals  in  Sarajevo,  New  York's 
Independent  Feature  Film 
Market's  'No  Borders'  sec- 
tion, and  at  Pusan,  one  of 
the  most  important  co- 
financing  markets  in  the 
Pacific  Rim.  And  indeed 
the  CineMart  has  a  long 
association  with  U.S.  pro- 
jects. Since  1995,  the 
IFFM's  No  Borders  sec- 
tion has  sent  projects  to 
Rotterdam  with  a  view  to 
aligning  U.S.  producers 
with  European  financiers 
or,  at  the  very  least,  with 
co-production  partners 
from  which  relationships 
can  be  fostered  to  collabo- 
rate on  future  projects. 
CineMart's  international 
advisory  board  makes  sug- 
gestions to  Ido  Abram, 
CineMart  director,  for 
inclusion  in  the  40-pro- 
ject  market. 
With  international  festi- 
val buying  fever  of  recent  years  very  much  a 
thing  of  the  past,  buyers  are  now  far  more  cir- 
cumspect about  shelling  out  eight  and  even 
seven  figure  sums  for  projects.  Markets  are 
coming  more  and  more  into  their  own,  where 
there  is  the  time  to  consider  and  reconsider 
projects,  requirements,  terms,  and  conditions. 
Even  with  that,  Abram  notes  that  85%  of 
CineMart  projects  have  gone  into  production 
within  two  years  of  the  market.  Indeed,  by  the 
end  of  this  year's  market,  Abrams  had  identi- 
fied at  least  eight  projects  that  had  obtained 
funding,  commitments  for  funding,  or  near- 
complete  funding. 

Producer  Julia  Reichert,  who  travelled  to  the 
market  with  Transparent  Films  partner  Ed 
Radtke  and  an  eight-minute  trailer  for  Radtke's 
The  Dream  Catcher,  was  part  of  the  U.S.  pres- 
ence at  the  CineMart.  "We  learned  a  huge 
amount  at  the  market,"  says  Reichert.  "We 
especially  learned  about  the  global  market- 
place, which  is  something  we  tend  to  forget 
about  in  this  country.  And  as  regional  filmmak- 
ers, being  at  the  market  made  so  much  differ- 


16     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


sex  with  a  capital  S 

Perhaps  it's  a  fin  de  siecle  phenomenon,  mir-  ing  the  envelope  of  i 

roring  the  veiled  permissiveness  that  perme-  ripping  point.  The 

ated  late -Victorian  society  a  hundred  years  character,  on  the  n 

ago,  and  perhaps  it's  just  coincidence,  but  apartment  with  Mai 

there  was  a  lot  ofpulsatin' flesh  on  screen  this  lugubrious  lines  anc 

year.  Here's  a  selection  of  Rotterdam's  sidebar  while  trying  to  thro 

of  fleshpots:  may  have  seemed  p 

transpires  through  tl 
brilliant  imagery,  ho' 

Anyone    unfamiliar    with    the    work    of  romP  apparently  ins 

Catherine  Breillat  (myself  included)  might  the  Semes  (which  is : 
have  been  taken  aback  by  the  frank  sexuality 
in   this,   her  most   recent   feature.    Marie 

(Caroline  Ducey),  a  young  teacher,  embarks  Belgian  Guido  Hen 

on  a  sexual  odyssey  since  her  boyfriend  is  subject  of  his   four 

unable  and  unwilling  to  have  sex  with  her.  dancer  S.  (Natali  Br 

Throughout  it  all,  Marie  ruminates  via  inter-  parents  (estranged  m 

nal  monologue   on  her  progressive   sexual  sive  father  sends  di 

degradation    (which  includes   a   drawn-out  jail)  who  murders  he 

bondage  relationship  with  an  older  male  col-  girl  in  New  York  and 

league,  and  .more  casual  sexual  encounters) ,  she  embarks  on  a  i 

while  retaining  a  sense  of  ennui  about  the  and  cuts  a  swathe 

entire  sequence  of  events.  There's  an  eerily  through  any  kind  o; 

calm  feel  to  the  film  but  the  gratuitousness  of  that  get  in  her  way. 

another  anal  rape  scene  (there's  also  one  in  from  Broods  gets  the 

S.)  begs  the  question:  would  a  male  director  predictability  and  th 

have  been  able  to  stand  by  a  similar  work  and  become  apparent  am 
not  be  pilloried?  Casting  Italian  porn  star 
Rocco  Siffredi  in  a  key  and  sexually  graphic 


m ^  g    0^      stars  came  in  handy 

UltCU  ^%  tor  Kerkhofs  heavy- 
handed  stylistic  push- 
ing the  envelope  of  sexual  explicitness  to  the 
ripping  point.  The  premise  that  Hoffman's 
character,  on  the  run  and  holed  up  in  an 
apartment  with  Mai  where  she  listens  to  his 
lugubrious  lines  and  they  have  a  lot  of  sex 
while  trying  to  throw  the  mob  off  his  trail, 
may  have  seemed  promising  enough.  What 
transpires  through  the  erratic  and  sometimes 
brilliant  imagery,  however,  is  a  self-indulgent 
romp  apparently  inspired  by  In  the  Realm  of 
the  Senses  (which  is  also  Breillat's  lodestone) . 


The  other  cheek: 
Caroline  Ducey 
in  Catherine 
Breillat's 
Romance 


part  (a  decision  Breillat  kept  from  her  cast 
and  crew  by  giving  him  an  alias  on  the  call 
sheet,  lest  there  be  any  walkouts  in  protest) 
lends  an  air  of  porno  legitimacy  to  a  tale  of 
amour  fou  whose  sensibilities  are,  beneath  it 
all,  quite  avowedly  cerebral. 

Shabondama  Elegy 

Part  of  the  Digital  New  Wave  sidebar, 
Dutchman  Ian  Kerkhofs  tale  of  doomed  love 
is  effectively  a  two-hander,  so  to  speak,  fea- 
turing Thorn  Hoffman  and  Hoshino  Mai. 
Mai's  day  job  as  one  of  Japan's  leading  porn 


Belgian  Guido  Henderickx  chooses  as  the 
subject  of  his  fourth  feature  a  peepshow 
dancer  S.  (Natali  Broods)  with  dysfunctional 
parents  (estranged  mother  still  a  hooker;  abu- 
sive father  sends  daughter  videotapes  from 
jail)  who  murders  her  cheating  lover  and  his 
girl  in  New  York  and  returns  to  Europe  where 
she  embarks  on  a  relationship  with  Marie, 
and  cuts  a  swathe  like  an  avenging  angel 
through  any  kind  of  sexually  deviant  males 
that  get  in  her  way.  A  powerful  performance 
from  Broods  gets  the  story  only  so  far,  but  the 
predictability  and  thinness  of  the  story  soon 
become  apparent  and  tiresome. 

Claire  Do  tan 

Shot  in  a  cold,  clinical  man- 
ner evocative  of  Red  Desert, 
Lodge  Kerrigan's  follow-up  to 
Clean,  Shaven  is  a  bleak  and 
depressing  tale  of  a  call  girl's 
attempts  to  break  free  from  a 
life  of  vice  in  New  York  and 
reclaim  her  existence.  Katrin 
Cartlidge's  performance  as 
Claire,  caught  between  her 
pimp  Roland  (a  darkly  menac- 
ing Colm  Meaney)  and  her 
sometime  cabbie  boyfriend 
Elton  (Vincent  d'Onofrio, 
who  overdoes  the  sullenness)  is  impressive  in 
scene  after  scene  in  which  the  grinding  tedi- 
um of  the  high  class  call  girl  is  shown  in  all  its 
tawdry  and  predictable,  forms. 

And  just  for  the  record,  here's  one  critic 
who's  fed  up  seeing  the  hooker  with  the  heart 
of  gold  or  the  stripper  trying  to  make  a  better 
life  for  herself.  Come  on  fellahs  (and  it  usual- 
ly is  male  writers  and/or  directors) — a  little 
more  characterization  and  breadth  of  profes- 
sion isn't  too  difficult  to  come  up  with. 

—  PR 


M 


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http://www.csins.com 

May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      17 


ence,"  Ohio-based  Reichert  continues.  "So  it's 
a  huge  advantage  to  go  to  the  CineMart.  It's 
like  our  lifeblood — we're  connecting  in  a  way 
we  wouldn't  be  able  to  do  in  New  York  or  LA." 

Perhaps  the  most  vital  thing  that  the 
Transparent  Films  team  learned  from  the  mar- 
ket was  the  importance  of  having  a  sales  agent. 
"Definitely  have  a  foreign  sales  agent," 
Reichert  emphasizes.  She  and  Radtke  screened 
their  eight-minute  trailer  to  a  number  of  buy- 
ers, but  midway  through  the  market  did  a  U- 
turn  and  realized  they  should  have  been  show- 
ing it  to  sales  agents  all  along.  The  final  two 
days  took  care  of  that:  Danish  acquisition  and 
sales  company  Angel  Films  "offered  an 
advance — a  low  offer,"  and  Transparent  estab- 
lished relationships  with  Fortissimo  Sales,  which 
has  given  a  provisional  commitment  on  interna- 
tional sales. 

Since  most  projects  at  the  market  are  at 
script  stage,  Reichert  and  Radtke  were  in  the 
distinct  minority  of  producer/director  teams 
attending  with  a  trailer.  Reichert's  only  qualm 
with  the  market  was  the  absence  of  screening 
facilities.  "The  market  is  really  set  up  for  talk- 
ing," she  says,  "and  for  projects  at  script  stage. 
There  was  only  one  13"  monitor  for  the  entire 
crowd,"  a  shortcoming  the  market  acknowl- 
edged and  will  rectify  next  year. 

Kim  Whitener,  whose  Wooster  Group  pro- 
ject Wrong  Guys,  directed  by  Elizabeth 
LeCompte  and  starring  Willem  Defoe,  was  also 
at  CineMart,  found  the  market  "more  conge- 


nial" and 
suited  to 
their  smaller- 
scale  type  of 
project. 
"We've  taken 
it  to  other 
markets 
besides 
Rotterdam,  and 
had  some  good 
meetings,  but 
found  that  the 
orientation  at 
other  markets 
was  too  different 
from  Rotterdam:  they're  more  commercially- 
oriented.  Rotterdam  instead  offers  something 
unique — rawer  themes,  experimental  and  art 
films  generally,  which  is  what  Wrong  Guys  is, 
and  is  part  of  the  Wooster  Group  aesthetic 
applied  to  film:  multiple  media  and  an  inter- 
esting overlaying  of  images." 
However,  at  one  of  the  market  seminars, 
entitled  Relationships  between  Broadcasters 
and  Independents  into  the  Next  Millennium, 
warning  shots  were  fired  across  the  bows  of  any 
producers  who  might  have  been  under  the  illu- 
sion that  the  world  outside  the  market  was 
going  to  be  as  receptive.  Dominique  Green, 
Head  of  Co-production  UK  and  Northern 
Europe  for  Le  Studio  Canal  +  (the  TV  station's 
production  arm),  noted  how  her  channel's  sub- 
scribers loved  the  idea  of  supporting  French 
and  independent  cinema,  but  when  it  came  to 
the  crunch,  they  didn't  watch  it.  "There's  a 
very  unrealistic  expectation  from  producers  as 
to  what  broadcasters  want,"  she  scolded  the 
assembled  group,  noting  that,  unlike  the  U.S., 
broadcasters  are  the  cornerstone  of  European 
feature  financing.  The  BBC's  David  Thompson 
stressed  that  UK  audiences  were  getting  more 
difficult  to  put  "risky"  films  out  to — "they  want 
to  be  engaged."  Early  TV  directors  had  spoken 
about  things  that  were  direct,  relevant,  impor- 
tant, and  everyday,  he  said,  and  a  slower  paced, 
offbeat  type  of  film  had  less  of  a  chance  to  be 
screened  when  acquisition  prices  had  almost 
doubled  from  £1.8  million  ($2.9  million)  in 
1997  to  £3  million  ($4.8  million). 

One  of  the  market  success  stories  was  Paul 
Morrissey's  The  House  ofKlang,  which  looks  set 
to  be  number  five  on  the  Dogma  runway — and 
its  first  English-language  project.  So  what's  the 
pitch  for  Klangl  In  Morrissey's  inimitable 
words,  "It's  about  a  German  who  wants  to  go 
into  the  teen  underwear  business."  Morrissey 


wrote  it  for  Lars  von  Trier  regular  Udo  Kier,  and 
it's  set  to  go  into  production  in  August.  Asked 
what  he  anticipated  making  the  first  American 
Dogma  film,  he  replied,  "I  made  the  first 
American  Dogma  films  30  years  ago,  so  it's 
nothing  new  to  me.  Flesh,  Trash,  Women  in 
Revolt  were  all  made  in  that  fashion.  The  only 
difference  was  that  in  those  days  I  spent  no 
money — there  was  just  me  and  somebody  on 
sound."  Thomas  Mai,  producer  with  Zentropa, 
which  has  been  involved  with  the  Dogma  team 
since  its  inception,  noted  how  von  Trier's 
Breaking  the  Waves,  The  Kingdom,  and  The  Idiots 
had  all  been  financed  at  markets  and  this  would 
continue  to  be  his  financing  strategy  for  future 
projects. 

Richard  Sandler  attended  the  festival  with 
The  Gods  of  Times  Square,  a  documentary  about 
the  miasma  of  New  York's  midtown  district, 
which  finished  an  impressive  14th  on  the  festi- 
val audience  choice  award  list.  (The  winner 
was  The  Celebration,  followed  by  M>'  Name  Is 
joe,  Windhorse,  and  Genghis  Blues,  although  dis- 
carding the  weighted-voting  system  which  was 
dependent  on  venue  size,  among  other  things, 
Buffalo  66  was  the  clear  winner,  followed  by 
Run  Lola  Run.)  Through  the  Industry  Office, 
which  since  1997  has  been  facilitating  meetings 
between  non-market  filmmakers  and  industry 
personnel,  Sandler  found  a  sales  agent  who  is 
currently  negotiating  a  TV  deal  for  a  one-hour 
version  of  his  film. 

U.S.  fare  veered  away  from  the  mainstream, 
with  A  Simple  Plan,  Rushmore,  Claire  Dolan 
(which  had  been  a  No  Borders  project  for 
director  Lodge  Kerrigan  two  years  ago),  and 
Very  Bad  Things  indicative  of  the  kind  of  pro- 
gramming that  characterizes  the  festival.  Jem 
Cohen's  Instrument:  10  Years  with  the  Band 
Fugazi  was  well  worth  the  wait  for  this  fan. 
Blending  a  mixture  of  super  8,  16mm,  and 
video,  Cohen's  engaging  fly-on-the-wall  film  is 
as  much  an  intriguing  snapshot  of  youth  sub- 
culture from  1987-97  as  it  is  an  insight  into  of 
one  of  the  most  musically  and  politically  pro- 
gressive bands  during  that  period. 

One  intriguing  element  of  the  Exploding 
Cinema  sidebar  was  an  experiment/assignment 
carried  out  by  Dutch  new  mediamakers  in  the 
section  entitled  Future  of  the  Small  Screen. 
With  the  issue  of  convergence  on  the  tip  of 
everyone's  mouse  these  days,  six  teams  pre- 
pared Internet  projects  that  were  interactive 
models  for  accompanying  TV  shows.  These 
ranged  from  interactive  documentary  postcards 
and  a  children's  show/site  to  drama  shows.  Two 
of  the  better  thought-out  projects  were  a  week- 


18    THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


ly  TV  search  series,  Yra,  that  laid  a  trail  of  clues 
on  the  show  and  on  its  site,  and  Publicke 
Personen,  a  virtual  pub/cafe,  described  by  its 
team  as  a  "docusoap"  created  by  the  show's  five 
main  characters  and  its  website  visitors, 
although  both  concepts  had  one  major  stum- 
bling block.  Unless  the  TV  show  was  daily,  the 
writers  and  producers  would  not  be  able  to 
react  quickly  to  online  suggestions,  so  that  by 
the  time  of  shooting  that  week's  show  (possibly 
live),  the  developments  would  be  stale. 

Another  major  point  to  overcome  in  the 
convergence  issue  is  editing.  If  websites  are  a 
conduit  for  information  and  story  ideas  on  the 
show  just  aired,  who  decides  what  online  sug- 
gestions to  take?  Does  majority  voting  work 
online,  so  that  if  400  respondents  want  the  bad 
guy  to  die  and  410  want  him  to  live  but  break  a 
leg  in  next  week's  show,  we  see  him  hobble  onto 
the  screen  the  following  week?  To  this  writer's 
mind,  the  promise  of  convergence,  when 
applied  in  its  current  infancy  to  TV  drama 
series,  is  nothing  more  than  an  aid  for  lame 
writers  and  story  editors.  The  spectacle  of  Ed 
Harris'  creepy  Christo  in  The  Truman  Show 
comes  to  mind  .... 

Anybody  who  purchased  a  Sony  DX700  a 
few  years  back  and  gave  up  in  disgust  or 
returned  it  due  to  its  focusing  problems  should 
see  expatriate  experimental  filmmaker  Jon 
Jost's  most  recent  work,  Nas  Correntes  de  Lux  de 
Ria  Formosa.  Shot  during  a  stay  in  Portugal  in 
1996,  Paris-based  Jost  utilizes  the  blurring 
effect  of  the  lenses  in  creating  what  are  effec- 
tively still  images  with  little  or  no  action,  where 
instead  the  viewer's  attention  is  brought  to  the 
colors,  shapes  and  ambient  sounds  of  each 
scene.  Equally  painterly,  but  with  a  lumines- 
cence and  filmic  lustiness  that  would  have  been 
difficult  to  obtain  on  tape,  James  Herbert's 
dream-like  Speedy  Boys  is  reminiscent  of  a  work 
by  Caravaggio,  particularly  apposite  when  one 
realises  it  was  shot  in  northern  Italy  over  the 
course  of  a  golden  summer.  The  muse -like  sub- 
jects of  the  piece,  American  college  students, 
attract  a  number  of  women  to  their  lodgings 
where,  unselfconsciously  naked,  they  discuss 
the  nature  of  life,  love,  and  matters  more  banal. 

Astute  and  brave  programming,  a  well-orga- 
nized and  high-profile  market,  adventurous 
sidebars,  and  always  pushing  the  boundaries  of 
film  forward — characteristics  that  sum  up 
Rotterdam  can  equally  be  applied  to  the 
Netherlands  soccer  team.  Total  film  indeed! 

Paul  Power  is  managing  editor  of 
The  Independent. 


YT€L 


August 

13th*  19th  1999 

•ALL  FORMATS  ACCEPTED!* 


"Call 

tor 

entries, 

Baby. 


For  Applications  Call  773.327.FILM 
info@cuff.org  •  http://www.cuff.org 


DEADLINE 
MAY  1  5, 
19  9  9 
LATE 
DEADLINE 
JUNE  1, 
19     9     9 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


FESTIVAL  CIRCUIT 


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y   Claus   Mueller 


S  THE  BERLINALE  PREPARES  TO  CELEBRATE  its 
50th  anniversary  in  the  year  2000, 
both  the  festival  and  the  city  of  Berlin  are  in  a 
state  of  radical  transformation.  The  city  itself  is 
undergoing  an  orgy  of  construction,  spending  close  to  $20  billion  in  public  and  private  funds  to 
reposition  itself  as  the  de  facto  capital  of  Germany.  The  festival  is  expected  to  play  a  part  in  this. 
Next  year  the  Berlinale  moves  into  a  newly  constructed  venue  at  Postdamer  Platz.  But  more  impor- 
tantly, it  is  part  of  a  political  vision  to  elevate  the  stature,  profile,  and  profits  of  Germany's  film 
industry. 

The  Berlinale  and  accompanying  European  Film  Market  have  long  been  major  events  in  the 
film  world.  This  year  the  festival  had  more  than  600  films  in  its  line-up,  dispensed  about  300,000 
tickets  and  attracting  ~>>,0QQ  journalists,  while  2,100  individuals  were  accredited  to  the  market.  Not 
showing  up  in  past  years,  an  unusual  array  of  high  profile  Hollywood  personalities  arrived  this 
time — Bruce  Willis,  Nick  Nolte,  Meryl  Streep,  and  Steven  Spielberg  among  them.  But  this  year, 
the  German  governing  elite  also  participated  for  the  first  time,  with  Chancellor  Gerhard  Schroeder 
opening  the  festivities. 

The  Federal  Secretary  of  Culture,  Michael  Naumann  (formerly  in  charge  of  Random  House), 
wants  to  transform  Berlin  into  one  of  the  most  important  contempoary  cultural  centers  of  Europe, 
with  the  film  industry  playing  an  essential  part  in  his  script.  With  the  expansion  of  the  European 
Union  to  include  Poland,  the  Czech  Republic,  and  Hungary,  the  festival's  old  role  as  a  bridge 
between  East  and  West  needs  to  be  reconceptualized,  but  the  glossy  Berlinale  2000  prospectus  still 
presents  a  program  line-up  comparable  to  that  of  past  years.  Naumann  wants  to  change  this. 
Unlike  Cannes  and  Venice,  the  Berlinale  has  always  focused  on  film  quality,  rather  than  commer- 
cial value.  Its  reputation  is  that  of  a  festival  one  attends  to  work — not  to  be  seen  or  to  party.  But 
Cannes  gives  an  annual  boost  to  the  French  film  industry,  and  this  is  a  task  Naumann  now  wants 
to  assign  to  the  Berlinale.  Responsibility  for  the  festival  rests  with  Berlin's  Department  of  Culture, 
not  the  Department  of  Economics,  so  there  has  been  no  cost-benefit  analysis  of  the  festival  show- 
ing the  likely  return  on  the  1  3  million  Deutsche  Marks  invested  by  Berlin,  federal  agencies,  and 
principal  sponsors  Mercedes  Benz  and  SAT  1.  Nonetheless,  Naumann  has  questioned  the 
Berlinale's  performance  and  links  additional  governmental  support  to  a  broader  program  and  a 
greater  consideration  of  German  films.  As  Naumann  puts  it,  "It  is  self-evident  that  Berlin  should 
be  the  first  in  the  top  league  of  festivals,  [yet]  the  festival  program  has  to  be  enriched" — a  criticism 
aimed  at  its  current  director,  Moritz  de  Hadeln.  Naumann  apparently  wants  to  expand  both  the 
Hollywood  and  arthouse  fare  presented  by  the  Berlinale. 


20     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Naumann  also  proposes  that  Germany 
enhance  the  quality  and  quantity  of  its  films  by 
establishing  a  national  German  film  founda- 
tion, streamlining  various  state  film  funds,  and 
augmenting  the  fees  that  German  public  televi- 
sion stations  pay  for  German  films.  His  position 
favors  the  development  of  a  regional  economy 
centered  on  information,  science,  and  the 
media.  That  policy  is  being  backed  by  the  city 
state  of  Berlin  and  the  state  of  Brandenburg 
(surrounding  Berlin),  with  the  aid  of  funds 
from  the  federal  government  and  regional  ini- 
tiatives of  the  European  Union  amounting  to 
one  billion  Deutsche  Marks  in  fiscal  year  1998. 
In  the  media  sector,  the  Berlinale  would  serve 
as  an  anchor  for  the  film  industry. 

Paralleling  the  expansion  of  the  Berlinale 
and  its  film  market  (which  already  has  doubled 
in  size  over  the  last  six  years) ,  Berlin  is  now  the 
second  largest  film  production  center  in 
Germany.  Fostered  by  advanced  production 
facilities  like  Babelsberg,  large  pools  of  skilled 
labor,  and  the  appeal  of  Berlin  as  a  location  (it 
can  serve  as  either  an  old  and  new  European 
metropolis),  the  film  and  television  industry 
has  been  expanding  at  double-digit  rates.  This 
expansion  is  facilitated  by  innovative  funding 
through  the  Berlin/Brandenburg  Filmboard 
(which  finances  film  production  and  distribu- 
tion projects),  access  to  risk  capital  such  as  the 
UFA  fund  (backed  by  the  State  of  Brandenburg 
bank  ILB)  amounting  to  several  hundred  mil- 
lion DM,  and  initiatives  like  the  Babelsberg 
Studio  project,  which  provides  co-production 
funding  to  independent  filmmakers. 

Yet  an  "enrichment"  of  the  festival  and  film 
market  faces  limits.  Though  the  festival  and  its 
market  have  run  out  of  space  in  the  current 
location,  the  new  facilities  at  the  Postdamer 
Platz  do  not  offer  much  more  room.  As  a  result, 
some  anticipate  that  fewer  productions  will  be 
be  screened  at  the  new  location.  Since  compet- 
ing festivals  are  expanding  programs  and  mar- 
kets, Berlinale  has  to  act  fast  if  it  wants  to 
become  first  in  the  league  of  festivals.  Cannes 
plans  to  enlarge  its  film  market.  Venice  will  offer 
a  film  and  script  market  and  add  an  experimen- 
tal film  section  this  year.  Rotterdam  plans  to 
broaden  its  work-in-progress  section,  and  festi- 
vals such  as  Berlin  Beta  and  the  Cologne 
Conference  have  pre-empted  the  niches  for 
new  technology  and  television  projects.  The 
Berlinale  can  only  grow  if  some  new  program 
ideas  are  developed  and  old  festival  venues 
retained. 

Claus  Mueller  Icmuelleria  hunler.cuny.edu]  is  a 

New  York-based  media  analyst  who  curates  the  annual 

New  York  Screening  Days. 


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HOLLYWOOD 


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The  Second  Annual 
New  York  International 
Documentary  Festival 


doc 


Wednesday,  June  2  - 
Sunday,  June  6,  1999 


For  information  call  212  668-1575, 
e-mail  docfest@aol.com,  or  see 
our  website  at  www.docfest.org. 
A  presentation  of  the 
New  York  Documentary  Center. 


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May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


SCRIPT  SESSIONS  '99 

San       Francisco 

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CONFERENCE 


NURTURE  YOUR  VOICE  Friday,  Saturday 
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HONE  YOUR  CRAFT  co-sponsored  by 
The  Department  of  Cinema,  San  Francisco 
State  University,  The  Film  Arts  Foundation 
and  The  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts 
and  Sciences  IN  AN  INTIMATE  SETTING 
screenings  and  staged  readings  INTENSIVE 
WORKSHOPS  discount  hotel  on  campus 
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either  you  pay  or  you  keep  your  fingers  crossed. 

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relationships  with  every  one  of  our  clients.  We  encourage  you  to 
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FROM  HOLLYWOOD  TO  HITLER 


While  Chancellor  Gerhard  Schroeder    / 
was   attending   the    Berlinale's   opening     / 
night,  elsewhere  in  town  Steven  Spielberg     1 
was  hosting  a  fundraiser  for  the  Shoah     I 
Foundation,  showing  James  Moll's  The     / 
Last  Days,  a  documentary  he  executive     I 
produced  on  the  killing  of  Hungarian     / 
Jews — and     a     vivid     reminder     of    I 
Germany's    tarnished    past    (which     / 
Germany  is  also  commemorating  by     / 
^pending   close    to   half  a   billion     / 
Deutsche    Marks    on    Holocaust     / 
monuments     and     museums     in     / 


Berlin). 

Interestingly,  The  Last  Days 
synched  with  the  festival's  undercurrent  of 
films  dealing  with  the  Third  Reich.  In  Jew  Boy 
Levi  Didi  Danquart  convincingly  showed  how 
villagers  turned  against  the  only  Jew  in  their 
midst.  Numerous  other  productions  from 
Germany,  Austria,  Israel,  Switzerland,  and  Spain 
also  had  scripts  based  on  Holocaust  themes. 

Topics  ranged  from  Aimee  &  Jaguar's  lesbian 
love  story  set  in  World  War  II  Berlin,  to  docu- 
mentary treatments  of  Eichmann,  the  German 
Resistance,  and  survivors  of  the  Holocaust. 


In   the  com- 


tive    selec- 


iOH 


,M    W  tion,    cinematic 

kf  content   seemed 

o     range     from 
jjolitical  and  social 
(  debates   to  micro- 

cosmic  depictions  of 
ryday   life,    semi- 
aological   milieus, 
/  and     the     perennial 

themes  of  sex  and  war. 
Bigger-budget  films 
dominated  the  main 
awards,  like  The  Thin 
Red  Line  (Terrence 
Malick),  Aimee  &  Jaguar 
(Max  Faerberboeck) ,  Night  Figures  (Andreas 
Dresen),  and  Shakespeare  in  Love  (John 
Madden).  One  film  stood  out:  Soren  Kragh- 
Jacobson's  Mifune,  the  third  Danish  Dogma  film, 
which  received  the  Special  Jury  Prize. 

The  International  Forum  of  the  Young 
Cinema,  curated  by  Ulrich  Gregor,  fared  better 
with  its  choice  of  independent  and  alternative 
films,  remaining  for  many  the  most  important 


FESTIVAL  CIRCUIT 


part  of  the  Berlinale.  Among  the  noteworthy 
Latin  American  films  selected  by  Peter  Schu- 
mann were  two  strong  Cuban/Spanish  co-pro- 
ductions— If  You.  Only  Understood  (Rolando 
Diaz)  and  Sundance  winner  Life  Is  Wliistling 
(Fernando  Perez),  also  a  prize-winner  in 
Berlin — plus  the  Argentine/German  film 
Century  of  the  Wind,  directed  by  Fernando  Berri. 
In  the  well  organized  European  Film  Market,  run 
by  Beki  Probst,  several  U.S.  independent  pro- 
ductions found  potential  buyers:  Jerome 
(Thomas  Johnston),  The  Comdog  Man  (Andrew 
Shea) ,  and  Genghis  Blues  (Roko  Belie) . 

U.S.  independent  filmmakers  were  well  rep- 
resented in  the  official  Forum  and  Panorama 
sections,  including  Trans  (Julian  Goldberger), 
An  American  Love  Story  (Jennifer  Fox),  The 
Double  Life  of  Ernesto  Gomez  Gomez  (Gary 
Weimberg),  Innocent  Until  Proven  Guilty  (Karen 
Johnson),  Overstimulated  (Jack  Smith),  and  The 
Source  (Chuck  Workman).  The  expanding 
Berlinale  can  only  gain  in  importance  for  U.S. 
independents,  since  no  other  European  film 
festival  or  market  provides  such  cost-efficient 
exposure  to  audience,  critics,  and  buyers. 

—  CM. 


The  ghosts  of  Nazi  past  haunted  many  of  the  Berlinale  films,  including  Katrin  Seybold's  No!  Witnesses  of  the  Resistence  in  Munich  1933-1945. 


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May  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


The  Independent  Feature  Project  presents 


THE  21ST  ANNUAL 
INDEPENDENT  FEATURE 
FILM  MARKET 

September  17-24.  1999 

Angelika  Film  Center.  New  York  City 

CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

Filmmakers  +  Screenwriters: 
submit  features,  shorts, 
works-in-progress.  scripts  and 
documentaries  to  the  only 
market  devoted  exclusively  to 
American  independent  filmmaking. 

1999  submission  deadlines: 
Early  deadline:  May  21 
Final  deadline:  June  11 


THE  BIG  ONE 

BLOOD  GUTS  BULLETS  &  OCTANE 
THE  BRANDON  TEENA  STORY 
THE  FARM:  ANGOLA.  USA 


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THE  UNBELIEVABLE  TRUTH 


MY  DINNER  WITH  ANDRE 


NOT  A  PRETTY  PICTURE 


GARLIC  IS  AS  GOOD  AS 
TEN  MOTHERS 


PARTING  GLANCES 
SHERMANS  MARCH 
DESERT  HEARTS 


For  information  and 
an  application  contact: 

IFP 

104  W.  29th  St/1 2th  Fl. 
NY.  NY  10001-5310 
Phone:  212.465.8200 
Fax  212.465.8525 
E-mail:  ifpny@ifp.org 
Website:  www.ifp.org 


obert  X.  Cringely,  host  of 
PBS's  primer  on  the  future  of 
television,  Digital  TV:  A 
Cringely  Crash  Course 


homes,  figure  out  their  role  in  the  digital  revolution — and  once 
the  Federal  Communications  Commission  decides  the  extent  to 
which  cahle  companies  will  be  required  to  include  network  DTV 
broadcasts  in  their  basic  service  (the  so-called  "must  carry"  rule). 
In  the  meantime,  as  Gene  Faulkner  of  Atlanta's  WSB-TV  told 
CNN  recently,  "It's  truly  a  classic  case  of  the  chicken  and  the  egg. 
Producers  don't  want  to  produce  this  very  expensive  programming 
until  there's  a  sufficient  number  of  viewers,  and  viewers  don't 
want  to  buy  the  TVs  until  the  programming  is  there." 

All  of  which  is  fine  with  Public  Broadcasting  Service  (PBS), 

which     never     let     a 
scarcity  of  viewers  spoil 
its  party.  Indeed,  while 
the  major  commercial 
networks    seem    thor- 
oughly  battled   by   the 
new  delivery  platform 
(which   NBC   uses   to 
give     us     a     high-def 
Tonight  Show,  of  all  things,  while  CBS  features  a  digital  Chicago 
Hope  that  isn't  even  carried  in  the  Windy  City),  PBS  has  boldly 
staked  its  claim  in  the  new  DTV  universe.  Undaunted  by  the  slen- 
der prospects  for  ratings  (since  only  seven  affiliates  were  up  and 
running  with  DTV  at  the  time),  last  fall  PBS  proclaimed  the  week 
of  November  9-12  as  its  "Digital  Week,"  ottering  a  little  bit  of 

Low  Profile: 


by  Gary   O.   Larson 


Ne 


I  EVER  HAS  A  REVOLUTION  STARTED  SO  QUIETLY.  SOME  40  STATIONS 
across  the  country,  from  WCBS  in  New  York  to  KGO  in  San  Francisco, 
began  digital  television  (DTV)  broadcasts  last  November,  and  almost 
no  one  was  watching.  At  least  not  on  sets  capable  of  receiving  the 
high-definition  television  (HDTV)  signals.  Those  large-screen  models, 
at  $5,000  and  up,  remain  well  beyond  the  reach  of  most  consumers,  as 
do  the  much  less  expensive  set-top  converters  (designed  for  use  with 
existing  analog  sets  and  currently  costing  approximately  $1,500), 
which  are  just  starting  to  show  up  in  stores. 

Thus  the  DTV  revolution,  which  officially  began  with  ABC's  high- 
definition  broadcast  of  101  Dalmatians  on  November  1,  isn't  simply  a 
quiet  one.  It  looks  like  it  will  be  a  remarkably  slow  one  as  well. 
Although  stations  in  the  top  30  markets,  covering  half  the 
population,  will  be  offering  digital  broadcasts  by  the  end  of 
1999,  the  audience  for  these  broadcasts  will  remain  tiny. 
Forrester  Research's  Josh  Bernoff,  author  of  a  study  on  the 
future  of  DTV,  predicts  that  it  will  be  at  least  a  decade 
before  a  majority  of  American  homes  are  actually  equipped  with  DTV 
devices.  That's  about  two  years  longer  than  VCRs  and  audio  CD  play- 
ers needed  to  reach  a  similar  level  of  market  acceptance. 

But  that  timetable  could  change  dramatically  once  the  cable  con- 
glomerates, whose  coverage  is  approaching  70  percent  of  American 


everything:  some  high-definition  splendor  (Chihuly  over  Venice,  in 
which  Dale  Chihuly 's  monumental  glass  chandeliers  were  installed 
over  the  Italian  city's  canals),  a  dose  of  primetime  edutainment  (Digital 
TV:  A  Cringely  Crash  Course,  featuring  high-tech  personality  Robert  X. 
Cringely),  a  new  digital  hybrid  referred  to  as  "enhanced  TV"  (in  this 
instance  a  collaboration  with  Intel  that  turned  Ken  Burns'  two-part 
Frank  Lloyd  Wright  documentary  into  a  multimedia  PC  extravaganza), 
and  the  opening  of  a  new  DTV  wing  on  PBS's  already  capacious  Web 
site  [www.pbs.org/digitaltv].  And  even  if  the  famous  glass  artist  and 
the  legendary  architect  reached  fewer  households  than  Cruella  De  Vil 
and  those  spotted  pups,  the  promise  of  DTV  came  through  clearly. 
This  could  be  a  chance,  as  industry  analyst  Gary  Arlen  put  it,  "for 


PBS,  in  its  typical  fashion,  celebrates  the  advent  of  DTV  with 
equal  parts  institutional  hubris  and  public-service  piety. 


broadcasters  to  reinvent  their  medium,  not  merely  enhance  it." 

PBS,  in  its  typical  fashion,  celebrates  the  advent  of  DTV  with  equal 
parts  institutional  hubris  and  public-service  piety.  The  ultimate  value 
of  the  new  medium,  a  network  press  release  intones,  depends  "on  our 
own  human  creativity  and  ingenuity — on  whether  we  use  this  extraor- 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


w  technology  to  improve  the  quality  of  our  lives,  our  com- 

.  and  our  country."  More  than  mere  entertainment,  then — 

than  just  quality  television,"  in  fact — the  network  vows  to  deliv- 

nething  truly  special:  "We  will  harness  the  power  of  this  new 

i     in  ways  that  improve  the  quality  of  life  and  learning  for  all 

Americans." 

All  of  that  will  take  time,  of  course,  not  to  mention  cash — the  esti- 
mated $1.7  billion  it  will  cost  to  bring  all  350  public  television  stations 
into  the  digital  loop  (which  the  FCC  requires  by  2003),  a  hefty  sum  for 
a  $1.6  billion  industry.  Federal  support  will  reduce  some  of  that  burden, 
but  not  by  the  $771  million  that  the  pubcasters  requested  last  year.  The 
Clinton  administration  recently  proposed  $450  million  in  new,  digital- 
conversion  funding,  but  the  final  figure  is  still  to  be  determined  by 


Canada,  Portugal,  and  Australia  on  tap,  along  with  a  centennial  trib- 
ute to  Duke  Ellington  (featuring  Wynton  Marsalis  and  the  Lincoln 
Center  Jazz  Orchestra)  later  this  spring. 

However  spectacular  such  programming  might  be  for  the  tiny  frac- 
tion of  viewers  with  the  requisite  equipment,  the  heart  of  DTV  for 
PBS  (and  for  most  commercial  stations)  will  almost  certainly  lie  in 
multicasting,  in  which  each  station's  6MHz  spectrum  is  divided  into 
four  or  more  SDTV  channels.  But  while  the  major  networks  will  be 
exploring  home -shopping  channels  and  various  pay-per-view  and  sub- 
scription services,  PBS  has  loftier  goals  in  mind  for  its  new  program- 
ming real  estate.  "Just  as  an  art  gallery  cannot  display  all  of  its  collec- 
tions at  one  time,"  the  network  declares  (no  doubt  thinking  more 
along  the  lines  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum  than  the  Leo  Castelli  Gal- 


lery),        "public 

After  watching  Frank  Lloyd  Wright,  viewers  were  able  to  make  their  way  through  225  megabytes  broadcasting has 
of  material  downloaded  in  the  background  during  the  broadcast — taking  a  virtual  tour  through  ^educational 
Wright's  buildings,  listening  to  extensive  interviews,  and  sifting  through  excess  footage.  programming  and 

services  than  the 
stations  have  air- 
time  .  . .  DTV  will  enable  public  television  to  share 
more  of  its  wealth  of  educational  and  cultural 
resources  with  every  American  than  ever  before." 
PBS  has  already  announced  the  launching  of  a  new 
kids  channel  next  September,  and  other  education- 
al program  streams,  from  K-12  to  adult,  will  likely 
follow.   Public   affairs,   arts,   and  foreign-language 
programming  are   also  multicast 
candidates,  but  network  execu- 
tives are  well  aware  that  educa- 
tion is  PBS's  strong  suit,  which 
may  also  be  its  best  chance  to 
generate       increased       earned 
income.  "The  only  thing  we  can 
sell  is  education,  education,  edu- 
cation,"       observed        Barbara 
Landon,  vice  president  of  devel- 
opment at  WBRA  in  Roanoke, 
Virginia,    at    a    National    Ed- 
ucational   Telecommunications 
atmittkM     Association      conference      last 
November. 

Others  at  that  conference,  however,  acknowledged  that  instruc- 
tional television  has  become  a  much  tougher  sell  in  schools  these  days, 
given  the  ascendancy  of  computers  and  the  Internet.  Thus  it's  increas- 
ingly important  for  noncommercial  DTV  to  distinguish  itself  from  its 
analog  past,  offering  something  more  than  clearer  pictures  and  better 
sound.  In  its  new  incarnation,  educational  television  especially  will 
have  to  become  more  interactive,  with  customizable  programming  and 
two-way  communications,  drawing  on  the  Internet-like  aspects  of  the 
so-called  "enhanced  TV"  that  pubcasters  are  just  starting  to  explore. 
There  is  another,  more  fundamental  reason  for  a  multicast  public 
broadcasting  system  to  distinguish  itself  from  its  single-channel  prede- 
cessor. Regardless  of  PBS's  educational  prowess  and  despite  the  indis- 
putable quality  of  much  of  its  programming,  multicasting  cannot  sim- 
ply mean  "more  of  the  same"  if  DTV  is  going  to  realize  its  full  poten- 
tial— or,  indeed,  if  public  broadcasting  is  going  to  fulfill  its  original 


Congress.  Thus  well  over  $1  billion  for 
the  digital   upgrade  will   have   to  be 
raised  at  the  state  and  local  levels,  from 
foundations,  corporations,  and  "view- 
ers like  you."  Even  PBS  President  Ervin 
Duggan,  who's  never  met  a  hyperbole 
he  didn't  like,  sounds  realistic  about 
public  television's  ultimate  role  in  the 
digital  era.  "We  will  invest  prudently 
and  not  leap  out  and  do  rash  things  that  get  us 
too  far  out  ahead  of  the  marketplace,"  Duggan 
explained  recently,  "and  we  know  that  digita 
conversion  will  be  driven  more  by  commercial 
broadcasters  than  by  us." 

But  the  uncertain  economics  haven't  stopped 
PBS  from  taking  at  least  a  small  leap  into  the 
digital  future,  trying  its  hand  at  each  of  the  four 
basic  DTV  options: 

•  HDTV,  with  twice  the  resolution  and  clari- 
ty of  regular  television,  a  wider  aspect  ratio  (16:9 
as  opposed  to  the  current  4:3),  and  six  channels 
of  CD-quality  sound. 

•  Multicast  standard  definition  TV  (SDTV),  with  four  or  more 
simultaneous  channels  of  video  superior  in  quality  to  existing  analog 
broadcasts. 

•  "Enhanced"  TV,  with  hundreds  of  megabytes  of  supplementary 
video,  audio,  text,  and  images  transmitted  in  the  background,  adding 
depth  to  a  particular  program. 

•  Datacasting,  using  a  small  portion  of  the  digital  signal  to  transmit 
a  wide  variety  of  data  much  faster  than  a  PC  modem. 

In  the  HDTV  arena,  Gary  Gibson's  90-minute  Cluhuly  over  Venice 
(produced  by  KCTS  in  Seattle  for  over  a  half-million  dollars  and  sched- 
uled for  rebroadcast  this  July)  was  just  the  first  in  a  series  of  monthly 
specials  that  also  included  a  Jessye  Norman  holiday  concert,  a  Kennedy 
Center  tribute  to  Muddy  Waters,  and  Over  Ireland,  part  of  a  planned 
series  of  aerial  photography  showcases.  PBS  promises  a  lot  more  of  that 
bird's-eye  geography  in  the  next  several  months,  with  aerial  views  of 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


mandate.  "[I]t  furthers  the  public  interest,"  as 
the  Public  Broadcasting  Act  of  1967  declared, 
"to  encourage  public  telecommunications  ser- 
vices which  will  be  responsive  to  the  interests 
of  people  .  .  .  ,  which  will  constitute  an  expres- 
sion of  diversity  and  excellence,  and  which  will 

constitute  a  source  of  alternative  telecommunications  services  for  all 
the  citizens  of  the  Nation;  .  .  .  programming  that  involves  creative  risks 
and  that  addresses  the  needs  of  unserved  and  underserved  audiences, 
particularly  children  and  minorities  .  .  ." 

Diversity  and  risk  are  not  the  terms  that  spring  immediately  to  mind 
when  assessing  PBS's  polished,  often  predictable  primetime  schedule 
these  days,  Frontline  and  PO.V  notwithstanding.  Certainly  the  original 
Carnegie  Commission  on  Educational  Television  envisioned  some- 
thing far  more  daring  when  it  authored  the  report  {Public  Television:  A 
Program  for  Action)  that  helped  launch  the  new  system  over  30  years 
ago,  calling  for  a  noncommercial  alternative  to  NBC,  CBS,  and  ABC. 
Public  broadcasting,  according  to  the  commission,  "should  seek  out 
able  people  whose  talents  might  otherwise  not  be  known  and  shared." 
As  a  genuinely  public  system,  moreover,  "it  should  provide  a  voice  for 
groups  in  the  community  that  may  otherwise  be  unheard  .  .  .  ,  a  forum 
for  debate  and  controversy."  And  in  words  that  sound  especially 
poignant  today,  in  light  of  the  casualties  of  the  culture  wars,  "[its]  pro- 
grams should  have  the  means  to  be  daring,  to  break  away  from  narrow 
convention,  to  be  human  and  earthy." 


Regardless  of  PBS's  educational  prowess  and  despite  the  indisputable 
quality  of  much  of  its  programming,  multicasting  cannot  simply  mean 
"more  of  the  same"  if  DTV  is  going  to  realize  its  full  potential — or, 
indeed,  if  public  broadcasting  is  going  to  fulfill  its  original  mandate. 


W, 


HILE  PBS  HAS  GIVEN  LITTLE  EVIDENCE  THUS  FAR  THAT  IT  INTENDS 
to  take  any  risks,  aesthetically  or  politically,  in  the  digital  era,  there 
have  been  some  signs  of  life  recently  in  its  bureaucratic  uncle,  the 
Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  (CPB),  whose  federal  appropria- 
tion stands  at  $250  million  this  year.  It's  still  too  early  to  assess  CPB 
president  Robert  Coonrod's  record  after  Richard  Carlson's  middle-of- 
the-road  reign  ended  in  June  1997,  but  his  acknowledgment  of  the  sys- 
tem's roots  is  encouraging.  "The  issue  that's  most  on  my  mind," 
Coonrod  explained  early  last  year,  not  long  after  assuming  the  presi- 
dency of  CPB,  "is  how  we  take  the  declarations  of  purpose  in  the  Public 
Broadcasting  Act  and  actually  realize  them  in  the  digital  world.  And 
not  just  continue  what  we've  been  doing,  which  was  a  splendid  job,  but 
do  it  even  better." 

For  its  part,  CPB  has  set  aside  between  three  and  four  million  dol- 
lars for  experimentation  under  its  new  "Going  Digital"  banner,  inviting 
"producers,  educators,  and  others  to  submit  experimental  projects  that 
use  digital  technology's  features  to  broaden  and  deepen  the  education 
content  of  programs."  The  first  grants  awarded  under  this  program, 
announced  late  last  year,  focus  on  four  priority  areas:  innovation,  edu- 
cation, diversity,  and  local  relevance.  "We're  asking  producers,  educa- 
tors, technology  specialists,  and  others  to  be  mindful  of  what  digital 
has  to  offer,"  explains  Katie  Carpenter,  CPB  vice  president  for  pro- 
gramming. "We  invite  them  to  submit  proposals  that  either  foreshad- 
ow the  future  or  move  into  areas  of  innovation  not  yet  found  on  pub- 
lic television."  For  that  reason  CPB  is  giving  less  emphasis  to  either 
HDTV,  which  is  too  costly  and  reaches  too  few  people,  or  to  datacast- 
ing,  which  PBS  has  been  doing  for  years  under  a  for-profit  subsidiary. 
(The  spring  application  deadline  for  Going  Digital  was  April  30  and 
the  fall  deadline  has  yet  to  be  announced.  Interested  producers  should 
check  the  CPB  website:  www.cpb.org/producers/funding/intro.htm) 

A  select  handful  of  viewers  (all  of  them  employees  of  PBS  and  Intel, 


using  PC  prototypes  equipped  with  digital  TV  tuners)  got  a  glimpse  of 
the  future  that  CPB  has  in  mind  during  the  two-night  broadcast  of  Ken 
Burns's  and  Lynn  Novick's  Frank  Lloyd  Wright  last  November.  After 
watching  the  documentary  itself  (and  Burns  reportedly  insisted  that 
nothing  interrupt  the  three-hour  work),  these  viewers  were  able  to 
make  their  way  through  some  225  megabytes  of  material  that  had  been 
downloaded  in  the  background  during  the  broadcast — taking  a  virtual 
tour  through  three  of  Wright's  buildings,  listening  to  extensive  inter- 
views, and  otherwise  sifting  through  the  excess  footage  that  the 
Burns/Novick  team  at  Florentine  Films  made  available  on  3/4"  work- 
tapes  for  the  enhancement  effort. 

Future  enhanced  TV  projects  emerging  from  CPB's  "digital  incu- 
bator" include  an  interactive  compo- 
nent for  Anna  Deveare  Smith's  one- 
woman  performance  piece  on  the 
1992  Los  Angeles  riots,  Twilight  in 
L.A.  A  similar  project  is  Third  and 
Indiana,  which  will  combine  the 
Arden  Theatre's  production  of  a  play 
depicting  inner-city  life  in  Phila- 
delphia with  documentary  footage 
shot  at  that  very  street  corner  by 
WHYY-TV  and  a  radio  series  dis- 
cussing community  issues  raised  by 
the  play.  Heidi  Gitelman,  a  graduate 
student  at  MIT's  Media  Lab  and  a  for- 
mer TV  producer,  was  brought  in  to 
weave  together  the  various  strands  of 
this  project,  and  she's  typical  of  the  unlikely  supporting  cast  that  CPB 
has  assembled  for  its  various  enhanced  TV  demos.  In  other  projects, 
CPB  has  turned  to  Internet  design  teams  from  iXL  and  Razorfish  and 
to  computer  experts  at  the  San  Diego  Supercomputer  Center,  MIT, 
and  the  Columbia  University  Graduate  School  of  Journalism  Center  for 
New  Media  for  assistance  in  navigating  the  uncharted  waters  of  DTV. 
Whether  these  experimental  efforts  will  ever  find  their  way  into 
American  homes  is  another  matter,  of  course,  as  is  the  extent  to  which 
the  new  digital  delivery  system  will  encourage  programming  at  the 
local  level.  In  recent  years,  three  eastern  seaboard  stations  (Boston's 
WGBH,  New  York's  WNET,  and  Washington's  WETA),  along  with  the 
Children's  Television  Workshop,  have  provided  some  75  percent  of 
PBS's  national  schedule.  Conversely,  fully  85  percent  of  all  public  sta- 
tions produce  no  original  programming  at  all.  The  expense  of  HDTV 
programming,  unfortunately,  will  only  reinforce  this  trend.  But  the 
expanded  capacity  of  multicasting  and  the  increased  flexibility  of 
"enhanced  TV,"  on  the  other  hand,  have  the  potential  to  provide  a 
platform  tor  many  new  voices — "for  the  experimenter,  the  dissenter, 
the  visionary,"  in  the  words  of  the  original  Carnegie  Commission — 
breathing  new  life  into  public  broadcasting  in  the  process.  In  the  final 
analysis,  the  possibility  of  accommodating  those  new  voices,  putting 
public  broadcasting  back  in  touch  with  its  founding  principles,  may 
turn  out  to  be  the  digital  TV  revolution's  most  revolutionary  aspect  of  all. 
Gary  Q  Larson  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent. 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


presence  in 

«asr»  mrrtMy  o-f  competition  -From  new  satellite,  cable,  and  private  terrestrial 
channels.  How  are  they  responding1?  Here's  a  snapshot  or"  two  countries. 


Germany's  WDR: 
Besting  the  Commercial 
Competition 


kvl 


ERMANY,  THE  SECOND  LARGEST  FILM  AND  TELEVISION 
market  in  the  world,  is  a  land  of  opportunity  tor  public 
broadcasting.  In  stark  contrast  with  the  United  States, 
where  public  television  repeatedly  has  to  justify  its  existence,  Germany 
has  understood  its  value  from  the  start.  Influenced  by  a  tradition  of 
supportive  governmental  agencies,  a  broadcast  history  without  a  sig- 
nificant commercial  sector,  and  the  political  articulation  of  the  public 
interest,  many  German  opinion  and  policy  makers  believe  that  the 
demand  for  culture,  education,  and  information  programs  can  only  be 
met  by  public  television. 

Audiences  seem  to  agree.  Public  television  remains  the  favorite 
source  for  information,  news,  and  culture  in  Germany.  Witness  the 
numbers:  In  early  1999,  ARD  (a  network  comprising  all  the  regional 
public  TV  stations)  had  the  largest  audience  share  (14.8%),  followed 
by  the  national  public  TV  channel  ZDF  (14-2%),  the  private  television 
station  RTL  (13.6%),  and  the  Third  Program  (Das  Dritte  Programm,  a 
generic  name  for  the  programs  produced  by  the  regionally  based  state 
public  television  stations  and  broadcast  under  that  name)  (13.4%). 
The  commercial  channels  SAT  1  and  Pro?  lagged  behind,  with  shares 
of  11%  and  8.9%.  And  it  was  the  Third  Program,  not  a  commercial 
channel,  that  had  the  highest  growth  rate,  expanding  its  audience  by 
30%  over  the  last  three  years. 

The  moral  argument  of  the  public's  right  to  broad-based  cultural 
and  informational  programs  is  accompanied  by  economic  and  social 
considerations.  "Cost-benefit  analysis  clearly  demonstrates  that 
German  public  television  stations  play  a  vital  economic  role  for  the 
areas  they  serve  by  generating  primary  and  secondary  jobs,  with  the  net 
output  exceeding  the  initial  investments,"  says  Josef  Eckart,  former 
head  of  the  research  division  of  Europe's  largest  public  broadcaster, 
WDR  (West  Deutscher  Rundtunk,  or  West  German  Broadcasting). 
Without  straining  local  or  state  budgets,  public  television  makes  a  sig- 
nificant contribution  to  the  information  and  knowledge  sector. 

Meanwhile,  commercial  television  is  encumbered  with  the  strictest 
rules  in  Europe  about  advertising  and  programming.  For  example,  if  the 
audience  share  of  a  commercial  channel  exceeds  10  percent,  the  chan- 
nel is  obliged  to  set  time  aside  for  two  so-called  "window  programs"  (or 
"Fensterprogramme,"  such  as  Alexander  Kluge's  DDTV  or  Spiegel  TV), 
which  carry  information,  news,  and  cultural  reports. 

But  even  in  this  supportive  atmosphere,  German  public  television 
has  had  to  adapt  itself  to  increased  competition.  After  commercial 
television  was  introduced  in  Germany  in  the  late  eighties,  public  tele- 
vision experienced  a  drastic  decline,  losing  more  than  half  its  audience 


liSKffil 


i .  i .  ■ 


\m\ 


o 


.4» 


WDR's  headquarters  in  Cologne 


(with  the  trade  press  calling  it  a  dinosaur).  It  was  not  until  three  years 
ago  that  a  reversal  took  place.  Public  television  rebounded  by  learning 
marketing  strategies  from  private  television,  differentiating  its  pro- 
grams according  to  audience  segments  served,  keeping  up  with  new 
technologies,  creating  niche  channels,  and  maintaining  the  quality  of 
its  productions.  Admittedly  this  strategy  is  difficult  to  emulate  by 
American  public  television,  since  the  broadcasting  structure  and  leg- 
islation framing  it  are  so  different  in  Germany. 

Germany  has  a  dual  television  system,  with  commercial  televi- 
sion funded  by  advertising  revenues,  and  public  television  funded  by 
two  revenue  streams:  a  legally  mandated  monthly  subscription  fee  of 
about  $17  per  household  and  receipts  from  advertising.  There  is  no 
reliance  on  subsidies  from  state  governments.  Forty  percent  of  all  tele- 
vision revenues  (derived  from  advertising,  mandatory  fees,  and  other 
sources)  accrues  to  public  television,  a  level  not  reached  by  any  other 
European  public  television  system,  nor  by  PBS,  with  its  paltry  2%  share 
of  the  total  income  of  broadcasters  in  the  U.S.  In  early  1999  German 
public  television  held  an  audience  share  of  close  to  45%,  with  its  view- 
ers characterized  by  above  average  income,  education,  and  age  levels 
(relative  to  commercial  broadcasting  audiences).  Compare  to  this 
PBS's  3%  audience  share. 

There  are  seven  full  public  TV  channels:  ARD,  ZDF,  and  the  Third 
Program,  plus  3sat,  organized  with  the  cooperation  of  Austrian  and 


28     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Swiss  television,  and  the  renowned  Arte  channel,  which  is  co-pro- 
duced with  France.  Arte  and  3sat  offer  sophisticated  educational,  cul- 
tural, and  entertainment  material  to  an  upscale  hut  minuscule  audi- 
ence. Since  1997,  two  other  channels  have  emerged:  Phoenix,  an 
event  and  documentation  channel,  and  the  children's  channel  Der 
Kinderkanal,  managed  jointly  hy  ARD  and  ZDF  and  accessed  by  satel- 
lite dishes  (which  are  rather  popular  in  Germany). 

Television  households  are  reluctant  to  pay  more  for  sub- 
scription or  pay-per-view  television.  As  a  result,  German  pay 
TV  program  services  have  a  low  penetration  rate  amount- 
ing in  late  1998  to  6%  of  all  television  households. 

But  they  are  interested  in  documentary,  informational,  and 
cultural  programs.  More  than  halt  of  the  program  fare  offered 
on  public  TV  consists  of  nonfiction  programming.  Commercial 
nonfiction  television  services  like  the  Learning  Channel  and 
the  Discovery  Channel  have  not  come  into  being,  however, 
since  public  broadcasting  has  pre-empted  the  market. 

Of  the  30  commercial  television  services  available  in 
Germany,  only  two — RTL  and  Pro  Sieben — are  making  a  prof- 
it. The  others  have  lost  close  to  $4.4  billion  to  date,  of  which 
$700  million  had  to  be  written  off  by  major  American  media 
conglomerates.  Among  the  recent  victims  are  Nickelodeon, 
the  Weather  Channel,  puis  tv  (a  Berlin-based  cable  channel), 
and  the  moribund  TM  3  (the  woman's  channel),  with  others 
forced  to  reposition.  The  chances  of  success  for  the  national 
private  news  channel  N3  have  diminished  since  Ted  Turner, 
one  of  the  principal  investors,  wants  to  impose  his  CNN 
signature.  This  runs  counter  to  German  news  tastes, 
which  favor  a  greater  regional  and  national  flair. 
As  distinct  from  the  United  States,  television  consump- 
tion has  remained  stable,  amounting  to  about  three  hours 
a  day.  Any  further  erosion  of  the  audience  base  for  com- 
mercial broadcasters  is  therefore  problematic.  Private  television  is  on 
the  defensive.  But  public  television  has  more  than  held  its  own. 

There  are  a  number  of  key  factors  that  account  for  the 
rebounding  of  public  television  in  Germany.  These  include  public  tele- 
vision's ability  to  learn  from  the  commercial  competition,  recent  court 
rulings  upholding  the  German  public  television  system,  and  strong 
public  support.  Over  the  past  few  years,  German  public  television  has 
aggressively  adapted  to  the  commercial  competition  and  developed 
niche  markets  for  public  television  programs  while  retaining  the  finan- 
cial privileges  of  their  "public"  legal  status. 

"Greater  programming  flexibility"  is  singled  out  by  Peter  Leudts,  one 
of  the  key  strategist  at  WDR,  "as  having  become  the  most  important 
innovation  of  German  public  television" — meaning  the  ability  to 
rapidly  modify  programs  and  their  context.  Taking  their  lead  from 
commercial  competitors,  it's  now  common  practice  at  ARD  and  ZDF 
to  pay  close  attention  to  audience  shares,  engage  in  strategic  planning, 
develop  new  program  sequences  and  formats  (such  as  reality-based 
magazine  shows),  and  include  "event"  TV — programs,  frequently 
inserted  on  short  notice,  covering  cultural,  political,  and  sports  with 
wide  audience  appeal.  This  has  been  combined  with  an  emphasis  on 
cost  effective  programming  (sometimes  accompanied  by  controversial 
outsourcing)  and  the  expansion  of  afternoon  talk  shows  and  sports. 
Public  television  has  also  improved  the  marketing  and  on-air  promo- 
tion of  its  programs,  creating  a  sophisticated  image  of  itself  for  policy- 


makers and  the  public. 

Commercial  broadcasters  and  their  political  allies  have  tried  to  use 
the  courts  to  level  the  playing  field.  This  strategy  has  not  worked,  since 
court  decisions  have  affirmed  public  television's  fee -based  funding  sys- 
tem and  also  reinforced  the  states'  right  to  set  broadcast  policies 
through  their  Landesmedienanstalten  (the  State  Media  Institution). 
They've  also  accorded  public  broadcasting  the  right  to  explore  new  dis- 
tribution technologies  and  programming  schemes.  Attempts  to  block 
Phoenix  and  the  Children's  Channel  were  met  with  failure,  as  was  the 
appeal  to  the  cartel  office  of  the  European  Union  in  Brussels. 

The  legal  success  of  public  television  is  tied  to  the  strong  political 
and  public  support  it  enjoys  in  Germany.  In  spite  of  its  formal 
autonomous  status,  public  television  is  influenced  by  political  constel- 
lations. In  the  decentralized  German  broadcasting  system,  responsibil- 
ity for  local  public  television  stations  rests  with  the  states,  or 
"Laender."  Through  appointees  on  the  stations'  supervisory  boards,  the 
Laender  have  a  significant  share  of  policy-setting  power.  The  peculiar 
instrument  of  the  Landesmedienanstalt  allows  each  state  to  control 
frequency  allocations  and  use  of  the  electronic  media,  such  as  channel 
allocations  on  cable  systems.  On  the  national  level,  the  new 
Chancellor  Gerhard  Schroeder  will  be  able  to  get  someone  close  to  his 
views  appointed  as  president  of  ZDF  once  the  term  of  the  old 
Intendant  is  over. 

Support  for  stronger  commercial  television  has  been  eroded  by  the 
general  shift  in  popular  sentiment  towards  left  liberal  governments  in 
Germany  (and  most  of  Europe).  Outrage  about  profanity  and  nudity 
offered  on  some  commercial  television  programs  (known  as  "below 
belly  programming"  or  "Schmuddelfernsehen")  and  the  idiotic  nature 
of  some  talk  shows  has  not  helped  the  cause  of  commercial  television 
in  Germany  either. 

The  COLOGNE-BASED  WDR  is  by  far  the  largest  public  television  sta- 
tion in  continental  Europe.  It's  also  the  principal  anchor  for  the  trans- 
formation of  Cologne  into  Germany's  most  important  television  pro- 
duction center.  WDR  comprises  five  radio  stations,  runs  its  own  tele- 
vision channel  (WDR  3,  the  Third  Program),  and  supplies  one  quarter 
of  all  productions  broadcast  by  the  national  network  ARD.  The  chan- 
nels Phoenix,  Arte,  3sat,  and  the  Children's  Channel  depend  on  pro- 
ductions from  WDR.  Its  programs  are  carried  on  all  German  cable  sys- 
tems and  broadcast  via  satellite  to  Germany  and  Europe. 

WDR  has  established  itself  as  the  principal  supplier  of  documentary 
programs  and  long-running  television  series  (such  as  the  crime  series 
Taunt,  the  soap  opera  Lindenstrasse,  and  the  award-winning  children's 
program  Die  Sendimg  mit  der  Maus).  WDR  gained  international 
renown  by  co-producing  Rainer  Werner  Fassbinder's  Berlin 
Alexanderplatz  and  by  backing  Das  Tndcspiel.  In  cooperation  with  ARD, 
WDR  has  been  transmitting  digital  television  programs  via  cable  and 
satellite  over  the  last  two  years  and  used  the  Internet  since  1996.  It  has 
a  market  share  of  6.2%  in  North  Rhine  Westphalia  and  2.4%  nation- 
wide, recording  the  strongest  growth  rate  of  all  German  public  televi- 
sion systems.  WDR's  budget  for  1999  shows  revenues  of  2.2  billion 
Deutsch  Mark  (about  $1.3  billion),  of  which  80%  are  fee-based  and 
only  3.5%  derived  from  advertising.  The  magnitude  of  WDR's  rev- 
enues are  impressive  compared  to  WNET,  PBS'  flagship  station  in  New 
York,  which  has  a  budget  of  $139  million  for  1998/99. 

Under  the  direction  of  its  current  Intendant,  Fritz  Pleitgen,  the 
WDR  expanded  and  adopted  new  programming  policies.  Pleitgen 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


.    '  foi  lean  and  flexible  programming,  guided  in  part  by  audience 
( irder  to  respond  swiftly  to  shifts  in  tastes  and  markets.  Fixed 
term  program  development  strategies  were  phased  out  without 
j.  so  it  is  claimed,  traditional  program  quality.  Among  recent 
innovations  are  new  city-oriented  programs  aimed  at  major  metropol- 
itan  areas   in   North   Rhine   Westphalia    (such   as   Cologne    and 
Dortmund),  the  so-called  "Ballungsfernsehen"  (television  for  urban 
areas  with  a  high  population  density),  and  the  incorporation  of  reality- 
based  magazines  like  City  Express  and  the  regional  Eins  Live  TV  and 
Extra.  The  relative  proportion  of  program  content  remained  stable, 
thus  60%  covers  information,  culture,  and  education  and  40%  enter- 
tainment, sports,  and  other  areas.  Credit  for  the  success  goes  to  a  pre- 
emptive strategy  of  staking  claims  in  new  territories  and  foreclosing 
them  to  the  commercial  competition. 

At  the  same  time,  WDR  has  developed  its  Third  Program  into  a  full 
24-hour  channel  with  material  appealing  to  all  sections  of  the  regional 
audience  WDR  serves.  WDR  3  is  defined  and  marketed  as  a  regional 
program,  thus  even  productions  with  international  and  multicultural 
content  are  presented  from  that  perspective.  WDR  also  brands  its 
Third  Program  as  information-driven  and  "open  to  the  world"  (that  is, 


the  schedule  will  include  productions  with  an  international  orienta- 
tion, provided  there  is  some  connection  to  the  region).  This  regional 
orientation  cannot  be  emulated  by  the  commercial  competition,  since 
they  program  for  a  nationwide  audience.  Yet  WDR's  Third  Program  is 
carried  on  cable  systems  throughout  Germany  and  broadcast  via  satel- 
lite to  the  rest  of  Europe. 

The  strategy  adopted  by  WDR  leads  to  maximum  exposure  for  its 
production.  By  recycling  and  repackaging  old  programs  and  dissemi- 
nating new  ones  on  ARD,  WDR  3,  Phoenix,  the  Children's  Channel, 
Arte,  and  3sat,  WDR  has  succeeded  in  branding  itself  as  the  most 
prominent  German  public  television  station  and  expanding  its  audi- 
ence beyond  North  Rhine  Westphalia.  One  third  of  its  audience  lives 
outside  these  borders,  and  this  percentage  is  sure  to  increase  as  WDR 
continues  its  foray  into  the  Internet  and  other  digital  transmission 
technologies.  It  is  certainly  no  accident  that  the  largest  production 
facilities  in  Europe,  including  32  television  and  films  studios,  are  now 
being  built  near  Cologne. 

Claus  Mueller  lcmueller(a  hwuer.cuny.edu}  is  a  New  York-based  media  analyst. 


la  Fran9 


by     Bethany     H  a  y  e 


IT  MAY  BE  SUBJECT  TO  THE  WINDS  OF  POLITICAL  CHANGE,  but 
public  television  in  France  is  like  the  legend  of  Joan  of  Arc:  a 
national  treasure,  a  source  of  contention,  and  an  undeniably 
permanent  fixture.  In  tact,  until  1988,  that's  the  only  kind  of 
television  there  was.  That  was  the  year  the  biggest  channel, 
TF1,  went  commercial,  and  Antenne  2  and  FR3,  later  to  become 
France  2  and  France  3,  became  its  public  service  counterparts.  In  1992, 
the  culture  channel,  Arte,  a  joint  venture  with  Germany's  public  ser- 
vice, hit  the  airwaves,  followed  in  1996  by  La  Cinquieme,  a  purely  edu- 
cational channel.  In  the  interim,  the  terrestrial  commercial  sector  also 
added  M6,  a  youth  and  music-oriented  net,  and  Canal +  ,  encrypted 
pay  TV  that  targets  sophisticated  15-40  year-olds.  About  20  cable  and 
satellite  channels  originating  in  France  are  also  out  there. 

Actually,  the  four  public  nets  share  three  frequencies,  with  La 
Cinquieme  broadcasting  from  11:30  a.m.  to  7  p.m.  and  Arte  taking 
over  from  7  p.m.  to  1  a.m.  Budget-wise,  Arte  and  La  Cinquieme  are 
entirely  state-funded  except  for  a  "minuscule"  amount  of  enhanced 
underwriting.  France  2  and  3  have  mixed-budgets,  meaning  that 
roughly  half  of  their  financing  comes  from  the  license  fee,  an  annual 
tax  of  about  $150  per  TV  set  paid  by  viewing  households,  and  halt 
through  advertising. 

The  prognosis  for  TV  in  general  is  good.  Overall  viewer  numbers 
are  up,  the  number  of  hours  watched  has  grown,  and  the  financial 
stakes  are  dizzying.  But  for  the  two  main  public  nets,  growth  has  come 
in  fits  and  starts,  with  expanded  audiences  paralleling  a  steady  increase 
in  advertising.  Now  their  latest  challenge  is  looming  in  the  form  of  a 
bill  that  seeks  to  limit  those  ad  revenues. 

Though  their  continued  existence  is  assured — public  service  is  a 
cornerstone  of  French  national  life  and  is  seen  to  play  an  important 


role  in  reinforcing  social  cohesion  by  providing  common  cultural  refer- 
ences to  the  whole  population — France  2  and  3  are  gearing  up  to  fight 
the  bill,  while  at  the  same  time  prudently  seeking  ways  to  bridge  the 
budget  gap  that  will  inevitably  ensue. 

Rewind:  The  history  of  advertising  on  public  television  is  a  com- 
plex  saga.  Its  steady  increase  parallels  the  restructuring  that  began  in 
1989  after  years  of  incessant  and  chaotic  policy  changes.  But  it  was  the 
arrival  in  1988  of  the  ultra-populist  TF1  that  jolted  the  pubcasters 
awake  to  the  fact  that  audiences  had  to  be  seduced,  not  taken  for 
granted.  For  several  years  after  the  commercial  net  burst  on  the  scene 
with  risque  variety  fests  and  garish  game  shows,  the  pubcasters'  ratings 
fell  steadily — to  a  low  of  12%  at  one  point.  In  1989,  France  2  and 
France  3  were  administratively  coordinated  under  the  umbrella  of 
France  Television.  A  long  campaign  to  whip  the  two  into  shape  in 
terms  of  cost-effectiveness  and  market  share  finally  boosted  their  rat- 
ings to  20%,  where  they  plateaued  about  five  years  ago.  In  the  last  year 
or  so,  their  ratings  have  climbed  to  a  combined  average  of  22%.  And 
this  while  still  maintaining  a  level  of  intellectual  and  artistic  quality 
expected  of  them  by  the  Ministry  of  Culture  and  the  broadcasting 
watchdog,  the  CSA  (Conseil  Superieur  de  l'Audiovisuel). 

Undeniably,  mixed  financing  has  had  the  desired  effect  of  giving  the 
two  main  public  channels  vibrancy  as  well  as  putting  them  in  touch 
with  the  realities  of  the  marketplace.  Heftier  budgets  have  resulted  in 
better  production  values,  more  diversity,  expanded  co-production,  and 
higher  quality  acquisitions,  both  domestic  and  international.  It  may 
seem  ironic,  then,  that  the  campaign  to  tighten  up  the  public  service 
and  make  it  pay  some  of  its  own  way  seems  to  be  responsible  for  this 
new  threat  to  the  very  revenues  it  was  encouraged  to  develop. 


30     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Inevitably,  perhaps,  there  is  a  feeling 
in  some  quarters  that  advertising  has 
made  France  Television  too  market-con- 
scious. In  its  annual  report,  France  2 
claims  to  "give  sensationalism  its  rightful 
place  as  a  means   [of  drawing  viewers 

into  the  subject]  but  not  as  an  end."  Several  of  both  nets'  magazine 
shows  have  been  found  guilty  of  faking  real-life  drama,  a  symptom  per- 
haps of  excessive  ratings-awareness  that  goes  with  the  scramble  for  ad 
dollars.  The  proposed  law  is  the  political  manifestation  of  this  backlash 
combined  with  pressure  from  the  commercial  nets  to  reduce  "unfair" 
competition  from  broadcasters  that  benefit  from  the  license  fee. 

When  the  bill  finally  becomes  law,  it  will  reduce  space  for  commer- 
cials from  1 2  to  five  minutes  an  hour  on  public  TV.  The  loss  will  be  at 
least  partially  compensated  by  an  increase  in  license  fee  revenues, 
since  the  government  proposes  to  kick  in  some  funds  in  place  of  those 
who  are  exempt — senior  citizens,  handicapped  people,  and  others. 
Still,  as  Charles  Greber,  director  of  corporate  communications  at 
France  Television  notes,  it's  going  to  be  tough  going,  given  the  increas- 
ing competition  and  skyrocketing  price  of  sports  and  other  events  and 
special  programming,  such  as  the  upcoming  Millennium  celebrations. 

Which  is  why,  even  before  the  bill  on  advertising  appeared  on  the 
horizon,  France  Television's  two  nets  had  been  trying  assiduously  to 
develop  new  sources  of  revenues  through  program  sales  and  by  invest- 
ing in  all  sorts  of  subsidiaries,  from  production  companies  to  cable  and 
satellite  channels.  Diversification  is  what  they  are  banking  on  as  the 
wave  of  the  future. 

And  diverse  they  are:  France  2  and  3  are  equal  partners  in  France 
Television  Distribution,  which  sells  their  programs  worldwide,  France 
Television  Publicite,  an  advertising  company,  and  France  Television 
Numerique,  which  operates  digital  channels.  Both  nets  own  film  pro- 
duction companies  which  invest  (usually  small)  amounts  in  feature 
films  in  exchange  for  first-broadcast  rights.  (That  is  usually  all  they  get 
in  return,  though  on  occasion  a  film  makes  enough  money  so  that  even 
a  small  stake  brings  appreciable  payback.)  France  2  owns  80%  of 
France  Tele  Musique,  which  produces  music  programming,  and  50%  of 
Mezo,  an  opera,  dance,  and  classical  music  channel  (on  cable  and 
satellite).  Each  owns  16%  of  TV 5  Satellimages,  a  state-run  satellite 
channel  that  rebroadcasts  France  TV  programming  as  well  as  some 
new  shows  to  French-speaking  Africa;  and  28%  of  Festival,  a  satellite 
and  cable  channel  devoted  to  French-made  telefilms  and  mini-series. 
Each  also  has  very  minor  stakes  in  Euronews,  the  pan-European  all- 
news  channel,  Technisonor,  a  postproduction  company,  and  10.8%  of 
Mediametrie,  a  ratings  company.  In  addition,  France  3  is  half-owner  of 
its  own  satellite  channel,  TV  Tel  3,  and  owns  80%  of  Eurfam  MFP,  a 
family-viewing  channel,  80%  of  GIE  Music3,  an  association  of  music 
programming  production  houses,  44%  of  La  Sept,  the  in-house  pro- 
duction company  of  Arte,  and  51%  of  Regions,  the  holding  company 
for  its  regional  programming  production  units. 

Although  all  these  activities  afford  advantages  in  terms  of  reducing 
programming  costs,  they  only  accounted  for  7%  of  cash  revenues  in 
1997.  Advertising  accounted  for  a  big  49%  of  France  2's  budget  and 
30%  of  France  3's. 

In  the  face  of  lost  ad  revenues,  the  public  nets  will,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  push  the  government  to  pick  up  more  of  the  slack.  But  Greber 
confirms  that  the  main  hope  of  the  future  is  continued  development  of 
the  subsidiaries.  How?  By  being  involved  in  new  genres  of  program- 


Diversification  is  what 
Fiance  2  and  3  are  banking 
on  as  the  wave  of  the  future. 


ming   and   making   the   whole 

shooting  match  more  profitable 

by    expanding    co-production 

and  sales  into  bigger  and  more 

lucrative     markets,     such     as 

North  America. 

As  Greber  notes,   "France  Television  is  not  under  pressure  to 

improve  its  ratings;  however,  the  government  is  not  insensitive  to  the 

reaction  of  the  majority.  A  mass  media  without  a  significant  audience 

won't  last  very  long." 

Arte,  then,  is  the  exception  to  this  rule.  With  its  opera  and  mod- 
em dance  programs  and  themed  evenings  exploring  anything  from  the 
Balkans  to  heroin  addiction  to  Harlem's  cultural  history,  it  survives 
with  only  a  2%  market  share  in  France  and  is  applauded  by  the  powers 
that  be,  all  political  tendencies  included. 

The  net's  bi-national  charter  preempts  it  from  carrying  advertising, 
so  it  relies  on  state  funding,  half  from  France,  half  from  Germany.  This 
unique-in-the-world  status  also  protects  it  from  the  vagaries  of  politi- 
cally-motivated budget  cuts:  the  rule  of  French-German  parity  stipu- 
lates that  any  changes  in  its  budget  structure  must  be  voted  in  by  the 
two  governments,  so  that  neither  country's  politicians  can  touch  it 
unilaterally. 

According  to  Arte's  Head  of  Development  and  Coordination, 
Hans-Walter  Schlie,  Arte  has  been  trying  to  develop  underwriting 
pretty  much  since  the  net  was  launched  in  1992.  But,  he  laments,  "Our 
image — the  way  we  are  perceived — is  excellent,  but  contrary  to  what 
we  had  thought  and  hoped,  that  is  not  what  interests  large  corpora- 
tions. They  want  numbers.  I'm  afraid  it  would  be  unrealistic  to  hope  to 
top  five  or  six  million  francs  (about  $1  million)  net  per  year  through 
underwriting." 

But  things  may  change  one  day.  Year  after  year,  Arte  has  broadened 
its  programming  base  as  well  as  its  visibility  by  entering  into  partner- 
ships with  the  public  broadcasting  services  in  Belgium,  Spain,  Italy, 
Austria,  Switzerland,  Poland,  and  Finland.  This  involves  co-produc- 
tion and  acquisition  agreements  as  well  as  the  right  to  broadcast  Arte 
in  these  countries,  either  as  individual  programs  or  as  multi-hour 
strands  of  terrestrial,  cable,  or  satellite  grids.  This  may  hold  one  key  to 
producing  the  numbers  so  coveted  by  prospective  multinational  under- 
writers. The  other  would  be  finding  other  windows  in  France  in  which 
Arte  could  expand  the  number  of  hours  in  its  daily  grid.  Digital  hertz- 
ian  broadcasting,  when  it  arrives,  could  make  that  a  reality. 

Says  Schlie,  "We'd  like  to  start  broadcasting  earlier  in  the  day.  In 
fact,  we're  opting  for  a  full  day's  grid,  though  the  daytime  part  would 
probably  be  on  satellite  or  cable,  or  possibly  as  part  of  a  digital  terres- 
trial bouquet."  If  Schlie's  ambitious  plan,  to  be  presented  to  both  gov- 
ernments in  the  fall,  is  accepted  and  finally  put  into  practice,  Arte  will 
have  to  rev  up  its  production  and  acquisitions  machinery.  As  Schlie 
notes,  "When  that  day  comes,  we  won't  be  airing  re-runs.  We'll  need 
more  money  to  provide  fresh  programming."  It  will  thus  be  technology 
that  gives  Arte  the  room  and  resources  it  needs  to  expand. 

And  so,  as  the  old  millennium  sinks  into  history,  French  public  nets 
light  out  for  new  frontiers,  each  according  to  its  mandate  and  its  exter- 
nal pressures,  in  the  quest  for  new  and  hopefully  profitable  niches. 

Bethany  Haye  [bhaye(ii  compuserve.com]  is  a  Paris-based  freelance  writer. 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


RLD  OI   INDEPENDENT  MEDIA  EVOLVES,  SOME  THINGS  REMAIN 

-.mie.  One  is  the  importance  of  public  television  as  an  outlet  for 

ii    11  lent  work.  This  article  presents  a  sampling  of  the  acquisition 

-I  hose  that  buy  completed  work — at  both  the  national  and  local 

affiliate  level. 

Even  at  its  highest,  the  pay  scale  on  public  TV  may  not  allow  you  to 
break  even  on  your  film.  But  one  primetime  airing  on  PBS  will  allow 
you  to  reach  more  viewers  than  a  typical  blockbuster  in  theaters.  PBS 
has  nearly  350  member  stations  and  approximately  five  million  cash- 
contributing  viewers.  National  PBS  programs  play  to  a  weekly  audi- 
ence of  approximately  96  million  viewers.  And  unlike  cable,  the 
Internet,  public  access,  or  even  network  television,  PBS  is  available  in 
99  percent  of  television  households  in  the  United  States. 

The  scope  and  quality  of  independent  acquisition  series  are  as  var- 

by   Scott   Castle 


PBS  PotW 


The  Meat 

Independent  Lens 

There's  good  news  for  independents  in  the  brand  new  acquisitions 
series  that  is  originating  from  PBS's  national  headquarters.  Donald 
Thorns,  Vice  President  of  program  management  at  PBS,  is  the  moving 
force  behind  the  national  show,  called  Independent  Lens,  which  will 
premiere  this  August  with  a  10-week  line-up  mixing  documentaries 
and  fiction  films  focused  on  a  particular  topic.  Thorns  hopes  to  achieve 
a  sort  of  synergy  with  the  combination  of  genres  and  styles.  "People  ask 
me  'what's  the  theme?'  I  think  the  theme  is  that  these  are  wonderful 
pieces  of  work  that  deserve  to  be  shown  on  public  television,"  says 
Thorns.  Many  of  the  films  will  be  drawn  from  the  pool  of  work  coming 
out  of  the  CPB-funded  ITVS  and  Minority  Consortia.  "A  lot  of  times 
we  hear  that  there  should  be  more  places  for  work  to  be  seen,"  says 
Thorns,  "and  I  think  this  will  be  an  excellent  outlet.  We're  quite  happy 
about  it." 

eason:    10   weeks    beginning   in   August. 

Deadline:  On-going.  Payment:  no  payment, 

finishing  funds  available  on  case-by' 

case  basis.   Rights:  4  broadcasts/3 

years.  Length:   Standard  PBS  lengtlis 

^referred,  see  website  for  details.  Contact: 

Donald  Thorns,  PBS,  1320  Braddock  PI. 

Alexandria,  VA  22314;  (703)  739-5010; 

fax:  739-8440;  uuu'.pbs.crrg/htdepei'ideius 


ied  as  the  works  themselves.  Some  shows  have  enjoyed  a  long  history 
and  effectively  tracked  the  progress  of  independent  film  in  America  for 
decades.  Others  exist  intermittently,  when  funds  allow.  Still  others  are 
in  their  first  year.  Some  stations  lack  anthology  series  altogether,  and 
instead  deal  with  independent  producers  on  a  case-by-case  basis.  The 
series  listed  below — divided  into  national  and  regional — are  by  no 
means  exhaustive,  and  doing  your  own  research  is  always  recommend- 
ed. Submissions  to  all  series  should  be  made  on  VHS;  if  chosen,  a 
broadcast  quality  version  will  be  expected  and  accepted  formats  may 
vary. 


jA.  sampling  of  acquisitions  series, 
from  national  -to  next  door 


RO.V.  (Point  of  View) 

P.O.V.  is  PBS's  flagship  for  nontiction  independent 
work.  Produced  by  American  Documentary  Inc., 
P.O.V.  was  the  brainchild  of  Marc  Weiss  and  debuted 
in  1988.  Though  running  only  10  weeks  in  the  sum- 
mer, the  series'  impact  is  significant.  PO.V.  has  put 
considerable  effort  into  audience  development 
through  outreach  programs  and  web  support.  The 
Television  Race  Initiative,  tot  example,  involves  a 
well-coordinated  outreach  campaign  to  harness  the 
power  of  film  to  further  tacial  understanding. 
(Emiko  Omori's  Rabbit  in  the  Moon,  on  the  Japanese 
internment  camps  during  WWII,  is  up  next  in  this 
initiative.)  High  Impact  Television  targets  several  broadcasts  each  year 
to  link  with  outreach  programs  of  relevant  national  organizations. 
And  PO.V:'  Interactive  provides  program-related  website  links,  elec- 
tronic exchanges,  and  listserves  that  bring  the  level  of  intelligent  dis- 
course on  the  Internet  to  new  heights. 

P.O.V  receives  over  600  submissions  each  year  for  consideration,  so 
competition  is  fierce,  but  the  show's  scope,  history,  and  established 
audience  are  well  worth  making  a  pitch  for.  Traditionally,  PO.V  looks 
for  national  broadcast  premieres  of  completed  works.  However,  it  now 
offers  two  programs  that  enable  works-in-progress  to  be  considered: 


32     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Fine  Cuts  and  In  the  Works. 

Est.  audience:  Top  programs  liave  4-6  million  viewers.  Season:  June- 
August.  Deadline:  This  is  the  first  year  tlxat  P.O.V.  accepts  entries  all  year 
round.  The  former  deadline  of  July  31,  1999  is  now  the  cut-off  point  for  sub- 
missions eligible  for  the  2000  season.  Payment:  $500/min.  Rights:  exclusive;  4 
broadcasts/3  years.  Contact:  220  W.  19th  St.,  I  lth  R,  New  York,  NY  10011; 
(212)  989-8121;  (888)  456-9050;  www.pbs.org/pov 

The  Short  List 

Touting  itself  as  "the  nation's  only  weekly  short  film  showcase  in  North 
America"  may  seem  a  hit  of  a  stretch,  but  there's  little  doubt  that  this 
show  has  emerged  as  a  new  haven  tor  shorts.  Begun  in  1992  as  a 
springboard  for  filmmakers'  debut  works  called  1st  Frames,  the  show 
expanded  as  the  range  and  quality  of  the  submissions  increased.  The 
national  series  is  now  entering  the  third  season  of  its  current  format, 
which  features  both  international  and  domestic  shorts.  "Too  often, 
outstanding  short  films  languish  for  lack  of  a  venue  once  they  have 
toured  the  festival  circuit,"  says  executive  producer  Jack  Ofield,  who 
has  produced  over  170  documentary  and  narrative  productions  and 
brings  30  years  of  film  experience  to  his  position.  "Short  films  are  a  dis- 
tinctive and  entertaining  art  form,  deserving  their  own  series  and 
appealing  to  a  mass  audience." 

Unlike  many  anthology  programs,  The  Short  List  is  unhindered  by 
short  seasons  or  funding  limitations.  Supported  by  Kodak  Emerging 
Independent  Filmmakers  Program,  Cox  Communications,  and  the 
Firestone  Graham  Foundation,  the  series  purchased  over  100  films  in 
all  genres  from  19  countries  during  last  year's  season.  It's  on  for  52 
weeks  out  of  the  year,  and  is  currently  available  on  approximately  160 
PBS  affiliates.  The  show  is  produced  out  of  San  Diego  State  University 
with  WXXI  in  Rochester,  New  York  as  its  presenting  station. 

Est.  aud.:  12-15  million  accum.  Season:  Year  round;  check  local  listings  for 
day  and  time.  Deadline:  On-going.  Payment:  $100/min.  Also  awards  five 
$2,000  Kodak  product  grants  annually  to  selected  filmmakers  from  the  series. 
Rights:  non- exclusive;  3  years /multiple  viewings  throughout  U.S.  &  Canada. 
Length:  All  genres,  30  sec.  to  19  min.  Contact:  Jack  Ofield,  Director,  The 
Production  Center,  SDSU,  550  Campanile  Dr.,  San  Diego,  CA  92182;  (619) 
594-6902;  fax:  462-8266;  shortlist(a mail.sdsu.edu 

The  Potatoes 

Image  Union,  KTTW/Chicago 

One  of  the  oldest  shows  of  its  kind,  Image  Union  was  started  by  Tom 
Weinberg  in  1978  to  provide  Chicago  with  an  on-going  televised  film 
festival.  Last  year  the  show  celebrated  its  twentieth  anniversary  with  a 
retrospective  of  clips  (highlighting  such  now-famous  actors  as  Gary 
Sinise  and  the  late  John  Belushi).  The  show's  host  has  been  with  it 
since  the  beginning:  Bob,  a  besuited,  animated  character  whose  like- 
ness is  also  the  design  for  the  show's  yearly  awards  called,  not  surpris- 
ingly, the  Bob  Awards. 

Series  producer  Jay  Shefsky  is  looking  for  quality  films  of  any  kind, 
though  he  does  have  his  preferences.  "I  shy  away  from  straight  narra- 
tives that  aren't  from  Chicago,"  he  says.  Shefsky  is  especially  looking 
for  personal  and  innovative  documentaries,  preferably  30  min.  or 
under.  Interviews  with  the  filmmakers  add  extra  dimension  to  this  sea- 
son's programs. 


Est.  aud.:  75,000  (two  airings).  Season:  1 6-week  season  of  lialf-hour  shows 
beg.  in  the  fall.  Airs  Fridays  at  11  p.m.,  repeated  cm  Tuesdays  at  1:30  a.m. 
Deadline:  May  31  (for  1999-2000  season).  Films  must  be  under  25  min. 
Payment:  Standard  fee  is  $25/min.  Rights:  non-exclusive;  4  broadcasts/3  years. 
Contact:  Image  Union,  WTTW/Channel  11,  Attn:  jay  Shefsky,  5400  North 
St.  Louis  Ave.,  Chicago,  IL  60625;  (773)  509-5593;  imageunumio 
wt tw.pbs.org;  www. wttw. com/imageww >n 

Viewpoints  &  Docs  of  the  Bay 
KQED/San  Francisco 

In  the  past  decade  KQED  ("the  most  watched  public  television  station 
in  the  country")  has  provided  double  helpings  of  independent  docu- 
mentary programming  by  producing  two  shows  simultaneously:  the 
locally  focused  Docs  of  the  Bay,  which  showcases  works  by  local  film- 
makers or  stories  filmed  in  the  Bay  Area,  and  the  broader,  geographi- 
cally diverse  Viewpoints.  Both  shows  look  for  docs  on  a  year-round  basis 
(anything  from  20  minutes  to  two  hours).  Although  the  works  featured 
are  90%  documentary,  narrative/dramas  are  also  shown  on  occasion. 
Experimental  films  are  rarely  selected.  The  shows'  producer,  Scott 
Dwyer,  is  willing  to  aid  films  beyond  their  KQED  screening.  "If  it  is  a 
show  I  think  may  have  wider  appeal,  I  help  them  to  find  a  way  to  dis- 
tribute it  and  get  wider  exposure." 

The  series  air  year-round,  averaging  1 3  episodes  of  Viewpoints  and 
30  Docs  of  the  Bay  each  year.  But  KQED  doesn't  limit  its  work  with 
independent  producers  to  two  shows.  "If  there  is  a  work  I  think  the  Bay 
Area  would  be  interested  in  seeing,  I  will  buy  it  and  air  it  outside  either 
of  these  two  series,"  adds  Dwyer. 

Est.  aud.:  Approx.  55,000  (per  episode).  Season:  Year  round.  Deadline: 
On-going.  Payment:  $W-$20/min.  Rights:  non- exclusive;  4  broadcasts/3 
years.  Contact:  Scott  Dwyer,  KQED,  2601  Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110;  (415)  553-2218;  sdwyer(a>kqed.org 

The  Territory,  KUHT/Houston 

Begun  in  1975  by  a  Houston  media  arts  center  called  the  Southwest 
Alternative  Media  Project  (SWAMP),  The  Territory  is  the  oldest  show 
of  its  kind  in  the  country.  Seen  in  10  Texas  cities,  The  Territory  is  a  col- 
laboration between  SWAMP  Houston  Public  Television/KUHT-TV, 
and  the  Austin  Museum  of  Art,  with  cooperation  from  the  Museum  of 
Fine  Arts  Houston.  For  23  seasons,  the  show  has  acted  as  an  electron- 
ic art  gallery,  on-going  film  festival,  and  opportunity  for  Texas  audi- 
ences to  see  works  by  independent  filmmakers  from  around  the  globe. 
The  works  aired  are  diverse,  from  digital  animation  on  video  to  short 
narratives  on  film.  Each  show  is  a  half-hour  and  focuses  on  a  single 
theme,  such  as  Crazy  Love,  Childhood  Visions,  or  Unruly  Women. 

Est.  aud.:  12  million  (potential).  Season:  12  weeks  (late  Oct. -Jan.). 
Deadline:  April  30  for  1999  season.  Payment:  $35/min.  Rights:  non-exclu- 
sive; 2  broadcasts.  Contact.  SWAMP,  1519  W  Main,  Houston,  TX  77006; 
(713)  522-8292;  fax:  522-0953;  cyberiaOi  swamp.org;  www.swamp.org 

MN-TV,  KTCA/Twin  Cities,  MN 

Suspended  in  1995  after  five  seasons  due  to  cuts  in  CPB  funding,  MN- 
TV  will  return  this  fall.  During  the  interim,  the  station  maintained  its 
relationship  with  independents,  airing  works  as  part  of  independent 
and  new  television  presentations.  Now  that  MN-TV  is  returning,  there 
will  again  be  a  venue  for  shorts.  The  return  season  will  premiere  this 
fall  with  four  one -hour  programs.  MN-TV  is  a  collaboration  of  Cable 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


Access  St.  Paul,  the  Independent  Feature  Project/North,  Intermedia 
Arts,  the  Minnesota  Film  Board,  the  Playwright's  Center,  the 
University  Film  Society,  and  the  Walker  Art  Center.  The  last  season 
included  15  programs  comprising  37  pieces,  with  each  program  cen- 
tered around  a  theme,  such  as  Loss,  Therapy,  or  Americana. 

Est.  and.:  approx  30,000  (per  episode).  Season:  Late  fall.  Deadline:  On- 
going. Payment:  Under  10  min.  $300/  $20  each  additional  mm.  Rights:  non- 
exclusive; 4  broadcasts/3  years.  Contact:  K'CTA  TV,  Twin  Cities  Public 
Television,  172  East  4th  St.,  St.  Paul,  MN  55101;  (651)  222-1717;  fax:  229- 
1282. 

video  /',  KTEH/San  Jose 

The  sixth  season  of  this  showcase  for  Bay  Area  filmmakers  began  in 
February.  Initially  begun  as  a  local  forum  for  KTEH-produced 
works,  video  i  now  accepts  submitted  works.  Genre  is  unim- 
portant; documentary-,  animation,  dramatic,  and  experimental 
works  have  all  found  an  outlet  to  new  audiences  through  video 
i's  consistently  dynamic  approach.  This  series  is  heavily  publi- 
cized by  the  station,  which  often  features  the  show  on  the 
front  of  its  program  guide,  video  i  is  headed  up  by  Danny 
McGuire,  who  himself  has  been  producing  independent  works 
for  the  station  for  the  last  two  decades.  McGuire  keeps  the  red 
tape  to  a  minimum,  taking  the  time  to  answer  filmmaker 
inquiries,  personally  when  possible.  The  scope  of  the  show  has 
expanded  with  help  from  outside  funding  sources  such  as  the 
San  Jose  Arts  Commission.  The  series  broadcasts  on  Monday 
nights  at  10  p.m. 

Est  and.:  700,000  (weekly  station  accum.)  Season:  Feb.-Sept. 
Deadline:  On-going.  Payment:  $250  (40-60  mm.);  $125  (25-40 
mm.);  $75  (15-25  min.);  $50  (under  15  min.)  Rights:  non-exclusive 
broadcasts/ 1  year.  Contact:  Danny  McGuire,  KTEH,  1585  Schallenberger  Rd. 
San]ose,  CA95131;  (408)  795-5400;  fax:  995-5446;  www.kteh.org 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Midnight  Theatre 
KCTS/Seattle 

For  several  years  now,  Seattle  has 
unveiled  its  independent  showcase 
at  the  stroke  of  midnight.  Midnight 
Theatre  showcases  Washington, 
British  Columbia,  and  Portland 
independent  film-  and  videomakers, 
gathering  submissions  from  area 
artists  with  the  aid  of  area  media 
centers  like  911  and  Wiggly  World. 
In  addition  to  its  Seattle -area  view- 
ership,  the  show  is  seen  on  cable  in 
southwest  Washington  and  Van- 
couver, B.C.  and  via  satellite  in 
select  areas  throughout  the  rest  of 
Canada.  Midnight  Theatre  shows  a 
wide  variety  of  lengths  (from  30  sec- 
onds to  2  hours)  and  genres  (includ- 
ing dramatic  narrative,  documen- 
tary, animation,  performance,  and 
experimental  video  art).  A  three - 
member  panel  consisting  of  film  fes- 
tival jurors  curates  the  show. 
Est.  aud.:  50,000-100,000  (per  episode).  Season:  Saturdays  at  midnight; 
12  episodes/41  films.  Deadline:  Undetermined;  early  submissions  welcome. 
Payment:  $10/minute;  $600  maximum.  Rights:  non-exclusive;  3  broadcasts/3 
years.  Contact:  KCTS  9  Television,  Midnight  Theatre,  Ted  Esser,  401  Mercer 
St.,  Seattle,  WA  98109;  (206)  443-4291;  fax:  443-6691;  esset(a kcts.org; 
www.kcts.org/productions/midnight 

Reel  NY,  WNET/New  York 

After  the  independent  showcase  series  Independent  Focus  was  pulled  off 
the  air  in  1992,  New  York's  media  community  rallied.  Then  AIVF 
executive  director  Ruby  Lerner,  Media  Alliance's  Mona  Jimenez,  and 
Women  Make  Movies'  Terry  Lawler  approached  WNET's  Garrison 
Botts  with  an  idea  for  the  show  that  would  become  Reel  NY.  Begun  as 

a  week-long  televised  film  and  video 
Jiilflj^^^^LT^"  ~ ""^  festival,    Reel    NY    has    become 

became  the  Big  Apple's  primary  out- 
let for  independent  work  on  televi- 
sion. 

Produced  by  Botts,  the  summer 
series  runs  eight  weeks,  with  the 


hour-long  show  traditionally  on  Sunday  nights  at  10  p.m.  This  season 
it  moves  to  Fridays  at  8  p.m.  starting  June  1 1  in  hopes  of  attracting 
more  viewers.  The  shows  are  repeated  in  a  late  night  slot  during  the 
course  of  the  season.  In  the  first  three  seasons,  Reel  NY  had  different 
celehrity  hosts  (Laurie  Anderson,  Fran  Lebowitz,  and  Rosie  Perez),  hut 
this  year  the  films  will  be  introduced  by  the  artists  themselves.  Other 
additions  are  an  interactive  website  and  the  inclusion  of  some  classic 
works  about  New  York,  such  as  Francis  Thompson's  N.Y,  N.Y.  and  D.A. 
Pennebaker's  Daybreak  Express.  "I'm  very  excited  about  this  season  and 
the  new  element  of  complexity  the  older  work  will  bring,"  says  Botts. 
Est.  aud.:  Season  three  reaehed  a  total  of  685,000  households.  Season:  Eight 
weeks/approx.  26  films.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Payment:  $55/min.;  $50  flat 
fee/under  10  min.  Rights:  non- exclusive;  3  broadcasts/3  years.  Contact:  Reel 
NY,  450  West  33rd  St.,  New  York,  NY  1 0001;  (212)  5604313;  fax:  560- 
1314;  www.wnet.org/reelnewyork 

Independent  Images 
WHYY/Philadelphia-Delaware 

Begun  in  1985  with  a  grant  from  the  Pennsylvania  Council  on  the 
Arts,  Independent  Images'  current  format  is  a  week  of 
hour-long  shows  exhibiting  the  best  work  they've 
received.  The  call  for  entries  works  as  a  competition  in 
which  the  top  20  to  25  "winners"  are  then  compiled 
into  the  five  shows  for  that  season.  "They're  all  con- 
sidered the  first  place  winners,"  say  Darian  Bagley,  the 
show's  producer.  "We  try  to  award  them  by  paying 
them.  Hopefully  we  inspire  people  to  do  more  things. 
We  wish  we  could  pay  them  a  bit  more — we're  trying 
to  get  that  upped."  The  criteria  for  judging  encompass 
both  the  creative  (writing,  acting,  originality)  and  the 
technical  (sound,  editing,  direction).  New  judges, 
mined  from  local  media  companies,  are  utilized  each 
season  to  select  winners.  The  show  is  broadcast  on 
both  WHYY  stations,  one  in  Philadelphia,  the  other  in 
Delaware. 

Est.  aud.:  13,500  (combined  PA  &  DE  audiences). 
Season:  Airs  in  September;  I  hour  show;  1 1  p.m.-l2  a.m.;  5 
shows  M-E  Deadline:  May  28.  Payment:  $100  for  films 
under  5  min.;  $20/min.  for  shows  up  to  60  min.  Rights:  non- 
exclusive; 3  screenings/3  years.  Contact:  Darian  Bagley; 
WHYY,  Independence  Mall  West,  150  North  6th  St., 
Philadelphia,  PA  19106;  (215)  351-1200;  www.whyy.org 

Viewpoint,  WGBH-Boston 

Rather  than  look  tor  a  particular  type  of  film,  WGBH's 

program  coordinator  Chad  Davis  says  he  keeps  an  eye 

out  for  pieces  that  tell  a  compelling  story  well  and  are 

backed  by  quality  technical  aspects.  The  broadcast  department  screens 

and  acquires  both  fiction  and  nonfiction  in  short  and  feature  length. 

Last  year,  breaking  from  tradition,  WGBH  put  out  its  call  for  sub- 
missions in  late  fall,  seeking  entries  exclusively  from  New  England 
filmmakers.  The  show  has  been  running  since  1993,  but  in  years  past 
the  submission  process  had  been  more  passive;  now  organizers  are 
actively  seeking  films.  If  the  response  continues  to  be  positive,  they  are 
looking  to  make  this  an  annual  request.  They  accept  submissions  all 
year  long,  but  won't  actively  be  seeking  films  again  until  the  fall.  "We're 
always  looking  for  good  stories  told  well,"  assures  Davis. 


Est.    aud.:   approx.   55,000   (per  episode).    Season    April  6-May    11. 
Deadline:  Sept.  Payment:  $1,000  per  1/2  hour.  Rights:  non-exclusive;  4 

screenings/3  years.  Contact:  Chad  Davis,  Program  Coordinator,  WGBH/ 
WGBX,  Viewpoint,  Broadcast  Dept.,  125  Western  Ave.,  Boston,  MA  02134; 
(651)  492-2777  x.  2647;  fax:  787-0714;  www.wgbh.org 

Maine  Independents 
Maine  Network/Bangor 

This  past  January  saw  the  emergence  of  another  acquisitions  showcase, 
this  one  high  in  the  northeast.  Premiering  on  January  9  and  continu- 
ing for  13  weeks  on  Saturdays  at  6  p.m.,  Maine  Independents  represents 
what  series  producer  and  program  manager  Bernie  Roscetti  hopes  will 
be  a  new  staple  in  local  broadcasting.  The  upcoming  fall  season  will 
include  a  primetime  special  featuring  the  show's  best.  Maine 
Independents  prefers,  but  is  not  limited  to,  films  or  videos  made  by 
Maine -based  producers  or  works  about  Maine  or  its  people.  The  show 
may  expand  to  include  New  England  and  the  rest  of  the  U.S.,  but  qual- 
ity films  with  no  connection  to  Maine  can  still  find  a  home.  "That  does 
not  disqualify  any  production.  We  can  still  place  it  into  our  program- 


ming elsewhere,"  says  Roscetti. 

Est.  aud.:  10,000.  Season:  Jan-April;  repeated  May-Sept.  Deadline:  On- 
going. Payment:  up  to  $300  for  a  half  hour.  Rights:  non- exclusive;  2  broad- 
casts during  season.  Contact:  Bernie  Roscetti,  Maine  Network,  65  Texas  Ave., 
Barigor,  ME  14401;  (207)  941-1010;  www.mpbc.org/tv/shows/independents 

The  Screening  Room 
WXXI/Rochester,  NY 

Conceived  as  a  showcase  for  regional  work,  the  station  didn't  receive 
enough  work  to  fill  out  a  series  during  its  inital  call  for  entries,  so 


May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


33rd  Annual  NEWYORK  EXPOSITION  OF  SHORT  FILM  AND  VIDEO 

SHORTS 

UNDER    II    MINUTES) 

FICTION 

ANIMATION 

DOCUMENTARY 

EXPERIMENTAL 

NEW  DIGITAL  MEDIA 

Co-sponsored  by  The  New  School  and  supported 
by  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  the 
Experimental  Television  Center.  Eastman  Kodak, 
Barbizon  Electric,  Future  Media  Concepts. 


DEADLINE  JUNE  1.1999 

festival  NOVEMBER  1999 

One  of  the  Mijsr  Amencin  Festivals  of  Independent  Films. 

—  THE  HEW  YORK  TIMES 

The  ideal  forum  for  broking  new  indie  work. 

—  VILLAGE  VOICE 


FOR  ENTRY  FORM  AND  GUIDELINES   New  York  Expo 

532  La  Guardia  Place  Ste  330  New  York.  NY  10012 

nyexpo@aol.com    www.yrd.com/nyexpo    212  505  7742 


CALL  FOR 
ENTRIES 


Let's 

Make  History 

At  WPA,  all  we  really 
think  about  is  history. 

\^~>^7       British  Pathe 

JfSj^uH         News  Archive 

4V-        ff»*v      ( 1 896  to  1 970) 

And  time.  We're  a  film 

and  video  archive,  and 

we  act  as  custodians  to 
the  world's  most  cele- 
brated collections  of 
moving  images.  We 

^^^  ^-nT^\     weta-tv 

^^r    >^^^\\       Publ"- 
^^^                         >|     Television 

Y                                         Archive 

(1965  to  1999) 

provide  historical           i 
footage  to  television 

/ 

programs.  Lots  of  it.  All 
of  it  wonderful  to  look 
at.  But  we  also  provide 

^^^jV-T""" 

L^^^^iW.       ^r 

■       ^^^^^      ▼  Willie  Nelson 

^^^^            Archive  of 
r^-^                 ^^^k       Country  Music 
|^*^            ^^k   (1958  to  1984) 

ideas.  And  context.  An 
a  producer's  sensibility. 

d 

^Fr 

W~  0^ 

^k      ^^  \  ,     v^^^^ 

When  you  work  with 

WPA,  you  work  with  a 
remarkable  team  of  his- 

U            ^|      The  Hullabaloo 
^M             ^B          Archive  of 
^m              M        Popular  Culture 
V                 ■        (1964  to  1966) 

torians  and  archivists, 

researchers  and  artists, 
movie  buffs  and  rights 
specialists.  We  call 

^K       \^b      ^*"~— . 

^g               J  *   *Hf        ColorStock 
^K                 J    ^^^     \      Archive  of  Retro 
^^f                   A"^^^\.  \         Americana 
.      ^M                                      N\     (1945  to  1975) 

ourselves  Merchants  of 

Time.  Let's  Work  Together. 
Let's  Make  History. 

^^^■^  1    A     40,000  hours  of  history, 
^T  ''       ^       music,  nature,  and 
If  y^~>aaV       popular  culture 

The  WPA  Film  Library 

Merchants     of     Time 

1-800-777-2223 

www.mpimedia.com/wpa 

16101  South  108th  Avenue  •  Orland  Park,  IL  •  60467 

•  708-460-0555  •  Fax:  708-460-0187  •  Email:  wpasales@mpimeJia.com 

they've  expanded  the  call  nationwide.  The 
Screening  Room  will  be  broadcast  as  a  weekly 
primetime  showcase  which  will  also  feature 
interviews  with  producers  and  local  film 
experts.  Submissions  are  not  limited  by  genre 
or  length,  but  under  55  min.  is  preferred. 

Est.  aud.:  12,000.  Season:  April  15-june. 
Deadline:  On-going.  Payment:  No  payment,  but 
show  includes  video  tags  at  the  end  of  each  program 
offering  viewers  producer  contact  info.  Rights:  non- 
exclusive; one  screening.  Contact:  Kevin  Meyers, 
WXX1,  280  State  St.,  Box  21,  Rochester,  NY 
14601;  (716)  258-0238;  kmeyers(g  wxxi.org; 
www.wxxi.org 

Independent  Eye 

Maryland  Public 

Television/Owings  Mills 

Now  in  its  fifth  season,  Independent  Eye  is 
organized  by  Zvi  Shoubin,  the  vice  president 
of  programming  at  Maryland  Public  TV  and 
Elliot  Wiley,  an  independent  producer  hired 
annually  to  curate  the  series.  In<ie/jendent  E;ye 
looks  for  innovative,  well-produced  films — 
regardless  ot  genre.  Submissions  accepted 
from  an  as  yet  unannounced  date  in  late 
November/early  December  to  mid-February. 
Est.  and.:  15,000.  Season:  April  22-May  27. 
Payment:  none.  Rights:  non-exclusive  rights  for  one 
broadcast.  Contact  Zvi  Shoubin,  Maryland  Public 
Television,  11767  Owings  Mills  Blvd.,  Oimings 
Mills,  MD  21117;  REWlLEYCa  aol.com;  www. 
mpt.prd/madelrympt/independenteye 

Remember,  PBS  stations  are  always  look- 

ing  for  high-quality  programming,  regardless 
of  whether  they  have  an  assigned  anthology 
series.  They  want  submissions  from  those  who 
live  in  and  have  a  deep  understanding  of  their 
community.  So  even  if  your  affiliate  is  not  list- 
ed here — or  rather,  especially  if  your  affiliate 
isn't  listed  here — give  them  a  call  and  ask 
about  their  independent  acquisition  series.  Be 
tenacious.  If  they  don't  currently  accept  inde- 
pendent work,  ask  why  they  don't  and  when 
they  will.  Make  sure  it  is  the  right  person 
telling  you  "no,"  and  then  don't  take  it  for  an 
answer. 

Scott  Castle  is  the  Listings  Editor 
at  The  Independent. 


r 


Find  Out  More  About 
Getting  Your  Film  on  PBS! 

Meet  &  Greet  the  reps  from  P.O.V, 

Reel  NY,  The  Short  List,  and 

Independent  Lens. 

See  @AIVF  (pg.  58)  for  details. 


36     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


www.aivf.org 


II IO 


DISTRIBUTOR  FAQ 


FILMS  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES 
AND  SCIENCES 


BY     LlSSA     GIBBS 


Films  for  the  Humanities  and  Sciences,  Box  2053, 
Princeton,  NJ  08543;  (609)  275-1400;  fax:  275- 
3767;  www.films.com;  contacts:  Betsy  Sherer,  CEO, 
and  Frank  Batavick,  VP  Acquisitions 

What  is  Films  for  the  Humanities  and  Sciences? 

Films  for  the  Humanities  and  Sciences  is  the  largest 
distributor  of  videos  and  CD-ROMs  to  schools,  colleges, 
and  libraries  in  North  America. 

Who  is  Film  for  the  Humanities  and  Sciences? 

President  and  CEO  is  Betsy  Sherer.  Vice  President, 
Operations  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  is  Jay  Shah. 
Molly  Kramer  is  Vice  President,  Finance.  Frank  Batavick 
is  Vice  President,  Acquisitions. 

Total  staff: 

61  people. 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

Over  7,500  active  titles. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  Films  for  the  Humanities 
and  Sciences  come  into  existence? 

FFH&S  was  founded  in  1959  and  has  been  located  in 
Princeton,  New  Jersey,  since  1972.  its  founders  were 


Harold  and  Marianne  Mantell.  Harold  was  an  indepen- 
dent filmmaker,  and  Marianne  was  a  keen  business- 
woman. They  started  the  company  in  order  to  distribute 
cultural  (literature  and  arts)  programs  produced  by 
Harold — many  of  which  we  still  distribute  today — and 
then  acquired  titles  by  other  producers. 

Unofficial  motto  or  driving  philosophy  behind  the 
company: 

FFH&S  prides  itself  on  providing  the  world's  best  edu- 
cational audiovisual  materials — on  videocassette  and 
CD-ROM — to  schools  and  libraries  all  over  North 
America. 

What  distinguishes  you  from  other  educational  dis- 
tributors? 

Three  things.  First,  quality:  we  represent  the  world's 
preeminent  producers.  We  distribute  programs  from 
ABC  News,  Discovery  and  The  Learning  Channel,  HBO, 
Public  Affairs  Television  (Bill  Moyers),  the  BBC,  BBC's 
Open  University,  NHK,  Canal +  ,  La  Sept-Arte,  Channel 
4,  and  CBC,  just  to  name  a  few.  Second,  exclusivity: 
well  over  95  percent  of  our  materials  are  exclusive  to 
FFH&S  in  North  America.  Also,  we  are  the  exclusive  dis- 
tributors for  the  BBC  and  the  Open  University  in  the  U.S. 


Third,  marketing:  we  publish  150-plus  catalogs  and 
promotions  a  year  in  virtually  every  curricular  area, 
from  African-American  Studies  to  Women's  Studies.  We 
mail  over  eight  million  catalogs  a  year,  each  addressed 
directly  to  instructors  in  specific  disciplines. 

What  types  of  works  do  you  handle? 

Videos  and  CD-ROMs  of  lengths  from  15  minutes  to 
multi-part  hour-long  series.  We  handle  every  genre  and 
style,  but  primarily  documentaries. 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  collec- 
tion: 

$50,000  to  $1,000,000  +  . 

How  is  your  collection  organized? 

It  covers  all  curricular  areas.  We're  probably  best 
known  for  our  English  (literature  and  drama)  collection 
because  of  the  roots  of  the  company.  However,  there  are 
over  20  Social  Studies  catalogs  in  areas  as  diverse  as 
Ancient  and  Medieval  Studies  and  Urban  Studies  and 
Transportation.  We  also  have  multiple  niche  catalogs  in 
Communications,  Education,  Business,  Art,  Music, 
Health  and  Psychology,  Math  and  Science. 

How  do  you  decide  what  to  add  to  your  collection? 

We  correlate  potential  programs  to  what  is  being  taught 
in  the  secondary,  high  school,  and  college  classroom. 
We  do  a  great  amount  of  research  on  current  school 
textbooks  and  curricula.  If  a  topic  isn't  taught,  we  don't 
buy  the  program.  It  is  always  a  business  decision. 

Best  known  title  in  collection: 

Generally  the  best-selling  titles  tend  to  have  spin  from 
PBS  broadcasts.  Titles  produced  by  Bill  Moyers  are 
tremendously  well  known.  The  recent  HBO  documentary 
by  Christopher  Reeve,  Without  Pity:  A  Film  About 
Abilities,  is  also  a  title  we  handle. 

In  a  perfect  world,  where  do  you  want  your  films  to 
play? 

In  100  percent  of  America's  secondary  schools,  col- 
leges, and  libraries.  The  quality  is  that  good. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

We  attempt  to  place  a  title  in  as  many  relevant  catalogs 
as  possible  to  maximize  sales  for  the  producer.  A  pro- 
gram on  Toni  Morrison  can  be  sold  in  most  of  the 
English  catalogs  noted  above  and  in  African-American 
Studies  and  Women's  Studies.  This  gets  the  title  in  front 
of  as  many  eyes  as  possible. 


May  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


/" 


AVID  rental 

large  rooms 

with  a  view 

in  mid-town 

24  hr  building 


AVID  1000/AVR77 
AVID  800  Film  Composer 


\ 


/ 


\ 


As  long-time 

AIUF  members 

our  goal  is  to  help 

other  independent 

^producers  and  editors  # 

Our  rates  are 
competitive 


X 


DIVA  Edit 
1-800-324-AVID 

330  W  42nd  St  NYC 


/ 


DeWITT  STERN  GROUP,  Inc. 

CELEBRATING 
100  YEARS  ! 

ENTERTAINMENT  &  MEDIA 
INSURANCE 

420  Lexington  Ave.  New  York,  NY 
Tel:  212-867-3550  Fax:  212-983-6483 


Carol  A.  Bressi  Cilona 

Senior  Vice  President 

212-297-1468 

Jennifer  Brown 

Assistant  Vice  President 

212-297-1445 


•MOVER 


DISTRIBUTOR  FAQ 


Describe  your  working  relationship  with  PBS: 

We  represent  some  of  the  best  producers  on  PBS,  like 
Bill  Moyers  and  Larry  Hott  of  Florentine  Films,  and  some 
of  the  premiere  stations  and  systems,  like  WNET,  WETA, 
and  Oregon  Public  TV.  We  work  with  PBS  producers  and 
individual  stations  to  maximize  off-air  sales.  The  spin 
that  a  PBS  airing  gives  to  a  show  enhances  sales. 
Teachers  see  the  show,  wish  they  had  taped  it  for  their 
classes,  then  see  it  in  one  of  our  catalogs  and  order  it. 

How  do  you  reach  your  market? 

The  marketing  plan  we  use  is  an  aggressive,  compre- 
hensive, direct  mail  campaign,  complemented  by  tele- 
marketing and  in-person  sales  calls  by  our  20-member 
rep  staff.  We  mail  more  than  four  million  copies  of  80 
different  catalogs  and  brochures  at  the  begin- 
ning of  each  semester,  for  a  total 
of  more  than  eight  million 
pieces  annually.  In  addition,  we 
also  mail  our  master  catalog  to 
libraries  and  media  centers. 

Our  marketing  strategy 
developed  in  response  to  chang- 
ing patterns  of  educational  spend- 
ing in  the  U.S.  Many  instructors  at 
both  the  high  school  and  college 
level,  and  those  in  many  non- 
academic  institutions,  are  now 
given  funds  directly  and 
encouraged  to  choose  most  of 
their  own  course  material. 
Videos  and  CD-ROMs  are 
increasing  as  a  percentage  of 
total  instructional  material  used. 
Leveraging  many  titles,  we  are 
able  to  reach  every  instructor  in 
North  America  by  name,  at  an  eco- 
nomical cost.  We  use  our  proprietary  customer  list  and 
mailing  lists  from  companies  like  CMG  and  MDR. 
Despite  having  made  our  business  into  one  that  takes 
advantage  of  economies  of  scale,  what  the  individual 
instructor  receives  is  quite  specific  and  targeted.  We 
provide  instructors  with  a  brochure  tightly  focused  on 
their  area  of  instruction.  They  don't  have  to  wade 
through  pages  and  pages  of  irrelevant  titles.  Also, 
instructors  have  come  to  know  that  all  of  the  material 
contained  in  our  catalogues  is  exclusive  to  FFH&S  and 
is  found  nowhere  else.  This  further  increases  their 
desire  to  closely  scrutinize  the  contents. 

Direct  mail  is  only  the  beginning  of  our  efforts.  Our 
reps  in  the  field  call  upon  many  major  buyers  in  the 
school  market  throughout  the  50  states.  They  are  high- 
ly experienced  and  extraordinarily  effective.  Internally, 
we  have  specialized  telemarketers  who  call  on  college 
libraries  and  consult  with  them  on  which  titles  best  fit 
their  collections.  Our  sales  staff  attends  close  to  30 
regional  and  national  conventions  a  year,  from  the 
National  Science  Teachers  Association  to  the  National 


Council  for  Social  Studies.  At  our  booth,  educators  can 
pick  up  subject-specific  catalogues  and  preview  some 
of  our  new  titles.  Lastly,  our  new  web  site,  films.com,  is 
experiencing  over  80,000  hits  a  month. 

How  much  of  your  business  is  conducted  within  an 
international  educational  market,  and  how  do  you 
reach  that  market? 

We  have  a  subdistributor  in  East  Asia  for  selected  titles, 
but  our  primary  focus  is  North  America. 

Key  milestones  in  the  development  of  FFH&S  as  a 
company: 

We  were  acquired  by  Primedia  in  1992  (a  Fortune  500 
media  company  with  large  holdings  in  educational  pub- 
lishing and  satellite  casting,  e.g.,  it  owns  Seventeen, 


FH&S's  roster  includes  Religion:  A  World  History,  a 
10-part  series;  Tkuma,  a  6-part  history  of  Israel; 
John  Steinbeck,  a  production  by  Europe  Images  in 
France;  and  Facing  the  Truth,  by  Bill  Moyers. 


New  York,  Modern  Bride,  World  Almanac,  Weekly 
Reader,  Channel  One).  In  1998  FFH&S  acquired 
Cambridge  Educational  Research,  one  of  the  largest 
producers  of  vocational/career  awareness/health  titles 
in  the  U.S. 

Is  it  possible  to  make  a  living  making  documentary 
films? 

Sure.  But  you  need  to  find  a  broadcast  or  cable  venue 
first  before  seeking  a  nontheatrical  distributor.  That's 
where  major  funding  should  come  from.  Some  produc- 
ers think  that  they  will  earn  enough  from  nontheatrical 
sales.  Maybe,  but  it  will  happen  over  time  because  of 
the  nature  of  the  business. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles,  and  how  should  film- 
makers approach  you  for  consideration? 

Many  titles  come  to  us  as  a  result  of  a  phone  call  or  let- 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


ter  because  of  our  reputation.  Other  producers  refer 
producers.  Our  acquisitions  staff  attends  MIPDoc,  MIR 
MIPCOM,  and  NATPE  on  a  regular  basis  and  festivals  in 
Monte  Carlo,  Rotterdam,  Banff,  etc.  on  a  selected  basis. 

On  average,  what  sort  of  net  income  might  a  docu- 
mentary filmmaker  make  with  Films  for  the 
Humanities  &  Sciences  over  a  five  year  period  for  a 
56  minute  title  focusing  on  a  timely  social/political 
topic? 

Royalties  for  such  a  title  would  range  from  $5,000  to 
$25,000  over  five  years.  If  it  is  an  evergreen  topic,  it 
could  continue  to  earn  for  10  to  15  years  and  even 
beyond. 

A  few  words  of  advice  to  indie  filmmakers: 

Tell  a  good  story.  Have  a  topic  sentence  for  the  film  and 
build  around  it  and  support  it.  Tell  me  something  new. 
Involve  the  best  consultants  as  you  do  your  research, 
and  put  them  on  the  screen  to  enhance  ethos  and  cred- 
ibility. Don't  underestimate  your  audience.  Go  easy  on 
the  MTV  effects.  Try  to  make  a  difference  in  how  the 
public  approaches  and  understands  a  topic.  Use  on- 
screen graphics  for  statistics  and  maps,  etc.,  so  we 
know  where  we  are.  Use  relevant  and  high  quality 
B-roll. 

Most  important  issue  facing  educational  media 
today: 

Format/mode  of  delivery.  Producers  need  to  clear  every- 
thing in  their  programs  for  digital  delivery.  Going  back  to 
the  stock  house  a  year  later  to  clear  the  digital  rights  for 
distributors  like  us  is  too  expensive  and  time  consum- 
ing. 

Upcoming  titles: 

The  Silicon  Valley:  100  Year  Renaissance,  by  John 
McLaughlin,  which  aired  via  APS;  a  new  two-hour  spe- 
cial from  Bill  Moyers  on  the  South  African  Truth 
Commission  and  its  hearings  entitled  Facing  the  Truth, 
which  aired  on  PBS  in  March;  and  a  Discovery/BBC  pro- 
duction entitled  Desmond  Morns:  The  Human  Animal. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films  you'd  be . . . 

producing  them. 

Famous  last  words: 

Content  is  king.  Produce  shows  with  integrity  about 
important  topics  and  events,  and  the  world  will  want  to 
watch. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionaire  pro- 
filing a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent  film  and 
video.  If  you  are  a  distributor  and  want  to  be  profiled  or  a  make 
and  want  to  find  out  more  about  a  particular  distributor,  con- 
tact Lissa  Gibbs,  c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  ft, 
New  York,  NY  10013,  or  drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink.net 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent 
and  former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


Mini-DV  and  DVCAM  dubs  to  BETA 

...at prices  independent 

filmmakers  can  afford 

212-765-0000  Lichtenstein  Creative  Media 

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May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


THE  INDEPENDENT 
TELEVISION  SERVICE 


The  Independent  Television  Service  (ITVS) 
51  Federal  Street,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94107;  (415)  356-8383;  fax:  356-8391; 
www.itvs.org;  itvs@itvs.org.  James  T.  Yee,  Executive 
Director;  David  Liu,  Executive  in  Charge  of 
Programming  and  Development. 

When  and  how  did  ITVS  emerge? 

Community  and  viewer  activists,  and  local  and  nation- 
al coalitions  of  independent  producers  (including  AIVF) 
worked  together  to  lobby  Congress  to  ensure  that  public 
television  monies  were  allocated  to  independent  mak- 
ers. In  1988.  Congress  passed  legislation  directing  the 
Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  (CPB)  to  negotiate 
with  a  national  coalition  of  independent  producer 
groups  to  establish  the  Independent  Television  Service. 
In  late  1991.  ITVS  began  to  fund  programming. 

Who  are  the  program  officers  of  ITVS? 

There  are  no  program  officers  at  ITVS.  since  we  are  a 
public  television  organization,  not  a  granting  founda- 
tion. For  each  funding  initiative  we  convene  a  selection 
committee  of  readers  and  panelists  from  the  indepen- 
dent media  and  public  television  communities  to  evalu- 
ate submissions.  Executive  director  James  Yee  and 
David  Liu,  the  executive  in  charge  of  programming  and 
development,  direct  the  process  of  determining  which 
projects  get  funded,  drawing  upon  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  committee. 

What  is  ITVS'  relationship  with  the  Corporation  for 
Public  Broadcasting,  in  terms  of  your  budget,  your 
board,  and  your  programming  mandate? 

CPB  is  our  principal  source  of  funding,  and  we  share  a 
common  mission  to  fund  innovative,  diverse  program- 
ming for  public  television,  but  ITVS  is  autonomous  of 
CPB.  The  ITVS  Board  is  nominated  by  a  national  coali- 
tion of  filmmakers  [specifically,  one  representative  from 
AIVF,  Film  Arts  Foundation,  the  International 
Documentary  Association,  and  two  individual  filmmak- 
ers] who  then  present  a  board  slate  to  CPB  for  approval. 

The  driving  philosophy  of  ITVS  is . . . 

ITVS  brings  independently  produced  programs  to  public 
television — programs  that  take  creative  risks,  advance 
issues,  and  represent  points  of  view  not  usually  seen  on 
television.  ITVS  is  committed  to  programming  that 
addresses  the  needs  of  underserved  audiences  and  to 
granting  artistic  control  to  the  independent  producer.  In 
an  era  that  encompasses  both  the  explosion  of  com- 
mercial information  enterprises  and  a  consolidation  of 
media  empires,  the  role  of  public  sector  media  is  criti- 
cal to  a  free,  open,  and  informed  society. 


Specifically,  how  has  ITVS  fulfilled  its 
mission? 

In  our  eight  years,  ITVS  has  brought  over 
260  single  programs  and  limited  series  to 
public  television.  These  programs  cover  a 
broad  range  of  topics  and  emanate  from 
diverse  communities.  We  have  three  con- 
stituencies, and  we  endeavor  to  serve  all 
three:  the  viewing  public,  the  independent 
media  community,  and  the  public  televi- 
sion system.  We  expand  the  public's  hori- 
zons with  adventurous,  powerful  pro- 
gramming: we  support  independent  mak- 
ers by  providing  them  with  a  full  range  of 
services,  including  developing  and  fund- 
ing their  work  and  then  advocating  to  have 
it  presented  on  public  television  with 
effective  marketing,  promotion,  and  audience  outreach; 
we  serve  the  public  television  system  by  making  avail- 
able energetic  new  independent  programming. 

What  is  your  total  annual  budget,  and  how  much  is 
specifically  for  production? 

Our  current  annual  budget  is  approximately  $7.2  mil- 
lion, of  which  91%  ($6.6  million)  is  earmarked  for  pro- 
duction. 

How  many  projects  does  ITVS  fund  per  year? 

Twenty  to  35  projects  per  year,  depending  on  their  bud- 
get size  and  scope. 

What  is  the  average  size  of  an  ITVS  grant?  Does  this 
generally  represent  full  funding?  Completion  fund- 
ing? Start-up? 

ITVS  does  not  give  grants;  we  enter  into  a  "production 
licensing  agreement."  The  amount  of  funding  varies 
greatly  depending  on  the  genre,  length,  format,  and 
whether  it  is  a  new  project  or  a  work-in-progress. 
Funding  has  ranged  from  $10,000  to  $1.4  million,  with 
the  average  being  $166,000  per  programming  hour. 
ITVS  is  always  the  last  money  in  on  a  project,  whether 
we  are  providing  full  or  partial  funding. 

So  monies  from  ITVS  do  not  constitute  a  grant.  What 
specifically  does  a  filmmaker  get  and  what  do  they 
give  you  in  return? 

The  production  licensing  agreement  with  the  maker 
gives  ITVS  exclusive  domestic  television  rights  for  a  lim- 
ited time  period.  As  mentioned  above,  ITVS  provides  a 
comprehensive  service  including  funding,  creative 
development,  feedback  during  production,  and — 
unique  to  ITVS — we  do  the  work  to  try  to  secure  a  suc- 
cessful public  television  launch,  including  marketing, 
website,  station  relations,  and  outreach. 


James  Yee, 
ITVS  Executive  Director 


What  percentage  of  applicants  actually  get  funded7 

Between  two  and  five  percent,  depending  on  the  num- 
ber of  submissions,  which  fluctuates  with  each  funding 
round. 

What  type  of  projects  does  ITVS  seek? 

We  envision  television  as  a  tool  for  empowerment,  so 
we're  looking  for  projects  that  stimulate  and  expand 
civic  participation  by  bringing  new  voices  to  public  dis- 
course. We're  looking  for  provocative,  well-crafted  sto- 
ries that  not  only  entertain,  but  compel  a  viewer  or  a 
television  programmer  to  sit  up  and  be  moved  to  action. 
Whether  a  project  is  documentary,  narrative,  or  experi- 
mental, telling  the  story  well  and  in  a  fresh  new  way  is 
central.  We're  always  seeking  masterful,  passionate 
storytellers.  Of  course,  the  project  must  also  be  right  for 
television. 

Are  the  bulk  of  projects  funded  through  your  Open 
Call?  What  are  its  funding  cycles  and  deadlines? 

Open  Call  is  an  on-going  solicitation.  Submissions  are 
evaluated  twice  a  year,  in  mid-March  and  mid- 
September  In  addition  to  Open  Call,  we  have  other 
funding  initiatives,  such  as  American  Stories  and 
LlnCS,  which  facilitates  production  partnerships 
between  independent  makers  and  local  public  televi- 
sion stations.  We're  about  to  announce  a  new  initiative 
for  projects  shot  on  digital  video.  Information  on  current 
funding  initiatives  is  always  available  on  our  website  at 
www.itvs.org  and  in  our  publication,  Buzzwords.  To 
receive  Buzzwords,  call  (415)  356-8383  x.  0. 

What  do  you  hope  to  accomplish  through  your  new 
station  partnership  program? 

LlnCS  (Local  Independents  Collaborating  with 
Stations),  the  continuation  of  our  Station-Independent 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


Partnership  Production  (SIPPs)  funding  initiative  in 
1996  and  1997,  is  designed  to  reinvigorate  production 
partnerships  between  independent  makers  and  local 
public  television  stations.  The  initiative  requires  that 
ITVS  funding  be  matched  with  in-kind  services  or  cash 
from  the  station.  Stations  benefit  by  being  involved  with 
local  productions,  while  the  indies  get  financial  support 
and  access  to  resources  that  will  help  bring  their  pro- 
jects to  fruition.  Hopefully,  both  sides  build  mutually 
beneficial,  long-term  relationships. 

Have  these  partnerships  worked  in  the  past? 

On  the  whole  the  partnerships  have  worked  very  well. 
Many  successful  regionally  and  culturally  diverse 
shows  have  resulted  from  the  initiative.  Among  the  38 
programs  funded  have  been  the  1999  Sundance  Film 
Festival  Filmmakers  Trophy  winner  Sing  Faster:  The 
Stagehands'  Ring  Cycle,  by  Jon  Else  with  Oregon  Public 
Broadcasting;  Tobacco  Blues,  by  Eren  McGinnis  and 
Christine  Fugate  with  Kentucky  ETV,  featured  on  ROM.  in 
1998;  Escape  from  Affluenza:  Living  Better  on  Less,  by 
John  de  Graaf  and  Vivia  Boe  with  KCTS/Seattle;  and 
Vanessa  Roth's  DuPont  Award-winning  Taken  In.-  The 
Lives  of  America's  Foster  Children,  made  with 
WNET/New  York. 

What  problems  arose  during  SIPPs,  and  how  have 
they  been  addressed  through  LlnCS? 

Like  all  relationships,  some  of  the  partnerships  have 
been  more  successful  than  others.  With  LlnCS,  we've 
now  streamlined  the  project  so  that  ITVS  will  be  the 
direct  contact  between  the  makers  and  the  station  part- 
ners. We  have  also  increased  our  financial  commitment 
to  the  number  of  shows  and  budgets  we  will  fund,  and 
have  expanded  the  definition  of  what  constitutes  a 
match  from  the  station  partner.  We  have  improved  our 
communication  to  the  field,  generating  more  visibility 
for  LlnCS  in  the  independent  media  community  as  well 
as  among  stations.  Also,  ITVS  will  be  taking  a  more 
active  role  in  the  public  television  launch  of  these  pro- 
grams. 

Are  there  any  other  initiatives  ITVS  might  introduce 
this  year? 

As  mentioned  above,  we  have  a  new  call  for  projects  shot 
on  digital  video.  We're  excited  about  this  initiative, 
because  it  represents  a  new  kind  of  liberation  for  the 
maker:  lower  budgets,  unencumbered  shoots.  We  are 
eager  to  see  how  this  new  technology  will  transform  the 
field  in  unforeseen  ways.  We're  also  looking  for  proposals 
for  interstitials,  having  just  worked  with  the  Minority 
Consortia  to  create  a  new  batch  of  "Kids  Spots"  inter- 
stitials. Information  is  available  on  our  website  and  in 
Buzzwords. 

You  have  recently  developed  a  funding  mechanism 
for  dramatic  films.  Was  this  in  response  to  the 
demise  of  American  Playhouse! 

Actually,  ITVS  began  its  funding  in  1991  with  a  call  for 
works  in  the  "TV  Families"  series,  which  gave  us  Todd 
Haynes'  Dottie  Gets  Spanked  and  Tamara  Jenkins' 


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Family  Remains,  among  others. 
Drama  has  always  been  part  of  an 
ITVS  mainstay  with  programs  like 
Pharaoh's  Army  and  Foto-Novelas. 
Our  Open  Call  application  invites 
proposals  in  any  genre,  and  we're 
currently  funding  one-hour  dramas. 
Unfortunately,  we  don't  get  as 
many  proposals  for  drama  as  for 
documentaries,  so  we  did  the  American 
Stories  initiative  to  increase  the  number  of 
drama  proposals  we  get. 

Will  films  funded  through  American 
Stories     Script     Development    and 
Production  programs  be  limited  to  56 
minutes?  If  not,  will  ITVS  accommodate 
a  theatrical  window? 
We  are  currently  funding  one-hour  dramas. 
We  work  with  producers  on  a  case-by- 
case  basis  if  the  opportunity  for  a  the- 
atrical release  arises.  Our  primary 
goal  remains  to  bring  creative  excel- 
lence to  the  television  medium.  We're 
looking  for  programs  that  can  keep  the 
viewer's  interest;  the  bulk  of  narrative 
projects  submitted  to  us  are  not  sus- 
tainable for  longer  than  one  hour.  Most 
people  making  drama  don't  think  of  TV 
as  their  first  choice;  they  may  have 
budgets  outside  ITVS's  scope  or  don't 
want  to  be   bound   by  television 
requirements. 

Why  is  the  Script  Development  pro- 
gram not  currently  being  offered? 
Any  foreseeable  date  on  when  it  will 
resume? 

Right  now  we're  ushering  a  large  num- 
ber of  scripts  from  development 
toward  production,  which  can  some- 
times be  a  long  process.  Once  a  por- 
tion of  them  is  completed  or  in  pro- 
duction, we  may  invite  a  new  batch, 
but  at  the  moment  we're  not  sure 


when  that  will  be. 

Are  there  any  other 
ways  filmmakers 
can  get  dramatic 
work  on  public  tele- 
vision? 

Yes.  Filmmakers 
should  check  the  PBS 
website  [www.pbs. 
org]  and  CPBs 
[www.cpb.org]  for 
their  new  drama  ini- 
tiatives. 

Advice  for  media  artists 
in  putting  forth  a  strong 
application? 

Communicate  your  passion 
and  articulate  the  urgency 
and  strength  of  your  story 
clearly.    Whether   you're 
making  a  drama,  a  docu- 
mentary or  an  experimen- 
tal piece  it's  essential  that 
you  show  us  that  you  are  a  story- 
teller. Surprise  us. 

Most  common  mistake  appli- 
cants make? 

Unfortunately  many  applicants 
don't  read  the  guidelines  as  care- 
fully as  we  wish  they  would.  The 
most  underwritten  section  of  the 
proposal  is  usually  the  treatment, 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


which  is  often  generic  and  unspecific  as  to  how  the 
story  will  be  told. 

What  most  aggravates  filmmakers  about  ITVS? 

We  can't  presume  to  speak  on  behalf  of  filmmakers. 

What's  your  biggest  complaint  about  independents7 

Working  with  independents  in  each  stage  of  a  project's 
life  is  our  mandate.  It  is  a  privilege  to  work  closely  with 
so  many  talented  storytellers. 

What  would  people  most  be  surprised  to  learn 
about  ITVS  and  its  founders? 

Many  people  are  surprised  to  learn  about  the  compre- 
hensive range  of  services  we  provide  for  the  makers. 
(Service  is  our  last  name.)  Once  we  fund  a  program,  we 
nurture  and  support  it  through  broadcast  and  beyond. 
People  also  forget  that  television  is  our  middle  name. 
That  is,  our  mission  is  to  present  works  for  television 
and  not  for  theatrical  release. 

Name  other  foundations  and  funding  programs  do 
you  admire  and  why. 

We  admire  the  Minority  Consortia  groups — the  National 
Asian  American  Telecommunications  Association 
(NAATA),  Pacific  Islanders  in  Communications  (PIC), 
National  Black  Programmers  Consortium  (NBPC), 
Native  American  Public  Telecommunications,  Inc. 
(NAPT),  as  well  as  the  interim  Latino  Public 
Broadcasting  Project  (LPBP) — because  these  organi- 
zations fund  programs  from  within  communities,  con- 
tributing to  the  healthy  mix  of  media  out  there.  No  one 
group  can  do  it  alone.  The  more  funders  for  independent 
media  the  better! 

Famous  Last  Words: 

Television  is  changing  rapidly  in  the  face  of  digital  envi- 
ronments and  new  venues.  The  independent  communi- 
ty should  be  poised  to  take  advantage  of  the  challenges 
and  opportunities  that  lie  ahead. 

Funder  F.A.Q.  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
profiling  foundations,  funding  organizations,  and  financiers 
of  independent  film  and  video  projects.  If  you  are  a  funder 
and  would  like  your  organization  or  company  to  be  profiled, 
contact:  Michelle  Coe  at  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl„  New 
York,  NY  10013,  or  send  an  email  to:  michelle@aivf.org. 

Michelle  Coe  is  the  program  and 
information  services  director  at  AIVF. 


Go  Behind  the 
Scenes  with  ITVS 

at  AIVF's  May  Meet  &  Greet. 

Meet  Jim  Yee  &  David  Liu  and  get 
your  questions  answered. 

See  @AIVF  (p.  58). 


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May  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


by   Scott   Castle 

LISTINGS  DO  NOT  CONSTITUTE  AN  ENDORSEMENT.  WE 
RECOMMEND  THAT  YOU  CONTACT  THE  FESTIVAL 
DIRECTLY  BEFORE  SENDING  CASSETTES,  AS  DETAILS 
MAY  CHANGE  AFTER  THE  MAGAZINE  GOES  TO  PRESS. 
DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE  MONTH  TWO  MONTHS  PRIOR 
TO  COVER  DATE  (APRIL  1  FOR  JUNE  ISSUE).  INCLUDE 
FESTIVAL  DATES,  CATEGORIES,  PRIZES,  ENTRY  FEES, 
DEADLINES,  FORMATS  &  CONTACT  INFO.  SEND  TO: 
FESTIVALS@AIVF.ORG 


Domestic 

afi  los  angeles  international  film  festival,  oct. 

21-29,  CA.  Deadlines:  June  15  (early),  Aug.  2  (final).  Fee: 
features  $40,  shorts  $30  (early);  features  $50,  shorts  $40 
(final).  AFI  Fest  combines  its  film  programming  w/  special 
events,  capturing  cultural  diversity  of  L.A.  while  providing 
new  filmmakers  w/  an  avenue  of  exposure  to  film  industry. 
Sections  mcl.  Official  Competition,  New  Directions  (American 
Independents),  European  Film  Showcase,  Shorts,  Doc- 
umentaries. Prizes  incl.:  New  Directions  Prize,  Best  New 
Director,  Best  New  Writer,  Best  Short  Film,  Audience  Awards 
in  each  category.  Entries  must  be  L.A.  premieres  w/  no  previ- 
ous local  TV/theatrical  exposure;  no  limitation  on  completion 
date.  Fest  receives  wide  print  coverage  in  trades,  LA  Times, 
etc.,  &  is  open  to  public.  Filmmakers  not  paid  fee.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  video.  Contact:  AFI  Fest,  2021  N.  Western 
Ave,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90027;  (323)  856-7707;  fax:  462- 
4049;  afifest@afionline.org;  www.afifest.com 

AUSTIN  FILM  FESTIVAL  &  HEART  OF  FILM  SCREENWRIT- 
ERS' CONFERENCE,  Oct.  7-14,  TX.  Deadlines:  screenplay 
competition:  May  15;  film  competition:  Aug.  7.  Screenplay 
competition  cats:  Adult,  Family  &  Comedy  (newly  added)  fea- 
ture-length scripts.  Screenplay  awards:  $4,000;  participation 
in  Heart  of  Film  Mentorship  Program;  airfare  and  accomm.  to 
attend  Heart  of  Film  screenwriter's  conference;  AFF  Bronze 
Award.  Film  competition  cats:  feature,  short,  student  short. 
Cash  &  film  stock  awards.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm  (submis- 
sion must  be  on  VHS  NTSC).  Films  must  be  completed  no  ear- 
lier than  June  1,  1998.  Judges  for  both  competitions 
are  industry  professionals.  Past  judges  have  includ- 
ed representatives  from  Columbia  Pictures. 
Paramount  Pictures,  Kopelson  Entertainment,  MTV 
Films,  William  Morris  Agency,  Kennedy-Marshall, 
Jersey  Films  &  Sundance  Channel.  Entry  fee:  $40. 
Contact:  Austin  Film  Festival,  1604  Nueces,  Austin, 
TX  78701;  (800)  310-FEST;  austinfilm@aol.com; 
www.austinfilmfestival.org 

COLUMBUS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTI- 
VAL, The  Chris  Awards.  Oct.  19-22,  OH.  Deadline-. 
July  1.  One  of  older  nontheatrical  showcases  in 
country,  competitive  fest  founded  in  1952.  Accepts 
ind  &  corporate  prod,  in  10  major  divisions  w/  about  10  cats, 
in  each  (97  cats,  in  all).  Divisions:  Arts,  Entertainment, 
Business  &  Industry;  Education  &  Information;  Humanities; 
Mental  Health;  Physical  Health  &  Medicine;  Religion;  Science 
&  Technology;  Social  Issues;  CD-ROM.  Other  divisions  incl. 
Media  of  Print;  Screenwriting;  Student  Competition  (anima- 


tion/exp,  doc,  drama/comedy,  screenwriting).  Chris  Awards 
go  to  best  of  cat.;  2nd  place  Bronze  Plaques,  Certificates  of 
Honorable  Mention  &  President's  Award  (best  of  fest)  &  Best 
of  Division  also  awarded.  Expanded  public  screenings  at  the 
Drexel  Theatre,  Oct.  19-22.  Awards  presentation  banquet  Oct. 
21.  Formats:  1/2"  VHS,  16mm,  CD-ROM.  Entry  fee:  $75  &  up 
for  professionals;  $35  &  up  for  students.  Contact:  Joyce  Long, 
awards  admin.,  Columbus  Int'l  Film  &  Video  Fest,  Film 
Council  of  Greater  Columbus,  5701  North  High  St.,  Ste  200, 
Worthington,  OH  43085;  ph/fax:  (614)  841-1666;  chn- 
sawd@infinet.com;  www.infinet.com/~chrisawd 

HAMPTONS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  20-24,  NY 
Deadline:  May  30  (shorts);  June  30  (features)  7th  annual  fest 
for  features,  shorts  &  docs.  Created  "to  provide  a  forum  for 
filmmakers  around  the  world  who  express  an  indie  vision." 
Fest  offers  diverse  programming  w/  premieres  by  established 
filmmakers,  breakthrough  films  by  new  directors  &  panel  dis- 
cussions w/  guests  from  industry.  Juried  awards  incl.  Golden 
Starfish  ($165,000  value  of  in-kind  services  awarded  in 
1998).  Student  film  showcase  winners  (5  undergrad  &  5  grad) 
receive  grants  of  $2,500  each.  Other  prizes  awarded  for  Best 
Doc  Feature.  Best  Score,  Best  Short  Film  &  Audience 
Favorites.  Formats  accepted:  70mm,  35mm,  16mm.  Entry  fee: 
$50  feature,  $25  short.  Contact:  Shawn  Folz,  Hamptons  Int'l 
Film  Festival,  3  Newtown  Mews,  East  Hampton,  NY  11937; 
(516)  324-4600;  fax:  324-5116;  www.hamptonsfest.org 

HOPE  &  DREAMS  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  1-3,  NJ.  Deadline: 
May  21.  Film  &  video  competition.  All  formats  accepted  in 
cats  of  features,  shorts,  docs  &  animation.  Films  judged  for 
general  interest,  production  values  &  creativity.  Submissions 
on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $40.  For  entry  forms,  contact:  Curator, 
Hope  &  Dreams  Film  Festival,  Box  131,  Hope,  NJ  07844;  fax: 


LUCKY  13  FOR  AFI 


mg  primary  release  or  telecast  between  January  1, 1998  and 
April  30,  1999  is  eligible  to  submit  for  the  Distinguished 
Documentary  Achievement  Awards  categories  (features, 
short,  limited  series,  or  strand  program)  and  additional  con- 
sideration for  the  ABCNews  VideoSource  Award  for  Best  Use 
of  News  Footage  in  a  Documentary  (prize-.  $2,000  honorarium 
and  $2,000  worth  of  research  time  at  the  ABCNews 
VideoSource  facility  in  New  York)  and/or  the  Pare  Lorentz 
Award  (prize:  $2,500  honorarium).  Winners  honored  at  15th 
Annual  IDA  Awards  Gala  in  Los  Angeles  on  Oct.  29  and 
screened  at  DocuFest  on  Oct.  30.  Entry  fees:  features  and 
short  ($55  IDA  members,  $75  non-members);  limited  series 
and  strand  program  ($200  IDA  members,  $300  non-mem- 
bers); ABCNews  VideoSource  and  Pare  Lorentz  Awards  (addi- 
tional $25  per  entry).  To  receive  entry  form  &  guidelines  con- 
tact: IDA  Awards,  1551  S.  Robertson  Blvd.,  Ste.  201,  L.A.,  CA, 
90035;  (310)  284-8422;  fax:  785-9334;  ida@ 
artnet.net. 

INTERNATIONAL  WORKING  CLASS  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL, 

July,  San  Francisco.  Deadline:  June  1.  LaborFest  is  now  call- 
ing for  videos  for  6th  annual  festival.  Held  in  San  Francico 
every  July,  fest  is  organized  to  commemorate  the  1934  San 
Francisco  General  Strike  through  the  cultural  arts  of  working 
people.  Videos  &  films  can  incl.  union  struggles,  political 
struggles  of  labor,  locally,  nat'ly  &  int'ly.  The  videos  should 
explore  the  connections  between  labor  &  democracy,  race, 
sex,  environment,  media,  war  &  capitalist  economy.  Looking 
for  videos  that  challenge  practically  &  ideologically  the  think- 
ing of  working  people.  Videos  will  be  shown  throughout  the 
month  in  San  Francisco.  Submit  on  VHS  or  PAL.  English  cap- 
tions preferred.  Open  format  incls  drama,  animation  &  docs. 
Send  video  w/  bio  &  narrative  summary.  Send  summary  &  bio 


LUl/IW  10  rUiA  Mil  American  Film  Institute  may  be  tops  when  it  comes  to  film 
preservation,  but  it  took  the  co-founder  of  Slamdance  to  introduce  the  voice  of  independents 
into  its  festival.  Jon  Fitzgerald  arrived  at  the  sluggish  festival  as  its  new  director  in  1997  mak- 
ing several  welcome  additions,  incl.  New  Directions  U.S.  (low-budget  features  by  1st  or  2nd 
time  directors)  plus  cats  for  docs  &  world  cinema.  The  result:  attendance  went  up  30%.  Last 
year's  AFI  Los  Angeles  International  Film  Festival  introduced  a  new  European 
Film  Showcase  (the  Euro-equivalent  of  New  Directions)  &  Screenwriter's  Weekend  (incl.  Oscar- 
winning  writers).  The  installment  was  another 
The  best  is  yet  to  come:  leap  forward  with  over  45,000  attendees,  nearly 
Roberto  Benigni  hugs  Harvey  double  the  prior  year's.  This  year's  coup  comes 
-    ■JBSSL'S:     in  the  form  of  newly  restored  venues  from 


Beautiful  wins  the  top  prize 
at  AFI's  revamped 
festival. 


(908)459-4681. 

INTERNATIONAL  DOCUMENTARY  ASSOCIATION  (IDA)  DOC 
AWARDS  COMPETITION,  Oct.,  CA.  Deadline:  June  18.  15th 
annual  fest  recognizes  distinguished  achievement  in  nonac- 
tion films  and  videos.  Any  nonaction  work  completed,  or  hav- 


Hollywood's  golden  age:  the  El  Capitan  &  the  glo- 
rious Egyptian  Theatre,  (see  listing) 


electronically  also,  if  possible.  No  entry  form  or  fee  req. 

Contact:  Int'l  Working  Class  Film  &  Video  Festival,  Box 

425584,  San  Francisco,  CA  94142;  (415)  282-1908;  fax: 
695-1369;  lvpsf@labornet.org 

LOS  ANGELES  INT'L  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept  CA 
Deadline:  July  1.  3rd  annual  fest  presented  by  Filmmakers 
United,  nonprofit  org.  Last  year  screened  80  films  from  12 
countries.  Award  winners  shown  on  Independent  Film 
Channel.  Eligible  films  must  have  been  completed  after  Jan. 
1, 1997.  Thematic  programs  this  year  incl.  children,  late  nite 
adults  only,  short  features,  B-movies,  music  video  &  com- 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


mercial  spec.  Cats:  animation,  comedy,  doc,  drama,  experi- 
mental, music  video,  commercial  spec.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm  &  video.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25  (under  40 
min.);  $30  (40-60  mm.);  $35  (60-90  mm.).  Contact:  Robert 
Arentz,  Festival  Director,  L.A.  Shorts  Fest,  N.  Alexandria  Ave., 
LA,  CA  90029;  (213)  427-8016;  info@lashortsfest.com; 
www.lashortsfest.com 

NEW  ORLEANS  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  8-14,  LA 
Deadline:  June  15  (regular);  July  1  (late).  Now  in  11th  yr,  fest 
features  local  premieres  of  major  releases  from  around 
world,  world-class  film  industry  guests  &  seminars.  "Cinema 
16"  hosts  indie  film  competition  &  shows  works  in  all  cats: 
doc,  narrative,  music  video,  exp.  &  anim.  shorts.  All  genres, 
styles  &  lengths  considered;  entries  must  have  been  com- 
pleted w/in  previous  2  yrs.  Awards:  top-rated  film/video  will 
receive  Cinema  16's  Judge's  Award  of  $5,000;  top  25  works 
get  engraved  Lucite  Lumiere  Awards.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  super  8,  3/4",  1/2",  S-VHS,  Beta;  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  fee:  domestic  $35/$55  (late);  foreign  $45/$65  (late). 
Contact:  Victoria  Klyce,  New  Orleans  Film  &  Video  Fest,  225 
Baronne  St.,  Ste.  1712;  New  Orleans,  LA  70112;  (504)  523- 
3818;  fax:  529-2430;  www.neworleansfilmfest.com 

NEW  YORK  EXPO  OF  SHORT  FILM,  VIDEO  &  INTERACTIVE 
MULTI-MEDIA,  Nov.,  NY.  Deadline:  June  1. 33rd  annual  fest 
is  nation's  longest-running  U.S.  festival  of  short  films  (under 
60  mm.).  Seeks  fiction,  animation,  doc  &  experimental  film  & 
video  &  digital  multi-media  works  of  any  length.  Films/videos 
should  be  completed  since  1997;  CD-ROMs  &  Websites  since 
1995.  Student  &  int'l  entries  welcome.  Formats:  16mm  & 
3/4"  NTSC  video  only;  35mm  &  super  8  films  shown  in  video 
projection.  Preview  on  VHS  1/2"  video,  NTSC  only;  CD-ROMs 
in  Mac  or  PC  format,  Websites  by  URL.  Entry  fee:  $40;  $5  for 
preview  return.  For  applications  &  info  contact:  Anne  Bonn, 
New  York  Expo  of  Short  Film  &  Video,  532  LaGuardia  PL,  Ste. 
330,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212)  505-7742;  nyexpo@ 
aol.com;  www.yrd.com/nyexpo 

NORTH  CAROLINA  GAY  AND  LESBIAN  FILM  FESTIVAL. 

August  6-8,  NC.  Deadline:  May.  Non-competitive.  Fest  aims 
to  open  up  audiences  to  wide  spectrum  of  films  by  &/or  about 
gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender  lives.  NCGLFF  also  has 
produced  series  of  events  leading  up  to  the  fest  incl.  series 
on  early  gay  films  ("The  Good.  The  Bad,  and  The  Ugly").  Fest 
accepts  features,  docs  &  shorts  of  any  length,  genre,  or  cat- 
egory. No  restriction  on  films'  year  of  completion.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Entry  fee:  $15.  Contact:  Lawrence  Ferber, 
NCGLFF  Co-ordinator,  573  6th  St.,  #1,  Brooklyn,  NY  11215; 
phone/fax:  (718)  369-0601,  NCGLFF@aol.com 

NORTHAMPTON  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  3-7,  Northampton, 
MA,  the  Number  One  Small  Arts  Town  in  the  US.  Deadline: 
June  30.  Entry  fees:  $25  (less  than  30  min.),  $30  (30  mm.  to 
less  than  60  min.),  $35  (60  mm.  or  more).  Now  in  its  fifth 
year,  the  growing  Northampton  Film  Festival  showcases 
independent  film  &  video  from  throughout  the  US,  from  shorts 
to  features.  Narrative,  doc,  exp,  anim.  Features  encouraged. 
Approximately  50-60  works  screened.  Fest  is  a  competitive, 
juried  event.  Past  prizes  have  included:  Best  of  the  Fest; 
Most  Creative  Cinematography;  Best  First  Feature;  Best 
Screenplay;  Best  Doc;  Best  Short.  Festival  includes  a 
Filmmaking  Forum,  featuring  presentations  by  selected 
industry  leaders;  post-screening  Q&As  w/  artists;  work- 
shops, seminars,  tributes,  special  guests  &  programs;  & 


artists,  reception  &  parties.  All  events  are  w/in  walking  dis- 
tance of  each  other.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  1/2"  NTSC-VHS. 
All  preview  tapes  must  be  on  1/2".  All  works  must  have  been 
completed  no  earlier  than  Nov.  1997.  Produced  by 
Northampton  Film  Associates,  Inc.  For  entry  form  &  info, 
send  SASE  to  Northampton  Film  Associates.  Inc.,  351 
Pleasant  St.,  #213,  Northampton,  MA  01060.  Contacts:  Dee 
DeGeiso  or  Howard  Polonsky  (413)  586-3471;  fax:  584- 
4432;  filmfest@nohofilm.org;  www.nohofilm.org 

RESFEST  DIGITAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Fall  Tour:  S.F,  LA,  NYC 
Deadline:  June  5.  Nat'l/int'l  touring  festival  seeks  short 
films/videos  shot  in  any  format  but  finished  digitally  &  out- 
put to  tape  &  digital  feature  films  output  to  video  or  35mm. 
Festival's  mission  is  to  expose  &  inspire  audiences  across 
the  country  &  the  world  w/  new  films,  by  new  filmmakers, 
made  w/  new  technology.  A  dynamic  line-up  of  film  screen- 
ings, in-depth  panel  discussions,  technology  presentations  & 
gala  parties.  Genres:  narrative,  live-action,  doc,  exp,  anim. 
Formats:  BetaSR  DV,  35mm  (features  only).  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  fee:  $20.  Contact  (for  entry  form  &  info)  ResFest,  109 
Minna  St.,  Ste.  390,  San  Francisco,  CA  94105.  (415)  437- 
2686.  Automated  submit  form:  submit@resfest.com; 
www.resfest.com 

RHODE  ISLAND  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Aug  11- 

15.  Deadline:  May  30.  Fest  takes  place  in  historic 
Providence,  Rl  &  parts  of  the  surrounding  Blackstone  Valley. 
Honorary  Chairman  for  this  year's  festival  is  writer/director 
Bobby  Farrelly,  who  premiered  his  newest  film  There's 
Something  About  Mary  as  the  official  kick-off  for  the  1998 
festival.  Fest  accepts  shorts,  features  &  videos  produced 
after  1996.  Categories  incl.:  dramatic,  doc,  experimental, 
animation.  Filmmakers  may  enter  their  films  either  m/out  of 
competition.  All  films  will  be  eligible  for  Fest  Favorites 
awards.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Betacam  SR  3/4",  S-VHS  or 
VHS.  Preview:  VHS  (1/2"  NTSC  only).  Entry  fee:  $25:  shorts, 
$45:  features.  Contact:  RUFF,  Box  162,  Newport,  Rl  02840; 
(401)  847-7590;  fax:  861-4445;  flicksart@aol.com; 
www.eatmri.com/flickers 

SEATTLE  LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  22-28,  WA. 
Deadline:  July  1.  Presented  by  Seattle's  Three  Dollar  Bill 
Cinema,  fest  invites  submissions  of  films  &  videos  of  every 
genre.  TDB  Cinema  founded  in  1995  &  staffed  year-round  by 
volunteers  who  produce  fest.  Preview  on  VHS  only.  Entry  fee: 
$10  before  July  1;  $15  through  Aug  1.  Incl.  SASE  for  return. 
Once  film  is  submitted,  it  may  not  be  withdrawn.  All  submis- 
sions must  incl.  entry  form.  Three  Dollar  Bill  Cinema,  1 122  E. 
Pike  St.  #1313,  Seattle,  WA  98122-3934;  (206)  323-4274; 
fax:  (206)  323-4275;  filmfest@dnzzle.com;  www.drizzle. 
com/ — filmfest 

WORLD  POPULATION  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL  Sept.,  MA 
Deadline:  June  15.  Secondary  &  college  students  eligible  to 
submit  works  that  address  population  growth,  resource  con- 
sumption, environment  &  common  global  future.  Drama,  ani- 
mation, image-montage,  docs  of  any  length  accepted  in  film, 
video  &  multimedia.  Total  of  $10,000  in  prizes  awarded  to 
best  entries  in  secondary  &  college  cats.  "Best  of  Fest"  VHS 
tapes  made  avail,  to  secondary  schools  &  colleges  &  may  be 
broadcast  on  MTV,  Turner  &  PBS.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact: 
Rawn  Fulton,  exec,  dir.  World  Population  Film/Video  Fest,  46 
Fox  Hill  Rd.,  Bernardston,  MA  01337;  (800)  638-9464;  fax: 
(413)  648-9204,  info@wpfvf.com;  www.wpfvf.com 


NASHVILLE 
INDEPENDENT 
FILM    FESTIVAL 


June  9-13 
Regal  Green  Hills  16 


-  FILMS  - 
WORKSHOPS 

-  PARTIES  - 

-  EXPO  - 

-  AWARDS  - 


ox  24330 
ille.TN   37202 
(615)  742-2500  phone 
(615)  742-8010  fax 
niffilm(g:bellsou  th.net 
www.nashvillefilmfestival.on 


^0    \  | 


INTERMEDIA 
NASHVILLESCENE 


The  Westin  Hermitage 


May   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


th 


26'"    TELLURIDE 
FILM  FESTIVAL 


September  3-6,  1999 


'THE  RAREST  JEWEL   IN 
THE    CROWN    OF    THE 
FESTIVAL  GOING  EXPE- 
RIENCE,   Telluride    is 
the  most  open,  dem- 
ocratic and  collegial, 
in  addition  to  being 
one  of  the  best  pro- 
grammed and  run." 
—Todd  McCarthy 
The  Variety  Guide  to 
Film  Festivals 


a 

o 
u 

> 


/ 


FOR  MORE  INFORMATION 

AND  A  SUBMITTAL  FORM: 

Telluride  Film  Festival 

53  South  Main  Street 

Suite  212 

Hanover,  New 

Hampshire  03755 

$99        ,z  603.6431255 


*c\* 


(tel) 
603.643.5938 
(fax) 


t£4JLUJUi> 


FESTIVALS 


Foreign 

anti-matter:  festival  of  underground  short  film 

AND  VIDEO.  Sept  17-26,  Canada.  Deadline:  May  31  (early); 
June  30  (late).  2nd  annual  fest,  produced  by  Rogue  Art,  seeks 
imaginative,  volatile,  entertaining  &  critical  works  which  exist 
outside  mainstream,  regardless  of  subversive  or  dangerous 
nature  of  their  content,  stylistic  concerns,  or  commercial  via- 
bility. Fest  is  anti-Hollywood  &  anti-censorship  &  dedicated 
to  film  &  video  as  art.  Selected  works  will  be  included  in  a 
three-day  int'l  tour  in  2000.  Industrial,  commercial  &  studio 
products  ineligible.  Films  must  be  under  30  rtiin.  &  produced 
w/in  last  two  years.  Formats:  16mm  &  VHS.  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  fees:  $10  (early);  $15  (late).  Contact:  Todd  Eacrett, 
Director,  Antimatter,  Studio  F,  1322,  Broad  St.,  Victoria  B.C., 
Canada,  V8W-2A9;  tel/fax:  (250)  385-3327;  rogue@island. 
com;  www.islandnet.com/shortcircuit 

ATLANTIC  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  17-25,  Canada.  Deadline: 
June  13.  Founded  in  1981,  fest  has  emphasis  on  film  &  video 
productions  from  Atlantic  Canada  as  well  as  selected  int'l 
productions.  Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in  previ- 
ous yr.  Cash  awards.  Entry  deadline  for  1999  is  June  11. 
Exhibition  formats  accepted:  35mm,  16mm  &  NTSC  video 
formats  incl.  Betacam  SP  Long  or  Short  (no  PAL  Formats). 
Entry  fee:  $25-$75.  Contact:  Atlantic  Film  Festival,  Box 
36139,  Halifax,  NS  Canada  B3J  3S9;  (902)  422-3456;  fax: 
422-4006;  festival@atlanticfilm.com;  www.atlanticfilm.com 

CORK  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  10-17,  Ireland 
Deadline:  July  9.  Founded  in  1956,  aim  is  to  "bring  Irish  audi- 
ences the  best  in  world  cinema  in  all  its  variety,  to  champion 
the  art  of  the  short  film  &  provide  a  forum  for  creative  inter- 
change of  ideas  w/in  film  community."  Fest's  program  is 
eclectic,  bringing  together  new  int'l  films  w/  other  forms  of 
film  art,  incl.  doc,  short,  animation  &  exp  film.  Program  also 
incl.  retro  sidebars,  seminars,  master  classes.  Entry  cats 
incl.  features,  docs,  shorts.  Fest  welcomes  films  for  young 
audiences  (UnReel  sidebar)  &  films  for  lesbian  &  gay  audi- 
ences (Pink  sidebar).  Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in 
previous  2  yrs  to  be  eligible  for  competition  sections  &  must 
not  have  screened  previously  in  Ireland  in  theaters  or  on  TV. 
Competitive  for  films  under  30  min.  Awards  for  best  Int'l, 
European  &  Irish  shorts.  Also  for  shorts  in  b&w.  Other  sec- 
tions incl.  Irish  Showcase  &  Focus  On  section  devoted  to 
filmmakers  whose  work  excites  fest  committee.  Screenings 
take  place  at  Cork  Opera  House,  Kino  Cinema  &  Tnskel  Arts 
Centre,  which  has  a  gallery  &  cafe  &  is  fest  meeting 
place/press  center.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta  SP:  pre- 
view on  1/2".  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Mick  Hannigan,  fes- 
tival director,  Cork  Film  Fest,  Hatfield  House,  Tobm  St.,  Cork, 
Ireland;  011  353  21  27  17  11;  fax:  011  353  21  27  59  45, 
ciff@indigo.ie;  www.corkfilmfest.org 

MENIGOUTE  INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  ORNITHOLOGI- 
CAL FILMS,  Oct.  29-Nov.  3,  France.  Deadline:  May  15. 6-day 
fest,  founded  in  '85,  shows  about  40  films  concerning 
ornithological  subjects,  as  well  as  all  wildlife  (wild  mammals, 
reptiles  or  swimming  creatures).  Associations  &  orgs  con- 
cerned w/  environmental  issues  invited  to  present  activities 
in  various  forums.  Regional  tours  organized  each  day  specif- 
ically in  bird  watching  areas  &  children's  activities  around 
ornithological  subjects  are  held.  15-20  artists  present  pho- 


tographs, paintings  &  sculpture.  Cash  prizes  from  10,000FF 
to  30.000FF.  Entries  must  be  French  premieres.  Formats: 
16mm,  1/2",  Beta.  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Marie  Christine 
Brouard,  Fest  Int'l  du  Film  Ornithologique,  B.R  5,  79340 
Menigoute,  France;  tel:  011 33  5  49  69  90  09;  fax:  011 33  5 
49  69  97  25;  www.menigoute-festival.org 

MONTREAL  WORLD  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Aug.  27-Sept.  6, 
Canada.  Deadline:  for  shorts:  June  15;  features:  July  6.  Only 
competitive  fest  in  N.  America  recognized  by  FIAPF.  Founded 
in  77,  large  &  int'ly  known  fest  boasts  audiences  of  over 
300,000  &  programs  hundreds  of  films.  9  cats:  Official 
Competition  (features  &  shorts);  Hors  Concours  (official 
selection,  noncompetitive);  Focus  on  One  Country's  Cinema; 
Latin  American  Cinema;  Cinema  of  Today:  Reflections  of  Our 
Time;  Cinema  of  Tomorrow:  New  Trends;  Panorama  Canada; 
TV  Films;  Tributes.  Grand  Prix  of  Americas  to  best  film; 
Special  Grand  Prix  of  Jury,  Best  Director,  Best  Actress/Actor; 
Best  Screenplay  &  Best  Artistic  Contribution  (awarded  to 
technician).  Shorts  compete  for  1st  &  2nd  Prize.  Second  jury 
awards  Prix  de  Montreal  to  director  of  1st  fiction  feature;  all 
1st  features  in  all  cats  eligible.  Other  awards:  Air  Canada 
Prize  for  most  popular  feature  of  fest,  prize  for  Best  Canadian 
Feature  Film  awarded  by  public,  Oecumenical  Prize  & 
FIPRESCI  Prize.  Features  in  competition  must  be  70mm  or 
35mm,  prod  in  12  months  preceding  fest,  not  released  com- 
mercially outside  of  country  of  origin  &  not  entered  in  any 
competitive  int'l  film  fest  (unreleased  films  given  priority). 
Films  prod  by  &  for  TV  eligible  for  competition  if  theatrical 
exploitation  planned;  industrial,  advertising  &  instructional 
films  ineligible.  Shorts  must  be  70mm  or  35mm  &  must  not 
exceed  15  min.  Fest  held  in  14  theaters,  all  in  downtown 
Montreal  w/in  walking  distance  of  fest  headquarters.  Some 
2,500  industry  pros  annually  accredited.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  3/4".  Entry  fee:  None.  Contact:  Serge  Losique,  fest 
director,  Montreal  World  Film  Fest,  Fest  des  Films  du  Monde, 
1432  Bleury  St,  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  H3A  2J1;  (514) 
848-3883/933-9699;  fax:  848-3886;  ffm@lnterlink.net; 
www.ffm-montreal.org 

PARIS  LESBIAN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  29-Nov  2,  France. 
Deadline:  May  31.  A  women-only  event  taking  place  each 
year  in  Paris  w/  aim  of  promoting  lesbian  &  feminist  films. 
Each  year  about  80  films  from  over  15  countries  are  shown. 
Fest  is  run  by  all-volunteer  team  of  enthusiastic  &  commit- 
ted women  &  provides  a  space  for  artists,  debates  &  various 
assocs.  In  1998  fest  team  edited  compilation  of  popular 
shorts  on  video,  a  project  it  plans  to  develop  in  future.  Cats: 
fiction,  nonfiction,  doc,  exp,  anim  (short,  medium,  or  feature- 
length).  Awards:  public's  prizes  for  best  short  fiction,  feature 
fiction,  short  doc,  feature  doc.  No  entry  fee.  Formats:  16mm, 
35mm,  video,  Umatic,  Beta,  PAL.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact 
Cineffable.  37  Avenue  Pasteur,  93100  Montreuil,  France; 
tel/fax:  Oil  33  1  4870  7711;  cineffable@compuserve.com; 
www.ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/cineffable 


AIVF  MEMBERS: 
SEND  US  YOUR  EMAIL! 

aivf  is  collecting  email 
addresses  to  better  inform 
you  of  upcoming  events  and 

membership  matters. 
Send  to:  members@aivf.org 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     May  1999 


New  England's  Finest  Showcase  of  Independent  Film  &  Uideo 

Northampton  Film  Festival 

November  3-7, 1999 
Northampton,  MA 

'The  No.  1  Small  Arts  Town 
in  the  Country" 


I  [Call  for  Entries 


Deadline  June  30 

For  information  and  an  entry  form: 

visit  www.nohofilm.org 

or  send  SASE  to 

Northampton  Film  Festival 

351  Pleasant  St.,  No.  213 

Northampton,  MA  01060 


tel:  413-586-3471 

fax:413-584-4432 

filmfest@nohofilm.org 


CALL  FOR 
ENTRIES 


SEPTEMBER  7-12,  1999 

LATE  SUMMER  ON  THE 
COAST  OF  MAINE 

Documentaries 

Coastal  &  Mountain  Films 

Shorts 

Ecological/cultural 

DEADLINES: 

JUNE  1ST 

FINAL  DEADLINE 

JULY  1ST 


PO  Box  550 

Bar  Harbor,  ME  04609 

www.barharborfilmfest.com 

207.288.3686 

e.mail:  info@bhff.com 


NOW  ACCEPTING  FOR  CONSIDERATION: 

shorts,  features,  documentaries, 


<! 


N  •  E   •  W 

ORLEANS 
FILM-& 
VIDEO 

animation,  music  videos,  experimental       festival 


works,  etc.  on  Super  8,  16mm,  35mm, 
half-inch  VHS,  Super  VHS  and  three  quarter  inch. 


Prizes  include: 

$5,000  Judges'  Award  from 

Ruth's  Chris  Steak  House 


Home ol Serious  Steaks, 


NOF&VS  Lumiere  awards  and  Lagniappe 
certificates,  and  special  prizes 

Entry  fees/derdlines: 

$35/US  &  $45/Foreign  &  Canada  by  June  15,  1999 

$55/US  &  $65/Foreign  &  Canada  by  July  1,  1999 


11th  Annua5  New  Qrftean/S 
FiSm  8<  Video  Fe/stivafl 


Cinema  16 

Call  for  Entries 


Contact  us  for  an  application: 

New  Orleans  Film  &  Video  Festival 

225  Baronne  Street,  Suite  1712  •  New  Orleans,  LA   70112 

ph:  504.524-2471  •  fax:  504.529.2430 

web:  www.neworleansfilmfest.com 

Dates  for  the  1999  New  Orleans  Film  &  Video  Festival  are  Friday, 
October  8th  through  Thursday,  October  14th  at  Landmark  Theatre's 
Canal  Place  Cinema  in  the  heart  of  downtown  New  Orleans.  Seven 
days  of  premieres,  previews,  classics,  Cinema  16's  independent 
filmmakers'  showcase  plus  workshops  with  top  industry  profession- 
als, our  gala,  parties,  receptions,  parties  and  more  parties! 


::J 


NOTICES  OF  RELEVANCE  TO  AIVF  MEMBERS  ARE  LIST- 
ED FREE  OF  CHARGE  AS  SPACE  PERMITS.  THE 
INDEPENDENT  RESERVES  THE  RIGHT  TO  EDIT  FOR 
LENGTH  AND  MAKES  NO  GUARANTEES  ABOUT  REPETI- 
TIONS OF  A  GIVEN  NOTICE.  LIMIT  SUBMISSIONS  TO  60 
WORDS  &  INDICATE  HOW  LONG  INFO  WILL  BE  CUR- 
RENT. DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE  MONTH,  TWO  MONTHS 
PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.,  JUNE  1  FOR  AUG/SEPT 
ISSUE).  COMPLETE  CONTACT  INFO  (NAME,  ADDRESS  & 
PHONE)  MUST  ACCOMPANY  ALL  NOTICES.  SEND  TO: 
INDEPENDENT  NOTICES,  FIVF,  304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH 
FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  WE  TRY  TO  BE  AS  CURRENT  AS  POS- 
SIBLE, BUT  DOUBLE-CHECK  BEFORE  SUBMITTING 
TAPES  OR  APPLICATIONS. 


Competitions 

christopher  video  contest  for  college  students 

Theme  of  12th  annual  contest  is  "One  Person  Can  Make  a 
Difference."  All  currently  enrolled  college  students  in  good 
standing  are  eligible.  Cash  awards  of  $1,000,  $2,000  & 
$3,000  are  avail.  Entries  may  be  created  using  film  or  video 
&  must  be  five  min.  or  less  in  length.  Preview  on  VHS  or  3/4". 
Deadline:  June  18.  For  appl.  contact:  College  Video  Contest. 
The  Christophers,  12  E.  48th  St.,  NY,  NY  10017:  (212)  759- 
4050;  www.chnstophers.org 

F.O.C.U.S.  INSTITUTE  OF  FILM  call  for  screenplays:  original, 
compelling  human  stories  that  promote  positive  values  & 
social  responsibility — "material  that  endeavors  to  stir  the 
human  spirit."  Deadline:  June  1. 2-5  screenwriters  selected 
for  mentorship  program  &  one  script  will  go  into  production. 
Proceeds  from  release  of  films  produced  by  F.O.C.U.S.  will 
est.  academic  &  vocational  scholarship  funds  for  underpriv- 
ileged foster  children.  Deadline:  June  1.  Materials  avail,  by 
fax:  (310)  472-1481  oratwww.focusinstituteoffilm.com 

IFC  2000:  National  student  film  competition  presented  by  the 
Independent  Feature  Project  and  the  Independent  Film 
Channel,  awards  $15,000  in  prizes  to  student  films  in  cate- 
gories of  fiction,  animation  &  doc,  with  $10,000  Grand  Prize 
awarded  to  best  film  from  any  category.  Open  to  students 
currently  enrolled  in  a  film  degree  program  at  accredited 
graduate  or  undergrad.  American  school.  Eligible:  16mm  and 
35mm  films  under  30  min.,  produced  since  May  '98. 
Finalists  &  winners  will  be  screened  at  21st  IFFM,  Sept. 
1999;  winners  also  screened  in  LA  and  on  IFC.  Deadline:  May 
14, 1998.  Contact:  Independent  Feature  Project,  104  W.  29th 
St.,  12th  fl„  NY  NY  10001-5310;  (212)  465-8200:  fax:  465- 
8525;  IFPNY@ifp.org;  www.ifp.org 

INDEPENDENT  FEATURE  FILM  MARKET:  Sept.  17-24  at 
Angelika  Film  Center,  NY.  The  original  market  devoted  to 
emerging  American  independent  film  draws  festival  direc- 
tors, distributors,  agents  &  development  execs  from  around 
the  world.  Now  accepting  submissions  of  U.S.  fiction  and 
doc.  films  in  the  following  cats:  feature  (over  75  min.),  shorts 
(under  60  min.)  works-in-progress  (edited  scenes/trailers 
intended  for  feature-length  works)  and  copyrighted,  feature- 
length  fictional  scripts.  Special  invitation  sections  and 
awards  include  "No  Borders"  co-production  market,  "IFFM 
Rough  Cuts"  for  features  in  rough  or  fine  cut  stage  &  Gordon 
Parks  Independent  Film  Awards  for  work  by  African- 
American  writers  and  directors.  Separate  membership  and 


entry  fees  apply.  Early  deadline:  May  21  ($50  discount  on 
early  submissions).  Final  deadline:  June  11.  Contact: 
Independent  Feature  Project,  104  W.  29th  St.,  12th  fl.,  NY  NY 
10001-5310;  (212)  465-8200:  fax:  465-8525; 
IFPNY@ifp.org;  www.ifp.org 

OHIO  INDEPENDENT  SCREENPLAY  AWARDS:  Call  for  entries 
for  Best  Screenplay  Award  and  Best  Northcoast  Screenplay 
Awards.  All  genres  accepted.  Prizes  include  $1,000,  a 
screenplay  reading  at  the  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival  in 
Nov.,  submission  to  an  LA  literary  agent,  screenwriting  soft- 
ware &  industry  script  analysis.  Entry  fee:  $40  per  screen- 
play. Deadline:  Postmarked  by  June  1,  Contact:  OIFF,  2258  W. 
10th  St.,  #5,  Cleveland,  OH  44113;  (216)  781-1755; 
OhiolndiefilmFest@juno.com;  www.rinestock.com/flickfest 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

CINESTORY  NATIONAL  SCREENWRITING  CENTER  kicks  off 
its  4th  annual  Script  Session  in  San  Francisco,  June  4-6. 
Sponsored  by  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  &  Sciences 
Foundation,  San  Francisco  State  University  Dept.  of  Cinema 
&  Film  Arts  Foundation,  the  conference  fuses  industry  pro- 
fessionals with  emerging  writers  in  an  intimate  10:1  ratio  via 
roundtable  discussions,  one-on-ones  &  the  green  room, 
where  registrants  chat  casually  with  pros.  Contact:  Cinestory, 
(800)  6-ST0RY-6;  www.cinestory.com 

Films  •  tapes 

ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All 
media  including  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622  or  call  (312)  733-2787. 

BALLYHOO!-.  Central  Florida  TV  show  featuring  independent 
film  and  filmmakers  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30  min. 
Hour-long  community  access  show  produced  by  Frameworks 
Alliance,  a  nonprofit  org.  that  also  produces  Central  Florida 
Film  &  Video  Festival.  Each  Ballyhoo!  episode  aired  twice 
weekly  for  one  month  to  over  700,000  viewers.  Submit  VHS 
tape  and  return  postage  to:  Frameworks  Alliance,  c/o  Sean 
Wilson,  1906  E.  Robinson  St,  Orlando,  FL  32803;  (407)  839- 
6045;  fax:  898-0504. 

CABLE  SHOWCASE  seeks  productions.  Send  1/2"  or  3/4" 
tapes  to:  Bob  Neuman,  Program  Director,  Carren  Koubek, 
Network,  8103  Sandy  Spring  Road,  Laurel,  Maryland  20707. 
Tapes  cannot  be  returned. 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  with  up  to  350  indus- 
try attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up  & 
coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams  or  Marceil 
Wright,  Doboy's  Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39, 
Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (213)  293-6544;  doboy  dozen® 
aol.com 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@ 
post.drexel.edu;  www.httpsrv.ocs.drexel.edu/~dutv/ 


EXHIBIT  YOUR  FILMS  AT  GRAND  ILLUSION:  Seattle's 
Northwest  Film  Forum  seeks  16mm  &  35mm  shorts  (60  min. 
or  less)  for  on-going  exhibition.  Selected  works  shown  before 
regular  programming  at  Seattle's  only  ind.  arthouse  theater. 
Send  video  &  SASE  to  NWFF  c/o  Grand  Illusion,  1403  NE  50th 
St.,  Seattle,  WA  98105. 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  and  works-in- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  Deadline:  On-going. 
Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino,  (212)  971-5846. 

"FUNNY  SHORTS"  requests  submissions  of  funny  short  films 
for  new  syndicated  TV  show.  Shorts  may  be  on  film  or  video 
&  must  be  no  longer  than  20  min.  Students,  amateurs  &  pro- 
fessionals welcome.  Cash  &  prizes  will  be  awarded  for  films 
chosen  for  broadcast.  Tapes  not  returnable.  Send  entries  on 
VHS  to:  Funny  Shorts  c/o  Vitascope,  Box  24981,  New 
Orleans,  LA  70184-4981. 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for  on- 
going bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/ 
brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220 
Canal  Street  Station,  NY  NY  10013;  kf_vl@hotmail.com 

MEDIASPACE  AT  DECORDOVA  ARCHIVE:  DeCordova 
Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of  video  art  & 
documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  &  new  genres 
from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new  media  arts 
archive.  Contact:  George  Fifield,  Mediaspace  at  DeCordova, 
DeCordova  Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd.,  Lincoln,  MA  01773- 
2600. 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  administrative 
fee  to:  New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY 
10011;  (212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  will  be  considered  for 
Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that  evening's 
feature  film,  together  with  a  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audience.  Works 
longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  the  regular  group 
shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on  16mm  w/ 
optical  track.  Please  send  all  films,  together  w/  completed 
entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short  Film  Curator, 
Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th  St., 
Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713;  ocularis® 
billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

THE  AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its 
on-going  program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for 
Independent  Film  Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on 
1/2"  VHS  tape.  Feature-length  independent  film,  documen- 
tary &  new  media  projects  wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Ste. 
717,  L.A.,  CA  90028.  For  more  info,  call  (213)  466-FILM. 

THE  BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  and 
multimedia  works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  We're 
looking  for  original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  and  screen 
ratio  for  the  Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of 
bandwidth  limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medi- 
um7 For  submission  guidelines  check  out:  www. 
InPhiladelphia.com/TheBitScreen 

THE  PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  on- 
going series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work 


48  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


reva  m  ps 

After  a  year  of  intensive  focus-group  consultations,  the 
Independent  Feature  Project  is  substantially  restructuring 
the  upcoming  21st  Independent  Feature  Film  Market  (Sept. 
17-24)  to  better  manage  the  madness.  The  first  central 
change  is  to  reduce  the  number  of  features  screened  by 
half,  winnowing  the  roster  down  to  approximately  50  fea- 
tures. (Films  that  don't  make  the  cut  can  be  viewed  at 
IFFM's  VideoTape  library  and  will  be  included  in  the  market 
catalog.)  The  second  major  change  is  to  add  a  new  section 
called  "IFFM  Rough  Cuts"  for  works-in-progress  seeking 
completion  funding.  Ten  feature-length  works  will  be 
selected  from  the  works-in- 
progress  submissions  and  pro-  Resource  roundtables  at  IFF 
jected  in  their  entirety  on  video. 
Boths  docs  and  fiction  films 
qualify.  Other  sections  will  con- 
tinue as  in  years  past — includ- 
ing the  scripts  section,  the  25 
minute  pitch-and-view  work-in- 
progress  screenings,  and  the 
Gordon  Parks  Independent  Film 
Awards  (for  work  by  African- 
American  writers  and  directors). 
IFC  2000,  the  national  student 
film  competition  co-presented 
with  the  IFC,  will  also  remain  on 
the  Angelika  schedule.  For  entry 
details,  see  listing. 


^a*; 


Iff      ^L 


j 


u. 


WXXI  Public  Television's  The  Screening 
Room  wants  short  films/videos,  animation, 
art  films  and  longer-length  documentaries 
for  possible  screenings  on  weekly  prime- 
time  series.  Topics  are  your  choice,  but 
should  be  suitable  for  viewing  by  a  general 
television  audience.  Submit  entries  on 
VHS.  If  chosen,  a  broadcast  quality  version 
will  be  required.  Contact:  (716)  258-0244; 
kmeyers@wxxi.org 

Publications 

6th  int'l  film  financing  conference 

transcripts  are  now  avail.  Topics  discussed 
by  international 
financiers,  commis- 
sioning editors  and 
producers  include: 
"Pitch  Perfect:  How 
to  Sell  Your  Idea"  & 
"Fiction  &  Non- 
Fiction."  Send  $46  to 
IFFC0N;  360  Ritch 
St.,  San  Francisco, 
CA  94107.  Contact: 
(415)281-9777. 

CANYON  CINEMA'S 

25th  Anniversary 
Catalog  (including 
1993-5  supple- 
ments) with  over 
3,500  film  and  video 
titles  is  avail,  for 
$20.  Call  or  fax 
(415)  626-2255; 
canyon@sj.bigger.net 


at  MAK0R,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  and  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  and  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact:  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286;  kensherman@makor.org 

THE  SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST:  The  Net's  first  on-going  film 
festival  seeks  short  noncommercial  independent  films  & 
videos.  Web  users  can  vote  for  their  favorite  shorts  in  each  of 
six  categories:  animation,  doc,  experimental,  less  than  a 
min.,  narrative,  made  for  the  Net.  New  films  are  added  each 
month,  and  there  are  new  winners  every  minute.  The  test 
never  ends.  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content, 
including  music.  Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  at  site): 
Carla  Cole,  The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College 
Park,  MD  20740;  info@thesync.com 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  with  audience  feedback. 
Accepting  VHS/S-VHS,  15  mm.  max.  SASEto:  Box  1042,  Nan- 
tucket, MA  02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

WORLD  OF  INSANITY  looking  for  videos  &  films  to  air  on  local 
cable  access  channel,  particularly  anything  odd,  bizarre, 
funny,  cool.  Any  length.  One  hour  weekly  show  w/  videos  fol- 
lowed by  info  on  the  makers.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to:  World  of 
Insanity,  Box  954,  Veneta,  OR  97487;  (541)  935-5538. 


FILMMAKER'S  RESOURCE:  Watson-Guptill  Guide  to  wor- 
shops,  conferences,  artists'  colonies  and  academic  programs 
by  Julie  Mackaman.  A  veritable  "supermarket  of  great  oppor- 
tunities-more than  150  of  them-for  a  wide  variety  of  film- 
makers .  .  .  from  feature  to  documentary  to  educational  to 
animated  films."  Contact:  Watson-Guptill,  1515  Broadway, 
New  York,  NY  10036. 

GUIDE  TO  TAX  EXEMPTIONS  FOR  FILMS  SHOT  IN  NY  STATE 

is  avail,  for  producers  who  want  clear  instructions  on  how  to 
claim  the  numerous  tax  exemptions  available  in  NY  state  for 
film,  television  &  commercial  production.  Put  together  by  the 
Empire  State  Development  Corp.  and  the  NY  State  Dept.  of 
Taxation  and  Finance,  the  51-page  reference  guide  can  be 
obtained  by  contacting  NY  State  Governor's  Office  or  the  Tax 
Office.  NY  State  Governor's  Office  for  Motion  Picture  and 
Television  Development,  633  3rd  Ave.,  33rd  fl.,  New  York,  NY 
10017-6706;  (212)  803-2330;  fax:  803-2369;  www.empire. 
state,  ny.us/mptv.htm 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION:  Save  the  Ideas! 
Without  independent  sources  of  ideas  and  discussion, 
democracy  and  dissent  cannot  thrive.  The  IPA  works  to  nur- 
ture &  encourage  indie  publications  committed  to  justice  for 
all.  Contact:  IPA,  2390  Mission  St.,  #201,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110-1836;  or  call  (415)  634-4401;  indypress@ 
indypress.org;  www.indypress.org 

MEDIA  MATTERS,  Media  Alliance's  newsletter,  provides 


American  Montage,  Inc. 


Digital  /  Analog 

Film,  Video  &  Web  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

After  Effects  /  Motion  Graphics 

xperienced  in  feature  length 
•ocumentaries  and  Narratives 


375  WEST  BWAY3R,  NY,  NY  10012 

3  3  4-8283 

www.americanmontage  .com 

WE  ACCEPT  ALL  MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    49 


Finding  Stock   Footage 


from  hundreds  of  sources 
with  a  single  short  phone  call 


ENERGY 


1. 800. IMAGER!    |  canadal.800. 361. 3456 
www.digital-energy.com|   Fuel  for  Thought. 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


V 


o 


REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM    SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —   3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)  219-9240 
Fax  (212)   966-5618 


comprehensive  listings  of  New  York  area  events  &  opportuni- 
ties for  media  artists.  For  a  free  copy,  call  Media  Alliance  at 
(212)  560-2919;  www.mediaalliance.org 

MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK  1999:  THE  ULTIMATE  GUIDE 
FOR  THE  INDEPENDENT  PRODUCER:  annual  guide  pub- 
lished by  Bay  Area  Video  Coalition.  Includes:  nat'l  &  int'l  film 
festival  listings,  distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhi- 
bition venues,  media  funding  sources,  TV  broadcast  venues, 
film  &  video  schools.  For  more  info,  call:  (415)  558-2126; 
www.bavc.org/html/forms/ 

NATIONAL  MEDIA  EDUCATION  DIRECTORY  for  1997  avail, 
from  the  National  Alliance  for  Media  Arts  &  Culture  (NAMAC). 
Over  220  full-page  entries  for  individual  &  organizational 
media  educators  nationwide.  Join  NAMAC  to  receive  free 
Directory,  or  order  from  Center  for  Media  Literacy  for  $19.95. 
Contact:  (415)  431-1391;  namac@igc.apc.org 

Resources  •  Funds 

BAVC  OPENS  JOB  RESOURCE  CENTER:  Funded  by  the  San 
Francisco  Mayor's  Office  of  Community  Development,  the  Job 
Resource  Center  provides  San  Francisco  residents  with  free 
access  to  information  and  resources  pertaining  to  video  and 
new  media  industries.  Internet  access  is  avail,  for  online  job 
searches,  as  well  as  industry  publications,  career  develop- 
ment books  and  job/internship  listings.  Open  Mon.-Fn.  12-6 
p.m.  BAVC,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110;  (415)  861-3282;  www.bavc/org 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690; 
www.afionline.org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  film-  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts 
Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916) 
322-6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575; 
cac@cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

FLINTRIDGE  FOUNDATION  VISUAL  ARTISTS  AWARDS  pro- 
gram will  honor  mature  artists  from  California,  Oregon  & 
Washington  whose  work  contributes  to  the  plurality  of  artis- 
tic expression  in  this  region.  Eligibility  requirements:  those 
working  in  visual  arts  disciplines — traditional  arts,  crafts, 
media  &  fine  arts.  Single  channel  film  &  video  work  are  not 
acceptable  as  the  sole  or  primary  medium;  however,  they  can 
be  part  of  an  overall  body  of  work.  The  trajectory  of  the  artists 
work  must  exhibit  the  deepening  of  ideas,  skills  &  creativity. 
Artists  must  have  lived  nine  months  per  year  for  the  last 
three  years  in  CA,  OR,  or  WA.  Deadline:  May  15.  For  appl. 
contact:  FFVAA,  1040  Lincoln  Ave.,  Ste.  100,  Pasadena,  CA 
91103;  fax:  (626)  744-9256;  FFVAA@JLMoseleyCo.com 

IDA/DAVID  L.  WOLPER  STUDENTDOCUMENTARY  ACHIEVE- 
MENT AWARD:  $1,000  honorarium  presented  annually  to 
recognize  exceptional  achievement  in  nonfiction  film  and 
video  at  the  university  level.  Films  &  videos  must  be  pro- 
duced by  registered  students  and  completed  between  Jan.l 
'98  &  Apr.  30  '99.  Winner  is  honored  at  the  15th  Annual  IDA 
Awards  Gala  on  Oct.  29  &  screened  at  Docufest  on  Oct.  30, 
as  well  as  $1,000  certificate  from  Eastman  Kodak  for  film 
stock.  Deadline:  June  18.  Contact:  IDA  Awards,  1551  S. 
Robertson  Blvd.,  Ste.  201,  Los  Angeles,  CA,  90035;  (310) 
284-8422;  fax:  785-9334;  ida@artnet.net 


INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  Contact:  ITVS,  51 
Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  356- 
8383;  www.itvs.org 

MEDIA  ALLIANCE  INDEPENDENT  RADIO/SOUND  ART  FEL- 
LOWSHIP provides  productions  support  for  individual  artists 
in  the  independent  radio  or  sound  art  discipline.  3  fellow- 
ships of  $5,000  each  will  be  awarded.  Applicants  must  be 
working/living  within  the  five  boroughs  of  NYC.  Grant  made 
possible  by  the  Jerome  Foundation.  Deadline:  May  17  (post- 
marked). Contact:  Rachel  Melman,  Media  Alliance,  c/o  WNET, 
450  West  33rd  St.,  NY,  NY  10001;  mediaalliance.org 

NAATA  produces  programs  &  promotes  Asian  American  sto- 
ries on  non-commercial  public  television  &  is  interested  in 
projects  that  provoke  thoughtful  dialogue  &  impact  how  the 
general  public  understands  &  interprets  the  Asian  American 
experience.  Supported  genres  incl.  drama,  comedy,  anima- 
tion, doc  &  mixed  genre.  All  production  stages  w/the  excep- 
tion of  script  development  or  R&D  projects  are  accepted. 
Funding  range  is  $20,000-$50,000.  Deadline:  June  4.  NAATA 
346  9th  St.  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863- 
0814;  fax:  863-7428;  naatanet@naata.org;  www.naata.org 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
was  est.  to  help  exceptionally  talenmted  filmmakers  launch 
their  careers.  In  addition  to  furnishing  finishing  funds,  com- 
pany also  helps  implement  festival  &  press  strategies,  serves 
as  a  producer's  rep  &  assists  in  finding  financing  for  film- 
makers' next  films.  Contact  company  before  production  & 
then  apply  for  finishing  funds  w/  rough  cut.  Contact:  Tara 
Veneruso/Mark  Stolaroff,  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste. 
E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720; 
launch@nextwavefilms.com 

OCTOBER  EVENT  GRANTS:  New  York  Council  for  the 
Humanities  celebrates  State  Humanities  Month  (Oct.  '99)  a 
yearly  celebration  of  history,  culture,  and  the  human  imagi- 
nation with  awards  for  local  programming  which  reflect  the 
diversity  of  humanities  institutions  and  subjects.  Deadline: 
May  1.  Contact:  New  York  Council  for  the  Humanities,  150 
Broadway,  Ste.  1700,  NY,  NY  10038;  (212)  233-1131;  fax: 
233-4607;  hum@echonyc.com;  www.culturefront.org 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard 
TV  lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr.,  etc.).  Contact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346 
9th  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814; 
fax:  863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  www.naatanet.org 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  offered  by  Film  Arts  Foundation  to 
documentary  filmmakers  living  in  California,  Oregon  & 
Washington.  Limited  to  organizations  certified  as  public  char- 
ities which  control  selection  of  individual  recipients  &  super- 
vise their  projects.  Grants  range  from  $l,000-$8,000  with 
approx.  $75,000  awarded  annually.  For  proposal  summary 
sheet,  send  SASE  to:  Film  Arts  Foundation,  346  Ninth  St..  2nd 
fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103,  or  call:  (415)  454-1133. 

PEN  WRITERS  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS WITH  AIDS:  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers, 
including  screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emer- 


50  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


gency  funds  are  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or 
protessional  development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center, 
568  Broadway,  NX  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  mt'l  doc.  films  and 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  funding:  initial  seed  funds  (grants 
up  to  $15,000),  projects  in  production  or  postproduction 
(average  grant  is  $25,000,  but  max.  is  $50,000).  Highly  com- 
petitive. For  more  info.,  contact:  Soros  Documentary  Fund, 
Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  NY,  NY  10019;  (212) 
548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  the  Illinois  Arts 
Council.  Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  Illinois  artists  for 
specific  projects.  Examples  of  activities  funded  are  registra- 
tion fees  &  travel  for  conferences,  seminars,  workshops; 
consultants'  fees  for  the  resolution  of  a  specific  artistic  prob- 
lem; exhibits,  performances,  publications,  screenings;  mate- 
rials, supplies  or  services.  Funds  awarded  based  on  quality 
of  work  submitted  &  impact  of  proposed  project  on  artist's 
professional  development.  Applications  must  be  received  at 
least  8  weeks  prior  to  project  starting  date.  Call  for  availabil- 
ity of  funds.  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Suite  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570;  toll-free  in  IL: 
(800)  237-6994;  ilarts@artswire.org 

TECHNOLOGY-RELATED  FUNDING  &  TECHNICAL  ASSIS- 
TANCE: New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts  &  New  York 
Foundation  for  the  Arts  announces  funding  for  wide  range  of 
planning  initiatives  that  develop  new  venues  for  digital  art; 
touring  projects;  establish  artist  residencies  in  partnerships 
with  facilities  that  have  computer  labs;  expand  training  and 
access  opportunities  for  artists;  programs  to  help  arts  orga- 
nizations advance  the  use  of  technology  in  administration  & 
outreach.  Deadline:  May  3.  Contact:  NYSCA,  915  Broadway, 
New  York,  NY  10010-7199;  (212)  387-7000;  fax:  387-7164. 

U.S./JAPAN  CREATIVE  ARTISTS'  PROGRAM,  sponsored  by 
the  Japan-U.S.  Friendship  Commission  and  NEA,  provides 
stipends  and  awards  for  5  artist  residencies  in  Japan. 
Deadline:  June  28.  Contact:  Japan-U.S.  Friendship 
Commission,  1120  Vermont  Avenue,  NW,  Ste.  925, 
Washington,  DC  20005;  (202)  275-7712;  fax:  275-7413; 
jusfc@compuserve.com;  www2.dgsys.com/~jusfc/ 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, documentary,  experimental,  animation  &  multi-media. 
Deadline:  Jan.  1,  2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on 
'grants'). 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155 E 31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


JAMES      A  .      MICHENER      CENTER      FOR      WRITERS 

^~TM aster 0$  'jfne>  Arts  in  "Writing 


Combine  work  in  SCREEN- 
WRITING  with  fiction, 
poetry  or  playwriting  in  our 
unique  interdisciplinary  MFA 
degree  program. 


rfrf 


iff* 


$12,000  James  A. 
Michener  Fellowships  granted 
yearly  to  all  candidates  enrolled 
in  the  three-year  program. 


For  more  information,  contact: 

MICHENER  CENTER  FOR  WRITERS 

].  Frank  Dobie  House 

702  E.  Dean  Keeton  St.  •  Austin,  TX  78705 

512-471-1601  •  bimder@mail.utexas.edu 

http://uts.ec.utexas.edu/-wnters/ 


THE        UNIVERSITY        OF        TEXAS        AT        AUSTIN 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates, 
articles,  FAQs  &.  news  on  AIVF's  website, 
along  with  bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member 

salons,  and  databases.  Check  it  out: 


WWW.AIVF.ORG 


SEPTEMBER  WTO  26,  1999  •  VICTORIA,  BC,  CANADA 

^ritJmattBL 

Festival  of  Underground  Short  Film  &  Video 


Independent  productions,  completed  after  January  1/97.  Any  genre.  Max  30  minutes. 

16mm  and  video.  VHS  (NTSC)  for  preview. 

Early:  May  31/99  (entry  fee  $10).  Final:  June  30/99  (entry  fee  $1 5). 

Rogue  Art,  F-1 322  Broad  St,  Victoria,  BC,  Canada  V8W  2A9   Tel/Fax:  250-385-3327 
rogueart@islandnet.com    www.islandnet.com/shortcircuit 

We  gratefully  acknowledge  the  assistance  of  the  Canada  Council  for  the  Arts  and  the  Province  of  British  Columbia  through  the  BC  Arts  Council 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    51 


CLASSIFIEDS 


CONTACT:  scott@aivf.org.  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 
MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  JULY 
1  FOR  AUG/SEPT  ISSUE).  CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240 
CHARACTERS  (INCL.  SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST 
$25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEM- 
3ERS;  240-480  CHARACTERS  COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR 
AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR  NONMEMBERS.;  480-720 
CHARACTERS  COST  $60/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS, 
$90  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER 
ID#.  ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE 
EDITED.  ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPA- 
NIED BY  A  CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF, 
304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY 
CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD 
NUMBER;  NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING 
ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5  + 
TIMES  RECEIVE  A  $5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 
making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely 
up-to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film 
festivals,  distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition 
venues,  media  arts  funders.  film  and  video  schools,  broad- 
cast venues  &  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video 
Coalition,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110; 
(415)  861-3282;  fax:  861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

AERIALS:  Inexpensive  aerials.  It's  not  a  chopper  but  it  can  fly 
low  and  slow,  or  high  and  slow.  And  you  can  stick  your  cam- 
era out.  Call  (212)  769-3226. 

DIGITAL  FILM  FACTORY  introduces  "The  DV  Feature 
Specials;"  Canon  XL1  camera  package:  $99/day.  G3  Firewire 
DV  editing  suite:  $99/day.  Editors  &  shooters  also  avail.  Call 
for  rates  on  additional  equipment  rentals  &  services.  (310) 
937-0957. 

ECLAIR  NPR  16MM  CAMERA  PKG  for  sale;  incl.;  12-120 
Angenieux  zoom  lens,  sun  shade,  crystal  motor  (24/30).  12v 
battery  w/  charger,  power  cord,  camera  case,  (2)  400"  mags 
w/  case,  operating  manual.  (303)  722-7195;  deakflicks@ 
aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  Sony  DCR-VX1000  3-chip  digital  camera.  Also 
available:  mic,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both  short 
&  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  SALE:  ARRI 16BL,  Crystal.  Zoom  Control,  Battery  Belt, 
12-120  Blimped  lens,  steel  case  $5,500.  Also;  ARRI  16M, 
takes  BL  mags,  Var.  &  Const,  spd  motors,  batt.  3  lenses, 
case,  $3,250.  Also:  lights,  Arri  BL  Acess.  Call  for  list  (212) 
490-0355. 

LIGHT  &  EQUIPMENT  RENTAL.  Mole,  Am.  Lowell-complete 
light  &  grip  pkgs  &  kits  for  the  low-budget  filmmaker  Our 
prices  will  help  you  get  it  in  the  can!  Guenllaquip  (212)  252- 
2485;  gorillaquip@smartweb.net;  www.smartweb.net/ 
gorillaquip 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs.  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  lloewinger@earthlink.net 


SOUND  CREW  &  EQUIPMENT  FOR  RENT:  Need  a  reliable 
sound  recorder  &  boom  operator  for  high  quality  recordings 
w/  modern  equipment?  We  have  qualified  staff,  Sony  DAT 
recorders,  Nagras  &  Sennheiser  mics.  Competitive  rates. 
Reductions  for  low  budgets.  Laterna  equipment  (718)  965- 
3885. 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I 

Deliver!  All  types/best  prices:  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW- 
1800)  $150/day,  $450/week.  S-VHS  offline  edit  system 
$350/week.  Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Lights, 
mics  &  mixers.  David  (212)  362-1056. 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Distributor  of  award- 
winning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disability  & 
related  issues  invites  new  work.  Fanlight  Productions,  4196 
Washington  St.,  Ste.  2,  Boston,  MA  02131;  (800)  937-4113; 
www.fanlight.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  considera- 
tion. Mail  to;  Chip  Taylor  Communications,  15  Spollett  Dr., 
Derry,  NH  03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5 
Powderhouse  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquariusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs ,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

ATOMFILMS  is  a  new,  innovative,  short-film  distribution 
company  seeking  high-quality  short  films  in  all  genres  (30 
minutes  or  less)  to  distribute  to  broadcast  and  cable  TV, 
home  video,  DVD,  Internet,  hospitality  &  other  major  markets. 
Films  must  have  all  clearances  and  rights  for  commercial 
distribution.  Submissions  on  VHS  (NTSC,  PAL,  SECAM): 
AtomFilms  Acquisitions,  80  S.  Washington,  Ste.  303,  Seattle, 
WA  98104;  mformation@atomfilms.com;  www.atomfilms.com 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR7  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribu- 
tion. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distrib, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassettes  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Ste.  506,  NY,  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com  Ask  for  our 
Distribution  Services  brochure. 


Freelancers 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Am  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  low- 
budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  timecode  video,  the 
works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to  col- 
laborate in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACADEMY,  EMMY  NOMINATED  producer/director/writer/edi- 
tor. Hoop  Dreams.  20  years  expertise,  all  areas,  fundraising 
to  distribution:  features,  docs,  theatrical,  broadcast/cable. 
Work  1  hr-1  yr  Contact  only  if  something  paid  in  cash.  (415) 
381-3430;  Fmfilm@aol.com 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  Nuria  Olive- 
Belles  (212)  627-9256. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space  /Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172;  AndrewD158 
@aol.com 

ARCHIVAL  FILM  RESEARCHER,  highly  regarded,  compre- 
hensive archival  film  researcher  avail,  for  doc  projects,  films, 
commercials  &  videos.  References  avail.  Contact:  Rosemary 
Rotondi,  799  Greenwich  St.,  Loft  Six  S„  NY,  NY  10014;  (212) 
989-2025;  fax:  989-4607;  RotondiResearch@onepine.com  I 
will  locate  the  footage  you  need,  on  schedule. 

BETA  SP  videographer  w/  new  Sony  Betacam  SR  mics  & 
lights.  Very  portable,  lightweight  &  I'm  fast.  Experience 
includes:  docs,  interviews,  industrials,  fashion  shows  & 
comedy  clubs.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand-held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking 
interesting  projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam 
SR  cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to 
travel.  Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com  Credits;  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brush  fire- 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  produc- 
tivity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/Std.16 
Aaton  XTR  prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass@ 
concentnc.net 


52  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Am  16SR  package  &  35IIC,  w/  over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit.  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Highly  collaborative,  committed,  will 
work  w/  you  to  find  the  right  style  for  your  film  (narrative  or 
doc).  Unique  credits.  Love  to  travel.  Eileen  S.  (718)  349- 
3078;  filmgrrl@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
RS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel;  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

COMPOSER  for  film/video,  new  media  projects.  Innovative 
sounds  that  won't  strain  your  pocketbook.  For  a  free  demo  & 
brochure,  contact  Passionworks  at:  (415)  821-4866; 
filmscore@hotmail.com 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/initial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  Well- 
known  composer/performer  &  expert  in  world/ethnic  music 
styles.  Call  for  CD  incl.  new  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaver@aol.com 

COMPOSER  FOR  FILM/TV:  Academy  Award-winning. 
Broadcast:  PBS,  NBC,  ABC,  CBS.  Highly  experienced  &  dedi- 
cated. Music  in  all  styles  w/  an  original  touch.  Complete  dig- 
ital studio.  Reasonable  rates.  Leonard  Lionnet  (212)  980- 
7689. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/DP  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  e-mail: 
365892@newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award-winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel:  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953- 

1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  with  Am  SR  II  w/  tap,  and 
Panavision  filters,  Sony  Beta  SR  HMI's,  Kino  Flos,  Jimmy  Jib 
&  grip  truck.  I  make  great  pictures,  work  fast  &  have  tons  of 
experience.  Call  for  reel:  (203)  254-7370;  page:  (917)  824- 
3334. 


North  Carolina. 


School  of  the  Ajsts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  ot  the  University  of  North  Carolina 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

"S"  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  '£» 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41sr  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems  a  concentric. net 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    53 


CLASSIFIE1 


MERCER  STREET 


s 


n  i 


DIGITAL  AUDIO 
-  PRODUCTION  - 

for  Film  and  Video 
and  Multimedia 


Pro    Xools 
Media    lOO 

Sound  Design  •  Original  Music  •  Sound  Effects 

Voice  Over  and  ADR  •  Sound  Editing  and  Mixing 

Non  Linear  Video  Editing  •   Multimedia  and   Internet 

Alan  Berliner  •  Lisa  Levvenz  •  Jem  Cohen  •  Cathy  Cook 
Maria  Venuto  •  Shelley  Silver  •  Brett  Morgen  •  Tony  Oursler 
Peggy  Ahwesh  •  Kathy  High  •  Ellen  Spiro  •  Lewis  Klahr 
Ardele  Lister  •  Hillary  Brougher  •    Adam  Cohen    •   Greg  Bordowitz 

Discount  Rates  for  Independents 


76  MERCER  ST.    NYC  10012  •  212.966-6794    •    E-mail  mercerst@aol.com 


Avid    MC9000,    MC1000 
Film  Composer,  Xpress  Plus 
off/on-line  AVR77  &  3D  DVE 
Digital  Betacam,   Digital  I/O 
DVCPRD,   3/4  SP,   HIB  S.  VHS 


transfers  &  duplication  Crush  available] 


Macintosh  graphics  &  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  CJazz,  Zip,   Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  Si    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

cf  feeing  specie  '  i"t<?s  fee  ,'+;  +     u     "  x      ince     "-! 

212.529.8204 

0V8VIDE0  /  738  BROyWH  /  PENTHOUSE  /  IVC  10003 


www.16x9dtv.com 


SllOOt  for  the  Future 

lbl9  DTV  is  our  business 

RSnt3l    digital  cameras /  lights  /  sound 

tult  on-line  /  off-line  non-linear 

Ur    &  V^TSW      35  features  /  documentaries  ... 
16:9  Broadcast  Camera 
w/DP,  Lights,  Sound  Whlle  doing  gfea,  in  4  3  tor  20  yoars. 

we're  now  delving  into  nOTV 

Produce  for  the  Next  Millennium 

Discount.  Benefits  &  Co-prod  Opportunities  for  our  hH-VISK)N  members     Call  for  details  212  334  Alio 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incL  features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (888)  602-1774. 

DIRECTOR  OR  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award-winning,  exp.,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits:  features,  docs,  commercials 
&  music  videos.  With  access  to  35mm  &  S-16  packages.  Call 
for  reel.  Moshe  (212)  661-2333. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 

pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award  winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/  new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg.;  Media  100  editing.  Trilingual  in 
English,  Spanish  &  German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project. 
Reasonable  rates.  Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7398. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle 
rates. 

DP/EDITOR:  Avid  (AVR  77),  Sony  D-30  Beta  SP  or  Aaton  XTR 
package.  Sound  &  lights.  Edit  suite  w/  city  view.  Speak 
French,  Spanish,  Farsi.  Commercial,  doc  &  feature  credits. 
Andre:  (212)  367-3730  or  (917)  873-7953. 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID,  14  years  experience,  including  4  fea- 
tures. Full  featured  Avid  MC1000  w/  AVRs  3-77,  3D  DVE, 
Ultimatte  &  Film  matchback.  Low  price  package  deals  for 
independent  projects.  Contact  Dan  Lantz  at  (610)  337-3333. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/  18  years 
experience  in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  pro- 
jects. Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952- 
0848;  Ruvn@aol.com 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equip- 
ment; 16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212) 
995-0573. 

EXPERIENCED  VIDEOGRAPHER  w/  DVCPRO  Panasonic 
Camera  AJ-D700  &  Fujinon  TV  Lens  S18X6.7BRM4.  Worked 
in  France,  Japan  &  U.S.  Reel  available.  Jean-Marc  (212)  529- 
6096. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer/director  (PBS, 
MTV,  Feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 


54  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  & 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 


ims. 


INDIE  RECORD  LABEL:  Do  you  need  original  soundtrack 
material  for  your  independent  film?  Great  tracks  available 
from  independent  record  label.  Small  budget7  No  budget? 
Let's  discuss!  Contact:  NeveRecords  (718)  623-2660; 
amias@pobox.com 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  pro- 
jects. Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music 
video  &  documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246- 
8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  timecode 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  pro- 
jects. Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  beeper: 
(800)  796-7363  (ext/pin  1021996);  edfilms@worldnet. 
att.net 

SONY  VX1000  DIGITAL  CAMERA  w/  cameraman.  Kenko  wide 
angle  lens,  Sennheiser  ME  66  shotgun  mic,  boom,  XLR 
adapter,  pro  tripod,  3  Bescor  4  hour  batteries.  $150/day. 
(212)  677-6652. 

SOUNDS  LIKE  a  "cross  between  Steely  Dan  &  Jackson 
Browne  with  some  Frank  Zappa  humor  thrown  in."  Good, 
short,  varied,  pop  songs  avail,  for  films.  Will  work  with  your 
budget.  Boomer  Music  &  Records.  Toll  free  (877)  298-9953; 
Boomerrec@aol.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

STEADICAM;  Videographer  creating  dolly-like  movements 
w/out  heavy,  cumbersome  dolly  equip.  Able  to  strike  lines  w/ 
graceful  curves.  Avail  for  all  applications.  Vic  Blandburg 
(703)  941-4497;  Box  2254,  Mernfield,  VA  22116; 
photo8224@aol.com 

VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail,  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hip-hop  col- 
lages/ambient sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  pro- 
ductions (212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro;  Lynch;  S.  Shepard 
types  pref.  Animation! 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

ADJUNCT  FACULTY  RESUME  BANK  Continuing  Ed/  Summer 
Session  Office,  Purchase  College/SUNY,  offering  under- 
graduate &  non-credit  courses,  seeks  resumes  in  arts  man- 
agement, cinema  studies,  communications,  cultural  studies, 
film/video,  theater  arts  &  writing.  College  teaching  &  terminal 
degree  preferred.  Campus  is  28  mi.  north  of  NYC;  car  neces- 
sary. Send  vita,  list  of  courses  taught,  availability  &  course 
proposals,  incl.  proposals  for  distance  learning  &  on-line 
instruction  to:  Asst.  Dean,  Continuing  Ed,  Purchase  College, 
SUNY,  735  Anderson  Hill  Rd.,  Purchase,  NY  10577.  AA/EOE 

INDIE  PROJECTS;  Innovative  film/video  co.  seeks  entrepre- 
neurs in  arts,  all  areas:  equip,  operators,  directors,  crews, 
editors,  etc.  Visit  www.scnproductions.com/eia.htm  to  view 
projects.  Compensation  is  end  determinative. 


Everything 
included. 

Avid  Media 

Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

can  afford. 


kitchen 


Y     N 


225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


AVIDSTOGO 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 

•  FEATURES 

•  SHORTS 

•  DOCUMENTARIES 

•  BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

•  DEMO  REELS 

•  MUSIC  VIDEOS 

•  CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services  with 
experienced  cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/563  0210 

FAX:  212/563  0221 

mercientf@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


Luna  delivers. 


X 


_r  i.j  your  home  or  office 
long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


AA 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


l/X. 


wmm 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    55 


CLASSIFIEDS 


AVID  EDIT  SUITES 

OFF  LINE /ON    LINE/3DFX 

Grafix  Suite /After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O.  Booth /Read  To  Picture 


Jttidgme  Us 
By  The 


"YV^e    Kieie: 


Smithsonian  institution 

Jhe  film  collection  horn  the  great  cultural 
institution's  Office  of  lelecommunications. 


KnxiAM 

Jhe  world's  premier  collection  of  early  motion 
pictures,  silent  features,  and  shorts:  1896-1940. 


Hearst  Historical 

One  of  the  premier  historical  collections 
dating  back  to  the  turn  of  the  century. 


Andrew  Conti 
tel:  (212)  653-1558 
fax:  (21 2)  799-9258 


HOT       SHOTS 


OOOL.      C  "LJ  T  S 


TV  MEWS 


WPIX  TV  1 1 

Footage  from  Ws  best  news  station,  from  1948  to  the  present 
Warhol,  lackie  0,  Yankees,  Studio  54  &  more! 


Rick  DeCroix 
tel:  (21 2)  799-1978 
fax:(212)  712-9297 


email:  clips@filmclip.com 


THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  CONTEMPORARY  &  ARCHIVAL  STOCK  FOOTAGE  UBRARY 


NY  BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  talented 
Production  Manager,  Producers,  APs,  PAs  &  Interns  for  trav- 
el/documentary series.  Please  fax  resumes  to  Benita  on 
(212)  863-9702. 

VIDEO  WORKSHOPS  on  the  Island  of  Skopelos,  Greece  from 
June  26-Jufy  24.  These  two  week  classes  will  explore  "Video 
as  Autobiography;"  mixed  media  &  video  and  "Traditions  of 
Greek  Art  Through  Video."  Instructed  by  professional  film  & 
videomakers  from  New  York.  Two  weeks  at  $2,000  incl. 
room/board,  no  airfare.  For  brochure  e-mail  Valkyried@ 
hotmail.com  or  write  to:  The  Skopelos  Foundation  for  the 
Arts,  2000  Patrick  Henry  Dr.,  Arlington,  VA  22205. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  C0A  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 

Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  and 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  Low  budget  indie 
rates.  Negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  Years  of  experience.  Script 
analyst  for  studios,  indies,  and  private  clients.  Full  analysis, 
commercial  assessment.  Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays: 
(212)  567-8820  (M-F  9-5);  Actfour4@aol.com 

BUDGETS  FOR  FEATURE  FILMS,  done  by  Line  Producer/ 
Production  Manager  with  accounting  background  (Movie 
Magic).  Call  (917)  874-0846. 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  oreves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 
services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call 
Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  EDITOR:  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
with  AVR  77  &  offline  resolutions.  Beta  SR  DAT,  Extra  hard 
drives.  Pro-tools  sound  editing-mixing.  Fast  &  easy  to  get 
along  with.  Will  work  on  your  Avid  or  mine.  Drina  (212)  561- 
0829. 


56  T  H  E    I  N  D  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T   May  1999 


THE    ASSOCIATION    OF    INDEPENDEN 
VIDEO    AND    FILMMAKERS 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
video  and  filmmakers.  AIVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
an  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
increased  public  appreciation  of 
independent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine.  The  Independent  Film 
8c  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  AIVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  letting  you  know 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 


'ijJJlJVUtiJJlJZlJJJ 

J  J  FILM  a  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
Membership  provides  you  with  a 
year's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
Thought-provoking  features,  news, 
and  regular  columns  on  business, 
technical,  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
festival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
funder    profiles,    funding    deadlines, 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education.  Business  and  non-profit 
members  receive  discounts  on 
advertising  and  special  mention  in 
each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  AIVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  long-distance  service, 
and  other  production  necessities. 
Members  also  receive  discounts 
purchases  of  on  the  AIVF  mailing  list 
and  classified  ads  in  The  Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field,  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  wwwaivf.org. 
Members  are   entitled  to   exclusive 


on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  publish  informational  resources 
on  international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members.  With  over 
600  volumes,  our  office  library  houses 
information  on  everything  from 
preproduction  to  sample  contracts. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities  across 
the  country.  These  member-run, 
member-organized  salons  provide  a 
unique  opportunity  for  members  and 
non-members  alike  to  network, 
exhibit,  and  advocate  for  independent 
media  in  their  local  area.  To  find  the 
salon  nearest  you  check  the  back 
pages  of  The  Independent  the  AIVF 
website,  or  call  the  office  for  the  one 
nearest  you.  If  you're  interested  in 
starting  a  salon  in  your  area,  ask  for 
our  startup  kit! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field,  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts 

•  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events 

•  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for 
board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 
subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both 

NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION/BUSINESS  &  INDUSTRY  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  {except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES 

Student  □  $35/1  yr. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Individual  □  $SS/1  yr. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization       □  $100/1  yr. 

Business  Sr  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 

Name 

Organization 

Address 

City 


□  $60/2  yrs. 

□  $100/2  yrs. 

□  $150/2  yrs. 


State 


ZIP 


Weekday  teL 
Email 


Country 
fax 


MAILING  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

□  Canada  -  add  $1S 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  SO!(cX3). 


\ 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FTVF 

(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FTVF) 

Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 

Or  please  bill  my      D  Visa      d  Mastercard 

Acct# 

Exp.  date:        /        / 

Signature 


Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  Floor,  New  York  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  £07-1400  x236, 

by  fax  (212)  463-5519,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org 

Your  first  issue  of  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  four  to  six  weeks. 


&vj-  -------1 


- 


MM 

ID 


AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time ft;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal  only. 
Regular  8mm,  super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Betacam 
SP  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by-scene  only. 
Correct  frame  rates.  Forappt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 
DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater. 
corn;  (800)  807-4142. 


FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID.  In  a  spacious  air  conditioned 
suite,  located  at  180  Vanck.  Avid  1000;  AVR  3-77;  69GB 
Storage;  Beta  Deck;  Media  Composer  6.5.3.;  Power  Mac 
9600.  Available  now.  Please  call  Moxie  Films,  Inc.  (212)  620- 
7727. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8  .  .  .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates, 
tech  support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212) 
431-9299. 

MEDIA  100  FOR  RENT  IN  BOSTON:  Excellent  rates!  Top  of 
the  line  XR  system  with  300  KB  resolution;  32  gigs  hard  drive 
space;  Beta  SP  deck;  Private  office  with  24  hour  access  and 
beautiful  garden.  Call  Liz  Canner  (617)  266-2418. 

MEDIA  100  PCI,  broadcast  quality,  real  time  suite:  Beta  SP 
Hi8,  3/4",  VHS,  AfterEffects,  Elastic  Reality,  PhotoShop, 
Illustrator,  Hi  Res  Scanner.  Short-  &  long-term  TV  or  feature 
projects  in  comfortable  Tribeca  setting.  (212)  941-7720. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo. 
com 

THE  MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  & 

3/4"  suites,  Hi-8  video,  super  8  film,  audio  &  photo  services. 
Call  Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

Web 

WEBSITE  DEVELOPMENT  AND  PROMOTION:  Specializing  in 
creating  and  promoting  web  sites  for  media  producers,  dis- 
tributors &  national  groups  since  1995.  Clients  include  New 
Day  Films,  KCTS-TV,  Loni  Ding,  California  Newsreel,  NAMAC, 
BAVC,  NEMN  &  more.  See  my  web  clients  &  recommenda- 
tions at:  www.laddmedia.com/webprojects.html  Contact  Steve 
Ladd  Media:  steve@laddmedia.com;  or  (510)  652-3913. 


Pro  Tools  •  Sound  Editing 
•  Surround  Sound*  ADR* 
Automated  Mix  to  Picture  • 
Foley  •  SFX  •  Sound  Design 
I  •  Custom  Music 


I  Media  100  XR  •  HDR  Real 
I  Time  FX  •  Adobe  After 
I  Effects  •  Photoshop  •  D3 
Digital  •  Betacam  SP 
Off-Line  •  On-Line  •  Ani- 
mation •  Full  On-Location 
Services 


601  Gates  Road  •  Vestal,  NY  13B50 
SERVING  INDEPENDENTS  SINCE  1971 

1-800-464-9754 


Documentary  Makers: 

Video  Animation  Stand 

3    CCD   CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  Price  In  New  York 

CONTACT:    PETER    CASCONE 


419  Park  Avenue  South 
TEL:   212-689-7678 


NEW  YORK,    NY    10016 
FAX:  212-689-7544 


Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  13  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project, 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support, 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR  77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


ProTools  24  Mix  Plus 
ADR,  Voice  Over 
Foley  Recording 
Duplications 


Solar  Film/Video  Productions 


212.473.3040 


632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    57 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  listed  take  place  at  the  AIVF  office: 
304  Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  6k  Vandam)  6th 
fl.,  in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.); 
C,E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 

AIVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registra- 
tion and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline 
with  Visa  or  Mastercard  information  or  mail  in  a 
check  or  money  order.  (Please  note:  your  check 
must  be  received  one  week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve 
your  seat.  At  this  time  seats  are  sold  on  a  first- 
come  first-served  basis.) 

The  following  is  a  listing  of  events  whose 
details,  upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed. 
Please  visit  our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event 
Hotline:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest  info. 

May  Events 

WORKSHOP: 

THE  ART  OF  THE  SHORT  FILM 

PRESENTED  BY  AIVF  & 

THE  5TH  NIGHT  SCREENPLAY  READING 

&  SHORT  FILM  SERIES 

When:  Saturday,  May    15,   11   a.m. -5  p.m.  with 

reception  at  5:30  p.m. 

Where:  The  Nuyorican  Poet's  Cafe 

(236  E.  3rd  St.,  between  B  6k  C) 

Cost:  $50  AIVF/Fifth  Night  members, 

$70  general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Pre-paid  reservations  only.  Limited  seating. 

This  comprehensive  workshop  takes  the  short  film 
from  its  script  stage  to  completion,  including  a 
reading  of  the  screenplay,  exhibition  of  the  fin- 
ished film,  and  discussion  with  the  filmmaker  on 
the  transition  from  page  to  screen.  One  narrative 
and  one  documentary  will  be  examined.  The  day 
wraps  up  with  a  panel  of  festival  and  television 
programmers,  distributors,  and  filmmakers  on  the 
marketability  and  lifespan  of  the  short  as  a  chosen 
means  of  expression — not  just  a  calling  card. 
Possible  pizza  lunch,  or  bring  a  bag  lunch  if  you 
like.  Panelists  and  films  are  listed  on  our  Events 
Line,  AIVF's  website,  and  our  event  flyers. 

The  Fifth  Night  Spring  Party  kicks  off  the 
workshop  on  Friday,  May  14th.  Workshop  partici- 
pants may  attend   this  festive  benefit  for  $20 


(AIVF  members)  and  $25  (general  public).  A 
good  time  guaranteed.  Party  tickets  may  be  pur- 
chased with  workshop  seats.  Or  contact  Fifth 
Night  at  (212)  529-9359  for  more  info. 

AIVF  HOSTS: 

CLASSICALLY  INDEPENDENT 
FILM  FESTIVAL  TOUR  MIXER 

When:  Sunday,  May  9,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  for  AIVF  6k  IFP  members; 

$5  general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Please  RSVP 

The  Classically  Independent  Film  Festival 
Presented  b\  The  Independent  Feature  Project  (IFP) 
and  Dockers®  Khakis 
IFP  celebrates  its  20th  Anniversary  with  this  5- 
city  tour  which  kicks  off  with  a  tour-day  festival  in 
NYC.  Six  "classic"  independent  films  from  the 
IFFM  and  four  new  features  will  be  screened, 
including  Scott  Ziehl's  Broken  Vessels,  Cauleen 
Smith's   Drvlongso,   Nanette   Burstein    6k   Brett 
Morgen's  On  the  Ropes,  and  Eric  Bross'  Restaurant. 
It  will  also  feature  specially  commissioned  minute- 
long  films  on  the  theme  of  "Independence"  by 
New  York  filmmakers.  For  fest  tickets  6k  addition- 
al info,  visit  www.ifp.org  or  call  IFP:  (212)  465- 
9294-  Schedules  also  available  in  the  AIVF  office. 

Join  AIVF  for  a  festive  mixer  where  members 
can  meet  6k  mingle  with  the  emerging  feature 
directors  and  shorts  filmmakers  involved  in  the 
tour.  An  informal  Q6kA  will  take  place,  with  plen- 
ty of  opportunity  for  exchange  of  ideas. 
Refreshments  will  be  served. 

MEET  &  GREET: 

JIM  YEE  AND  DAVID  LIU  OF  ITVS 

When:  Tuesday,  May  18,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10  general  public 

To  register Ihear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Please  RSVP 

ITVS  was  created  through  the  Public  Telecom- 
munication Act  of  1988  to  support  the  production 


of  "public  television  programming  that  involves 
creative  risks  and  addresses  the  needs  of  under- 
served  audiences."  ITVS  solicits  proposals  from 
independent  producers  and  projects  for  funding 
and  in  turn  promotes  them  for  broadcast  on  pub- 
lic television  and  actively  seeks  new  audiences. 
Get  all  your  questions  answered  in  this  face-to- 
face  meeting  with  Executive  Director  Jim  Yee  and 
Director  of  Programming,  David  Liu.  See  Funder 
FAQ  (p.  40)  for  more  details  on  ITVS. 

MEET  &  GREET: 

PUBLIC  TELEVISION  SERIES 
ACQUISITIONS  REPS 

When:  Thursday,  May  27,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10  general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x  301. 

Please  RSVP 

One  primetime  airing  on  PBS  has  the  potential  to 
bring  a  film  more  viewers  than  an  entire  theatrical 
run.  Meet  the  programmers  of  PBS  affiliated 
acquisitions  series  and  get  the  facts  on  what  pub- 
lic television  can  offer  independent  producers. 
Guests  include:  RO.V,  Reel  NY,  The  Short  List, 
and  Independent  Lens.  Check  out  the  feature  arti- 
cle on  PBS  acquisitions  series  (p.  32)  for  further 
information. 

AIVF  PROUDLY  CO-SPONSORS: 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT  SCREENPLAY  READING 
AND  SHORT  FILM  SERIES 

When:  Every  Tuesday.  Doors  at  7:30,  Short  films 

at  8  p.m.;  reading  follows 

Where:  Nuyorican  Poets  Cafe,  236  East  3rd  St. 

(between  B  6k  C) 

Cost:  All  tickets  $8. 

To  register/hear  more  details:  Reservations  required. 

Contact  Fifth  Night  (212)  529-9329. 

The  Fifth  Night  Screenplay  Reading  and  Short 
Film  Series  has  presented  over  150  readings,  with 
nearly  30  scripts  currently  in  production  or 
already  produced.  This  acclaimed  weekly  program 
presents  narrative,  feature-length  readings  that 
can  push  a  script  to  the  next  level.  Past  screen- 


NOT  RECEIVING  YOUR  INDEPENDENT! 

If  you  have  problems  receiving  The  Independent  or  questions  regarding  your  AIVF  member- 
ship, call  LaTrice  Dixon  or  Marya  Wethers  x.  236. 


58  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


plays  have  included 
Kicked  in  the  Head, 
Sudden  Manhattan, 
and  Trees  Lounge, 
read  by  such  actors 
as  Stanley  Tucci, 
Janeane  Garofalo, 
and  Frances  McDor- 
mand.  Screenings  of 
short  films  precede 
readings.  Fifth  Night 
provides  an  inspiring 
environment  for 
screenwriters,  pro- 
ducers, actors, 
agents  &  financiers 
to  network  and  cre- 
ate community. 


AIVF  PROUDLY  CO-SPONSORS: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-Sponsored  by  AIVF,  Angelika  Entertainment 

Corporation,   and   the  New  York   Underground 

Film  Festival 

When:  Every  Wed.  Shorts  7  p.m.,  features  8  p.m. 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave.  at 

2nd  St.  in  NYC). 

Cost:  $5  for  both  shows. Tickets  avail  at  box  office. 

For  a  complete  schedule:  Visit  the  AIVF  Resource 

Library,  pick  up  an  Anthology  monthly  schedule, 

or  call  Anthology  at  (212)  505-5110. 

New  Filmmakers  gives  independent  film-  and 
videomakers  the  chance  to  exhibit  their  work  to 
the  public  and  New  York  audiences  the  opportu- 
nity to  see  outstanding  new  films.  The  year-round 
program  is  administered  by  filmmakers  for  film- 
makers. 

DON'T  MISS!  Voices  and  Visions  of  Women 
Behind  the  Camera  (May  5)  with  The  Return, 
where  Marcia  Donald  returns  to  Cuba  to  witness 
the  impact  of  the  US  embargo.  On  May  12,  Secrets 
and  Lies  from  the  Business  presents  films  of  those 
trying  to  make  it  in  the  film  industry.  May  ends 
with  a  bang  with  Sara  Moore's  Homo  Heights, 
which  Variety  calls  a  "John-Waters-Meets-Dick- 
Tracy  amusingly  offbeat  pic"  on  the  26th.  There's 
more!  Pick  up  a  New  Filmmakers  schedule  at  the 
AIVF  office. 

June  Events: 

SCREENING: 

AIVF  &  NEW  FILMMAKERS  GALA 

When:  Wednesday,  June  2nd 

6:30  p.m.  Reception;  8  p.m.   Screening 

10  p.m.  Post-screening  party 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives,  32  2nd  Ave,  NY 

Cost:  Free  to  AIVF  members 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Please  RSVP 


Come  celebrate  the  one -year  anniversary  of  New 
Filmmakers  and  AIVF's  official  co-sponsorship! 
Mix  and  mingle  at  the  pre-screening  reception, 
then  take  in  David  Maquiling's  debut  film,  Too 
Much  Sleep,  the  sly  and  witty  story  of  a  twenty- 
something's  journey  through  a  sleepy  American 
suburb.  Following  the  screening,  join  us  at  a  near- 
by locale  for  networking  and  merriment. 

Too  Much  Sleep:  Through  a  series  of  mysteri- 
ous leads  and  not  so  coincidental  coincidences, 
Jack  encounters  a  number  of  characters  and  clues 
that  lead  him  on  a  wild  goose  chase  to  recover  his 
stolen  gun  and  his  purpose  in  life.  Too  Much  Sleep 
was  seen  at  South  by  Southwest,  the  Asian 
American  International  Film  Festival,  the  New 
York/Avignon  Film  Festival  and  others.  Produced 
by  Arrowhead  Prods,  and  Open  City  Films. 

(MORE  JUNE  HAPPENINGS  TO  COME  IN  NEXT  ISSUE!) 

LET  AIVF  DO  THE  NETWORKING  FOR  YOU 

We  get  an  average  of  35  walk-ins  per  week  of  film- 
makers looking  to  crew  up  or  get  involved  in  pro- 
jects. Our  resume  bank  and  bulletin  boards  are 
filled  with  listings  of  talented  cast  and  crew  look- 
ing for  projects  and  collaborators.  We  are  current- 
ly updating  our  resources,  so  send  us  your  resumes 
or  business  cards! 

Likewise,  if  you  are  looking  to  crew  up  your 
project,  mail  or  fax  us  your  posting.  (Please 
include  a  deadline  or  announcement  date  on  the 
flyer  to  help  keep  our  boards  current.)  Send  infor- 
mation to  the  attention  of  Michelle  Coe,  program 
and  information  services  director,  Resume  Bank 
c/o  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  fl.,  NY,  NY  10013. 


FILM  BYTES 

Every  Monday  at  8  p.m.  ET  at 

www.pseudo.com,  AIVF  co-hosts  FILM 

BYTES,  a  webcast  series  about  independent 

media  production.  Produced  by  Kinotek  6k 

Pseudo  Network. 


*%ZL»o 


Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

audio  &  video 
post-production 

protools  4  /  media  100  /after  effects 

16  -  track  lock  to  betacam  sp  &  3/4 

voice  over  &  adr/sound  effects 

video  capture  &  compression 

original  music/sound  design 

special  rates  for  independents 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

2  12.431.1130      x  I  0 

596  Broadway,  Suite  602,  NYC  10012 

http://www.harvestworks.org 


Media  100  Suites 

(with  or  without  editor) 

beta  sp  -  3/4"  -  Hi8  -  VHS  -  SVHS 

2d/3d  Graphics  Design 

photoshop,  illustrator, 
after  effects,  electricimage 

Voice-over  Booth 
Internet  and  CD-ROM 

integration  of  your  video  projects 
into  web  pages  and  cd-rom. 


Medialuna 
Productions 

636  broadway,  suite  214 

tel.  212.228.1133 

fax  212.228.1101 

www.medialuna.com 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    59 


J  /  ei  eJ  t  &  I 


non-linear  video  editing 


Create, 


in  the  comfort 


of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Hanley,  Editor 

212.254.1106 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 
Component  Editing 

Transfers,  Window  Dubs 
45/hr    340/day    175/night 


1 123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


y   Gesha-Marie 

B  RYANT 

D  e  m  p  s  e  y 
Rice  has  lived 
with  suicide 
as  a  subtext 
since  the  age 
of  11— the 
time  of  her 
mother's  first 
suicide 
attempt. 
When  Rice 
reached  18, 
her  mother 
finally  suc- 
ceeded. Arm- 
ed with  stag- 
gering statistics  on  depression  and  suicide  in 
the  U.S.,  Rice  explores  the  relationship 
between  mothers  and  daughters,  and  the  lega- 
cy of  inherited  suicidal  dispositions  from  gener- 
ation to  generation  in  her  film  Daughter  of 
Suicide.  Rice  decided  to  tackle  the  healing 
process  for  herself  both  through  the  doc  and 
plans  for  a  grassroots  educational  campaign  in 
an  effort  to  "make  my  mother's  suicide  a  source 
of  power  in  my  life,  by  speaking  about  it  politi- 
cally and  by  educating  the  public  about  depres- 
sion and  suicide."  Shot  on  a  mix  of  digital  video 
and  16mm,  Daughter  of  Suicide  was  recently 
featured  at  the  Amsterdam  Documentary  Film 
Fest.  Daughter  Oite  Productions,  751  Manhattan 
Arc  #2L,  Brooklyn,  NY  11222;  (718)  389- 
7154;  fax:  349-6124;  24fps(o  spacelah.net 

Julie  Dash  (Daughters  of  the  Dust)  and  pro- 
ducer Kristy  Andersen  have  begun  production 
on  Black  South,  a  bio  doc  about  the  Harlem 
Renaissance's  infamous  woman-of-all-trades, 
Zora  Neale  Hurston.  Best  known  for  ethno- 
graphic novels,  especially  Their  Eyes  Were 
Watching  God,  Hurston's  work  sparked  a  great 
deal  of  controversy  among  her  colleagues  at 
both  Columbia  University's  Anthropology 
Department  and  in  African-American  literary 
circles.  Inspired  by  newly  discovered  documen- 
tation about  Hurston,  including  a  1940  CBS 
radio  interview  recorded  for  the  release  of  her 
autobiography,  Black  South  interweaves  the 
radio  recording  with  dramatized  sequences 
from  her  life  and  times.  With  funding  from 
humanities  councils  in  eight  states,  the  NEA, 
National  Black  Programming  Consortium, 
Florida  Division  of  Cultural  Affairs,  Florida 
Historical  Society,  and  IMAGE  Film  &  Video, 
and  a  PBS  broadcast  lined  up,  Black  South  is 
proof  that  public  arts  funding  still  exists.  Bay 
Bottom  News,  4309  Watrous  Ave.,  Tampa,  FL 


33629;  (813)  289-8554. 

Marty  Rosenbluth  explores  his  two-fold,  life- 
long participation  in  Israeli-Palestinian  rela- 
tions and  the  routes  to  peace  in  Stranger  in  a 
Strange  Land.  Charting  his  personal  life,  from  a 
"typical  Brooklyn  Jewish  household"  to  extrem- 
ist Zionist  activism  to  living  and  working  as  an 
American  Jew  in  the  West  Bank  for  Palestinian 
organizations,  Rosenbluth's  dilemmas  culmi- 
nate with  the  Intifada.  Complicated  by  the 
conflicted  socio-political  allegiances  of  a 
"remorseful  American  Jew,"  Stranger  in  a 
Strange  Land  deals  with  the  various  dynamics  at 
work  in  the  Middle  East  peace  process.  With 
funding  from  the  North  and  South  Carolina 
Arts  Councils  and  the  16mm  transfer  from  DV 
shot  by  DP  David  Kasper  (1993  doc  feature 
Oscar  winner  The  Panama  Deception)  near 
completion,  expect  to  see  Stranger  in  a  Strange 
Land  on  the  upcoming  fest  circuit.  Insightment 
Video  Productions,  1323  Palmers  Grove  Church 
Rd.,  Hillsborough,  NC  27278. 

Director  Phil  Bertelsen  and  DP  John  Foster 
(1999  Sundance  dramatic  competition,  The 
Adventures  of  Sebastian  Cole)  are  wrapping  post- 
production  on  Sunshine,  a  16mm  verite  doc.  As 
the  last  surviving  Bowery  flophouse,  which 
lodged  day  laborers  during  the  Depression,  the 
Sunshine  Hotel  has  become  a  haven  from 
Manahttan's  cut-throat  real  estate  machine  for 
transients,  the  homeless  and  junkies.  For  as  lit- 
tle as  $10  a  night,  Sunshine's  down  and  out 
characters  may  rent  a  coop,  a  4"  by  6"  cell  fur- 
nished with  a  bed,  a  locker,  and  bare  bulb  dan- 
gling from  a  wire.  As  developers  resurvey  Skid 
Row  for  the  prime  real  estate  they  missed  in 
downtown  Manhattan,  Sunshine's  patriarch/ 
manager  will  soon  be  forced  to  raise  the  night- 
ly rate  for  the  weekly  and  yearly  members  of  his 
makeshift  family,  who  subsist  on  diets  of  Chef 
Boy-Ar-Dee,  sensational  delusions,  and  com- 
mon-place disillusions.  Hudson  River  Pictures, 
416  West  13th  St.,  #311,  New  York,  NY  10014; 
(212)675-6315. 

Gesha-Mane  Bryant  is  an  editorial  intern  at 
The  Independent. 


"In  &  Out  of  Production"  invites  AIVF  members 

to  send  information  about  their  works-in- 
progress  or  recently  completed  films  or  videos. 

Please  include  a  synopsis,  running  time, 
format,  and  contact  information.  If  available, 
send  labelled  photos,  preferably  b&w  glossies. 
Mail  to:  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6th 

fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013,  attn:  In  &  Out. 


60  THE    INDEPENDENT   May  1999 


SALONS 


The  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  inde- 
pendents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the 
AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Note:  Since 
our  copy  deadline  is  two  months  before  the  meet- 
ings listed  below,  be  sure  to  call  the  local  organiz- 
ers to  confirm  that  there  have  been  no  last-minute 
changes. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  1st  Wed.  of  each  month,  6:30  p.m. 
Where:  Borders  Books  &.  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:     Mike     Camoin      (518)      489-2083; 
videos4c(y  cris.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tues.  of  the  month,  6:30  p.m. 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets  off  of 

Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Mon.  of  the  month,  8  p.m. 
Where:  Electric  Lounge,  302  Bowie  Street 
Contact:  Ben  Davis,  (512)  708-1962 

Birmingham,  AL: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Michele  Foreman,  (205)  298-0685 

Boston,  MA: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Susan  Walsh,  (508)  528-7279  or 
walshcidtuaol.com 

Brooklyn,  NY: 

When:  Fourth  Tues.  of  each  month;  call  for  time. 
Where:  Ozzie's  Cafe,  7th  Ave.  &  Lincoln  PI. 
Contact:  Glenn  Francis  Frontera,  (718)  646-7533 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month  from  6:30- 

8:45  p.m. 

Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 

68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:      Peter     Paolini,      (843)      805-6841; 

filmsalonftt'aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Annetta  Marion,  (216)  781-1755 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  3rd  Wed.  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:   Bart  Weiss,    (214)    999-8999;   vbart@ 

aol.com 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thurs.  of  the  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:    Rocky    Mountain    Peace    and   Justice 

Center,  1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Diane  Markrow,  (303)  449-7125  or  Jon 

Stout,  (303)  442-8445 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 
Where:  Call  tor  locations. 


Contact:  Houston  Film  Commission  Hotline, 
(713)  227-1407 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wed.  of  each  month,  5:30  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  location. 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or 

dot(«  inetnebr.com 

Kansas  City,  MO: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 
Contact:  John  Sjlobom,  (816)  333-7574 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wed.  of  each  month.  Call  for  time. 

Where:    Cappuccino's   Gourmet   Cafe,   Colonial 

Village  Rte.  27  &.  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 

Contact:  Allen  Chou,  (908)  756-9845  or 

www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Portland,  OR: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254 

Rochester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 
chuckfa  millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:     Paul     Espinosa,     (619)     284-9811; 
espinosafu  electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  locations. 
Contact:  Joel   Bachar,    (206)    568-6051   or  visit 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Mon.  ot  each  month  from  6-8 
p.m.  at  Club  Congress,  311  E.  Congress,  in  down- 
town Tucson. 

Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridge@theriver.com,  Robert  Ashle,  robertlaJ 
access.tucson.org;  or  visit  http://access.tucson. 
org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4 

Westchester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll(a 

aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,   (914)   948-3447; 

jkap3(«Jjuno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  times. 
Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
www.cboss.com/flickclique 


DVD 

Authoring  «fc  Eiicocliixs; 


DIJPUCATIOIV 
POST  PBODUCTIO\ 


Media  100  Editing 

DVD  Authoring 
MPEG  2  Encoding 

DVD  Burning 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 

145  West  20th  St. 

New  York,  NY  10011 

Fax:  212-242-4419 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


May  1999  THE    INDEPENDENT    61 


THE 


n"V*-"  tha-tsti 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  — 


•  Interformat  Online  Edit  $  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit  $1  20/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions  Inquire 

Contact     us      for     other     services, 
prices  and  access  information. 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:  (212)  219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


P^M                                    ^HH 

rr  -Ti 

1  s    pin  | 

cly  c  IJe 

[pVs  J 

We're  a  Full-Service  Post- 
Production  facility  for  the 
alternative  filmmaker.  We  have 
an  ADR/Foley  Studio,  AVIDs, 
AudioVisions,  ProTools,  and  a 

high-speed,  8-plate, 
supercharged  steenbeck.  We 

provide  creative  editors, 
experienced  technical  support 
and  expert  post  supervision  at 

competitive  rates.  For  more 

information,  contact  Jeanette 

King  at  (212)  679-2720.  Or  Fax  at 

(212  679-2730. 

SPIN  CYCLE  POST,  INC. 

■    12  West  27th  St.,  6th  Floor    ■ 

New  York,  NY  10001 

The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 


Academy  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs 

The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation 

Home  Box  Office 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation 

Jerome  Foundation 


Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 
Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


Stale  qi  the  Ans 

NYSCA  •»■'"•"" 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Forest  Creatures  Entertainment;  White  Night 
Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3;  Intrepid  Film  &  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head 
Productions;  Respectable  Street  Inc.;  GA:  Legacy  Pictures  Inc.;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  MI:  Jes 
&  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MO:  Wild  Pictures,  LLC;  NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  Galarza 
&  Associates,  Inc.;  NV:  United  Pictures;  NY:  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  The 
Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  C  &  S  International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment; 
Catherine  Carey;  Dynamism;  Fred  Ellis;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc; 
G  Productions;  LD  Media  Corp;  Media  Principia;  Merci  Entertainment,  Inc;  New  Rican 
Filmmaker;  NYT  Television;  One  Such  Films;  Prime  Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Sundance 
Channel  LLC;  Surf  and  Turf  Films  Inc.;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune  Pictures;  Wonder 
Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI:  Treasure  Chest  Television;  TX:  Aries 
Productions;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services; 
WA:  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures;  Spain:  Sogecable 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona 
University;  CA:  Filmmakers'  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish 
Film  Festival;  Media  Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  RJB  Productions;  USC  School  of  Cinema 
TV;  University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest  New  Haven;  GA: 
Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii;  IL:  Community 
Television  Network;  The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Facets;  Macarthur  Foundation;  Video 
Data  Bank;  Women  In  The  Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media  Working  Group;  MA: 
Harvard  Medical  School;  Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film 
Festival;  MD:  Laurel  Cable  Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor 
Film  Festival;  Public  Benefit  Corp;  WTVS  Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships; 
IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Art  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  NE:  Ross  Film 
Theater;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  ASCAP;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  Visual  Arts, 
Inc.;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Cinema  Arts  Centre; 
Communications  Society;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster 
Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation; 
Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.; 
Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network;  Museum  of  Modern  Art;  National  Video  Resources; 
New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Society  Institute;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod., 
Inc;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange;  Rochester  Film  Office;  Ross-Gafney;  Squeaky 
Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies;  Syracuse  University;  Third  World  Newsreel; 
Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13;  Women  Make  Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  & 
Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  City  of  Cleveland;  Cleveland  Filmmakers;  Ohio 
Independent  Film  Festival;  Ohio  University-Film;  OR:  Communications  Arts,  MHCC; 
Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty  Productions;  Council 
On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  Film/Video  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center;  Temple  U./Dept.  of 
Media  Arts;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  RI:  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts 
Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Cinemaker  Coop;  Austin 
Film  Society;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate 
Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio-TV-Film;  Worldfest 
Houston;  WI:  Madison  Film  Forum;  Mexico:  Centro  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica; 
Australia:  Clememger  Harvie;  Canada:  Video  Pool;  York  University;  Reach  Foundation 
Norway:  Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket;  Singapore:  Ngee  Ann  Polytechnic  Library   • 


Campaign  Fund 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash  re- 
serve fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25  th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than 
$93,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cahlevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts;  Washington  DC  Film  Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck;  Peter 
Buck/C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  C&S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Hugo 
Cassirer/  Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge, 
Linda  &  Boh  Curtis;  Richard  Linklater/ 
Detour  Film  Foundation;  Loni  Ding; 
Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen  Freedman  & 
Roger  Weisberg;  David  Haas;  Henry 
Hampton;  Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey;  Jewish 
Communal  Fund;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz; 
Richard  Kylberg;  Tom  LeGoff;  Helaine 
&  Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner;  Juan 
Mandelbaum;  John  Bard  Manulis;  Diane 
Markrow;  Jim  McKay/C-Hundred  Film 
Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins;  David  &  Sandy 
Picker;  Sarah  E.  Petit/R.E.M.  Athens 
LLC;  Barbara  Roberts;  James  Schamus; 
Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza  Vann  Smith; 
Miranda  Smith;  Michael  Stipe;  Ann 
Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records/Videos/Books; 
Walterry  Insurance  Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  & 
Nancy  Meyer;  Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan 
Wittenberg. 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals 
and  organizations  who  have  recently 
made  or  renewed  generous  donations  of 
$100  or  more  as  MCF  FRIENDS  (2/15/99 
to  3/15/99): 

Susan  Bodine,  Jeff  Bush,  Pamela  Calvert, 
Arthur  Dong,  Bonnie  Finnegan,  Patricia 
Goudvis,  David  Haas,  Michael  G.  Kindle, 
Richard  Kylberg,  Diane  Markrow,  Robert 
Richter,  John  Schmidt,  John  Schwartz, 
Barton  Weiss 


$15,000    IN     PRIZES    /    INTERNATIONAL    TOUR 


call  for 


Deadlines:  Early  -  4/30/99     Final  -  5/3 1  /99 

Dept.  FMA  'Temple  University  •  Philadelphia,  PA  19122 

I  -800-499-UFVA  •  2 1 5-204-6740  [fax] 


[neXtframe] 


UFVA'S  TOURING   FESTIVAL  OF 

ufva@vm.temple.edu  •  www.temple.edu/nextframe      international  student  film  &  video 


...oau  FOR  ertries... 


shorts  features  docs  experimental   animation 


DIGITAL  FILM  FESTIVAL 


DEADLINE  JUNE  5.   1999 

INFO  AND  ENTRY  FORMS:    415/437-2686    SUBMIT@RESFEST.COM    WWW.RESFEST.COM 


""""" ""lez'&'t  "e"d" 


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inded 


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Deadline:  JUNE  *5>  1999  /  Late  Deadline:  JUNE  30,  1999 

For  more  information  and  entry  form  go  to: 


or  send  SASE  to: 

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i  if  r 

ASSOCIATION      OF      INDEPENDENT      VIDEO      AND      FILMMAKERS 


' 


Dorothy  Thigpen 

Executive  Director 
Third  World  Newsreel 


Photo:  Tom  LeGoff 


"film-  and  yideomake 

naalft&LJppQrf^so  do 
organisations 
"rh  thvm, 


ctivist  work, 
is  especially  £,n[ 
through  Si 
•    alliances  and  c 

AfVF's  sup[ 

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have  been  crucial 
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Third  World  New 


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in  particular 
'     "owe  red 


'Of)?} 

oaJitiofris. 

Di'i" 

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Design  Nik  Ives 


TOTALLY  INDEPENDENT 

-     Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers   '- 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community. 


Name. 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


Address. 
City 


State  . 


Zip. 


Phc 


lome  rmone 


Business  Phone . 


I /We  wish  to  he  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


J  $35 
J  $50 

J  $ioo 

J  Other 


_|  $150 
_|  $20[ 
J 


and  up 
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Committee 
Member 


Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVf.  304  Hudson  St..  Gth  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013.  For  more  information  call  1212)  807-1400.  ext.  223. 

Ihe  foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization-  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible.  J 


JUNE  1999 


ublication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Vi 


f 


f 


FILM  &  VIDEO  M 


INSCRIPTION  LIBRARY  •  STUDIO  54  LIBRARY  •  PATHE  NEWS,  INC 


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"j     Over  30,000  hours  of  historic  footage 

and  musical  performance  clips. 

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It's  the  details  that  make  a  light  a  Lowel. 

Quick.  Nimble.  Easy-to-handle.  Light  as  the  breeze.  We  design  our  lights 
to  pack,  fold  and  go.  Light  kits  integrated  with  stands  and  accessories 
that  work  together  like  the  gears  of  a  finely  tuned  machine.  Cases  that 
slip  deftly  into  the  backseat  of  your  grip  truck  of  choice.  Go  with  Lowel. 
Call  1-800-334-3426  or  visit  us  on  line  at  www.lowel.com 


melndependent 

m  ■ntM«v;ueo  monthly 


Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.org) 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
lindependent@aivf.orgl 

Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.orgl 

Interns:  Gesha-Marie  Bryant,  Lisa  Vasta 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge,  Michelle  Coe,  Lissa 

Gibbs,  Mark  J.  Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Mertes,  Barbara 

Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 
(212)807-1400x225: 
ldisplayads@aivf.orgl 

Articles  from  The  Independent  are  archived  online  at 
lwww.ehbrary.com) 

• 

National  Distribution:  Total  Circulation 

(Manhattan)  (201)  342-6334; 

Ingram  Periodicals  (800)  627-6247 

Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Him  &  Video  Monthly,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft.  NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF),  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film.  Subscription  to  the  magazine  ($55/yr  individual;  $3 5/yr  student, 
$100/yr  nonprofit  organization,  $150/yr  business/industry)  is  included  in  annual 
membership  dues  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers 
(AIVF).  the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  involved  in  independent  film  and 
video  Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr  Contact:  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6 
fl.,  NY,  NY  10013,  (212)  807-1400;  fa*  (212)  463-8519;  independent@aivf  org; 
www.aivf.org  Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY.  and  at  additional  mailing 
offices 

Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  funds  from  the 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  National  Endowment  for  the 
Arts,  a  federal  agency  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  77ie  Independent  does 
not  constitute  an  endorsement  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims  made  in 
an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor.  Letters  will  be  edited 
for  length.  All  contents  are  copyright  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film. 
Inc  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previous 
appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director;  Michelle  Coe.  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director,  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  associate;  Eugene 
Hernandez,  webmaster;  Jessica  Perez,  administrative  director;  Suzy  Salamy,  informa- 
tion sen/ices  assistant 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I  Freedman,  Esq..  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Loni  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat. 
Ruby  Lerner*  Peter  Lewnes,  Richard  Unklater,  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane  Markrow  (co- 
chair),  Jim  McKay  (vice-president  &  secretary),  Robb  Moss  (co-chair),  Elizabeth 
Peters  (ex  officio).  Robert  Richter  (treasurer).  James  Schamus*,  Valerie  Soe,  Barton 
Weiss  (co-president)    *  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only. 


2    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


Features 


22  War  Stories 

What's  the  likelihood  of  getting  an  anti-war  film  funded  in  the  current  climate?  The  makers  of 
Regret  to  Inform  and  Rabbit  in  the  Moon  debate  these  and  related  questions  in  a  lively  roundtable 
discussion  about  their  war-related  documentaries. 

by  Patricia  Thomson 


28   Return  of  the  Native 

Pundits  predicted  that  Smoke  Signals'  $7-million  box  office  draw  would  open  doors  for  Native 
American  feature  directors.  Has  this  proven  true,  or  were  they  blowing  smoke?  Also,  a  report  from 
the  country's  oldest  Native  American  film  festival. 

by  Beth  Pinsker  &  Deborah  Dennison 


32   Aussie  Aboriginals 


Indigenous  work  from  Down  Under  is  highlighted  at  the  Margaret  Mead  Film  &  Video  Festival. 
by  Patricia  Thomson 


Departments 


Upfront 


6   News 

Korean  indies  unite;  the  Latino  Independent  Media  Producers 
Conference;  Rafic  "Rafik"  Azzouny:  1942-1999. 

by  Deirdre  Boyle,  Elizabeth  Peters,  Paul  Power 

10  Technology 

DVD  and  the  future  of  exhibition;  DEN  offers  TV-style  pilots;  Next 
Wave  Films  and  Open  City  Productions  launch  digital  divisions. 

by  Ryan  Deussing,  Chad  Campbell, 
Gesha-Marie  Bryant 

16   Festival  Circuit 

The  fine  arts  thrive  at  the  Montreal  International  Festival  of  Films  on 
Art;  South  by  Southwest's  discussion  on  all  things  filmic  and  financial; 
Conduit. 3  got  game. 

by  Nadine  Covert,  Elizabeth  Peters,  Kim  Krizan 


20  Books 

Chick  Flicks:  Theories  and  Memories  of  the  Feminist  Film  Movement 

by  B.  Ruby  Rich,  and  Movie  Marketing:  Opening  the  Picture  and  Giving  it 

Legs,  by  Tiiu  Lukk 

REVIEWED    BY    PAT    AUFDERHEIDE    &    REID    ROSEFELT 

21  On  View 

Independents  opening  at  a  theater  or  on  national  television  this  month. 
by  Paul  Power 


FAQ  &  Info 


34   Distributor  FAQ 

Documentaries  have  a  home  at  Seventh  Art 
Releasing. 

BY    LlSSA    GIBBS 

36    Funder  FAQ 

Helping  fill  in  the  regional  funding  gap  left 
by  the  NEA  is  the  Texas  Filmmakers' 
Production  Fund,  brainchild  of  director 
Rick  Linklater. 

by  Michelle  Coe 


38   Festivals 
42   Notices 
48   Classifieds 


21 


@AIVF 


54   Events 

56   In  &  Out  of  Production 

58   Salon  Spotlight 

What's  up  in  Charleston,  San  Diego 
&  Houston. 

by  Peter  Wentworth, 

Paul  Espinosa  &  David  Mendel 


COVER:  Vietnam  revisited:  A  woman  runs  from  a 
bomb  fire  in  Regret  to  Inform,  Barbara  Sonneborn's 
personal  documentary  on  Vietnam  war  widows, 
(inset)  Photo  courtesy  ETV,  background  photo  cour- 
tesy Daniel  Christmas. 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 


SEOUL  SURVIVORS 

Korean  Indies  Organize 


In  September  1998  an  historic  organization 
of  Korean  media  producers  was  formed:  the 
Association  of  Korean  Independent  Film  and 
Video,  or  KIFV  Loosely  modeled  on  AIVF,  the 


new  group  headquartered 
in  Seoul  has  its  work  cut 
out  for  it.  Until  now,  the 
term  "independent"  has 
been  used  only  in  describ- 
ing small  film  productions 
out  of  "Chung-mu-ro" — the  off-Hollywood  of 
Korea.  Opposition  was  evident  in  resistance  to 
KIFV's  use  of  the  term  "independent"  by  some 
mediamakers  who  prefer  "small"  and  "short"  to 
avoid  sensitive  political  associations  attached 
to  "independence." 

Although  there  were  efforts  in  the  '80s  to 
organize  independent  feature  filmmakers  or 
social  documentary  makers,  this  is  the  first  time 
that  Korea's  diverse  community  of  independent 
producers  has  formed  a  coalition.  Traditionally, 
Korean  independents  have  worked  collectively, 
but  KIFV  also  includes  individuals,  many  of 
whom  produce  experimental,  short,  and/or  ani- 
mation films  as  well  as  some  16mm  and  35mm 
feature  filmmakers  who  oppose  Korea's  film 
censorship  laws.  As  of  February  1999,  23 
groups  and  18  individuals  had  joined  KIFV. 

According  to  Kim  Dong  Won,  KIFV's  presi- 
dent, the  organization's  major  goals  are  to  set 
up  an  alternative  distribution  system  for  inde- 
pendent work,  raise  funding  from  government, 
big  business,  and  other  private  resources,  and 


combat  censorship.  Under  the  Film  and  Video 
Law,  no  Korean-made  production  can  be  exhib- 
ited publicly  without  government  review. 
Independent  producers  whose  work  has  been 
deemed  objectionable  have  been  put  in  jail  and 
their  films,  tapes,  and  equipment  seized  by  the 
police,  a  situation  Kim  Dong  Won,  who  is  also 
the  leader  of  Korea's  documentary  movement, 
has  repeatedly  experienced  himself  [see 
author's  article  in  The  Independent,  May  1998]. 
Today,  the  government's  attitude  toward 
independents  and  KIFV  appears  better  than 
ever,  according  to  Dong  Won,  a  situation  owing 
largely  to  the  more  liberal  attitudes  of  Korea's 
current  President,  Kim  Dae  Jung,  and  his  coali- 
tion majority 
party.  Last  De- 
cember KIFV 
applied  for  gov- 
ernment fund- 
ing, requesting 
US$10,000  for 
support  of  their 
organization 
and  a  fund  of 
$240,000  for 
production  of  individual  short  films.  If  success- 
ful, 40  grants  of  $6,000  will  go  to  individual 
directors,  but  thus  far  the  only  tangible  support 
KIFV  has  received  is  the  private  donation  ot  an 
office  for  their  first  year.  This  year  they  hope  to 
publish  the  first  issue  of  their  quarterly  maga- 
zine. 

One  of  KIFV's  major  goals  is  pushing  the 
Korean  legislature  to  draw  up  laws  more  favor- 
able to  freedom  of  expression.  Under  the  old 
Film  and  Video  Law,  independents  were  pro- 
hibited from  publicly  exhibiting  their  work 
without  approval  from  government  censors. 
The  government-controlled  Korean  Public 
Performance  Ethics  Committee  forcibly  edited 
films  before  their  release,  but  this  form  of  cen- 
sorship was  declared  unconstitutional.  The 
subsequent  Association  of  Art  Promotion 
Committee  included  members  nominated  by 
the  President  and  Parliament.  Under  the  newly 
revised  law,  the  Ratings  Committee,  an  all-civil 
organization,  will  review  all  films  and  videos  on 
the  basis  of  their  depiction  of  morality,  sexual- 


One  of  KIFV's  major  goals  is  pushing 
the  Korean  legislature  to  draw  up 
laws  more  favorable  to  freedom  of 

expression.  Under  the  old  law, 

independents  were  prohibited  from 

publicly  exhibiting  their  work  without 

approval  from  government  censors. 


ity,  violence,  and  politically-sensitive  issues  and 
give  producers  three  months  to  re -edit  their 
works  to  conform  to  its  rulings.  KIFV  wants  an 
"out  of  ratings"  category  (which  they  think  of 
as  being  similar  to  the  US's  NC-17  rating) 
which  would  allow  exhibition  of  works  at  festi- 
vals and  other  selected  venues  without  any 
government-imposed  censorship  or  review. 
Without  such  a  provision  in  the  law,  many 
independents  and  their  lawyers  are  debating 
whether  to  obey  the  system. 

KIFV  will  be  better  able  to  gauge  the  gov- 
ernment's attitude  to  independent  media  when 
it  learns  whether  the  Cultural  Department  has 
approved  its  application  for  status  as  a  legal 
nonprofit  entity. 

Another  issue  looming  is  the  future  of  con- 
tinued protection  for  Korean-made  films.  The 
United  States  wants  a  bilateral  trade  agreement 
with  Korea  which  calls  for  the  abolition  ot  the 
existing  film  quota — at  present,  Korean  com- 
mercial movie  theaters  are  obliged  to  screen 
100  days  of  indigenous  Korean  films  annually. 
Although  many  government  leaders  recognize 
the  need  to  protect  Korean  culture  from  the 
powerful  invasion  of  foreign  media  products, 
the  trade  committee  for  a  bilateral  agreement 
takes  a  more  pragmatic  view.  But  even  if  the 
quota  system  is  upheld,  victory  remains  moot 
since  there  is  no  provision  within  the  quota  for 
support  of  independently  produced  works. 

According  to  Kim  Myoung  Joon,  a  member 
of  Labor  News  Production  and  a  leading  media 
activist  in  Korea,  another  important  issue  is  the 
revision  of  the  broadcasting  law.  Questions  of 
public  access  to  cable  and  cable  company  sup- 
port for  community  productions  remain  open  at 
this  time.  There  is  a  good  chance  that  democ- 
ratic decisions  will  be  made,  but  not  without 
lobbyists  who  can  advocate  for  inclusion  of 
independent  voices  in  the  new  broadcast  mix. 
Whether  KIFV  has  the  resources,  expertise, 
and  personnel  to  respond  to  so  many  major  leg- 
islative initiatives  so  early  in  its  history  remains 
to  be  seen. 

For  more  information  or  to  send  words  of 
encouragement  and  support,  contact:  Cho 
Young  Kag,  KIFV  office  chief,  Association  of 
Korean  Independent  Film  and  Video,  2F, 
Hanwool  B/D,  109-1  Samsung-dong, 
Kangnam-gu,  Seoul,  Korea  (135-090);  011  82  2 
516-0750;  fax:  82  2  516-0758;  phille@hitel.nef 

Deirdre  Boyle 

Deirdre  Boyle  is  autfvn  of  Subject  to  Change: 

Guerrilla  Television  Revisited  (Oxford,  1 997)  and 

teaches  in  tl\e  Graduate  Media  Studies  program  at 

the  New  School  University  in  New  York  City. 


6    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


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After  the  NLCC 

Responding  to  concerns  about  the  disposition 
of  CPB  money  earmarked  for  the  Latino  com- 
munity [see  "What's  up  with  the  NLCC," 
Jan/Feb  1999],  this  past  spring  the  Corporation 
for  Public  Broadcasting  put  actor  Edward 
Olmos,  director  of  interim  consortium  partner 
Latino  Public  Broadcasting  Project  (LPBP),  on 
tour.  Olmos'  group  will  administer  $1.3  million 
(representing  1998  and  1999  funds)  to  inde- 
pendent producers  seeking  consortia  funds. 
Meetings  in  seven  cities  aimed  to  expand 
access  to  these  funds  by  demystifying  the  appli- 
cation process  (applications  were  due  5/4/99). 
Perhaps  more  importantly,  each  meeting 
included  a  moderated  discussion  designed  to 
envision  and  articulate  desired  goals  and  pro- 
grams of  a  permanent  CPB  partner  serving  the 
Latino  community. 

Meanwhile,  Latino  media  organizations 
have  banded  together  to  take  matters  into  their 
own  hands  by  organizing  a  national  conference, 
to  take  place  in  San  Francisco  on  June  3-5, 
immediately  prior  to  the  annual  PBS  meeting. 
This  collaborative  effort  of  the  Coalition  for 
Latino  Programming  on  Public  Broadcasting, 
Latino  Producers  Ad-hoc  Committee,  the 
LPBP  National  Latino  Communication  Center, 
and  National  Council  of  La  Raza  describes  its 
primary  goal  as  "to  build  a  national  creative 
constituency  that  can  inform  itself  and  act 
upon  the  issues  and  opportunities  across  all 
media."  Plans  for  the  conference  have  created 
a  common  cause,  bringing  together  these  dis- 
parate organizations  while  sparking  immediate 
support  from  foundations  and  others. 

For  more  information,  contact  cineaccion(2< 
aol.com  or  www.cpb.org/library/mconsorita. 

Elizabeth  Peters 


Short  Ends 


Miramax  NYU  Scholarships 

Miramax  Films  recently  established  a  $100,000 
scholarship  fund  at  New  York  University's 
Tisch  School  of  the  Arts  to  support  undergrad- 
uate students  in  its  film  program.  The  Miramax 
Scholarships,  as  the  fund  is  known,  is  limited  to 
high  school  graduates  from  one  of  New  York's 
five  boroughs  who  are  residents  in  the  city, 
where  the  co-chairs  of  Miramax  Films,  Bob  and 
Harvey  Weinstein,  were  born  and  set  up  shop. 

The  scholarships  are  intended  to  come  into 
effect  for  the  1999/2000  academic  year  and  will 
serve  as  tuition  support  for  one  or  more  stu- 
dents, depending  on  the  volume  and  quality  of 
applicants.  Applicants  must  first  apply  to 
NYU's  film  program  before  applying  for  the 
scholarship.  NYU  anticipates  that  many  appli- 
cants will  come  through  Future  Filmmakers,  its 
high  school  film  program  that  serves  minority 
film  students  in  the  metropolitan  area.  The 
fund  will  be  administered  over  four  years,  and 
will  then  be  reviewed  to  evaluate  its  success. 

Further  details  are  available  from  Elliot  Dee, 
Assistant  Dean  (student  affairs),  Tisch  School 
of  the  Arts,  721  Broadway,  NY,  NY  10003. 

U.S.  INDIES  IN  U.K. 

It  seems  that  international  audiences  can't  get 
enough  of  American  independents.  Now,  as 
well  as  sidebars  at  numerous  international  festi- 
vals, films  are  touring  as  part  of  a  package  deal. 
The  UK's  Feature  Film  Company  recently  com- 
pleted an  eight-week  tour  of  six  indies  under 
the  collective  title  "American  Independence." 
Films  in  the  package  are:  Schizopolis,  Niagara, 
Niagara,  The  Sticky  Fingers  of  Time,  Eye  of  God, 
Clockwatchers,  and  the  only  documentary  in 
the  series,  Four  Little  Girls.  A  similar  fall  event 
is  being  planned  by  the  FFC  with  another  fea- 
ture package.  PAUL  POWER 


Rafic  S.  Azzouny,  1942-1999 

Filmmaker,  activist,  and  film  services  and  supplies  provider  Rafic  S.  Azzouny  ("Rafik"), 
died  March  1  in  New  York,  aged  57.  As  a  member  of  the  U-P  Film  Group  collective,  Rafik 
was  active  as  a  filmmaker  in  the  sixties 
and  early  seventies  and  came  to  lead  the 
group  from  the  late  seventies.  His  New 
York-based  postproduction  company, 
entitled  Rafik,  had  been  in  existence  for 
22  years  and  was  a  haven  for  indepen- 
dent filmmakers  seeking  editing,  transfer, 
and  duplication  services,  as  well  as  the 
sale  of  tape  and  raw  stock. 


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June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


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Sl^S) 


DVD  UNBOUND 

Blowing  Up  the  Small  Screen 


"We're  trying  to  get  rid  of  the  film  print  as 

a  distribution  format,"  explains  James  Boyd,  the 
man  responsible  for  No  Dance  [www.6161. 
com/nodance.html],  one  of  a  number  of  micro- 
fests  that  screened  in  the  shadow  of  the  1999 
Sundance  Film  Festival — but  the  only  one  pre- 
senting films  on  DVD.  "DVD  is  a  finishing  for- 
mat, like  a  print,  only  better  and  less  expen- 
sive," Boyd  claims. 

Now  that  films  can  be  shot  with  digital  cam- 
eras, cut  on  computers,  and  screened  with 
mega-pixel  digital  projectors,  the  phasing  out  of 
celluloid  seems  like  an  idea  whose  time  has 
come — but  is  the  multiplex  near  you  getting 
ready  to  project  DVDs?  Probably  not. 
Electronic  Cinema  may  eventually  eradicate 
film  altogether,  but  for  the  time  being,  neither 
DVD  nor  an  army  of  independent  filmmakers 
with  DV  cameras  will  get  digital  film  into  the- 
aters without  a  print. 

"DVD  really  is  an  easier  and  better  format 
than  film,  especially  because  it's  cheap  to  repro- 
duce," says  Blaine  Graboyes  of  Zuma  Digital 
[www.zumadigital.com],  a  DVD  authoring 
house  in  New  York.  "But  filmmakers  need  to 
look  at  it  as  a  sales  tool  and  not  necessarily  as  a 
distribution  solution."  What  Graboyes  stresses 
is  that  DVD  not  only  looks  great,  but  also 
allows  filmmakers  unprecedented  flexibility 
and  the  ability  to  package  work  for  presenta- 
tion. 

"Filmmakers  gladly  pay  $15,000  to  30,000  to 


by   Ryan    Deussing 

get  a  single  35mm  blow 

up,"   he   explains.    "For 

around  $10,000  you  can 

_     have   a  DVD  that  you 

b  I     can    copy    a    thousand 

I     times  and  send  to  that 

■  many        festivals        or 

■  prospective        buyers." 

■  And  whereas  a  film  print 

■  is  only  a  movie,  a  DVD 
can  be  much  more.  One 
of  the  clearest  advan- 
tages of  DVD  over  cellu- 
loid is  that  DVD  lets  you 
present  your  film,  and 
package  it — with  out- 
takes,  interviews,  commentary,  databased 
material,  and  links  to  web-based  content,  all  of 
which  add  to  the  value  of  your  project.  "We 
manage  all  of  Fox  Lorber's  DVD  titles,"  adds 
Graboyes.  "And  they  always  say,  the  more  you 
can  help  them  to  sell  your  film,  the  better." 

As  recently  as  last  year  the  only  way  to 
encode  video  to  DVD  was  to  pay  more  than 
$100,000  for  a  turnkey  system,  but  recent  inno- 
vations promise  to  bring  MPEG-2  encoding  to 
the  desktop,  making  DIY  production  of  DVD  a 
reality  [see  sidebar].  Before  making  a  fetish  of 
the  hardware,  however,  filmmakers  should 
know  what  the  format  can  do  for  them  and 
what  it  can't.  Though  the  rules  are  starting  to 
change,  all  the  major  festivals  (where  filmmak- 
ers hope  to  impress  potential  distributors  and 
television  buyers)  still  require  a  film  print  (usu- 
ally 35mm)  for  exhibition.  ResFest  and  the 
Dallas  Video  Festival,  among  others,  have 
experimented  with  digital  projection  (including 
DVD  projection),  but  at  press  time  no  major 
festival  had  opened  the  doors  to  works  submit- 
ted on  DVD.  With  that  in  mind,  if  what  you're 
really  after  is  a  theatrical  distribution  deal,  it 
makes  sense  to  shoot  on  film,  finish  on  film,  and 
let  whoever  buys  your  video  rights  worry  about 
DVD. 

"If  you  want  to  make  a  film,  go  get  a  35mm 
camera  and  make  a  film,"  says  Berlin-based 
director  Michael  Tucker,  who  also  runs  the 
European   DVD   Lab    [www.dvd-lab.com],   an 


encoding  facility.  According  to  Tucker,  in  order 
truly  to  take  advantage  of  the  potentials  of  low- 
budget  digital  production,  filmmakers  have  to 
get  over  the  fetishization  of  the  big  screen.  "I 
just  don't  see  DVD  revolutionizing  film  distrib- 
ution at  the  moment,"  he  continues.  "But 
there's  something  inherently  cool  about  the 
format  that  transcends  all  the  talk  of  technolo- 
gy and  information."  And  Tucker  practices 
what  he  preaches.  The  Last  Cowboy,  which  he 
shot  on  DV  and  finished  on  DVD,  has  screened 
at  several  festivals  and  started  something  of  a 
DVD  buzz.  In  fact,  some  producers  and  film- 
makers are  banking  on  DVD  to  create  a  whole 
new  category  of  independent  production: 
direct-to-DVD. 

"I'd  say  within  a  year  or  so,  desktop  author- 
ing will  be  common,"  comments  Scott  Epstein 
of  Broadcast  DVD,  a  company  that  packages 
DVD  titles.  FilmFest,  the  company's  first  title,  is 
billed  as  a  "virtual  ticket  to  the  best  film  festi- 
vals in  the  world"  and  consists  of  shorts,  inter- 
views, and  behind-the-scenes  glimpses  gath- 
ered from  various  fests.  "This  is  really  the  first 
time  distributing  short  films  has  actually  been 
viable,"  says  Epstein.  "VHS  didn't  work,  the 
Internet  is  still  too  slow,  and  CD-ROM  only 
stores  a  few  minutes  of  decent  video.  DVD  can 
get  filmmakers'  work  seen  and  can  launch  their 
careers."  The  inclusion  of  ads  on  Broadcast 
DVD's  titles,  however,  suggests  that  the  market 
isn't  yet  strong  enough  for  sell-through  to  pay 
the  bills. 

Bill  Columbus,  who  runs  the  North 
Carolina-based  post  facility  Triangle  Digital 
Interactive  [www.tvinteract.com],  is  taking  a 
hint  from  the  music  industry,  which  a  few  years 
back  hit  pay  dirt  by  taking  alternative  music  to 
the  mainstream.  "We're  really  like  an  indie 
label,"  he  says.  "We  do  the  authoring  up  front 
for  free  in  exchange  for  split  equity,  and  if  a  pro- 
ject gets  picked  up,  then  we  recoup  our  fees." 

Asked  about  inexpensive  desktop  authoring, 
Columbus  points  out  that  MPEG-2  encoding 
does  not  a  saleable  DVD  make — when  it  comes 
to  creative  and  effective  exploitation  of  DVD's 
capacity  for  added  features,  you  get  what  you 
pay  for.  "You  can  encode  files  to  disc  cheaply, 
but  it  costs  money  to  really  author  a  DVD."  For 
now,  top-of-the-line  DVD  encoding  relies  on 
elaborate  and  expensive  hardware,  but  tech- 
nology is  emerging  that  promises  to  make  soft- 
ware DVD  encoders  as  popular  with  indepen- 
dent producers  as  DV  cameras  and  desktop 
editors  currently  are. 

While  prosumer  digital  video  has  gotten  a 
lot  of  people  excited  lately — particularly  the 
theatrical  release  of  Bennett  Miller's  The  Cruise 


10     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


and  Thomas  Vinterberg's  The  Celebration — 
some  members  of  the  digerati  suggest  that  film- 
makers be  wary  of  the  hype.  "Look,  ask  any 
filmmaker  how  they'd  prefer  to  work  and  they'll 
tell  you  film — even  Thomas  Vinterberg's  next 
project  is  being  shot  in  35mm,"  says  ResFest's 
John  Scalise.  "The  reality  is  that  video  used  to 
play  the  stepchild  to  film,  and  now  DV  is  in  the 
middle,  blurring  the  boundaries." 

Michael  Tucker,  on  the  other  hand,  suggests 
that  blowing  up  DV  to  film  is  unnecessary.  "I 
have  this  blow-up  fight  all  the  time,"  he 
explains.  "It's  really  silly,  if  you  think  about  it. 
Film  is  such  a  limiting  factor  for  an  indepen- 
dent filmmaker.  Your  money  is  better  spent  on 
DVD,  which  gives  you  superior  quality  and  a 
couple  hundred  copies." 

So  will  a  well-produced  DVD  version  of  your 
film  get  you  any  closer  to  a  theatrical  deal? 
Perhaps  not.  But  then  again,  an  expensive 
35mm  print  comes  with  no  guarantees  either. 
The  key  to  getting  the  most  out  of  digital  tech- 
nology is  knowing  what  you  want.  While  it's 
true  that  digital  video  projects  can  be  blown  up 
and  exhibited  theatrically,  the  fact  is  that  most 
have  even  less  of  a  chance  of  getting  picked  up 
by  a  distributor  than  projects  shot  on  film.  In 
point  of  fact,  the  logic  of  transferring  DV  to 
film  is  backward.  It  actually  degrades  the  image 
instead  of  improving  it.  DVD,  however,  is  an 
especially  attractive  option  for  digital  projects, 
which  don't  need  to  be  digitized  at  great 
expense  (the  way  film  does)  and  retain  their 
pristine  source  image.  So  while  it  may  not  rev- 
olutionize the  film  industry,  DVD  allows  film- 
makers to  explore  new  opportunities — both  in 
terms  of  content  and  ways  to  make  good  on 
their  investment.  At  press  time,  more  than  1.5 
million  DVD  players  had  shipped  (not  includ- 
ing DVD-ROM  drives,  which  also  play  video), 
and  more  than  200  titles  are  released  on  DVD 
each  month,  adding  to  the  3,000  titles  released 
since  the  format's  introduction  in  1997.  As  a 
real  market  for  DVD  develops,  along  with 
affordable  production  tools,  what  could  devel- 
op is  a  vibrant  market  for  alternative  video, 
with  small  companies  devoted  to  the  medium 
distributing  independent  projects  on  DVD. 
Producers  could  use  the  web  to  promote  and 
sell  their  projects  (even  offering  video  samples), 
and  arthouses  could  screen  DVDs  with  digital 
projectors.  Ultimately,  DVD  has  the  potential 
to  change  the  way  much  independent  work  is 
seen,  avoiding  the  distribution  bottleneck  and 
putting  technology  in  the  service  of  art. 

Ryan  Deussmg  contributes  to  The  Independent, 

Filmmaker,  indieWIRE,  RES  magazine  and  the 

Village  Voice. 


WHAT  IS  DVD? 

DVD  (Digital  Versatile  Disc  or  Digital  Video  Disc)  is 
a  format  not  unlike  CD,  only  it  holds  more  data  and 
stores  it  in  a  format  that  allows  it  to  playback  "cin- 
ema quality"  video.  It  can  also  store  data  in  addi- 
tion to  audio  and  video  tracks. 

The  current  standard  for  DVD  video  is  known  in 
the  industry  as  DVD-5,  capable  of  storing  4.7GB  of 
data  (133  minutes  of  video)  on  a  single  side  with  a 
single  layer.  Emerging  formats  are  capable  of  hold- 
ing up  to  17GB  of  data  on  both  dual-layered  sides. 
All  DVD  players  are  capable  of  playing  back  all  for- 
mats. Recordable  formats  also  exist,  including 
DVD-R  (which  can  be  written  once),  DVD+RW,  and 
DVD-RAM  (rewritable,  but  incompatible  formats). 

DVD  video  is  encoded  as  MPEG-1  (roughly  VHS 
quality)  or  MPEG-2  (broadcast  quality).  Almost  all 
consumer  DVD  products  utilize  MPEG-2,  which 
allows  data  rates  of  up  to  9.8  Megabits/sec  and 
supports  both  4:3  and  16:9  aspect  ratios. 

The  DVD  format  utilizes  Dolby  AC3  Digital 
Surround  Sound  (in  NTSC  territories),  can  accom- 
modate up  to  32  subtitle  tracks,  eight  different 
audio  tracks  (e.g.,  different  languages),  and  nine 
different  camera  angles.  It  also  features  a  menu- 
driven  interface  that  allows  access  to  various  addi- 
tional data,  whether  that  resides  on  disc  or  online. 
DVD  has  a  pixel  resolution  of  720  x  480  and, 
depending  on  the  monitor  and  connection,  can 
reproduce  500  horizontal  scan  lines  (vs.  VHS's 
240).  DVD  players  are  currently  available  for  $400 
or  less. 

DVD  AUTHORING 

Professional  systems  include  Sonic  Solutions' 
DVD  Creator  and  Daikin's  Scenarist,  both  out- 
standing and  exorbitantly  expensive  (starting  at 
around  $100,000).  New  systems  from  Spruce 
Technologies  and  Astarte  promise  to  bring  the  cost 
of  DVD  production  out  of  the  stratosphere.  Spruce's 
DVDMaestro  ($49,950)  [www.spruce-tech.com]  is 
a  professional-quality  NT-based  system  that  does  it 
all  at  about  a  third  of  what  you'd  expect  to  pay  for 
a  turnkey  authoring  solution.  Astarte's  DVD 
Director  [www.astarte.de]  offers  a  stripped-down 
but  very  useful  MPEG-2  encoding  solution  for  the 
Mac  for  about  $5,000.  Heuris'  MPEGPower 
Professional-DVD  [www.heuris.com],  meanwhile, 
is  a  software  encoder  that  can  turn  your  Avid  or 
Media  100  files  into  MPEG-2  for  about  $2,500. 


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June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


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Move  over  NBC, 
Heeere's  DEN 


This  May,  what  could  be  described  as  the 
first  serious  attempt  to  create  a  major  Internet- 
based  network  took  one  small  step  for  the  net 
and  one  giant  step  for  web  producers  when 
DEN,  the  Digital  Entertainment  Network, 
went  on-line  with  30  original,  interactive  pilots, 
designed  specifically  for  viewing  on  the  web. 
Just  how  serious  is  it?  Serious  enough  for  David 
Neuman,  former  president  of  Disney  Television 
and  Touchstone  TV,  to  jump  ship  to  become 
president  of  the  fledgling  company. 

The  LA-based  DEN  is  the  brainchild  of  31- 
year-old  Marc  Collins-Rector,   co-founder  of 


help,  email,  registration,  basket,  about  den. 


by   Chad   Campbell 

made  it  possible  for  a  relatively  low-budget  net- 
work like  DEN  to  exist  on  the  web. 

"We  spent  a  million  dollars  going  into 
research  and  had  the  same  questions  when  we 
came  out,"  says  Collins-Rector.  "That  was, 
'Could  we  produce  [web  shows]  inexpensively 
enough  and  compellingly  enough  that  someone 
would  want  to  watch  them?  Could  we  make 
shows  with  high  enough  quality  inexpensively, 
and  could  we  display  them  properly  [on  the 
Internet]?'  " 

The   conclusion   DEN   ultimately   reached 


cfiat.  archive  buSeun  board.     >fi 


DEN  shows  like  Punk  Planet  and  Direct  Drive 
target  fans  of  fringe  musical  genres. 


Concentric — an  early  Internet  service  pro- 
vider— who  retired  at  the  age  of  26  as  a  multi- 
millionaire. His  newest  creation  holds  the  pos- 
sibility of  revolutionizing  the  web,  creating  a 
global  viewing  audience  of  web-original  series 
with  unprecedented  advertising  potential  and 
freedom  of  programming.  Yet  both  Neuman 
and  Collins-Rector  agree  that  none  of  it  would 
have  happened  were  it  not  for  a  few  lessons 
picked  up  from  the  world  of  indie  filmmaking. 

The  same  developments  that  have  opened 
the  film  industry  to  a  whole  new  range  of  indie 
filmmakers — advances  in  digital  technology 
and  on-line  editing,  for  example — have  likewise 


was  that,  yes,  they  could  produce  high-quality 
programming  within  their  budget,  using  tech- 
niques common  to  makers  of  independent  film, 
including  shooting  on  digital.  However,  what 
helped  Collins-Rector  come  to  this  realization 
wasn't  the  huge  sum  of  money  spent  on 
research,  but  a  chance  meeting  with  a  friend 
working  on  his  first  feature. 

"A  friend  of  mine  introduced  me  to  Brock 
Pierce,  who  is  now  our  third  co-founder,"  says 
Collins-Rector.  "He  was  producing  his  first  film, 
and  he  liked  what  we  were  doing — the  concept 
of  targeting  these  virtual  communities  that 
exist  on  the  web — and  he  was  already  familiar 


12    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


with  the  independent  economic  model  for  pro- 
ducing content,  which  was  a  lot  different  than 
the  people  I  had  talked  to  at  DreamWorks  and 
Sony,  where  it  costs  a  million 
dollars   to   turn   the   lights   on. 

Pierce  fixed  the  whole  problem  DEN  pldUS  tO  Create 
by  looking  at  it  from  a  fresh  per-  fl  ^  ^  ^  ^^ 
spective,  that  of  an  indie  rum 


tual  demographic  that  had  never  been  tapped 

into  before. 

"Programming  for  these  groups  of  people 
wasn't  going  to  be  on  cable 
or  broadcast,  because  the 
virtual  community  was  too 
small  for  larger  studios  to 
make  entertainment  product 


maker   who   could   produce   a      filmmakers  tO  Submit       that   would   be   profitable," 


original  docs,  short 


good  product  with  a  small  bud- 
get 

The  task  of  launching  30     fnms^  an^  animation 

original    pilots    simultaneously, 


however,  still  remains  a  daunt- 
ing one.  Though  DEN  is  pro- 
ducing some  of  its  own  shows 
entirely  in-house    (they  are  in 
the  process  of  acquiring  a  sound 
stage  and  expanding  from  60  to  160  employees 
within  the  next  few  months,  mostly  new  pro- 
duction people),  much  of  the  work  is 
currently  being  handled  by  outside 
independent  production  companies. 
DEN  has  already  acquired  one  Santa 
Monica-based    independent    produc- 
tion   company,    T-Bone    Films,    and 
plans   to  acquire  several  others,   in 
addition    to   working   directly   with 
independent  filmmakers  and  in  con- 
junction with  companies  like  Palm 
Pictures. 

"T-Bone  Films  is  a  perfect  example," 
says  Adam  Soloman,  DEN's  market- 
ing manager.  "They  did  all  of  our 
skateboarding  videos,  and  they  did  a 
couple  of  our  pilots.  They're  a  small, 
Gen-X  type  company  that  was  perfect 
for  DEN." 

But  there's  far  more  in  store  for 
indie  filmmakers,  according  to  Solo- 
man.  After  dealing  with  the  initial 
hysteria  of  getting  through  their  first 
season,  DEN  plans  to  create  a  link  on 
their  web  site  that  will  allow  filmmakers  to  sub- 
mit original  docs,  short  films,  and  animation 
electronically   for   possible   acquisition   and/or 
broadcast  on  DEN. 

"We're  hoping  to  do  a  Miramax  kind  of  thing 
where  we'll  package  and  distribute  independent 
work,"  Soloman  says. 

The  virtual  communities  DEN  is  hoping  to 
reach  were  at  the  core  of  why  Collins-Rector 
chose  to  start  a  network  in  the  first  place. 
(Collins-Rector,  who  is  gay,  says  he  has  felt 
alienated  from  mainstream  media  ever  since  he 
was  a  teenager.)  He  recalls  the  early  days  of 
Internet  chat  rooms  where  people  from  all  over 
the  world  with  common  interests  formed  a  vir- 


electronically  for 

possible  acquisition 

and/or  broadcast. 


Collins-Rector  says.  "Some- 
body had  to  come  in  and  do 
what  Channel  One  did  for 
schools,  which  is  intelligent- 
ly market  to  a  very  specific 
audience,  but  on  the  Inter- 
net," he  explains.  "That's 
what  we  wanted  to  do.  The 
big  idea  was,  if  you  were  gay, 
if  you  were  a  Hispanic  teenager,  if  you  were 
Asian,  chances  are  you  did  not  see  yourself 
reflected  in  the  popular  media.  If  you  were  into 
punk  rock,  you  didn't  see  your  songs  on  MTV 
or  VH1,  so  we  took  all  these  virtual  communi- 
ties who  were  being  ignored  by  the  media  and 
made  them  our  target  groups." 

The  few  pilots  DEN  has  previewed  thus  far 
are  indicative  of  this,  including  Chad's  World,  a 
series  about  a  14-year-old  facing  life  and  school 
as  a  gay  teenager,  and  Tales  from  the  East  Side,  a 
show  about  Hispanic  youths  growing  up  in  East 
L.A.  In  a  recent  test  run,  Chad's  World  received 
more  than  200,000  downloads  in  36  hours, 
which  gives  some  hint  as  to  the  viability  of 
Collins-Rector's  vision.  DEN's  programming 
will  range  from  serial  dramas  to  animation, 
short  films,  docu-dramas,  and  reality-based 
shows,  according  to  Soloman,  with  three  new 
episodes  premiering  per  week  and  a  complete 
archive  of  past  episodes.  The  technology 
required  for  viewing  is  nothing  more  than  your 
basic  28. 8K  or  higher  modem  and  Internet  con- 
nection, with  RealVideo  download. 

Considering  the  declining  audiences  and 
revenues  among  DEN's  target  age  group,  the 
12  to  25-year-olds  who  comprise  the  first 
Internet  generation,  as  well  as  rising  costs  of 
network  television  production,  DEN  may  be 
pioneering  not  only  what  you'll  see  on  the 
Internet,  but  what  ends  up  on  TV  as  well.  If  it 
proves  successful,  expect  TV  execs  to  pick  up 
cues  from  DEN,  just  as  they  did  with  the  now- 
ubiquitous  MTV  aesthetic. 

So  this  June,  tune  in,  turn  on,  and  DEN  out 
at  www.den.net,  where  you  can  witness  the 
impact  that  independent  film  is  having  on  the 
shaping  of  a  whole  new  medium. 

Chad  Campbell  is  a  New  York-based  freelance  writer. 


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June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


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37) 


Digital  Revolution,  Part  XIV 


by   Gesha-Marie   Bryant 


MIDST  THE  USUAL  HYPE  OF 
Sundance  came  two  announce- 
ments that  generated  some  real 
buzz  among  digital  video  (DV) 
directors:  the  launch  of  two  new 
DV  production  houses  that 
have  deep  roots  in  the  indepen- 
dent film  community,  Agenda 
2000  and  Blow  Up  Pictures. 
The  parent  companies  behind 


securing  theatrical  distribution  instead  of 
falling  into  the  abyss  of  unreleased  productions. 
New  York-based  Open  City,  co-founded  by 
producers  Jason  Kliot  and  Vicente  in  1993,  is  in 
a  prominent  position  in  the  independent  world 
after  their  success  producing  Tony  Bui's 
Sundance  hit  Three  Seasons.  Next  Wave  Films, 
a  project  of  the  Independent  Film  Channel,  has 
supplied  finishing  funds  and  acted  as  producer's 
rep  for  indie  films  since  1997.  Present  at  this 


Scorn*  from  "I  sola  let  I  Incidents" 

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these  pioneering  ventures,  Next  Wave  Films 
and  Open  City  Films  respectively,  have  taken  a 
leap  of  faith  based  in  part  on  the  success  of 
Thomas  Vinterberg's  Celebration,  hoping  to 
ensure  an  optimistic  future  tor  digital  film. 

"With  the  successful  release  of  Celebration 
and  The  Cruise,"  says  Open  City's  co-founder 
Joana  Vicente,  "cinema  audiences  have  con- 
vincingly demonstrated  that  challenging,  well- 
crafted  films  work  for  them,  whatever  format 
they  are  shot  on."  She  considers  the  films  to  be 
instant  market  research.  Next  Wave  Films' 
president  Peter  Broderick  goes  so  far  as  to 
praise  Celebration  as  "The  Birth  of  a  Naticm  of 
digital  film."  Although  the  box-office  figures  tor 
Celebration  and  Bennett  Miller's  quirky  docu- 
mentary The  Cruise  were  less  than  stellar,  they 
demonstrate  the  surmountability  of  the  greatest 
hurdle  for  any  indie  film,  digital  or  otherwise: 


year's  Sundance  to  represent  Christopher 
Nolan's  Following  and  Ron  Judkin's  The  Hi- 
Line,  Next  Wave  president  Peter  Broderick 
launched  Agenda  2000  with  a  presentation  of 
professional  DV  films  that  has  been  touring  the 
festival  circuit,  including  Rotterdam,  Edin- 
burgh, and  Toronto.  Given  Next  Wave's  histo- 
ry as  an  online  digital  resource  guide  and  its 
overall  goal  to  "strategically  leverage  its 
resources  to  create  new  production  and  distrib- 
ution possibilities  .  .  .  and  help  stimulate  the 
further  refinement  of  digital  video  equipment 
for  feature  filmmaking,"  Agenda  2000  positions 
itself  as  outreach  resource.  Although  both  pro- 
grams officially  maintain  an  open  submission 
policy,  Agenda  2000  has  focused  its  interest  on 
"exceptionally  talented  filmmakers  who  have 
already  established  themselves  with  prior  fea- 
ture work"  partially  due  to  the  absence  of  a 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT    June  1999 


development 
department 
at  the  com- 
pany. 

Blow  Up 
director 
S  h  a  r  a  n 
Sklar,  former 

market  director  at  the  Independent  Feature 
Project,  honors  the  director-driven  mandate  of 
parent  company  Open  City,  exemplified  by  the 
promise  of  final  cut.  Blow  Up's  mandate  states 
that  it  is  "looking  for  visionary  filmmakers  who 
want  to  take  advantage  of  the  creative  possibil- 
ities of  DV  and  make  films  outside  the  conven- 
tional production  structure." 

With  flexible  participation  ranging  from 
executive  to  line  producers,  Blow  Up's  goal  of 
producing  six  features  a  year  (four  fiction  and 
two  documentary)  with  budgets  ranging  from 
$50,000-$3  million  is  already  underway  with  a 
three -film  production  slate.  The  first,  Chuck  & 
Buck,  currently  in  production  with  director 
Miguel  Arteta  (Star  Maps),  is  a  melange  of  Pee 
Wee  Herman  and  John  Cassavetes.  The 
Pornographer,  A  Love  Story  by  writer/director 
Alan  Wade  (Julian  Po),  which  explores  a  direc- 
tor's obsession  with  a  hired  actress,  is  in  pre- 
production,  while  1998  Independent  Spirit 
Award  winner  Scott  Saunders  is  polishing  the 
script  for  Lyrical  Deviance,  about  an  idiosyn- 
cratic high  school  teacher's  relationship  with 
his  troubled  students. 

When  asked  how  their  agendas  fit  into  the 
overall  digital  landscape,  both  Sklar  and 
Broderick  identified  the  differences  between 
their  ventures  and  conventional  production 
companies,  stemming  mainly  from  the  nature 
of  DV's  technological,  politico-economic,  and 
aesthetic  variables.  Although  Broderick  points 
out  that  "Next  Wave  Films  is  uniquely  posi- 
tioned to  finance  DV  features,  given  our  allies, 
resources,  and  the  DV  expertise  of  my  col- 
leagues," the  strategic  distinction  between  a 
full-fledged  production  company  and  a  finish- 
ing funds  provider  (acting  as  a  production 
wing)  in  such  a  nascent  venture  remains  to  be 
seen.  But  the  bottom-line  remains  the  same.  As 
Blow  Up  Pictures  key  investor  Chuck  Rusbasan 
explains  in  business  terms,  "DV  technology 
turns  the  risk/reward  ratio  of  independent  film 
financing  upside  down."  This  simple  recogni- 
tion could  make  the  difference  in  the  fate  of 
your  next  production. 

Gesha-Marie  Bryant  is  an  editorial  intern  at  The 
Independent. 


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June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      15 


,^-LJS  ylL 


ART  OF  THE  NEW 

Montreal  International  Festival  of  Films  on  Art 


y   Nadine   Covert 


Michael  Apted's 
Inspirations, 
with  pop  art  legend 
Roy  Lichtenstein, 
was  highlighted  at 
FIFA. 


The  arts  are  thriving  north  of  the  border, 
and  the  annual  Montreal  International  Festival 
of  Films  on  Art  (FIFA)  brings  them  all  togeth- 
er on  film:  not  only  painting,  sculpture,  photog- 
raphy, and  architecture,  hut  also  music,  dance, 
theater,  literature,  and  cinema  itself.  The  only 
event  of  its  kind  in  North  America,  the  FIFA 
showcased  150  films  and  videos  from  25  coun- 
tries for  its  17th  edition,  held  March  9-14. 
Launched  in  1982,  the  FIFA  is  the  brainchild  of 
its  energetic  founding  director,  Rene  Rozon,  a 
dedicated  crusader  for  films  about  art  who  has 
nurtured  this  exceptional  event  and  seen  it 
grow  into  the  most  influential  of  the  interna- 
tional arts  film  festivals. 

From  50  films  viewed  by  some  2,500  specta- 
tors the  first  year,  the  festival  has  tripled  the 
number  of  selections,  which  screened  in  six 
venues  to  audiences  numbering  between 
10,000  and  15,000.  FIFA  receives  strong  sup- 
port from  the  local  cultural  community,  as  evi- 
denced by  the  venues:  the  Museum  of  Fine 
Arts,  the  Cinematheque  Quebecoise,  the 
Canadian  Centre  for  Architecture,  the 
National  Film  Board  Cinema,  the  Museum  of 
Contemporary  Art,  and  the  Goethe  Institute. 
Immediately  following  the  festival,  the  award- 
winning  films  go  on  tour  to  other  Canadian 
cities  and,  in  past  years,  have  been  shown  inter- 


nationally in  Paris,  Helsinki,  Washington,  DC, 
and  New  York. 

Originally  the  festival  focused  on  the  visual 
arts,  but  later  editions  have  included  an 
increasing  number  of  programs  on  performing 
and  literary  arts — and  more  works  shot  on 
video  than  on  film.  According  to  Rozon,  this 
reflects  the  current  nature  of  productions  on 
the  arts  as  well  as  an  effort  to  reach  a  wider 
audience.  The  festival  program  is  divided  into 
six  categories:  Creative  Crossroads,  the  official 
competition,  judged  by  an  international  jury 
that  awards  nine  prizes;  Trajectories,  a  panora- 
ma of  recent  films;  Focus,  a  tribute  to  a  film- 
maker; Reflections,  films  made  by  artists  who 
also  work  in  other  media;  Artificial  Paradise, 
behind-the-scenes  visits  and  profiles  of  film 
directors  and  actors;  and  Time  Recaptured, 
films  celebrating  memories  and  anniversaries. 

The  majority  of  entries  come  from  Canada, 
France,  and  Britain,  with  a  strong  U.S.  and 
German  showing.  Highlighted  works  this  year 
included  Michael  Apted's  Inspirations,  which 
explores  the  creative  process  through  conversa- 
tions with  seven  artists:  musician  David  Bowie, 
architect  Tadao  Ando,  choreographer  Edouard 
Lock,  dancer  Louise  Lecavalier,  painter  Roy 
Lichtenstein,  sculptor  Nora  Naranjo-Morse, 
and  glass  artist  Dale  Chihuly.  It  was  paired  with 


the  short  Papillons  de  Nuit  (Night  Butterflies)  by 
Belgian  animator  Raoul  Servais,  a  haunting 
nocturnal  fantasy  inspired  by  the  paintings  of 
Paul  Delvaux.  New  York  filmmaker  Peter 
Rosen's  The  Museum  on  the  Mountain — a  stun- 
ning document  of  the  building  of  the  Miho 
Museum  in  Japan,  designed  by  architect  I.  M. 
Pei — was  honored  as  the  focal  point  of  a  fund- 
raising  event  in  support  of  the  festival  and  as 
the  closing  night  feature. 

For  filmmakers  who  make  projects  on  the 
arts,  Montreal's  FIFA  is  a  must — an  opportuni- 
ty to  interact  with  other  "commandos  in  this 
great  cultural  resistance  event,"  in  the  words  of 
Scottish  filmmaker  Murray  Grigor,  who 
received  this  year's  filmmaker  tribute.  Many  of 
the  filmmakers  are  present  to  introduce  their 
work  and  meet  their  peers.  Exhibitors,  produc- 
ers, and  a  few  distributors  also  attend,  includ- 
ing representatives  from  European  museums 
and  other  arts-related  international  film/video 
festivals.  And  FIFA  makes  sure  there  are  plen- 
ty of  networking  opportunities.  In  addition  to 
the  opening  night  reception,  the  festival  spon- 
sors a  cocktail  reception  honoring  filmmakers 
on  Friday  afternoon  and  a  closing  night  post- 
awards  reception,  followed  by  a  leisurely  sit- 
down  dinner  at  a  local  restaurant  for  filmmak- 
ers and  other  invited  guests  who  are  still  in 
town  on  Sunday  evening.  Furthermore,  screen- 
ings for  press  and  jury  are  open  to  filmmakers, 
professionals,  and  other  accredited  guests  and 
offer  the  best  chance  to  make  contacts,  engage 
in  debates  about  films,  and  find  luncheon  com- 
panions; the  festival  publicist  provides  a  list  of 
who's  attending. 

The  festival  receives  extensive  coverage  in 
both  the  French-  and  English-language 
Canadian  press.  Perhaps  more  useful  in  the 
long  run  is  the  festival's  attractive  and  substan- 
tive catalog,  which  includes  a  bilingual  illus- 
trated description  of  each  film  with  a  bio  of  the 
filmmaker,  comprehensive  indexes,  and — most 
importantly — a  list  of  distributor  addresses  and 
telephone  numbers. 

The  six  screening  venues  are  scattered 
throughout  the  city  but  are  easily  accessible  by 
bus  or  subway.  Productions  selected  for  the  fes- 
tival are  shown  in  good  screening  conditions  to 
full  houses  of  informed,  perceptive  spectators. 
What  better  way  to  spend  a  chilly  six  days  in 
Montreal  than  in  the  comfort  of  a  dark  theater 
filled  with  beautiful  images  and  stimulating 
ideas! 

Nadine  Covert,  formerly  executive  director  of  the 

Program  for  Art  on  Film,  is  a  researcher  and 

media  consultant  who  has  attended 

the  Montreal  FIFA  since  1985. 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT    June  1999 


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Call  for  Entries 

MediaOne 
22  nd  Denver 
International 
Film  Ptestival 


October  7-14,  1999 

SUBMISSION  DEADLINE: 
July  16,  1999 

Shorts  •  Features 
Documentaries 

35mm  •  I6mm  •  video 
•  The  STARZ!  Cinema  Award 

Cash  Prize  &  National  Cable  TV  Schedule 
Presented  to  Best  Independent  Film  Without 

U.S.  Distribution.  Feature-length  fiction 

and  documentary  films  are  eligible  for  this 

prestigious  juried  award. 

•  Encore  People's  Choice  Award 

For  Best  Feature-length  Fiction  &  Documentary 

•  John  Cassavetes  Award 

For  Achievement  in  Independent  Filmmaking 

•  Krzysztof  Kieslowski  Award 

For  Best  European  Film 


Inquiries  to: 
Denver  Film  Society 
1430  Larimer  Square 
Suite  201 

Denver,  CO  80202 
303.595.3456 
FAX  303.595.0956 
dfs@denverfilm.org 
wvvw.denverf  ilm.org 


DENVER 

FILM 

SOCIETY 


LONE  STAR  STATE  OF  FILM 

1 999  South  by  Southwest  Film  Conference 


The  area  around  the  registration  booth  had  the  air  of  a 
reunion,  demonstrating  that  the  South  by  Southwest  Film 
Conference  &  Festival  has  relaxed  into  its  stride  and 
become  an  institution.  "This  is  a  mature  festival," 
explains  SXSW  Film  executive  producer  Nancy  Schafer. 
"Staff  and  volunteers  have  worked  the  festival  for  years. 
Registrants  are  returning  and  showing  new  participants 
the  ropes." 

Who  wouldn't  want  to  return  to  Austin,  Texas  in  March7 
Spring  has  arrived,  bluebonnets  are  blooming,  and 
30,000  students  take  off  on  spring  break  leaving  the  town 
open  for  legions  of  festival  goers.  Three  conferences — 
SXSW  Film,  SXSW  Interactive,  and  SXSW  Music— two 
trade  shows,  and  three  festivals  are  intricately  interlaced 
during  this  precious  week. 

The  congenial  atmosphere  carried  over  to  the  com- 
bined film/interactive  trade  show,  which  seemed  to  be 
"the"  place  to  hang  out.  Between  the  colorful  SAG  Club 
House,  Panavision's  "camera  petting  zoo,"  the  Hollywood 
Stock  Exchange  trading  pit,  the  Independent  Film 
Channel's  l-chat  webcasts  from  their  impromptu  bar 
area,  robot  walks,  film  installations,  celebrity  sightings, 
and  ample  opportunity  for  hands-on  experience  ranging 
from  high-end  editing  systems  to  video  games,  the  trade 
show  area  offered  enough  diversion  to  make  festival- 
goers  lose  track  of  conference  events  taking  place  upstairs. 

This  year's  four-day  conference  line-up  offered  regis- 
trants over  50  panels,  meetings,  and  case  studies  to 
choose  from.  As  in  past  years,  topics  covered  issues 
ranging  from  funding  to  exhibition,  focusing  primarily  on 
narrative  features,  with  a  healthy  dose  of  attention  for 
documentaries  and  a  nod  to  shorts,  experimental,  and 
other  forms.  Some  participants  remarked  that  the  festi- 
val, in  trying  to  cater  to  every  independent  filmmaker, 
doesn't  thoroughly  address  the  concerns  of  individual 
makers  working  at  various  specific  levels.  Additionally, 
the  number  of  panels  covering  similar  topics  often  caus- 
es attendees  to  feel  a  sense  of  deja  vu  as  panels  repeat 
the  same  broad  perspectives  and  information.  "It  kept 


by   Elizabeth   Peters 

coming  back  to  the  same  thing,  making  me  want  to  see  a 
workshop  called,  'Not  About  Money,'  "  said  filmmaker 
Luke  Savisky,  who  presented  a  film  installation  at  the 
Trade  Show.  "There  is  so  much  potential  for  other  discus- 
sion." 

"We  came  to  the  same  realization  after  this  year's 
conference,"  responds  Schafer,  adding  that  next  year's 
event  will  see  panels  moving  from  the  general  to  the  spe- 
cific, with  a  focus  on  clusters  of  panel  offerings  appropri- 
ate to  specifc  segments  of  conference  participants.  "Also, 
next  year  we  are  going  to  expand  our  hands-on  opportu- 
nities." 

Discussion  of  digital  video  threaded  through  many  of 
the  panel  presentations.  Another  discussion,  with  less 
positive  overtones,  was  the  paucity  of  distribution  oppor- 
tunities available  to  independent  makers.  Variety's 
Emmanuel  Levy  termed  the  current  situation  the  "cata- 
strope  of  success,"  and  panelists  seemed  to  agree  that 
without  a  radical  alteration  of  the  paradigm  the  situation 
will  only  get  worse.  In  a  market  where  studio  films  plun- 
der the  innovations  of  independent  artists  while  emerging 
independents  cannibalize  each  others'  stories,  there  is 
less  and  less  distinction  between  Hollywood  and  inde- 
pendent product.  Meanwhile,  more  and  more  films  are 
competing  for  access  to  the  finite  number  of  exhibition 
screens.  On  panel  after  panel,  theater  owners,  distribu- 
tion agents,  video  distributors,  and  foreign  sales  agents 
repeated  the  mantra  that  in  order  to  minimize  risk,  they 
have  to  play  the  "name  game,"  exploiting  name  actors  or 
directors  or  "hooks"  that  will  garner  column  inches,  to  bring 
in  even  a  modest  audience. 

Exhibitor  Scott  Dinger,  who  recently  sold  Austin's 
Dobie  Theater  (incubator  of  Slacker,  Hands  on  a 
Hardbody,  and  many  other  modestly  successful  indepen- 
dent films),  expects  to  see  a  point  where  studios,  realiz- 
ing their  revenue  expectations  had  been  inflated,  back  out 
of  the  independent  arena.  "Entrepreneurs  who  can  iden- 
tify smaller  markets  and  are  set  up  to  pursue  smaller 
grosses  will  move  onto  the  playing  field." 

Meanwhile,  make  way  for  a  new  catastrophe  of  suc- 
cess: the  megaplexing  of  America  has  sparked  a  revital- 
ized interest  in  alternative  exhibition  spaces,  and  film- 
makers tired  of  seeing  the  same  old  story  are  harnessing 
new  methods  of  grassroots  marketing  to  bring  their 
"garage  cinema"  to  audiences.  "Not  About  Money"  could 
indeed  become  a  new  mantra,  as  filmmakers  and  audi- 
ences rediscover  ways  to  celebrate  independence  for  its    j 
own  sake,  rather  than  in  opposition  to  or  in  the  shadow  of   j 
Hollywood.  Sounds  like  we'll  have  lots  to  discuss  at  next   ! 
years'  reunion! 

Elizabeth  Peters  is  executive  director  ofAIVF. 


18    THE    INDEPENDENT    June 


CONDUIT  GOT  GAME 


$5,500,000 
FOR  FILMMAKERS 


Attending  any  of 
Conduit.3's  events 
felt  something  akin  to 
sneaking  into  a  dingy 
punk  rock  club  in  the 
early  eighties — you 
knew  something  was 
happening,  some- 
thing new  and  weird 
and  potentially  cul- 
ture-altering, but  you 
didn't  know  exactly 
what  it  was.  Indeed, 

festival  co-producer  Katie  Salen  describes  the  digital  film 
and  gaming  festival  held  in  Austin,  Texas  last  March 
14-15  as  "a  punk  rock  operation"  with  digital  technology 
as  "the  tie  that  binds,  blurs,  and  rotates." 

Co-produced  by  graphic  designer  Ben  Davis  and  guer- 
rilla filmmaker  Tommy  Pallotta,  Conduit.3  ran  concurrent- 
ly with  the  SXSW  Film  Festival,  though  many  eschewed 
what  they  saw  as  "the  old  wave"  and  headed  straight  for 
Conduit,  where  programming  included  features,  shorts, 
gaming  cinematics,  and  experimental  ambient.  In  its  third 
year,  the  festival  has  grown  significantly,  this  year  pre- 
miering  14  projects,  including  the  Oscar-winning  short 
Bunny  and  Sundance  selections  The  Item  and  Lars  1-10. 

Born  out  of  new  digital  technologies  that  make  film- 
making possible  for  diverse  but  not  necessarily  financial- 
ly endowed  artists,  Conduit.3  saw  fit  to  display  now- 
ancient  arcade  games  and  cinematics  alongside  their 
spawn.  Chip  Mosher,  festival  participant  and  director  of 
the  short  Operation  Headshots,  commented,  "The  arrival 
of  the  digital  era,  in  which  film  can  be  reprocessed  on  the 
computer  or  shot  on  the  new  consumer-level  digital  cam- 
eras, makes  possible  for  the  average  person  what  was 
completely  impossible  only  a  few  years  ago." 

Mosher's  short,  alleged  CIA  surveillance  footage  that 
follows  the  trials  and  tribulations  of  the  JFK  conspiracy 
community,  was  shot  in  1993  on  Hi-8,  but  Mosher  was 
sure  that  the  resulting  product  was  completely  unusable. 
"The  color  didn't  balance  correctly  and  I  shelved  it,"  he 
said  after  the  film  was  shown  at  Conduit.  "Five  years 
later,  though,  I  discovered  a  digital  filter  called  Cinelook, 
reprocessed  my  footage,  and  it  came  out  looking  like  it 
was  found  in  a  dumpster.  The  concept  for  marketing  my 
short  as  'found  surveillance  footage'  flowed  out  of  that." 
Mosher  adds,  "Conduit  clearly  reflects  the  cutting  edge  of 
independent  filmmaking  when  it  comes  to  content,  pro- 
duction, and  distribution." 

Notable  feature  films  included  Designer  Donuts:  5 
a.m.,  Sharon  Hall's  irreverent  look  at  armed  robbery- 
meets-romance  which  was  shot  on  digiBeta  using  tradi- 
tional live  action,  transferred  to  35mm,  and  then  trans- 


by   Kim   Krizan 

ferred  back  to 
digiBeta  for  presenta- 
tion at  Conduit.  Ther- 
esa Duncan's  The 
History  of  Glamour, 
the  quirky  tale  of  a  girl 
who  becomes  im- 
mersed in  the  surreal 
world  of  fame,  fea- 
tures songs  by  the 
original  members  of 
Fugazi  and  Bikini  Kill 
and  was  produced 
entirely  with  hardware  available  on  most  desktop  com- 
puters. 

Shorts  included  Lars  from  1-10,  Sophie  Fiennes'  doc- 
umentary on  the  Danish  director  Lars  von  Trier,  beautiful- 
ly shot  with  a  Sony  Digital  Handycam  and  a  radio  mic,  as 
well  as  Paul  White's  stunning  Bjork,  The  Hunter,  a  music 
video  in  which  animation  crawls  across  Bjork's  already 
fantastic  face,  morphing  her  into  what  appears  to  be  a 
polar  bear.  Sam  Hurt  and  Chan  Chandler  used  Adobe 
AfterEffects  to  animate  Hurt's  comic  Pup  Fiction,  a  hilar- 
ious homage  to  Pulp  Fiction,  into  a  one-minute  short 
called  Canine  Royale. 

The  big  question  is  whether  the  content  of  selections 
presented  at  Conduit  can  keep  up  with  the  breathtaking 
new  technologies.  Replete  with  apocalyptic  visions,  tired 
ironies,  and  nihilism,  much  of  the  respective  messages  of 
works  presented  seemed  like  adolescent  nonsense.  For 
example,  while  Bingo  was  gorgeously  animated  using 
MAYA  on  Windows  NT  and  SGI  systems,  the  story,  what 
little  there  was,  sent  me  reaching  for  the  Xanax.  Likewise, 
Csoda  Pok  (Wonder  Spider),  a  series  of  "experiments" 
using  light  patterns  and  television  scan  frequencies, 
made  me  want  to  put  my  head  in  an  oven.  As  for  Daisuki 
Me,  by  Wiggle,  a  music  video  created  using  Photoshop, 
what  the  hell  is  up  with  the  projectile  nipples7  Was  some- 
one left  too  long  at  daycare? 

The  producers  of  Conduit  insist  that  they  will  help 
"end  the  indentured  servitude  to  film  and  traditional  dis- 
tribution" and  encourage  everyone  to  join  in  the 
Thanatopic  dispersion,  proclaiming,  "The  more  people 
who  make  films,  the  better."  Like  a  certain  movement  in 
the  music  industry  a  couple  decades  ago,  this  technolog- 
ical revolution  is  capable  of  turning  us  all  into  budding 
artists,  eating  ourselves  alive,  and  displaying  the  result- 
ing carnage  at  Conduit. 

Kim  Krizan  co-wrote  Before  Sunrise  with  Richard  Linklater,  and 
her  script  Mata  is  to  be  directed  by  Bronwen  Hughes  (Forces  of 
Nature/  She  also  wrote  dialogue  and  backstory  for  Origin's 
Ultima  Ascension  and  Ultima  Online  2  computer  games. 


Actors '  Cr]f)  - 

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June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       19 


.)  u. 


0 


Where  the  Girls  Are 

Chick  Flicks:  Theories 
and  Memories  of  the 
Feminist  Film  Move- 
ment, by  B.  Ruby  Rich 
(Duke  Univ.  Press, 
Durham  1998;  419  pp, 
$18.95) 

For  those  who've 
|  been  closely  guarding 
their  dog-eared  copies 
of  feminist  critic  Ruby 
Rich's  articles,  this  collection  is  a  long-awaited 
gift.  It  is  also  an  attempt  to  get  one  generation's 
experience  into  the  intellectual  backpacks  of 
the  next.  Included  are  22  pieces,  some  of  them 
well-known  (one,  in  fact,  is  a  question  in  the 
lesbian  version  of  Trivial  Pursuit!)  and  some 
never  before  published.  Rich  has  framed  each 
with  mini-memoirs  that  explain  the  stakes,  the 
personalities,  and  the  moment  that  sparked  the 
essay's  creation. 

Such  a  context  is  welcome  and  sometimes 
needed  to  get  the  nuances.  These  essays  are  all 
products  of  a  passionate  personal  commitment 
by  a  critic  and  scholar.  Rich's  work  does  not 
have  the  jargon-ridden  quality  of  much  acade- 
mic writing.  Nor  is  it  confined  to  the 
Procrustean  bed  of  consumer  reviewing,  where 
a  jaunty  tone  and  a  thumbs-up  or  thumbs- 
down  rating  are  shorthand  for  arguments. 

Instead,  each  essay  in  this  collection,  which 
spans  the  period  1974-1986,  comes  out  of 
three  overlapping  gestalts:  the  fiercely  democ- 
ratizing and  politicizing  impulses  unleashed  in 
the  sixties;  the  creative  milieu  of  avant-garde 
and  art  film;  and  feminism,  increasingly  that  of 
lesbian  feminism.  Each  essay  asserts,  among 
other  things,  the  importance  of  the  role  of  the 
critic  to  film  culture.  Her  close-to-cult-object 
essay,  "In  the  Name  of  Feminist  Film 
Criticism,"  written  and  rewritten  between  1978 
and  1991,  argues  that  the  vital  if  sprawling  fem- 
inist filmmaking  phenomenon  needs  naming — 
categories,  typologies,  organizing  concepts — to 
continue  to  develop  creatively.  The  critic 
allows  audience  and  filmmaker  alike  to  see  the 
work  for  what  it  is  and  can  be.  Her  specific 
names  for  categories — including  my  favorite, 
"projectile",  for  male  fantasies  of  women — are 
less  important  than  her  larger  project  of  nam- 
ing. 

This  she  does  in  many  other  essays,  which 
range  from  film  reviews  (Thriller,  Smooth  Talk) 
to  consideration  of  an  artist's  career  (Yvonne 
Rainer,  Sara  Gomez)  to  celebrity  profile  (Julie 
Christie)  to  Big  Issues  (pornography,  the  link 


between  art  and  social  change). 

Don't  expect  much  coverage  of  popcorn 
movies.  And  do  expect  to  be  challenged  to 
think.  It's  possible  to  dislike  the  films  she  dis- 
cusses with  enthusiasm — I  often  did — while 
finding  her  argument  illuminating. 

Rich  writes  with  an  elegance  whose  accents 
range  from  the  somber  to  the  sassy.  Her  mem- 
oir segments  are  both  purposeful  and  intimate. 
They  are  told  with  a  healthy  affection  for  her 
younger  self  and  cohort,  at  a  time  when  every- 
thing seemed  both  possible  and  at  stake.  Some 
anecdotes — parties  held  on  loft  elevators, 
musical  beds  at  conferences,  romances  begun 
and  ended — are  cinematic  images  themselves. 

Rich  wants  the  reader  to  see  the  memoir  sec- 
tions as  part  of  her  goal  of  naming.  She  also 
wants  her  work  to  be  relevant  to  future  pro- 
jects. She  notes  that  women  filmmakers  have 
increasingly  turned  away  from  shorts  and  docu- 
mentaries, as  video  has  cruelly  cut  into  the 
profitability  of  the  educational  film  market  and 
as  government  arts  subsidies  have  shrunk.  At 
the  same  time,  however,  she  spies  similar  ener- 
gies in  music  and  filmmaking  among  "queer" 
and  "postcolonial"  artistic  communities.  These 
communities  now  occupy  the  frontier  areas 
where,  as  a  seventies  feminist,  Rich  grew  up 
intellectually  and  hold  for  her  the  same  promise 
of  challenge  to  the  status  quo. 

Pat  Aufderheide 

Pat  Aufderheide  is  a  professor  in  the  School  of 

Communication  at  American  University  in 

Washington,  D.C. 

Salesmanship  101 

Mofie  Marketing:  Opening  the 
Picture  and  Giving  it  Legs,  by  Tiiu 
Lukk  (Silman-James  Press,  Los 
Angeles  1997;  274  pp,  $19.95) 


Tiiu  Lukk's  Movie  Marketing.- 
Opening  the  Picture  and  Giving  it 
Legs  is  largely  focused  on  indepen- 
dent film.  Of  its  1 1  chapters,  five 
trace  the  release  of  specialty  films 
like  Four  Weddings  and  a  Funeral, 
Pulp  Fiction,  The  Brothers 
McMullen,  Hoop  Dreams,  Welcome  to  the 
Dollhouse,  Howards  End,  Crumb,  and  Brother's 
Keeper,  as  well  as  chapters  on  black-themed 
films,  trailers,  merchandising,  and  promotions. 
In  order  to  make  it  as  entertaining  as  possi- 
ble, Lukk  has  structured  the  book  as  a  series  of 
case  histories,  telling  the  stories  of  the  various 
marketing  campaigns  in  the  words  of  the  peo- 
ple involved.  This  anecdotal  approach  makes  it 
more  immediate  than  other  texts  on  marketing, 


but  it  also  has  its  drawbacks.  If  definitions  are 
given  by  example  or  by  quotation,  we  often  are 
left  not  knowing  exactly  what  marketing  terms 
like  "positioning"  really  mean.  Lukk  quotes  an 
advertising  book:  "Positioning  is  what  you  do  to 
the  mind  of  the  prospect.  That  is,  you  position 
the  product  in  the  mind  of  the  prospect."  Huh? 
Gramercy's  Steven  Flynn's  positioning  of  Four 
Weddings  and  a  Funeral  ("two  people  who 
belong  together  but  may  never  be")  and  David 
Dinerstein's  of  Pulp  Fiction  ("an  outrageous  film 
that  was  a  comedy  .  .  .  that  had  Quentin's  sig- 
nature on  it")  don't  by  themselves  explain  what 
positioning  means. 

Another  problem  withcase  histories  is  that 
marketing  mavens  have  a  tendency  to — sur- 
prise!— talk  about  their  grand  successes  rather 
than  their  flops.  Lukk  shows  us  impressive  lists 
of  the  publicity  generated  for  the  hit  films  she 
discusses,  but  films  that  fail  at  the  box  office 
(like  Beloved)  often  boast  equally  spectacular 
publicity  campaigns.  And  how  do  you  know 
that  a  film  that  grossed  $10  million  for  compa- 
ny A  (and  is  considered  a  huge  hit)  might  not 
have  grossed  $30  million  for  company  B? 

Aside  from  her  interviewees,  Lukk  seesm  to 
rely  a  little  too  much  on  the  expertise  of  enter- 
tainment attorney  Mark  Litwak.  In  addition  to 
writing  the  book's  foreword,  he  is  quoted 
numerous  times  within  its  text,  contributes  a 
seven-page  essay  at  the  center  of  the  book,  and 
is  blurbed  on  the  back  cover.  For  example,  dis- 
cussing film  festivals,  Litwak  says,  "[F]or  inde- 
pendent filmmakers  with  feature-length  films, 
the  best  festivals  are  Sundance,  Hamptons, 
New  York,  Mill  Valley,  Seattle,  and  Telluride  .  . 
.  .  The  top  Canadian  festival  is  Toronto, 
although  Vancouver  and  Montreal  are  impor- 
tant as  well."  It  seems  unhelpful  to 
bury  Toronto  in  such  a  long  list,  as 
most  would  agree  that  it  and 
Sundance  are  the  two  most  impor- 
tant North  American  festivals. 

In  fairness  to  Lukk,  she  is  quite 
clear  in  her  introduction  that  the 
book  is  "incomplete,  because  it  is  a 
series  of  snapshots  of  a  process  that 
involves  many  people  and  many 
forces."  And  despite  my  criticisms, 
this  book  is  extremely  useful  and 
sheds  much  needed  light  on  the  mysterious 
work  that  distributors  do,  and  it  pays  tribute  to 
the  efforts  of  people  like  Michael  Barker,  Tom 
Bernard,  David  Dinerstein,  Mark  Gill,  Steven 
Flynn,  Ira  Deutchman,  Liz  Manne,  and  others 
to  get  the  butts  in  the  seats. 

Reid  Rosefelt 

Reid  Rosefelt  is  president  of  the  Gotham-based 

film  PR.  firm  Magic  Lantern,  Inc. 


00* 

■at/" 


20     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


c 


by   Paul   Power 


In  today's  film  market,  there's  no  time  for  slow 

builds.  With  this  in  mind,  "On  View"  offers 

shameless  plugs  for  current  releases  and 

national  broadcasts  of  independent  work  in 

the  hope  that  you'll  support  them.  Who  knows; 

maybe  they'll  do  the  same  for  you  someday. 


THEATRICAL 

Desert  Blue  (Goldwyn)  (Opens  June  4) 
Morgan  J.  Freeman's  follow-up  to  Hurricane 
Streets  has  a  fine  cast  of  Brendan  Sexton, 
Christina  Ricci,  Kate  Hudson,  Casey  Affleck, 
and  John  Heard.  In  this  coming-of-age  meets 
conspiracy  theory  tale,  Blue  (Sexton)  keeps 
open  a  showground  attraction  in  a  small 
California  town  notable  only  for  being  the  site 
of  the  world's  largest  ice-cream  cone.  Skye 
(Hudson)  and  her  father  (Heard)  get  stuck  in 
town  when  FBI  agents  seal  it  off  due  to  a 
chemical  spill  just  outside,  and  icy  relation- 
ships unfreeze  over  the  course  of  the 
sealing-off.  Ricci's  a  delight  as  Ely,  the 
rebellious  arsonist,  Sexton  simmers 
throughout,  and  the  film's  treatment 
of  teen  relationships  is  both  realistic  and 
moving. 

Return  with  Honor  (Ocean 
Releasing)  (Opens  June  18)  Frieda 
Lee  Mock's  award-winning  documen- 
tary is  an  engaging  examination  of  the 
fate  of  returned  U.S.  POWs  from 
Vietnam.  Interviewees  include 
Senator  John  McCain,  Congressman  Sam 
Johnson,  and  Jim  Stockdale,  while  the  startling- 
ly  powerful  footage  makes  this  doc  stand  out 
from  conventional  war  tales.  The  accounts,  all 
told  from  the  American  side  by  the  ex-POWs 
themselves — many  of  whom  were  former 
inmates  in  North  Vietnam's  "Hanoi  Hilton" 
prison — are  chilling,  heartbreaking,  and  vivid. 

trick  (Fine  Line)  (Opens  July  23)  Jim  Fall's 
delightful  debut  is  a  romantic  comedy  of  errors 
occurring  over  the  course  of  24  hours,  as 
would-be  lovers  Gabriel,  a  composer,  and  go- 
go  boy  Mark  (an  impressive  pairing  of 
Christian  Campbell  and  John  Paul  Pitoc)  try  to 
consummate  their  relationship.  Film  is  full  of 
revelations  both  catty  and  poignant,  and  pep- 
pered with  hilarious  moments  in  the  company 
of  a  fine  supporting  cast  that  includes  Tori 
Spelling,  Steve  Hayes,  and  the  incomparable 
Miss  CoCo  Peru. 


£J±J 


Eternity  and  a  Day  (Merchant  Ivory 
Productions)  (Opens  May  28)  In  Theo 
Angelopolous'  1998  Cannes-winner  Bruno 
Ganz  plays  Alexander,  a  poet  on  the  verge  of  a 
nervous  breakdown  who  is  literally  stuck  for 
words.  When  he  encounters  an  Albanian  boy 
(underplayed  beautifully  by  youngster  Achileas 
Skevis)  who  is  being  sold  through  the  black 
market  and  briefly  saves  him  from  a  murky  fate, 
Alexander  is  able  to  revisit  his  past  and  come 
to  terms  with  his  present. 

Run  Lola  Run  (Sony  Pictures  Classics) 
(Opens  June  18)  The  hit  of  Toronto, 
Sundance,  New  Directors,  and  basically  any- 
where else  it's  played  on  the  festival  circuit, 
Tom  Tykwer's  smartly  constructed  film  covers  a 
mere  20  minutes  in  real  time,  thrice  re -wound 
with  different  outcomes,  as  Lola  (Franka 
Potente)  races  against  the  clock  to  raise  a  bun- 
dle of  cash  to  save  her  boyfriend  from  the  hand 
of  drug  thugs. 

TELEVISION 

After  Stonewall:  From  the  Riots  to  the 
Millennium  (PBS  Weds.  June  23,  9-10:30  pm) 


From  Frieda  Lee  Mock's 
Return  with  Honor. 


r* 


In  celebration  of  Gay  and  Lesbian  History 
Month  on  PBS,  John  Scagliotti,  Janet  Baus, 
and  Dan  Hunt's  sequel  to  1986's  Before 
Stonewall  (which  also  airs  on  PBS  this  month) 
chronicles  the  history  of  lesbian  and  gay  life 
from  the  riots  30  years  ago  at  Greenwich 
Village's  Stonewall  bar  to  the  end  of  the  century. 

P.O.V.'s  summer  season  kicks  off  in  June  on 
PBS,  Tuesdays  at  10  p.m.  This  month  check 
out  the  following  four  documentaries: 
The  Legacy:  Murder  &  Media,  Politics  & 
Prisons,  June  1  (dir:  Michael  J.  Moore); 
Golden  Threads,  June  8  (dirs:  Lucy  Weiner, 
Karen  Eaton);  In  My  Corner,  June  22  (dir: 
Ricki  Stern);  The  Green  Monster,  June  29 
(dirs:  David  Finn,  David  Hess,  A.C.  Weary) 

PO.V's  12th  season  runs  through  July  27. 
Full  details  from:  www.pbs.org/pov  The  series 
will  again  be  accepting  comments  &  video  letters. 


Avid  Non-Linear  Editing,  available  in 
both  PAL  &  NTSC  for: 
Short  Films/Documentaries/ 
Music  Videos  &  Commercials 

1  Demo  Reels 

Post  Production 


Video  Tape  Transfers  in  all  formats. 
including:  DV  Cam  &  DVC  Pro 

International  Standards  Conversion, 
PAL  &  SECAM 

High  Quality  Duplication  from  any 
Source  Master 
Film  to  tape  Transfer 


ANALOG  DIGITAL  INTERNATIONAL 

20  East  49th  Street,  2nd  floor 

New  York,  NY  1 001  7 

Tel:  (21 2)  688-51 1 0  Fax  (21 2)  688-5405 

E-MAIL  address:  adidigital@aol.com 


tHeA 


■P3 


of  rFnTiNg. 


AVID  RENTALS 


MC  8000-1000-400 

PRO-TOOLS 

DVC  PRO-DECK 


EXCELLENT  TECH  SUPPORT 


(productions) 

212.741.9155 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


When  the  year  was  young,  the  hot  topic  was  Monica,  not  Kosovo. 
So  at  the  Sundance  Film  Festival  in  January,  war  was  the  furthest  thing  from 
people's  minds — unless  they  happened  to  catch  Regret  to  Inform,  Rabbit  in 
the  Moon,  or  Return  with  Honor,  three  documentaries  dealing  with  war 
and  its  aftermath. 

Ten  years  in  the  making,  Regret  to  Inform  looks  at  Vietnam  from  the  per- 
spective of  war  widows.  Part  diary  film,  part  oral  history,  it  weaves  together 
the  personal  story  of  photographer-tumed-filmmaker  Barbara  Sonnebom, 
her  translator,  Xuan  Ngoc  Evans,  and  a  dozen  other  war  widows  from  both 
Vietnam  and  the  United  States.  Nominated  for  an  Academy  Award,  Regret 
to  Inform  captured  the  Sundance  award  for  Documentary  Directing,  and 
will  air  on  PBS  as  a  RO.V.  special  in  the  fall. 

Return  with  Honor,  by  Freida  Lee  Mock  and  Terry  Sanders,  focuses  on 
the  experience  of  the  American  fighter  pilots  held  as  P.O.W.s  m  the  infamous 


guilt.'  Did  you  sense  this  current  when  you  were  working  on  your  films  and  feel 
as  though  you  were  swimming  against  the  tide? 

Barbara  Sonnebom:  I  definitely  felt  like  a  minority  voice  when  I  started 
Regret  to  Inform.  WWII  was  the  'heroic1  war.  The  Vietnam  War  ...  we 
had  enormous  support  from  veterans  in  the  Bay  Area,  but  the  idea  of 
really  looking  at  what  we  did  to  the  other  side  was  completely  unheard 
of  and  made  a  lot  of  people  uncomfortable. 

Emiko  Omori:  I  don't  think  about  the  tide,  because  if  I  did,  I  would  have 
drowned  a  number  of  years  ago.  Being  a  woman  cinematographer — 
that  was  against  the  tide  right  there. 

So  yeah,  I  knew  we  were  going  up  against  the  tide,  but  we  had  so 
many  great  organizations  around:  the  local  state  humanities  councils, 
NAATA  (National  Asian  American  Telecommunications  Associa- 


RegTet  to  IrxfoTm  and 


Hanoi  Hilton.  The  producers  are  self- distributing  the  film,  which  starts 
rolling  out  into  theaters  this  month. 

Rabbit  in  the  Moon  deals  with  World  War  11  as  manifested  in  this  coun- 
try in  the  Japanese  internment  camps.  Like  Regret  to  Inform,  the  film  is  a 
hybrid,  blending  oral  histories  of  camp  survivors  with  the  personal  stories  of 
its  makers,  sisters  Emiko  and  Chizuko  Omori,  who  were  children  in  the 
camps.  After  being  hired  in  1968  as  the  first  female  news  cameraperson  in 
San  Francisco,  Emiko  went  on  to  become  a  leading  cinematographer  in  the 
independent  film  world.  At  Sundance  this  year,  she  was  given  the 
Documentary  Cinematography  Award  for  her  work  on  both  Rabbit  in  the 
Moon  and  Regret  to  Inform.  On  July  6,  Rabbit  in  the  Moon  will  air  on 
RO.V. 

During  Sundance,  The  Independent  invited  these  filmmakers  to  partic- 
ipate in  a  free-ranging  discussion  of  women  and  war,  documentary  funding, 
and  other  matters.  While  Mock  and  Sanders  had  already  left  town,  we 
were  able  to  round  up  Sonnebom  and  Evans,  Emiko  and  Chizuko 
Omori,  as  well  as  Regret  to  Inform  editor  Lucy  Massie 
Phenix  (whose  credits  include  The  Life  and  Times  of 
Rosie  the  Riveter  and  her  own  Winter  Soldier),  and 
Rabbit  in  the  Moon  editor  Pat  ]ackson  (The  English 
Patient,  The  Godfather,  Apocalypse  Now). 


There  was  an  interesting  story  in  the  Village  Voice 
called  "World  War  II  Chic."  The  author,  Richard 
Goldstein,  looks  at  Saving  Private  Ryan  and  Tom 
Brokaw's  book,  The  Greatest  Generation, 
among  other  things,  and  concludes  that  these 
works  are  a  rebuke  to  sixties'  protests  and 
morality  that  play  upon  "hat  he  calls  'boomer 


tion),  our  small  granting  groups  and  agencies  within  the  Bay  Area,  like 
the  Pioneer  Fund. 

Was  it  difficult  to  convince  funders  that  there  would  be  an  interested  audience? 
After  all,  WWII  was  something  from  the  history  books  back  when  I  was  coming 
of  age  in  the  seventies,  and  today  the  Vietnam  War  is  just  as  remote  in  time. 

Emiko  Omori:  We  had  to  overcome  some  things  right  up  front.  One,  a 
lot  ot  funders  thought  they'd  already  covered  this  topic.  Two,  it  wasn't 
one  of  these  searing,  current  topics  of  importance;  it  wasn't 
drugs   or    urban   violence   or 
things  like  that.  And  it 
wasn't       about       an 
"exciting"  part  of  the 


22     THE    INDEPENDEN 


1999 


war — a  battle.  It  was  a  story  outside  of  the  war,  about  a  small  minority 
group.  Our  topic  was  about  the  violation  of  civil  and  human  rights. 
And  that's  what  we  always  needed  to  bring  up,  that  is  wasn't  about  the 
same  old  stuff. 

Sonneborn:  When  I  first  started  funding,  most  people  felt 

this  war  is  over,  it's  in  the  past.  Platoon  had  been 

out,  so  the  Vietnam  War  had  been  covered 

Then  as  we  went  further  and  there  was  a 

little  more  reflection  in  the  nineties, 

funding  got  better.  But  I  also  think 

that  a  lot  of  people  don't  want  to 

jump  in  at  the  beginning,  because 

they  don't  think  the  film  is  going  to 

be  made  and  they  don't  want  their 

money  to  go  there. 


In  both  Emiko's 

case  and  mine,  we  were  not 

journalists  coming  after  a  story. 

We  had  both  gone  through  the  story  we 

were  investigating.  And  that  really 

opened  people's  hearts. 

— Barbara  Sonneborn 


What  are  your  thoughts  on  this  difference?  And  did  any  of  you  try  to  get  funding 
from  Europe? 

PheniX:  We  have  not  been  in  war;  we  don't  even  know  war  in  this  coun- 
try. That's  obvious.  The  war  here  was  in  the  internment  camps;  that's 
the  way  the  war  was  lived  here.  It's  very  interesting  that 
this  country  has  not  owned  up  to  the  fact  that  we 
had  our  own — as  [Emiko]  said  in  the  film, 
it's  a  version  of  the  Holocaust  in  this 
country.  It's  not  the  same  thing,  but  it 
definitely  needs  to  be  seen,  and  it 
hasn't  been. 


Lucy  Massie  PheniX:   During   the   war   in 

Vietnam,  I  was  working  on  a  film  about  the  war 

called  Winter  Soldier,  Then  it  was  definitely  not  the 

thing  to  do.  So  it's  very  interesting,  the  question  of  too  far  away 

versus  too  close.  There's  always  an  excuse  for  one  or  the  other. 

How  did  you  finance  that  film? 


Sonneborn:  Look  at  civil  rights  issues 
in  the  history  of  this  country.  The 
Native  American  issue,  the  issue  of 
slavery,  and  the  issue  of  the  internment 
of  Japanese  people — three  of  the  biggest 
violations  of  civil  rights  that  have  happened. 
And  going  over  to  other  countries  and  violating  their 
civil  rights.  It's  very  hard  to  get  funding  for  films  about  that. 

All  of  you  also  had  to  overcome  the  silence  of  your  subjects.  As  Barbara  points 
out  in  Regret  to  Inform,  there  weren't  support  groups  for  war  widows;  they  were 


Rabbit  ir\  the  ISA^oorx 


PheniX:  Jane  Fonda,  Donald  Sutherland.  They  gave  us  raw  footage,  and 
everybody  worked  for  nothing,  because  it  was  a  time  when  we  could  do 
that,  and  we  had  to  stop  the  war.  Anyway,  there  was  just  no  funding  for 
films  that  had  to  do  with  stopping  wars.  It  seems  like  war  is  a  very  con- 
troversial topic. 

I  was  struck  that  there  are  only  three  documentaries  at 
Sundance  touching  on  any  aspect  of  any  war. 
Whereas  at  the  Amsterdam  Forum,  there  were 
so  many  films  about  the  Holocaust  that 
the  commissioning  editors  complained 
about  "Holocaust  fatigue."  WWII  is  still 
very  much  alive  in  Europe,  and  broad- 
casters are  funding  these  projects. 


by   Patricia   Thomson 

isolated  and  nonvocal.  And  there  were  many  reasons  Japanese  Americans  did 
not  want  to  talk  publicly  about  their  experience  in  the  internment  camps.  So, 
first,  how  did  you  find  your  subjects?  And  second,  how  did  you  get  them  to  open 
old  wounds  and  talk  in  a  way  that  would  be  deep  and  real,  yet  sensitive  to  their 
feelings? 

Sonneborn:  I  met  only  one  other  widow  before  starting  this  project,  and 
that  was  in  the  seventies  in  art  school.  We  fell  into  each  other's  arms 
and  it  made  me  feel  a  lot  less  crazy,  because  my  anger  was  so  enormous. 
But  when  I  started  doing  the  project  and  began  looking  for  widows,  we 
sent  out  a  couple  thousand  flyers  to  women's  health  organizations,  vet- 
erans organizations,  schools,  doctors,  gynecologists,  and  so  on.  And  I 
don't  think  we  found  one  person  that  way. 

Then  the  Gulf  War  broke  out  on  January  17,  1991,  which  was  just 
when  we  were  doing  our  outreach.  I  was  so  disturbed  by  the  war,  I  went 
to  a  protest  and  there  were  over  100,000  people.  The  next  Saturday, 
there  was  an  even  bigger  protest,  with  about  250,000  people.  I  made  a 
sign  and  put  my  husband's  picture  on  that  sign,  the  date  of  his 
birth — 1943 — and  the  date  of  his  death — 1968.  And  I  put  "New 
World  Order  Means  Nonviolent  Solutions."  Then  I  took  the  flag 
that  was  on  my  husband's  casket,  put  it  around  my  shoulders,  and 
went  off  to  protest  the  war.  I  wasn't  really  thinking  about  public- 
ity at  all.  I  was  so  profoundly  perturbed  at  killing  more  people.  But 
I  got  some  press.  Carol  Ivy  at  our  local  ABC  station  was  particu- 
larly sympathetic  and  did  one  of  those  longer  pieces.  Also,  I 
met  a  lot  of  veterans.  As  a  result,  I  found  about  20 
women  in  the  Bay  Area.  Then  over  the  course  of  pub- 
licity and  getting  into  veterans'  newspapers,  I  spoke  to 
in  the  range  of  200  women  on  the  telephone  and  at 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


event?  and  did  preproduction  interviews  with  them. 

Did  you  find  the  same  kind  of  reluctance  to  talk  from  the  women  in  Vietnam? 

Sonneborn:  The  women  in  Vietnam  self-selected.  In  America,  I'd  call 
them  and  some  would  be  dying  to  talk,  and  others  would  say,  "I  really 
can't  go  there."  In  Vietnam,  we  actually  did  interview  some  who  were 
reluctant  to  speak.  But  we  had  written  to  the  Women's  Union  of 
Vietnam — 1 1  million  members  out  of  a  population  of  69  million — and 
began  interviewing  at  the  women's  union  in  Hanoi.  Our  sponsors 
would  go  into  the  next  town,  seek  women  out,  then  we  would  come  in 
the  next  day,  and  Xuan  [Ngoc  Evans]  would  translate.  It  wasn't  like  we 
were  able  to  do  preproduction  interviews.  But  women  said  to  me 
throughout  the  process,  "This  has  taken  a  great  weight  off  my  chest. 
Now  I  can  go  on  with  my  life."  And  the  film  has  become  the  contain- 
er for  my  story. 

In  both  Emiko's  case  and  mine,  we  were  not  journalists  coming  after 
a  story.  We  had  both  gone  through  the  story  we  were  investigating. 
And  that  really  opened  people's  hearts. 

Xuan  NgOC  Evans:  And  for  the  Vietnamese  war  widows,  there  was  a 
hunger  for  peace.  Every  woman,  after  the  interview,  would  take  me  by 
the  hand,  look  me  in  the  eye  and  say,  "Please,  promise  me  my  voice  will 

be  heard  by  American  people." 
They   just   desperately 
wanted    to    share 
this   informa- 
tion. 


The  one  thing  that  was 

true  of  Vietnam  is  true  of  Rabbit: 

These  people  are  not  speaking  of 

something  in  the  past.  They  are  speaking 

of  something  that  is  so  present,  so 

immediate,  that  when  they  tell  it,  our 

tenses  kept  getting  mixed  up. 

— Emiko  Omori 


E  m  i  k  o 
Omori:  I 
was  there 
shooting 

this  — 

Xuan  talking 

to  these 

women,  who  were 

enemies,  mind  you;  she's 

from  the  South,  they're  from  the 

North.  They  embraced  us.  To  them,  it  wasn't  a  war  of  them  and  us;  it 

was  "Let's  not  have  war."  They  didn't  want  anybody  to  go  through  what 

they  went  through. 

Going  to  Vietnam  for  the  first  time  I  saw  that  women  suffered  dif- 
ferently. In  any  situation  where  the  women  are  bearing  children, 
they're  going  through  physical  things.  They  don't  have  guns;  they've 
not  had  the  propaganda  beaten  into  them.  They're  simply  trying  to 
live,  trying  to  feed  their  babies,  the  old  people. 

The  other  thing  that  struck  me  in  Vietnam  was,  for  some  of  these 
women,  to  survive  was  worse  than  to  die.  Their  country  was  so  ruined, 
and  hardly  any  of  them  had  married  again — because  there  weren't  any 
men  to  marry.  The  women  had  aged;  they  looked  so  much  older  than 
us.  The  stress  of  surviving  and  having  lost  your  children,  your  parents, 
your  village,  your  everything — this  was  inconceivable,  certainly  for  a 
person  like  me. 

This,  then,  actually  tiltered  into  [Rabbit  in  the  Moon].  We  were  look- 
ing for  particular  kinds  of  women's  issues.  A  lot  of  women  went  into 
the  camps  pregnant.  One  woman  told  a  funny  story  about  the  lack  of 
privacy — you  know,  how  did  you  make  love?  She  was  a  newlywed.  So 
you  chuckle  over  this  concept.  But  then  she  gives  birth  to  a  not  very 


healthy  baby,  because  her  nutrition  was  so  bad.  And  that's  still  going 
on;  her  daughter  is  still  full  of  allergies  and  this  and  that.  I  think  that 
all  the  pain  goes  down  through  generations.  In  Vietnam,  too,  it  was  a 
physical  coming  down — this  physical  thing  that's  passed  on  and  going 
to  go  on  for  generations. 

EvanS:  For  me,  I  try  to  find  a  way  to  justify  it.  I  don't  know  if  I  will  find 
it.  Vietnamese  women  are  religious — they're  Buddhist.  We  believe  in 
being  a  good  person,  so  after  you've  died  and  are  reborn,  you  have  a 
better  life.  Most  of  these  women  who  were  affected  by  Agent  Orange 
carry  these  babies — deformed  babies,  really  gross-looking  babies — but 
we're  not  educated,  so  we  don't  know  what  happened  to  our  bodies 
that  made  us  have  this  baby.  So  we're  thinking  maybe  in  our  previous 
lite  we  have  done  something  bad  and  are  being  punished  with  this 
baby.  Can  you  imagine  what  that  does  to  a  human  spirit.7 1  think  about 
it  often:  I'm  a  really  bad  person;  I'm  being  punished.  But  it  wasn't  that; 
this  chemical  Agent  Orange  did  it.  But  we  didn't  know. 

What  about  the  interviewees  in  Rabbit  in  the  Moon?  Were  they  reluctant  to 
come  forward? 

Chizuko  Omori:  I  hope  this  came  through  in  the  film,  but  while  we  were 
in  the  internment  camps,  there  was  this  big  division  of  who's  loyal  and 
who's  disloyal.  That  was  convenient,  because  anybody  who  protested, 
they  called  'troublemakers.'  Maybe  it  had  nothing  to  do  with  politics 
they  were  protesting — the  food,  or  any  number  of  things.  After  the 
war,  that  stigma  of  disloyalty  stuck  to  a  lot  of  people.  They  weren't  nec- 
essarily silent,  but  there  was  just  no  organized  way  to  give  voice  to  this 
dissent. 

So  being  active  in  redress,  you  know,  the  people  who  are  in  our  film 
are  our  friends.  It  wasn't  like  we  had  to  go  out  looking  for  people.  In 
tact,  it  was  hard  to  choose,  because  there  are  thousands  of  stories. 

Emiko  Omori:  [to  Chizuko]  I  don't  think  we  had  as  big  a  choice  as  we 
think  we  did.  These  were  people  who  had  come  forward  during 
redress.  They  were  willing.  We  had  some  people  who  agreed  and  did- 
n't do  it,  or  asked  to  be  withdrawn.  There's  been  a  silence  of  this  side 
of  the  story  for  50  years.  There's  still  some  fear  in  our  community 
about  being  known  as  a  disloyal  person. 

But  they're  getting  old.  I  think  they  feel  compelled  to  say  some 
things  now.  Part  of  that  came  from  the  commission  hearings  that  went 
around  the  country  in  1980-81.  Finally  people  were  beginning  to  come 
out.  Even  though  we  tried  to  get  a  few  people — women  in  particular — 
they  were  still  reluctant. 

Phenix:  What  you're  saying  is  that  the  people  who  spoke  were  looking 
for  a  way  to  speak.  There  are  probably  a  lot  of  other  people  who  will 
find  a  voice  in  the  film.  Like  in  Rosie  the  Riveter,  people  came  out  of  the 
woodwork  at  screenings,  women  who  had  worked  in  factories.  But 
they  didn't  come  out  'til  they  saw  the  film. 

Let's  talk  about  the  tone  of  your  films.  Both  combine  a  personal  voice  with  other 
elements — interviews,  archival  footage,  historical  information.  I'm  wondering 
how  the  balance  between  the  personal  and  the  historical  evolved  in  the  course 
of  the  seven  to  10  years  spent  working  on  these  films.  Did  the  projects  start  out 
as  personal  diary  films,  then,  as  time  went  by,  you  brought  in  more  voices  and 
your  own  voice  dropped  away? 

Sonneborn:  I  went  through  a  number  of  incarnations  in  my  head,  but  I 
always  knew  I  wanted  to  be  like  the  guide.  I  never  wanted  it  to  be  my 
story,  I  wanted  it  to  be  the  story  of  women  on  both  sides  of  the  con- 


24    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


flict.  I  was  a  tool  to  that  end,  however  we  would  use  me. 

Initially,  I  thought,  how  could  I  not  deal  with  the  politics?  Do  I  need 
to  have  interviews  with  McNamara?  Should  I  try  to  get  Kissinger?  Do 
I  need  to  use  that  footage?  But  I  knew  from  the  beginning  I  didn't  want 
the  historians — those  typical  historian-driven  documentaries. 


But  the  film  evolved.  My  editors — first  Jennifer  [Chinlund]  and 
Vivien  [Hillgrove],  and  then  Lucy  [Massie  Phenix] — helped  me  be 
very  clear  about  what  a  mistake  it  would  be  to  bring  the  historians  in 
and  that  other  kind  of  footage;  that  we  just  needed  to  keep  it  from  the 
personal  point  of  view.  [Ken  Schneider  was  also  a  key  editor.] 


Yet  you  credit  a  long  list  of  scholars.  Looking  only  at  the  credits,  I  wouldn't  have 
known  what  to  expect,  because  there's  that,  but  also  people  like  Daniel  Reeves, 
who's  a  Vietnam  vet  and  a  video  artist. 

Sonneborn:  The  balance  evolved  over  time.  It  was  a  real  blessing  to  go 
to  the  California  Humanities  Council  to  begin  with,  and  to  begin 
speaking  with  scholars.  People  said  to  me,  "Oh,  they're  going  to  really 
influence  your  interviews.  You'll  always  have  to  be  this,  that,  and  the 
other."  That  couldn't  be  further  from  the  truth.  As  bearish  as  those 
grants  were  to  write,  the  grants  from  the  California  Council  on  the 
Humanities,  the  Arizona  Humanities  Council,  and  the  Mississippi 
Council — I  really  learned  something  about  the  Native  American  cul- 
ture in  terms  of  war,  the  southern  war  culture,  war  in  general.  I  could 
never  begin  to  know  all  those  things. 


I  first  began  to  shoot  with  Daniel  Reeves,  who  was  just  a  very 
enlightening  person  to  work  with.  When  we  finished  the  American 
interviews  and  were  thinking  about  shooting  in  Vietnam,  I  felt  like  I 
had  gone  to  the  edge  of  the  water  with  the  men  who  had  fought  the 
war,  and  I  need  to  cross  the  water  with  women.  Because  we've  had  the 
stories  from  the  men,  and  we  will  continue  to  have  them.  And  they 
must  be  had.  But  we  had  nothing  from  the  women  at  that  point.  I  felt 
all  the  wonderful  energy  that  these  vets  were  loaning  me,  it  was  push- 
ing the  story.  And  it  was  going  to  be  their  story,  because  their  stories 
were  so  enormous  and  needed  telling.  So  I  needed  to  keep  going  inside 
myself  to  find  what  the  true  story  of  the  women  was. 

Phenix:  A  lot  had  gone  on  before  I  came  on.  Editing  is  always  a  process 
of  leaving  out,  but  somehow  incorporating  what  you've  left  out.  Really 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


making  what  you  have  close  to  the  bone,  but  never  having  it  leave  out 
some  of  the  deep  concerns  that  you  want  to  hold  onto  in  the  material. 
Making  everything  that's  there  speak  deeper. 

In  this  case,  Barbara's  narrative  voice  was  changing  all  the  way  up  to 

the  very  end,  even  in  the 

mix.  It's  true,  the 

voice   of  the 

guide — it 

got        so 

that 


I  call  this,  for  lack  of  a  better 

word,  a  memoir  documentary  or 

documentary  memoir.  It's  one  of  the 

hardest  structures  to  work  with. 


— Emiko  Omori 


Barbara  was 

telling  less  and  less  of  her  own  personal  stories. 

Your  films  are  very  different  in  terms  of  the  assump- 
tions you  could  make  about  viewers'  prior  knowl- 
edge. The  Vietnam  War  is  a  known  subject;  the 
Japanese  internment  camps  are  not,  particularly 
not  the  level  of  detail  you  provide. 

Chizuko  Omori:  That's  been  a  problem. 
Some  people  who  know  a  lot  about  it 
say,  "(Sigh)  Why'd  you  have  to  start 
from  the  beginning?"  We  have  to!  We 
learned   a   tremendous   amount;   we 
didn't  know  it  either!  In  a  sense,  a  lot 
of  it  was  in  the  books.  But  you  know, 
books  written  in  a  very  scholarly  way 
for  other  scholars  are  not  the  same 
as  getting  information  out  to  peo- 
ple. 

Phenix:  Giving  people  the  experi- 
ence. You  gave  that  in  your  film. 
The  way  you  feel  it  and  smell  it  .  .  . 

Sonneborn:  The  wind  and  the  dust. 

Emiko  Omori:  Rabbit  didn't  start  out  as 
personal.  We  had  to  be  dragged  in. 
We  were  going  to  make  it  a  straight 
documentary,  but  in  the  course  of 
talking  with  friends  about  [our  time  in 
the   internment   camp],    they'd   say, 
"That  has  to  be  in  the  film!"  It's  that 
whole  thing  of  feeling  like  your  experi- 
ence is  not  as  profound  as  other  people's 
experience. 

In  the  course  of  this  time,  there  was 
another  wonderful  film  which  went  through 
the   same   process,   Complaints   of  a   Dutifu 
Daughter,    where    [editor]    Jennifer   Chinlund 
dragged    [director]    Deborah  Kaufman   into  it. 
Personally,  none  of  us  wants  to  be  in  our  films; 
that's  why  we're  not  in  the  front;  we're  in  the  back, 
right?  Although  I  have  never  been  afraid  to  say  it's  my 
voice.  So  I  was  willing  to  go  that  far.  But  anyway,  it  got  to  be 


where  you're  sitting  in  the  editing  room,  chit-chatting,  and  [she  sucks 
in  her  breath],  "That's  it!  Write  it  down!"  So  then  we  started  having 
our  PowerBook  there.  Once  you're  in  it,  we  tried  to  make  it  the  best 
we  could. 

I  call  this,  for  lack  of  a  better  word,  a  memoir  documentary  or  doc- 
umentary memoir.  It's  one  of  the  hardest  structures  to  work  with.  I 
think  this  is  a  wonderful  direction,  which  Chris  Marker  [Sans  Soleil] 
has  been  working  with  for  many  years — a  kind  of  personal  view,  but  a 
very  knowledgeable  view  of  that  world.  My  other  influences  are  Errol 
Morris  and  Alan  Berliner. 

[At  this  point,  Sonneborn  and  Phenix  have  to  dash  to  another  fes- 
tival screening,  while  Pat  Jackson,  editor  of  Rabbit  in  the 
Moon,  joins  the  group.] 

Emiko,  where  did  your  archival  footage  come  from? 
There  was  only  one  familiar  shot — the  Selinas 
footage.  Otherwise  I  didn't  recognize  anything. 

Pat  Jackson:  [laughing]  This  is  a  refrain  that 
Emiko  sang  from  the  beginning. 

Emiko  Omori:  [mimicking  herself]  "We've 
seen  those  images  a  hundred  times!  Get 
those  out  of  here."  That  was  an  aware- 
ness we  had.  I  don't  know  why,  but  if 
you  see  the  same  old  thing,  you  start 
to  tune  out,  as  though  you're  not 
going  to  learn  anything  new. 

The  footage  mostly  came  from  the 
Japanese  American  Museum  in  Los 
Angeles,  which  released  two  com- 
pilation  tapes   of  archival   home 
movies.    One    is    called    Moving 
Memories.      They're     wonderful 
images  of  what  life  was  like  before 
the    war.    The    other    is    called 
Something   Strong   Within,    which 
were  home  movies  taken  of  life  in 
camp  in  a  way  that  wasn't  the  hor- 
rible set  up  of  stuff  you  get  from  the 
government.  There's  footage  in  the 
National  Archives,  but  it's  very  stilt- 
ed. We  also  attempted  to  use  what 
you'd  always  seen,  but  put  it  into  a 
different  context.  So  there  was  that 
one    shot    that's    a    very    common 
image — people  getting  off  the  bus. 

That  worked  so  effectively  in  the  film,  to  dupli- 
cate a  shot  with  different  voiceovers — the  gov- 
ernment's, then  your  own.  The  meaning  shifted 
180  degrees. 

Emiko  Omori:    Two   of  my   inspirations:    Chris 

Marker  in  Letter  from  Siberia,  where  he  takes  an 

image  and  narrates  it  three  different  ways:  one  from 

the  government  point  of  view,  one  from  the  worker 

point  of  view,  and  one  from,  I  don't  know,  some  other 


26     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


point  of  view.  It's  hilarious  and  startling.  So  this  is  what  I  had  in  mind, 
as  well  as  an  essay  written  by  John  Berger  about  the  public  image  and 
the  private  image.  When  you  have  what  he  calls  a  public  image,  that 
is  taken  by  a  stranger  and  has  no  context,  and  you  can  write  anything 
you  want  or  put  it  into  any  context  you  want.  That's  what  I  thought 
had  been  happening  to  our  images  in  the  camps.  They  were  all  public 
images,  until  the  private  images  came  along.  And  then  the  private 
image  is  one  that  has  a  context.  The  person  who  took  it  had  a  rela- 
tionship with  the  person  they're  taking  it  of.  So  there's  a  dialogue  going 
on.  I  love  it  when  they  look  at  the  camera  and  smile  and  laugh, 
because  there  is  somebody  familiar  taking  that  picture. 

So  when  I  was  working  with  these  ideas,  I  came  to  where  that  little 
boy  gets  off  the  bus.  I'd  always  noticed  that  he  looked  sideways  [at  the 
camera],  and  I  thought,  who  is  he  looking  at?  Clearly,  he's  looking  at 
some  strange  person,  and  he's  wondering  what's  going  on  and  feeling 
like  his  privacy  is  being  invaded. 

It  accumulated  this  way:  I  seemed  to  be  picking  many  images  about 
children,  'cause  I  was  a  child  in  there.  Just  like  in  the  Vietnam  footage, 
they  looked  through  the  women  and  children — the  other  experience 
you  don't  see.  So  I  think  we  all  did  this:  We  combed  through  things  for 
tiny  moments  that  were  missed  by  other  people. 

It  reminds  me  of  Jay  Rosenblatt's  marvelous  film,  Human  Remains.  When  you're 
dealing  with  dictators,  as  he  did,  you've  already  seen  so  much  of  the  existing 
footage.  So  he  tried  to  find  footage  people  hadn't  seen,  which  wasn't  always  pos- 
sible, or  to  take  a  detail  and  zoom  in  on  it,  manipulate  it  in  some  way,  so  it 
looked  fresh  or  unfamiliar. 

Emiko  Omori:  So  you  could  see  it  for  the  first  time. 

Jackson:  Sometime  just  slowing  down  this  stuff  allowed  you  to  notice 
subtleties  that  you  don't  have  time  to  notice  when  somebody  just  walks 
through  the  frame.  It  gives  you  time  to  contemplate  the  relationship, 
like  of  people  having  their  luggage  searched.  It  just  makes  you  analyze 
what's  going  on  in  a  way  that  real  time  doesn't. 

Even  with  the  home  movie  stuff — to  take  down  the  barriers 
between  the  us-and-them  quality,  so  that  it  became  the  human  expe- 
rience. It  was  very,  very  personal,  but  so  personal  that  anybody  could 
relate  to  what  was  going  on.  There  was  endless  sand-papering  away  of 
words  or  things  that  made  you  feel  the  division  between  yourself  and 
the  people  you  were  watching. 

Emiko  Omori:  Pat  really  acted  for  me  as  an  editor  should,  especially  if  I 
got  too  angry.  Tone  is  so  important.  We  didn't  want  to  put  people  off; 
we  wanted  to  draw  them  in  and  say,  "Now  listen  to  this  story."  Not 
pointing  the  finger,  not  saying  you  were  responsible,  not  saying  all 
white  people  are  bad. 

Jackson:  Keeping  out  anything  that  could  distance  you  from  identifying 
with  the  people  in  that  story. 

Emiko  Omori:  And  she  was  really  very  good  at  it.  'Cause  you  know,  I'm 
writing  from  anger. 

Jackson:  Then  you,  the  audience,  are  allowed  to  be  angry  on  behalf  of 
the  people.  Like  when  the  camera  pans  down  [a  newspaper]  and  it  says 
the  riot  at  the  internment  camp  was  because  the  pro-Axis  Japanese 
were  celebrating  the  anniversary  of  Pearl  Harbor.  If  Emiko  had  said 
that,  that  would  have  diminished  the  pleasure  of  our  response. 

And  there  are  other  moments,  like  when  Frank  [Emi],  the  draft 


resistance  organizer  whose  store  was  sold  for  $15,000,  tells  that  story 
that  it  was  bought  by  the  next  buyer  at  $100,000.  He  manages  to  tell 
that  story  with  the  most  remarkable  amount  of  neutrality  in  capitalist 
America  that  I  can  imagine. 

Chizuko  Omori:  And  [Pat]  was  very  clear  that  that  story  had  to  be  in 
there,  because  this  says  it  in  a  nutshell. 

Jackson:  Your  hard  work  has  built  this  thing  from  the  ground  up,  and 
someone  else  makes  $95,000.  That  is  the  most  fundamental  wrong  in 
America.  Forget  being  interned;  losing  your  capital! 

Emiko  Omori:  This,  again,  has  been  told  many  times  in  many  documen- 
taries. It  would  be  something  like,  "We  lost  a  lot.  We  lost  everything." 
And  I  had  to  say,  "Well,  what  did  we  lose?"  Instead  of  historians  saying, 
"They  lost  50  jillion  worth  of  1940  dollars,"  or  something,  Pat  was 
right:  This  was  a  story  that  you  get. 

Jackson:  And  thank  you,  Frank,  for  not  being  bitter  when  you  said  it. 

Emiko  Omori:  Another  inspiration  for  me  was  a  wonderful  writer  of  the 
Holocaust,  Primo  Levi.  I  was  struck  by  the  way  he  talks  about  things  in 
a  very  evenhanded  way.  His  anger  came  out  in  his  poetry,  not  in  his 
writing.  To  tell  a  chilling  incident  in  a  very  matter-of-fact  way,  there's 
something  more  chilling  about  it.  That  was  always  in  the  back  of  my 
mind. 

Much  of  the  footage  you  shot  for  both  films,  Emiko,  is  visually  exquisite:  lush 
Vietnamese  rice  paddies,  barren  desert  landscapes  with  Japanese  grave  mark- 
ers, flocks  of  birds  wheeling  overhead 

EvanS:  The  story  is  so  intense,  so  emotional,  Emiko  really  worked  to 
make  [the  images]  calm,  so  that  when  the  message  comes  out,  it  takes 
you  by  the  heart. 

Jackson:  We  developed  what  we  called  wallpaper  images,  where  some- 
time, if  you  were  talking  about  specific  kinds  of  information  or  experi- 
ences, it  was  important  to  the  audience  to  have  an  image  that  didn't 
require  a  lot  of  energy  to  figure  out  what  was  going  on.  They  weren't 
always  "beauty  shots."  Sometimes  there  were  wide  shots  in  camp 
where  there  were  just  people  walking.  You  didn't  have  to  figure  out 
what  they're  doing.  So  on  some  level,  it  was  soothing  to  the  eye.  You'd 
be  absorbing  the  image  [while]  being  able  to  assimilate  something  that 
may  be  pretty  complicated  on  the  audio  level. 

Emiko  Omori:  I  wanted  to  place  these  stories  in  the  landscape  today.  I 
wanted  it  to  be  as  though  you  are  out  there  and  you  were  going,  "Gosh, 
there  used  to  be  this  camp  here,  a  riot  here,  people  were  killed  here." 
I  wanted  it  to  say,  "it's  not  in  the  past." 

This  is  something  I've  taken  from  Waldo  Salt,  that  wonderful 
screenwriter.  When  he  was  writing  Midnight  Cowboy,  he  doesn't  call 
thinking  about  the  past  a  'flashback;'  they're  called  'flash  presents' 
because  they're  with  us.  It's  not  like  that  memory  was  back  then;  it's 
right  here.  The  one  thing  that  was  true  of  Vietnam,  is  true  of  this: 
These  people  are  not  speaking  of  something  in  the  past.  They  are 
speaking  of  something  that  is  so  present,  so  immediate,  that  when  they 
tell  it,  our  tenses  kept  getting  mixed  up. 

When  Waldo  Salt  said  this,  I  thought,  that's  it!  We  are  who  we  are 
and  who  we  have  been. 

Patricia  Thomson  is  editor  in  chief  of  The  Independent. 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


_.rector  Chris  Eyre  (I)  and 
writer  Sherman  Alexie  collaborated 
on  the  trailblazing  Smoke  Signals. 


RETURN 


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TUP        K    A    T    I    U    V 
1    it    h        IV    A    I    I    V    JQ 


A" 


by  Beth  Pinsker 


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■r 


y/Native  American  Cinema"  is  a   phrase  that  sounds 


TB 


vast,  like  it  should  have  the  subtitle  "A  Hundred  Years 


in   Moving    Pictures"   and    be   taught   as   a    university 


course.  However,  the  opus  of  produced  works  that  have  been  visible  to  nation- 
al theater-going  audiences — at  least  in  terms  of  dramatic  features — includes 
exactly  one  film,  Smoke  Signals.  This  was  released  by  Miramax  in  August  1998 

to  much-deserved  fanfare  as  the  first  fiction  feature  wholly  created  by  Native 

■ 
Americans  and  commercially  distributed  in  275  theaters  nationwide. 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT     lune  1999 


From  Phil  Lucas's  1987  fictional 

short,  The  Honour  of  Us  All. 
_i 


In  an  industry  where  almost  everything  is  a  re -run,  this  kind  of  first  was 
staggering.  Hollywood  executives  pondered  the  mystery  of  an  over- 
looked constituency,  Sundance  beamed  over  its  film  lab  graduate  (the 
film's  director,  Chris  Eyre),  and  Native  filmmakers  waited  anxiously  in 
the  wings  to  see  if  they,  too,  could  finally  sell  their  work.  Based  on 
three  stories  by  native  writer  Sherman  Alexie,  Smoke  Signals  earned  a 
healthy  $7  million  at  the  box  office.  "That's  amazing  for  any  indepen- 
dent film,"  says  Miramax  spokesperson  Andrew  Stengel.  Some  critics 
found  its  feel-good  optimism  too  mushy,  others  praised  its  self-depre- 
cating sense  of  humor  and  talented  cast.  No  matter,  the  road  ahead 
seemed  clear  for  the  bandwagon. 

At  this  year's  Sundance  Film 
Festival,  interest  was  up  and  scouts  were 
poring  over  the  Native  sidebar  for  new 
work.  But  the  pickings  were  mostly  doc- 
umentaries, docu-dramas,  and  short  fic- 
tion films. 

Ah,   but  filmmakers   say,   just  wait 
until    Sundance    2000 — a    benchmark 
year  for  Native  features.  That's  when 
actress-writer  Shirley  Cheechoo  should 
be    ready    with    her    murder-mystery 
Backroads,  Sherman  Alexie  might  have 
his  controversial  adaptation  Indian 
Killer  in  the  can,  and  Randy  Redroad 
will  be  ready  with  his  coming- of- age 
tale  The  Doe  Boy.  By  then,  Valerie 
Red-Horse's  Naturally  Native,  which 
has  been  traveling  the  festival  cir- 
cuit,   should    make    it    to    theaters 
(even  if  she  has  to  self-distribute,  she 

says).  Documentarian  Phil  Lucas  could  have  finally  found  funding  for 
his  long-planned  feature  Winter  Wheat.  And  Ian  Skorodin's  Tushka,  a 
historical  drama  on  the  1970s  American  Indian  Movement  (which 
actually  was  the  first  Native  American  feature  to  start  filming),  could 
end  up  with  a  video  release. 

It's  hard  for  Native  filmmakers  to  shake  the  notion  that  all  of 
this  is  a  long  time  in  coming.  For  too  many  years,  they  say,  non-Natives 
have  controlled  the  image  of  their  people  and  have  perpetuated  dam- 
aging stereotypes.  Things  are  surely  changing,  but  the  progress  only 
brings  the  inevitable  questions:  Why  now  and  never  before?  That  leads 
to  shrugs  and  sighs — the  subject  is  just  too  big  and  complicated. 
"There  are  a  lot  of  different  answers  and  no  one  that  is  particularly 
cogent,"  says  Geoff  Gilmore,  director  of  the  Sundance  Film  Festival. 
"Sometimes  things  just  happen  at  a  point.  And  they're  finally  happen- 
ing now,  and  things  are  evolving  quickly." 

One  of  the  answers  may  be  in  the  fry  bread.  In  a  mystical  moment 
in  Smoke  Signals,  Tantoo  Cardinal's  character,  Arlene  Joseph,  shares 
her  secret  for  making  the  best  fry  bread  in  the  world.  She  doesn't  just 
dig  into  the  dough  and  pound  out  magic  one  batch  at  a  time.  She  lis- 
tens to  the  voices  of  her  ancestors  whispering  the  recipe  to  her,  and  she 
shares  credit  with  them. 

"That's  a  great  analogy  for  the  film,"  says  Alexie  when  one  of  the 
actors  in  the  film,  Irene  Bedard,  brings  it  up  during  an  interview.  "I'm 
going  to  steal  that  from  you  and  use  it  from  now  on." 

As  well  he  should,  because  Alexie  and  Eyre  have  many  ancestors  to 


thank  for  their  achievement.  Those  in  the  Native  American  arts  com- 
munity can  reel  off  lists  of  influential  names — filmmakers  like  Loretta 
Todd,  George  Burdeau,  Phil  Lucas,  and  Leslie  Sooka,  to  name  a  few 
who  have  created  a  significant  body  of  documentary  and  short  fiction 
work — but  Hollywood  was  never  swayed  by  their  importance.  "It's  not 
like  the  intent  wasn't  there,"  says  Heather  Rae,  a  Cherokee  producer 
who  heads  up  the  Sundance  Institute's  Native  American  program  and 
the  festival's  Native  Forum.  "Long  ago,  a  number  of  Native  filmmakers 
had  narrative  feature  film  scripts  they  were  trying  to  develop,"  says 
Rae.  But  projects  always  got  blocked  by  stereotypes.  Studio  executives 
wanted  to  see  period  pieces  with  either  noble  savages  or 
savage  warriors.  Prospective  filmmakers  were  asked  to  add 
white  protagonists  to  attract  interest.  They  were  asked  to 
cede  creative  control  to  non-Native  executives. 

Lucas,  a  57-year-old  Choctaw,  says  he  went  into  docu- 
mentary film  because  that's  where  he  could  get  funding. 
"The  dream  was  always  to  do  a  narrative  film.  But  it  was 
difficult  to  get  funds  even  for  documentary  films.  Nobody 
wanted  to  give  us  the  money,"  he  says.  The  closest  he  got 
to  feature  filmmaking  was  the  TNT  movie  Broken  Chain, 
which  he  co-produced  in  1993.  "But  that  was  a  one-shot 
deal,"  he  says.  "I  guess  [Ted]  Turner  had  done  his  Indian  thing." 
Hollywood's  lack  of  trust  in  Native  Americans  cuts  the 


X 


Ah,  but  filmmakers  say,  just  wait  until 
Sundance  2000 — a  benchmark  year  for 
Native  American  features. 


other  way  too,  says  Sonny  Skyhawk,  an  actor-turned-producer  who 
runs  the  Amerind  Entertainment  Group.  "Native  Americans  were 
basically  disinterested  in  Hollywood  because  of  what  had  been  done  in 
the  history  of  film.  We've  been  on  screen  since  1898,  and  we've  basi- 
cally been  caught  in  a  celluloid  time  warp,"  he  says. 

And  the  stereotypes  linger.  Before  directing  Naturally  Native, 
Valerie  Red-Horse  worked  as  an  actress  and  briefly  changed  her  name 
to  Redding  to  get  more  work  as  Hispanic,  Italian,  or  other  ethnic  char- 
acters. One  time  when  reading  for  a  Native  part,  the  director  told  her 
she  sounded  too  educated.  "I'm  sure  he  meant  the  character  wasn't 
educated,  but  he  had  in  his  mind  that  we  were  all  the  same,"  says  the 
UCLA  honors  graduate.  "It  made  me  so  angry,  I  sat  down  and  started 
writing  [Naturally  Native],"  the  story  of  three  sisters  who  run  into  com- 
parable obstacles  and  prejudices  when  trying  to  start  up  a  small  natur- 
al cosmetics  company. 

Michael  Smith,  who  runs  the  Native  American  Film  Institute  [see 
sidebar  p.  31],  thinks  that  Native  Americans  have  contributed  to  the 
stereotypes  by  not  developing  the  cinematic  instincts  of  their  own  peo- 
ple and  fostering  the  talents  of  people  like  Red-Horse  earlier.  He 
remembers  when  he  was  in  school  in  the  sixties  and  seventies,  the 
emphasis  of  his  peers  was  on  politics.  "It  was  civil  rights,  education, 
health,  and  sovereignty  issues,"  he  says.  "They  weren't  looking  at  TV 
or  film  as  careers,  even  public  relations  or  advertising." 

When  Smith,  a  Sioux,  decided  to  put  together  the  first  Native 
American  Film  Festival  in  1975  in  Seattle,  he  did  it  to  combat  stereo- 
types. Smith  just  assumed  there  would  be  enough  film  around  to  pro- 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


duo  a  program.  When  he  broadened  the  scope  to  include  material  by 
and  about  Native  Americans,  including  Canadian  productions,  he 
round  plenty  to  fill  his  slate. 

Now  Native  film  festivals  and  productions  abound.  Among  the 
growing  list  of  festivals  and  significant  sidebars  is  the  Two  Rivers  Film 
Festival  in  Minneapolis,  Dreamspeakers  in  Canada,  Red  Earth  Film  & 
Video  Conference  in  Oklahoma  City,  Taos  Talking  Picture  Festival,  the 
Native  American  Film  &  Video  Festival  and  Margaret  Mead  Film 
Festival  in  New  York  City,  and  Sundance  in  Utah.  Clearly,  there's  a  siz- 
able amount  of  Native  work  filling  these  festivals.  But  to  date,  much  of 
it  has  been  in  the  documentary  and  short  fiction  categories. 

Some  Native  producers  say  the  influx  of  dramatic  features  that's 

on  the  horizon  is  due  to  an  improvement  in  the  quality  of  scripts,  cred- 
iting in  large  part  Robert  Redford's  Sundance  Institute.  In  1993  it 
began  its  Native  program,  consisting  of  dedicated  slots  for  Native 
artists  in  its  intensive  workshops  for  screenwriters  and  directors.  This 
led  to  the  right  mix  of  factors  for  a  Native  American  boomlet  in  the 
late  nineties.  Pomo/Coast  Miwok  novelist  Greg  Sarris  was  the  first  in 
the  Sundance  labs,  and  his  1996  HBO  series  Grand  Avenue  emerged 
from  the  experience.  Next  came  Redroad  in  1994,  then  Eyre  and  Red- 
Horse  in  1995.  (Redroad,  Eyre,  and  Red-Horse  also  won  Rockefeller 
Grants.)  The  program  continues  to  expand.  Two  years  ago,  Sundance 
teamed  up  with  the  UCLA  screenwriting  program  to  create  a  summer- 
time screenwriting  workshop  aimed  specifically  at  Native  writers.  They 
received  75  submissions  off  the  bat. 

Dances  with  Wolves  also  gets  a  lot  of  the  credit  from  Native 
American  filmmakers  for  spawning  the  growth  of  feature  production, 
but  not  because  it  proved  that  people  would  go  see  Native  American 
characters.  Mostly,  it  made  people  mad.  "People  got  pretty  sick  of  non- 
Indians  inventing  us,"  says  Eyre.  "We've  been  in  films  and  photography 
since  its  invention,  but  we've  never  commanded  our  own  images  in 
these  media.  Dances  with  Wolves  has  its  place.  It's  a  beautiful  and  enter- 
taining movie,  but  don't  make  the  mistake  that  it's  an  Indian  movie. 
It's  about  a  white  guy  suffering  for  Indians  made  by  a  white  liberal  to 
alleviate  his  guilt  by  empathizing  with  Indians." 

More  than  anything  else,  Kevin  Costner's  epic  impelled  Native  film- 
makers to  forge  ahead  with  their  own  projects,  with  whatever  financ- 
ing they  could  put  together — as  long  as  the  projects  stayed  within  the 
Native  American  realm.  For  Smoke  Signals,  that  meant  Alexie,  a  31- 
year-old  Spokane/Coeur  d'Alene,  hanging  onto  the  rights  to  his  book 
Tonto  and  the  Lone  Ranger  Fistfight  in  Heaven  until  a  Native  American 
director  stepped  up.  It  took  awhile  for  29-year-old  Eyre,  a 
Cheyenne/Arapaho  from  Oregon,  to  call. 

"The  non- Indians  were  always  interested  in  bizarre  ideas,"  Alexie 
says.  "They'd  say,  'This  is  a  very  interesting  book,  but  could  you  make 
the  characters  white?'  "  With  Alexie's  acclaim  as  a  writer  and  Eyre's 
reputation  for  short  films  as  a  student  at  New  York  University,  they 
were  able  to  get  a  cash  award  of  $10,000  from  Japanese  broadcaster 
NHK  via  the  Sundance  Film  Festival,  get  into  the  Sundance  writer  and 
director  labs,  and  hook  up  with  independent  production  company 
Shadowcatcher  Entertainment.  They  sold  the  film  to  Miramax  when  it 
was  in  the  editing  stage,  and  Harvey  Weinstein  could  still  come  in  and 
tinker  with  the  plotline  and  title.  The  result  was  good  enough  to  win  a 
Sundance  Audience  Award  and  Filmmaker's  Trophy  in  1998. 

Righteous  anger  urged  Red-Horse,  a  38-year-old  Cherokee/Sioux, 
to  pick  up  the  pen.  Ai   actress  until  the  late  1980s,  she  gave  up  trying 


to  get  roles  as  a  Native  American  and  started  writing 
her  own  scripts.  She  pitched  projects  to  Hollywood  for 
years,  getting  little  more  than  an  afterschool  special, 
and  finally  gave  up.  But  then  during  a  visit  East,  she 
pitched  a  script  to  the  Mashantucket  Pequot  tribe, 
owners  of  the  Foxwoods  casino  in  Massachusetts.  To 
her  surprise  they  cashed  in  some  chips  and  gave  her  the 
$750,000  needed  for  Naturally  Native.  The  film  trans- 
lates her  frustrations  into  a  tale  about  three  sisters  who 
start  a  beauty  products  company  and  have  trouble  get- 
ting the  official  white  world  to  accept  their  venture. 
She's  scheduling  a  release  for  the  fall.  Meanwhile,  the 
Mashantucket  Pequots  and  other  gaming  tribes  are  tak- 
ing a  wait-and-see  attitude  before  getting  deeper  into 
the  film 
financing 
business. 

Shirley 
Cheechoo, 
a  Cree  in 
her  forties 
and  also  an 


Valerie  Red-Horse 
turned  real-life 
obstacles  into 
inspiration  for  her 
film  Naturally 
Native.  Pictured 
(l-r):  Red-Horse, 
Irene  Bedard, 
Kimberly  Norris 
Guerrero  & 
Max  Gail. 

Princess 
Peter-Raboff  (L) 
and  Heather  Rae 
at  Sundance 
Institute's 
1998  Native 
Sceenwriting 
Workshop. 


actress,  got  into  the  business  of 
directing  after  she  faced  control 
issues  with  Canadian  television. 
"When  I  discovered  they  wanted 
to  change  one  of  my  stories  for  the  white  audience,  I  decided  I  didn't 
want  my  story  to  be  told  that  way,"  she  says.  When  it  came  to  devel- 
oping her  feature  script  about  four  sisters  who  band  together  when  one 
is  accused  of  murder,  she  was  happy  to  find  an  independent  company 
that  would  give  her  $500,000  to  shoot  her  script  as  is  in  Canada  this 
spring.  "I'm  honored  that  Off-line  would  take  this  risk  with  me.  I 
thought  I'd  have  the  same  experience  as  with  Canadian  TV." 

Already  the  diversity  of  Native  American  cinema  shows,  even  if  all 
the  movies  deal  with  issues  of  poverty,  alcoholism,  or  discrimination. 
Eyre's  Smoke  Signals  is  a  literary  story  about  contemporary  life  on  the 
Coeur  d'Alene  reservation  in  Idaho  and  shows  Native  Americans  as 
sardonic,  happy,  basically  adjusted  citizens.  Set  in  suburban  Southern 
California,  Red-Horse's  Naturally  Native  is  relatively  issues-oriented, 
but  focuses  more  on  women's  rights  than  Native  American  discrimi- 
nation. Skorodin's  Tushka  steps  back  in  history,  but  only  to  the  recent 
past:  In  its  exploration  of  an  AIM  radical,  there  are  few  lurking  over- 
tones of  the  idealized  Native.  Cheechoo's  Backroads  will  be  a  contem- 
porary story  dealing  with  feminist  issues  as  well  as  racism.  Redroad's 
The  Doe  Boy  is  more  of  a  sweet  memory  piece.  Indian  Killer  is  an  in- 
your-face  contemporary  barrage  of  reservation  life.  Eyre's  next  project 
will  be  a  historical  drama,  either  dealing  with  the  Carlisle  Indian 
Boarding  School  or  the  life  of  activist  Leonard  Peltier. 

"We  needed  that  one  person  to  break  through,"  says  Redroad.  One 
chink  in  the  Hollywood  armor,  and  now  a  movement  is  afoot.  Maybe 
what  the  DJ  on  the  Couer  D'Alene  reservation  says  in  Smoke  Signals  is 
true  after  all.  Maybe  it  is  a  good  day  to  be  indigenous. 

Beth  Pinsker  is  a  freelance  writer  living  in  New  York  City. 


30     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


THE  AMERICAN  INDIAN  FILM  FESTIVAL 


O 


Tmaf 
nabbi 
Rctress 

Blue  Ground, 
3d  on  a  hit 
wadian  TV 
series. 


When  Michael  Smith  was 
growing  up  in  Seattle, 
he    was    taught    at 
school    that    brave 
American  settlers  had 
to  fight  off  savage 
Indians  to  create  a 
great  nation.  Satur- 
days at  the  movies, 
his       classmates 
cheered   as   John 
Wayne     or     Jeff 
Chandler  and  the 
"boys    in    blue" 
rescued   victims 
from     an     on- 
slaught of  wild, 
shrieking   war- 
riors. But  unlike  the  other  kids  in  his 
class,  Smith  was  a  member  of  the  Sioux  Tribes  of  Ft.  Peck,  Montana — the  great 
Lakota  Nation. 

Native  American  kids  facing  a  barrage  of  cultural  disparagement  react  in 
several  ways.  Some  become  political  activists  and  join  the  American  Indian 
Movement.  A  fortunate  few  go  to  law  school.  An  alarming  number  drown  their 
anger  and  despair  in  alcohol.  Many  young  Native  Americans  express  their  feel- 
ings through  the  arts.  Michael  Smith  started  a  film  festival. 

Approaching  its  25th  year,  the  American  Indian  Film  Festival  is  the  oldest 
Native  American  film  festival  in  the  United  States  and  one  of  the  few  run  by 
Native  organizers.  It's  a  large  festival,  running  nine  days  (November  12-20, 
1998)  in  different  venues  around  the  San  Francisco  area  and  incorporating  a 
well-attended  awards  ceremony  and  a  media  conference.  The  venues  are  com- 
mercial theaters  rather  than  museum  or  university  sites,  chosen  deliberately  to 
promote  the  idea  that  Native  American  films  should  be  seen  in  mainstream  the- 
aters, not  just  screened  in  institutions  as  cultural  curiosities — what  Smith  calls 
the  "ghettoizing  of  native  film." 

Despite  the  gravity  of  many  documentary  and  dramatic  works  screened,  the 
pervading  atmosphere  is  celebratory.  Opening  night  last  year  was  a  sold-out, 
bustling  affair  held  amidst  the  antique  grandeur  of  San  Francisco's  Palace  of 
Fine  Arts.  The  festival  opened  with  Valerie  Red-Horse's  Naturally  Native,  star- 
ring Irene  Bedard,  Kimberly  Norns  Guerrero,  and  actress/producer/writer  Red- 
Horse.  The  story  of  three  Native  American  sisters  struggling  to  start  a  business 
and  dealing  with  the  conflicts  of  modern  life  off  the  reservation,  Naturally 
Native  is  the  first  film  written,  produced,  directed,  and  starring  Native  American 
women. 

Contemporary  Native  music  is  an  important  feature  of  the  festival,  which 
last  year  opened  with  a  screening  of  Making  a  Noise:  A  Native  American 


by   Deborah   Dennison 

Musical  Journey.  This  is  a  first  documentary  by  Mohawk  Robbie  Robertson,  a 
former  member  of  The  Band  and  a  major  figure  on  the  pop  charts,  who  takes  us 
on  a  personal  exploration  of  his  musical  past  as  he  returns  to  the  Six  Nations 
Reserve  in  Canada.  At  the  festival,  the  film  was  introduced  by  Rita  Coolidge,  a 
Cherokee,  who  is  featured  in  the  film  along  with  Cree  musician  Buffy  Sainte 
Mane  and  the  ever-controversial,  former  American  Indian  Movement's  nation- 
al chairman,  John  Trudell.  The  festival  also  featured  a  benefit  concert  for  Native 
American  families  in  the  Bay  area  with  performances  by  blues  rockers 
Indigenous,  rap/soul  performer  Wayquay,  and  folk  rocker  Tom  Jackson. 

Friday  night  at  the  Palace  featured  the  world  premiere  of  a  police  thriller 
from  Canada,  In  the  Blue  Ground:  A  North  of  60  Movie.  Following  a  recent 
Hollywood  trend,  the  feature  by  Allan  Simmonds  is  based  on  a  long-running 
CBC-TV  series  in  Canada,  North  of  60.  The  hit  show  is  set  in  a  Native  town  in 
the  Northwest  Territories  and  features  Natives  in  leading  roles — something  we 
have  yet  to  see  south  of  the  border. 

KQED's  studios  were  the  location  for  a  media  brunch  in  which  Indian  film- 
makers discussed  the  difficulty  of  marketing  their  work.  This  has  long  been  a 
concern  of  Smith's — that  so  many  fine  films  screened  at  the  festival  over  the 
years  have  never  reached  a  wider  audience.  To  this  end,  the  American  Indian 
Film  Foundation,  the  organization  behind  the  festival,  plans  to  launch  a  film 
library  and  a  national  distribution  initiative. 

At  the  awards  dinner,  no  one  was  surprised  when  Smoke  Signals  garnered 
Best  Picture,  with  awards  also  going  to  actors  Evan  Adams  and  Irene  Bedard, 
and  director  Chris  Eyre,  whose  documentary  Bringing  It  All  Back  Home  also 
screened.  Best  Documentary  Feature  was  awarded  to  Journey  to  Medicine 
Wheel,  a  portrait  by  producer/director  Raymond  Chavez  of  the  struggles  of  a 
Crow  family  in  Montana  to  preserve  traditional  culture  and  language.  Among 
other  awardees,  Rita  Coolidge  was  honored  for  a  distinguished  career  with  the 
Eagle  Spirit  Award.  Closing  night  offered  the  world  premiere  of  Big  Bear,  a  178- 
minute  epic  on  the  legendary  Cree  chief  made  as  a  mini-series  for  Canadian 
television  by  documentarian  Gil  Cardinal  (who,  as  a  fiction  director,  cut  his  teeth 
on  episodes  of  North  of  60).  Big  Bear  received  the  AlFF's  Best  Story  and 
Producing  awards. 

Over  the  years,  the  festival  has  welcomed  the  support  of  a  number  of  major 
Hollywood  celebrities,  including  Dustin  Hoffman,  John  Voight,  and  Robert 
Redford.  But  AIFF  does  not  court  the  glitterati,  choosing  instead  to  focus  on  the 
filmmakers  and  their  work.  Native  and  non-Native  participants  find  a  relaxed, 
informal  atmosphere,  and  impromptu  parties  happen  throughout  the  week. 
Smith  extends  a  warm  welcome  into  the  tribal  circle. 

"The  ability  of  this  art  form  to  weaken  and  erode  is  matched  by  its  power  to 
heal  and  strengthen,"  says  Smith,  noting  that  art  has  always  played  a  restora- 
tive role  in  Native  American  cultures.  The  festival's  logo  is  a  film  reel  hung  with 
four  eagle  feathers  like  a  traditional  sacred  shield.  Smith  hopes  that  film,  like 
the  shield,  will  offer  protection  for  the  culture,  values,  and  artistic  expression  of 
Indigenous  Americans  for  generations  to  come. 

Deborah  Dennison  is  an  award-winning  filmmaker,  published  novelist, 
and  teaches  college  courses  on  Native  culture  in  Santa  Fe. 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


Ever  wonder  what  to  do  if  your  car  breaks  down  in  the  middle 
of  Australia's  Outback?  Don't  sweat  it,  mate.  Find  a  giant  anthill,  a 
sturdy  log,  and  presto,  you've  got  an  instant  ramp  for  a  peek  under- 
neath. How  about  a  flat  tire  and  a  flat  spare?  Stuff  your  inner  tube  with 
some  spinex  grass,  then  drive  slowly  to  town.  Maybe  bag  a  kangaroo 
along  the  way.  Got  a  busted  clutch  and  no  spare  parts?  Carve  some 
wood  into  a  small  boomerang  shape,  pop  it  into  place,  and  that'll  do 
the  trick. 

These  handy  tips  are  demonstrated  by  rive  Warlpiri  joyriders  in  the 
wildly  popular  Bush  Mechanics,  a  cross  between  NPR's  Car  Talk  and 
zany  Aboriginal  road  movie  which  was  one  of  the  highlights  at  last 
year's  Margaret  Mead  Film  &  Video  Festival  (November  6-14).  Begun 
in  1977  to  celebrate  the  75th  birthday  of  Margaret  Mead,  the  first 
anthropologist  to  use  film  in  field  work,  this  esteemed  touring  docu- 
mentary festival  is  as  good  a  place  as  any  to  catch  a  view  of  recent 
indigenous  production  from  the  world  over.  Since  1992,  when  the  fes- 
tival began  programming  video,  the  amount  of  indigenous  work  has 
steadily  increased.  (In  fact,  the  use  of  cameras  within  native  tribes  has 
grown  to  the  point  where  academics  are  writing  papers  like  "Are  Native 
Videomakers  Putting  Anthropologists  Out  of  Business?") 

Last  year  the  festival  turned  its  spotlight  Down  Under  with  the  side- 
bar "From  Sand  to  Celluloid:  Australian  Indigenous  Media,"  which 
included  about  a  dozen  works  from  Australia  and  the  Torres  Strait 
Islands.  Compared  to  Native  Americans,  Aboriginal  makers  have  it 
pretty  good:  Support  from  various  governmental  sources  started  earli- 
er and  has  continued  to  flow  with  greater  force.  As  the  credits  make 
plain,  many  of  the  festival's  works  owe  their  existence  to  federally  sub- 
sidized programs  and  have  been  able  to  reach  mass  audiences. 


Night  Patrol  is  one  example  of  a  community-based  project  that 
received  a  national  broadcast  on  the  Australian  Broadcasting  Corpor- 
ation (ABC).  This  short  documentary  follows  a  group  of  Yuendemu 
grandmothers  on  their  nightly  anti-"grog"  patrol,  which  has  signifi- 
cantly cut  down  the  amount  of  drunk  driving,  gasoline  sniffing,  and 
domestic  abuse  in  their  neck  of  the  Northern  Territory.  The  50-minute 
program  is  simultaneously  rough-edged  and  stylized,  with  Thin  Blue 
Une-esque  slo-mo  reenactments  of  culprits  caught  and  beer  cans  flying- 
Night  Patrol  was  one  of  five  films  to  come  out  of  the  National 
Indigenous  Documentary  Initiative.  For  this  video,  Pat  Fiske,  a  white 
activist  and  American  ex-patriot,  taught  members  of  the  Yuendemu 
community  how  to  produce  and  shoot  a  broadcast-quality  work. 
Though  the  intent  and  outcome  were  positive,  the  process  was  not 
always  smooth  sailing.  As  Mead  co-curator  and  scholar  Faye  Ginsburg 
noted  in  her  introduction  to  the  screening,  tensions  emerged  over  a 
clash  in  cultures — in  this  case,  Aboriginal  versus  broadcast  culture, 
with  Fiske  pushing  her  coproducers  to  meet  tight  deadlines  and  them 
pushing  back  for  time  to  gather  food  and  attend  funerals. 

Another  initiative  spearheaded  by  ABC  was  The  Dreaming,  a  project 
that  nicely  weds  the  old  with  the  new.  This  13-part  series  retells 
Aboriginal  creation  myths,  known  as  "Dreamtime  stories,"  using 
indigenous  drawing  styles  transposed  to  computer  animation  by  young 
Aboriginal  trainees.  The  executive  producer,  Keith  Salvat,  flew  in  to 
New  York  to  present  selections  and  was  rarely  seen  without  a  large  dog- 
eared box  containing  copies  of  the  videos  and  teaching  guides.  Though 
widely  used  in  Australian  classrooms  to  teach  everything  from  geogra- 
phy to  history  to  Aboriginal  culture,  this  was  the  first  time  The 
Dreaming  and  its  support  material  were  available  in  the  U.S. 


32     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


Stepping  up  to  the  mike,  Salvat  recalled  the  project's  start:  ABC 
called  him  up  one  day  and  asked  if  his  studio  had  any  Dreamtime  ani- 
mation. "I  had  no  idea  what  they  were  talking  about;  I  was  born  and 
bred  in  Sydney,  where  [Aboriginals]  don't  live.  'Yes,'  I  said.  'I'll  get 
back  to  you.'  "  Salvat  quickly  researched  Dreamtime  stories  at  the 
library  and  found  they  were  all  unauthored  oral  histories.  He  scouted 
around  for  Aboriginal  animators  and  found  there  were  none.  So  Salvat 
started  a  six-week  training  program  at  his  animation  studio,  fueled  by 
funds  from  the  government's  Department  of  Education  and  Training 
and  the  promise  of  airtime  from  ABC. 

To  rustle  up  trainees,  Salvat  reached  out  to  the  small  and  largely 
unemployed  Aboriginal  population  in  Sydney.  "I  drove  around,  leaflet- 
ing  through  the  employment  ser- 
vices," he  recalls.  "I  gave  the  respon- 
dents drawing  tests  and  got  a  work 
force  together.  I  was  told  I  was  mad; 
that  they'd  walk  out  in  three  days." 
Instead,  18  out  of  21  youths  stuck 
with  it.  Others  followed  as  Salvat 
continued  the  program.  One  trainee, 
Shane  Russell,  became  a  prize  winner 
and  celebrity  at  the  Annecy  Anima- 
tion Fest  in  France  with  his  animation 
of  a  bogey  man  who  feeds  travelers  to 
a  monster — "the  first  recorded  story 
of  a  serial  killer,"  Salvat  wryly  notes. 

Now  sold  to  educational  markets,  The  Dreaming  series  is  also  in 
demand  among  Aboriginal  communities.  Many  have  requested  that 
the  films  be  dubbed  in  their  local  languages,  thus  providing  children 
with  much-needed  lessons  in  both  cultural  history  and  their  vanishing 
tongues. 

On  the  fiction  front,  Australia  lags  somewhat  behind  the 
United  States.  Although  two  Aboriginal  features  have  been  produced 
to  date — Tracey  Moffatt's  Bedevil  (1993),  and  Rachel  Perkins'  Radiance 
(1996) — there  is  no  on-going  support  structure  for  Aboriginal  direc- 
tors and  screenwriters  comparable  to  the  Sundance  Institute's  Native 
workshops.  But  small  inroads  are  being  made.  Beginning  in  1996,  fic- 
tion directors  received  a  leg  up  with  the  Indigenous  Drama  Initiative, 
a  program  devised  by  the  Australian  Film  Commission  (AFC)  in  asso- 
ciation with  broadcaster  SBS.  Six  aspiring  filmmakers  were  selected  to 
direct  10-minute  16mm  shorts  and  receive  on-the-job  training.  One 
was  musician  and  activist  Richard  Frankland,  whose  No  Way  to  Forget, 
a  film  about  the  disproportionate  number  of  Aboriginal  youth  who  die 
in  police  custody,  screened  at  Mead  and  at  the  Cannes  Film  Festival. 
Two  more  rounds  have  occurred  since  1996,  promising  a  new  genera- 
tion of  feature  directors. 

But  long  before  national  broadcasters  and  the  AFC  got  into  the  act, 
Aboriginals  were  receiving  training  from  white  activists  like  David 
Batty.  Though  visibly  jet-lagged,  Batty  arrived  at  the  Mead  festival 
with  humor  intact  and  charmed  the  audience  with  his  clips  (including 
Bush  Mechanics)  and  first-person  account  of  the  birth  of  Aboriginal 
media.  "When  I  got  to  Alice  Springs  [in  1980],  there  was  no  such 
thing  as  Aboriginal  media  there  or  anywhere  in  the  country,"  Batty 
recalls.  Aboriginal  radio  had  been  launched  in  1978,  and  once  video 
came  onto  the  scene,  Batty  co-founded  CAAMA,  the  first  Aboriginal 


TV  station.  In  charge  of  sending  equipment  out  into  the  field,  Batty 
also  compiled  the  footage  sent  back  to  him  into  a  program  called  Look 
Show.  It's  raw,  to  say  the  least,  but  those  amateur  dog  contests  and 
grannies  reminiscing  in  their  native  tongue  launched  a  whole  new  era. 
Over  time,  CAAMA  pursued  various  strategies  to  preserve  indige- 
nous culture  and  fight  the  lure  of  Dallas  and  all  things  Western,  which 
escalated  after  the  launch  of  a  national  satellite  in  1985.  The  Warlpiri, 
who  had  their  first  contact  with  whites  as  recently  as  the  1960s,  were 
particularly  concerned  about  cultural  imperialism  and  asked  Batty  to 
help  create  Just  for  Fun,  a  Sesame  Street-style  children's  program. 
"They're  pretty  rough  and  rugged,"  Batty  apologized,  casually  noting 
that  the  first  three  halt-hour  shows  were  produced  for  a  grant  total  of 

$10,000.  Using  a  Bolex  and  silent 
reversal  stock,  Batty  scratched  the 
special  effects  (like  sparks  flying  from 
a  magician's  fingertips)  directly  onto 
the  film  and  recruited  local  children 
to  provide  voices  and  sound  effects. 
"This  was  essentially  made  for  chil- 
dren as  a  tool  to  maintain  language," 
says  Batty.  "We  never  intended  it  to 
go  outside  the  community."  But  it  did 
in  a  major  way,  thanks  to  Radiance 
director  Rachel  Perkins.  The  daugh- 
ter of  a  prominent  activist,  Perkins 
trained  on  a  grassroots  level  at 
CAAMA,  then  went  on  to  become  an  SBS  producer  by  that 
time.  Charmed  by  the  10-part  series,  Perkins  ultimately 
had  it  subtitled  and  beamed  to  the  whole  country — the 
equivalent,  say,  of  a  Hopi-language  children's  series 
being  included  on  NBC's  Saturday  morning  line-up. 

Aboriginal  media  is  diversifying  to  the  point  where 
it's  impossible  to  neatly  categorize.  But  Ginsburg  sees 
one  common  denominator:  "Almost  everyone's  engage- 
ment with  media — from  very  remote,  traditional,  mono- 
lingual people,  to  very  urbane  bicultural  people  who 
grew  up  in  a  white  environment  and  have  rediscovered 
their   aboriginality   recently — is   a   way   of 
reclaiming    their    heritage."    Put 
another  way  by  the  Aboriginal 
host  of  Look,  Listen,  Speak,  a 
show   on    the    pioneering 
TV   and   radio  network 
BRACS,  "Remember,  if 
you  know  something, 
you  must  pass  it  on." 
That's  been  key  to 
the      growth      of 
Aboriginal 
media  —  and 
that        doesn't 
cost  a  dime. 


Patricia  Thomson  is  The  Independent's  editor  in  chief. 


THE    INDfPfENDENT      33 


ft 


DISTRIBUTOR 


SEVENTH  ART  RELEASING 


Y     LlSSA    GIBBS 

Seventh  Art  Releasing, 
7551  Sunset  Blvd.  Ste  104, 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90046; 
(323)  845-1455;  fax:  845- 
4717;  www.7thart.com, 
seventhart.net  Contacts: 
Udy  Epstein,  principal; 
Oren  Bitan,  vice  president 
of  acquisitions  &  marketing 


Seventh  Art 's 
Udy  Epstein. 


What  is  Seventh  Art? 

A  filmmaker-friendly  spe- 
cialized theatrical  distributor  with  a  video  label  and  a 
full-time  world  sales  unit.  We  mostly  do  docs. 

Who  is  Seventh  Art? 

We're  a  subsidiary  of  Cordish  Media  Inc.  Udy  Epstein, 
principal  and  co-founder  (with  Jonathan  Cordish,  who 
is  currently  at  the  Wharton  School),  is  joined  at  Seventh 
Art  by  executives  Maria  Bjorkdahl,  vice  president  of  the- 
atrical distribution;  Oren  Bitan,  vice  president  of  acqui- 
sitions &  marketing;  Tina  Gee,  director  of  operations; 
New  York-based  Stephen  Krai,  executive  vice  president 
of  acquisitions;  and  Yosef  Grunfeld,  senior  v.p.  of  devel- 
opment. Esther  van  Messel  heads  international  opera- 
tions out  of  Zurich  with  the  First  Hand  Films  label. 

Total  number  of  employees  at  Seventh  Art: 

Four  in  L.A.,  plus  two  part-timers  in  New  York  and  one 
producer  on  a  first-look  housekeeping  deal  (Shelley 
Spevakow).  Currently,  she's  in  New  York  [(212)  727- 
7123]  but  will  soon  move  to  our  L.A.  office. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  Seventh  Art  come  into 
being? 

We  started  out  almost  six  years  ago  while  taking  a  film 
we  produced.  Midnight  Edition,  on  a  festival  tour.  The 
film  was  distributed  by  MCA  Universal  on  video  and  had 
shown  on  HBO.  We  did  a  small  theatrical  release  for  it 
with  some  of  the  video  money.  That  was  the  real  start 
for  us. 

Unofficial  motto  or  driving  philosophy: 

Lean,  mean,  fighting  machine  (i.e.,  we  take  our  films 
very  personally  and  we  fight  for  you). 


What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn 
about  Seventh  Art? 

We  make  it  all  work  on  a  shoestring  if  that's  only  what 
is  available.  Sometimes  our  "richer"  films  support  our 
"poorer."  We  also  work  with  nonprofit  organizations  in 
taking  their  movies  out.  We  do  not  chase  service  deals, 
but  we  have  done  some  (Universal,  Columbia,  Alliance, 
Capitol  Records).  But  probably  the  most  surprising 
thing  is  that  we  love  docs  and  want  to  do  more  of  them 
theatrically. 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

About  30. 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 


Long  Time  Coming  (DGA  Award  '98);  Adam  Isidore's 
Give  a  Damn  Again-,  Susan  Koch's  City  at  Peace-,  Odette 
Springer's  Some  Nudity  Required  (Sundance  '98);  RJ. 
Cutler  and  David  Van  Taylor's  A  Perfect  Candidate-,  and 
some  gay  and  lesbian-themed  works  like  Dirk  Shatner's 
Man  of  the  Year  and  Nancy  Meckler's  Sister  My  Sister. 

Best-known  titles  in  Seventh  Art's  collection: 

Sister  My  Sister  earned  the  most  in  box  office  and  sales 
of  our  fiction  films,  and  Long  Way  Home  on  the  doc 
side.  Both  have  sold  all  over  the  world. 

Is  Seventh  Art  also  involved  in  co-production  or  co- 
financing? 

Yes!  Give  a  Damn  Again,  a  film  about  race  relations.  We 
helped  finish  it  on  film,  and  we're  proud  of  it.  We  are 
now  involved  in  finishing  and  working  with  directors  on 
four  other  projects  (all  doc),  but  we  did  not  fully  finance 


Rare  color  photos  of  the  Lodz  Ghetto  are  featured  in 
Dariusz  Jablonski's  engrossing  film  Photographer. 


Feature-length  docs  and  fiction  films  that  we  like  and 
feel  we  can  stand  behind.  We  do  not  do  pornography 
unless  it  is  a  good  doc  about  it.  In  short,  the  titles  we 
handle  are  a  reflection  of  our  taste. 

Is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  "Seventh  Art"  film? 

Yes,  I  guess.  Most  of  our  docs  are  of  historical,  social, 
and  moral  importance,  and  most  have  won  some  pret- 
ty significant  awards:  Mark  Jonathan  Hams'  Long  Way 
Home  (Academy  Award  '97);  Dariusz  Jablonski's 
Photographer  (many  major  European  awards);  Jerry 
Blumenthal,  Peter  Gilbert,  and  Gordon  Quinn's  Vietnam 


them  from  the  get-go. 


What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

Find  your  marketing  angle,  realizing  what  kind  of  film  it 
is  and  for  what  audience.  Figure  out  the  economics  of 
that  scenario  and  go  from  there  while  also  trying  to  work 
tests  into  your  overall  strategy. 

Where  do  Seventh  Art  titles  generally  show? 

At  Laemmle  theaters  in  LA;  the  Quad,  Angelika,  and 
Film  Forum  in  New  York;  and  at  film  societies  all  over 
the  country. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles,  and  how  should  film- 


34     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


TRULY    MODERN 


makers  approach  you  for  consideration? 

The  usual  tests  such  as  Sundance,  Toronto,  and  the 
Independent  Feature  Film  Market.  We  go  to  industry 
screenings  in  Los  Angeles  and  New  York,  and  screeners 
are  sent  to  our  office  from  around  the  world.  We  do  look 
at  works-in-progress,  and  filmmakers  can  call  us  in 
L.A.  Scripts  should  be  sent  only  to  Shelley  in  New  York 
(see  number  above). 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  collec- 
tion.- 

From  about  $250,000  to  $3  million. 

Biggest  change  at  Seventh  Art  in 
recent  years: 

Our  move  to  handling  mostly  docs. 
Plus,  starting  a  full  service  foreign 
sales  office  based  in  Europe. 

Most  important  issue  facing  Seventh 
Art  today: 

Our  move  into  production. 

Where  will  Seventh  Art  be  10  years 
from  now? 

Still  open  for  business  doing  films  we 
like. 

You  knew  that  Seventh  Art  had  made  it  as  a  compa- 
ny when . . . 

the  big  boys  and  organizations  started  calling  for  advice 
and  services. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  what  would  you  be 
doing? 

Don't  even  want  to  think  about  it.  Not  possible  in  our 
book. 

Other  (domestic  or  foreign)  distributors  that  you 
admire  and  why: 

Miramax.  Those  guys  know  what  they  are  doing. 

The  difference  between  Seventh  Art  and  other  dis- 
tributors of  independent  films  is . . . 

We  focus  on  docs  and  have  a  world  sales  unit  for  very 


specialized  films. 

If  you  could  only  give  independent  filmmakers  one 
bit  of  advice  it  would  be  to . . . 

Have  more  of  a  reality  check. 

Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 

Meeting  People  Is  Easy,  a  film  by  Grant  Gee  about  the 
band  Radiohead;  Photographer,  and  Bam  Rose,  one  of 
the  best  Holocaust  films  in  years.  It  is  remote,  intellec- 


tual, objective — doesn't  go  for  the  cheap  shot — yet  is 
shockingly  moving.. 

The  future  of  independent  film  distribution  in  this 
country  is  one  which . . . 

Ask  [Good  Machine  producer]  Ted  Hope — he  has 
already  said  it  better  then  we  can. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
profiling  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent  film  and 
video.  If  you  are  a  distributor  and  want  to  be  profiled  and  want 
to  find  out  more  about  a  particular  distributor,  contact  Lissa 
Gibbs,  c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl„  New  York, 
NY  10013,  or  drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink. 


Ussa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


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II 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


tinvrrnH^f^ 


TEXAS  FILMMAKERS' 
PRODUCTION  FUND 


BY 


ICHELLE    COE 

exas  Filmmakers'  Production  Fund,  c/o 
Austin  Film  Society,  3109  North  IH  35, 
Austin,  TX  78722;  (512)  322-0145;  fax: 
322-0726;  afs@austinfilm.org; 

www.austinfilm.org  Contacts:  Anne  del 
Castillo,  director  of  artists'  services; 
Rebecca  Campbell,  managing  director. 


When  and  how  did  the  Texas  Filmmakers' 
Production  Fund  (TFPF)  emerge? 

The  TFPF  was  established  in  1996  in  an  effort  to 
redress  the  loss  of  public  funds  for  filmmakers,  most 
notably  the  end  of  the  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts' 
Regional  Regrants  program  in  1994.  Austin  Film  Society 
artistic  director  Richard  Linklater,  who  received  $2,600 
from  the  NEA  to  complete  Slacker  in  1989,  recognized 
the  need  to  make  such  funds  available  to  individual 
artists  and  cultivated  the  idea  of  the  fund. 

What  is  the  fund's  relationship  to  the  Austin  Film 
Society  (AFS)? 

AFS  administers  the  fund,  meaning  we  assemble  the 
staff,  raise  the  money,  determine  the  guidelines, 
process  applications,  and  select  the  panelists.  We  are, 
however,  completely  removed  from  the  decision-making 
process. 

What  is  the  Austin  Film  Society? 

The  Austin  Film  Society  is  a  nonprofit  organization  with 
a  twofold  mission:  to  exhibit  rarely  shown  work  and  to 
support  regional  media  production.  It  started  out  in 
1985  as  a  small  group  of  friends  posting  flyers  around 
town  to  announce  midnight  screenings  of  rare  films. 
Then  in  1995,  Elizabeth  Peters  (now  executive  director 
of  AIVF)  came  on  board  as  managing  director  and 
established  a  membership  and  set  up  artists'  services. 
Since  then,  we  have  grown  to  1,200  members,  expand- 
ed our  support  services,  and  continue  to  program  more 
than  100  films  each  year. 

What  kind  of  independent  community  does  Austin 
have?  What  are  some  recent  projects  that  have 
come  out  of  there? 

Austin  has  a  burgeoning  film  scene.  It's  charged  with 
real  enthusiasm  and  energy  and  ranges  from  no-budget 
indies  to  studio  productions.  We  have  folks  like  Rick 
Linklater  and  Robert  Rodriguez  who  have  managed  to 
straddle  both  the  hardcore  industry  and  the  indepen- 
dent scene.  But  then  there's  this  huge  group  of  strug- 


gling filmmakers  who  are  just  trying  to  make  films. 
There  are  people  trying  to  make  features  for  $30,000  to 
$100,000,  shooting  on  weekends  or  at  odd  hours  when 
they're  not  working  at  the  grocery  store  or  waiting 
tables  to  make  ends  meet.  There  are  some  who  are  for- 
tunate enough  to  work  on  bigger  commercial  projects, 
too.  But  for  the  most  part,  the  creation  of 
film  in  this  town  is  founded  on  a  sense  of 
community.  I  can't  tell  you  how  many  film- 
makers who  are  working  on  four  or  five  pro- 
jects at  a  time,   pooling  resources,  and 
exchanging  talents  with  each  other  in  order  to 
get  their  films  made. 

Who  is  the  staff  of  AFS?  Who  administers  the 
fund? 

The  staff  is  an  incredibly  dedicated  group  of  people 
that  does  a  lot  on  very  little.  Rebecca  Campbell  is 
our  managing  director  who  oversees  all  of  the  orga- 
nization's activities;  Cara  Biasucci  is  our  program- 
ming coordinator;  Nichole  Worrell  is  our  administra- 
tive director;  then  there's  me,  [Anne  del  Castillo], 
director  of  artists'  services;  and  then  there's  a  whole 
crew  of  interns  and  volunteers  too  numerous  to  name, 
but  definitely  worth  mentioning,  as  they  really  help  keep 
the  place  running.  Rebecca  and  I  will  be  administering 
the  fund  this  year  with  a  staff  of  two  to  three  interns. 

The  fund's  driving  philosophy  is . . . 

To  nourish  the  creation,  proliferation,  and  advancement 
of  Texas'  independent  film  and  video  artists  and  their 
works. 

Specifically,  how  many  projects 
has  the  fund  assisted?  How  many 
are  funded  per  year? 

TFPF  has  funded  49  projects  in  the  last 
three  years.  We  aim  to  fund  as  many 
projects  as  we  can,  which,  given  the 
monies  available,  ends  up  being  any- 
where from  18  to  20  projects. 

What  is  the  fund's  total  annual  budget, 
and  how  much  is  specifically  for  awards? 

$50,000,  and  every  dollar  goes  directly  to  a 
filmmaker.  TFPF  operations  expenses  come 
out  of  the  AFS  budget. 
What  is  the  average  size  of  a  grant? 
Between  $1,000  and  $5,000. 

What  are  the  requirements  for  submitted  projects? 

The  applicant  must  be  a  resident  of  Texas,  and  the  pro- 
ject must  be  an  independent  (read:  not  industrial  nor  a 
"work-for-hire")  work  of  film  or  video.  We  are  not  yet 


(Top  to  bottom) 
TFPF's  Anne  del  Castillo. 

AFS  Manaaging  Director  Rebecca  Campbell  (I)  with 
producer  Elizabeth  Avellan  at  a  TFPF  fundraiser/ 
premiere  of  The  Faculty. 

Actor  Lawrence  Tierney  in  Elizabeth  Sikes'  doc 
Gimme  Some  Larry,  a  beneficiary  of  TFPF  funding. 

Texas  filmmaker  Joseph  Strickland  (I)  shooting 
Searching  for  Tony  Joe. 


36     THE     INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


funding  multimedia. 

What  is  the  average  number  of  applications  submit- 
ted each  year?  What  percentage  actually  get  funded? 

Our  pool  of  applicants  continues  to  grow.  The  first  year, 
I  think,  we  had  60  applicants;  last  year  we  had  just  over 
100.  On  average,  we've  funded  close  to  20  percent  of 
the  applicant  pool. 

What  type  of  projects  do  you  seek? 

We're  not  looking  for  any  particular  genre  here.  We've 
funded  everything  from  documentary  subjects  to  narra- 
tive, animated,  and  experimental  films,  both  feature- 
length  and  shorts.  What's  important  is  that  the  work 
shows  promise,  skill  and  creativity — and  a 
likelihood  that  it  will  be  completed! 

What  are  your  funding  cycles  and  dead- 
lines? 

TFPF  is  an  annual  program.  Applications  are 
available  beginning  in  May.  The  postmark 
deadline  for  submissions  is  July  1.  In  August, 
an  independent  panel  convenes  in  Austin  to 
decide  on  awards.  Award  recipients  are 
announced  in  early  September. 

Who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 
Can  you  name  past  panelists  and 
briefly  describe  the  selection 
process? 

Bl  want  to  be  clear  that  decisions  are  made  by  an 
independent  panel  that  is  brought  in  from  out  of 
state.  AFS  staff  and  board  members  do  not  par- 
ticipate in  grantmaking  decisions;  all  decisions 
are  made  by  the  panelists.  Past  panelists  have 
included  John  Pierson,  Jim  McKay,  Judith 
Helfand,  and  Christopher  Munch.  In  July,  we  send 
them  each  a  complete  set  of  applications  to 
1 1  review.  Then  in  August,  we  bring  them  to  Austin 

^  for  a  grueling  two-day  final  review  process,  dur- 
ing which  they  compare  notes,  determine  a  final 
pool,  and  finally  recommend  and  vote  on  dollar 
amounts  of  grants.  A  new  panel  is  selected  each  year. 
We  are  currently  in  the  process  of  assembling  this 
year's  panel. 

AFS  offers  great  information  resources  and  services 
to  its  members,  including  fiscal  sponsorship,  con- 
sultations, and  exhibition  programs.  Do  you  give 
additional  support  to  artists  once  they've  received 
the  award? 

We  try  to  follow  up  with  our  grant  recipients  and  track 
the  progress  of  their  projects.  We  are  always  available 
for  advice  or  referral,  and  a  number  of  recipients  have 
come  to  us  seeking  fiscal  sponsorship. 

Any  advice  for  media  artists  in  putting  forth  a  strong 
application? 

They  really  have  to  believe  in  their  project  and  be  able 
to  demonstrate  their  dedication  and  vision.  If  they  can't 
convey  it,  we  can't  see  it. 


What  is  the  most  common  mistake  applicants 
make? 

Trusting  that  their  work  sample  will  speak  for  itself.  Too 
often  applicants  fail  to  represent  their  projects  well  in 
the  written  material  requested  because  they  think  their 
sample  work  will  just  wow  the  panel.  They  don't  realize 
how  important  it  is  to  present  a  clear  picture  of  the  pro- 
ject and  their  objectives  on  paper. 

What  distinguishes  the  Texas  Filmmakers'  Produc- 
tion Fund  from  other  traditional  funders? 

Unlike  other  funders,  TFPF  funds  individuals.  We  do  not 


A  scene  from  Amparo  Garcia's  magic  realist 
Loaves  and  Fishes. 


require  a  fiscal  sponsor;  in  fact,  we  will  not  fund  orga- 
nizations. We  also  do  not  seek  to  retain  any  form  of  edi- 
torial control  or  distribution  rights.  The  grant  is  truly  in 
the  spirit  of  independent  film. 

What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn 
about  the  fund  and  its  founders? 

The  fund  is  not  an  endowment.  Each  year  AFS  has  to 
raise  that  $50,000  through  benefit  premieres  and  pri- 
vate and  corporate  donations. 

Name  other  foundations  and  funding  programs  you 
admire  and  why. 

It's  hard  to  say;  I  admire  anyone  who's  willing  to  give 
money  to  promote  art,  education,  social  justice — and 
there  are  a  number  of  folks  out  there  who  are  doing  just 
that.  With  respect  to  media  arts  in  particular,  I'd  have  to 
say  ITVS  (Independent  Television  Service),  Soros,  and 
MacArthur  do  a  wonderful  job  of  funding  innovative 
artists  and  controversial  subjects.  I  also  admire  the  lat- 
est program  headed  by  Ruby  Lerner  called  Creative 
Capital.  It's  terrific  to  see  private  enterprises  picking  up 
where  government  dropped  the  ball. 

Funder  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire  profil- 
ing foundations,  funding  organizations,  and  financiers  of  inde- 
pendent film  and  video.  Send  profile  suggestions  to  Michelle 
Coe  at  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft,  New  York,  NY  10013,  or  drop 
an  email  to  michelle@aivf.org. 

Michelle  Coe  is  program  and 
information  cervices  director  at  AIVF 


Call  For 
Entries 


Deadline:  July  1,1999 
Late:  August  1,1999 


Festival  Dates: 
October  15-24 


Entry  Forms  Available  at: 

www.jerseydirect.com/filmfest, 

(609)646-1640, 

Or  Instant  Fax-On  Demand  at: 

1-703-904-7760  #179 


ONIC 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


by   Scott  Castle 


listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes,  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months  prior 
to  cover  date  (june  1  for  aug/sept  issue), 
include  festival  dates,  categories,  prizes, 
entry  fees,  deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info, 
send  to:  festivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 

austin  gay  and  lesbian  international  film  festival, 

Aug.  27-Sept.  9,  TX.  Deadline:  July  19.  Fest  is  the  oldest  & 
largest  gay/lesbian  film  festival  In  the  Southwest.  Fest  seeks 
to  educate  the  community  by  showing  the  best  In  recent  gay 
&  lesbian  films  &  video.  Cats:  Shorts,  docs  &  animation  w/ 
lesbian,  gay,  bisexual  ortransgender  subject  matter.  Awards: 
Nambe  awards  to  category  winners.  Entry  fees:  $15  for  each 
film  ($20  if  you  want  it  returned)  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
1/2",  or  3/4".  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  AGLIFF,  Box  L,  Austin, 
TX  78713;  (512)  302-9889;  fax:  302-1088;  ausglfilm® 
aol.com;  www.agliff.org 

CINEMATEXAS  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  AND  VIDEO 
AND  NEW  MEDIA  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  22-26,  TX.  Deadline:  June 
4.  The  int'l  competition  is  open  to  works  produced  in  the  U.S. 
after  Jan.  1, 1998  &  in  foreign  countries  after  Jan.  1, 1997,  w/ 
max  running  time  of  45  mm.  In  1998.  fest  awarded  nearly 
$15,000  in  equipment,  services  &  cash  to  competition  award 
winners.  Cinematexas  also  presents  nat'l  retrospectives, 
early  shorts  by  established  feature  directors  &  curated  pro- 
grams from  alternative  film  collectives  &  archives  worldwide. 
Formats:  Film,  video  &  digital  productions  accepted.  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25.  Contact:  Bryan  Poyser  or  Jen  Proctor, 
Cinematexas  Festival,  Dept.  of  Radio-TV-Film,  CMA  6.118, 
Univ.  of  Texas,  Austin,  TX  78712;  (512)  471-6497;  fax:  471- 
4077;  cinematx@uts.cc.utexas.edu;  www.uts.ee. utexas. 
edu/~cinematx 

FILM  ARTS  FESTIVAL  OF  INDEPENDENT  CINEMA,  Nov.  3-7, 
CA.  Deadlines:  June  19  (early);  July  9  (final).  15th  annual 
non-competitive  fest  is  a  showcase  of  Northern  California 
indie  film  &  video.  Fest  accepts  indie  films  of  any  length  or 
genre.  Films  must  be  either  produced  by  a  resident  of  (or 
while  residing  in)  Northern  CA,  or  about  a  N.  CA  subject.  One 
special  spotlight  program  is  done  on  short  filmmakers  from 
outside  the  region  &  there  are  special  guidelines  for  this  pro- 
gram. Formats:  super  8,  16mm,  35mm,  3/4",  Beta.  Preview 
on  VHS,  3/4",  super  8,  16mm.  Entry  fees;  $10  (early);  $15 
(final).  Contact;  FAF,  Mark  Taylor,  fest  director,  Film  Arts 
Foundation,  346  9th  St.,  2nd  fl,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103; 
(415)  552-FILM;  fax:  552-0882;  festival@filmarts.org 

HAWAII  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  5-14 
(Honolulu);  Nov.  17-21  (Neighbor  Islands),  HI.  Deadline:  July 
12.  19th  annual  fest,  dedicated  to  promoting  crosscultural 
understanding  among  peoples  of  Asia,  N.  America  &  Pacific 
region  through  the  presentation  of  features,  docs  &  shorts 
dealing  w/  relevant  subject  matter,  now  accepting  film  & 
video  entries.  All  lengths  &  genres  invited.  Last  year's  edition 
featured  150  features  &  shorts,  with  10  int'l  premieres,  to 
over  65,000  people.  With  25  venues  in  five  islands  it's  the 
U.S.'s  only  statewide  film  fest.  Awards:  First  Hawaiian  Bank 
Golden  Mile  Award  (decided  by  int'l  jury)  for  features  &  docs 


that  best  promote  cultural  understanding.  Other  awards  incl.: 
Audience  Award,  Cinematography  Award  &  Hawaii  Film  & 
Videomaker  Award.  Formats:  Betacam  SR  16mm,  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $35.  Contact:  Film  Coordinator, 
1001  Bishop  St.,  Pacific  Tower,  Ste.  745,  Honolulu,  HI  96813; 
(800)  752-8193  (w/in  U.S.);  (808)  528-3456  (int'l);  fax: 
(808)  528-1410;  hiffinfo@hiff.org;  www.hiff.org 

HEARTLAND  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  20-28,  IN.  Deadline:  June 
18.  Fest  seeks  to  recognize  &  honor  filmmakers  whose  work 
"explores  the  human  journey  by  artistically  expressing  hope  & 
respect  for  the  positive  values  of  life."  Fest  annually  awards 
$100,000  &  Crystal  Heart  Awards.  Formats:  16mm  or  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $20  (shorts);  $55  (features). 
Contact:  Jeffrey  L.  Sparks,  HFF,  613  North  East  St., 
Indianapolis,  IN  46202;  (317)  464-9405;  fax:  635-4201; 
hff@pop.iquest.net;  www.heartlandfilmfest.org 

INTERNATIONAL  SURREALIST  FILM  FESTIVAL,  July,  CT. 
Deadline:  July  9.  4th  annual  fest  will  be  held  at  the  Stamford 
museum,  Stamford.  CT.  All  genres  accepted.  The  panel  of 
judges,  ranging  from  rock  stars  to  filmmakers  to  teachers, 
will  decide  what  is  surreal.  All  entrants  will  receive  a  written 
critique  regardless  of  acceptance.  Grand  prize  is  a  Bolex  H16 
movie  camera.  Trophies  will  also  be  awarded.  Last  years  cats 
incl.  most  abrasive,  most  oblique,  the  Breton  award  for  best 
use  of  a  woman  with  a  gun  &  utterly  Man  Ray.  Formats: 
16mm,  super  8  &  video;  single  system  sound  only.  Preview  on 
VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25.  Send  complete  cast  &  credits  list  along 
w/  all  pertinent  production  info.  Contact:  ISFF,  c/o  Alexander 
Berbench,  festival  director,  Box  1285,  New  Rochelle,  NY 
10802;  (203)  425-9809;  fax:  (914)  636-3633; 
oniongod@ix.netcom.com 

LATINO  FILM  FESTIVAL  OF  MARIN,  Nov  4-7,  CA.  Deadlines: 
July  1  (early);  July  31  (late).  Fest  exists  to  bring  Latino  films 
to  the  Bay  Area,  to  express  the  cultural  diversity  of  all  Latino 
countries  as  a  source  of  inspiration  &  empowerment,  to 
strengthen  the  artistic  expression  of  the  Latino  community  of 
Marin  &  to  bring  educational  opportunities  in  filmmaking  to 
Latino  youth.  Fest  offers  outreach  programs  designed  to  cre- 
ate opportunities  for  interaction  between  Latino  youth/chil- 
dren &  pro  filmmakers.  Cats:  short,  doc,  experimental,  fea- 
ture. Awards:  Latino  Cine  Awards  for 
best  short,  best  doc,  best  film  by 
women  filmmaker,  best  student  film 
&  Public's  Awards.  Formats:  VHS. 
Beta,  16mm  &  35mm.  Preview  on 
VHS.  Entry  fees:  $25  (early);  $35 
(late).  Contact;  Silvia  Perel,  exec, 
director,  LFFM,  3100  Kerner  Blvd., 
Ste.  G,  San  Rafael,  CA  94901;  (415) 
459-3530;  fax:  456-0560; 
cinefest@latinofilmfestival.org;  www.latinofilmfestival.org 

MIX:  NEW  YORK  LESBIAN  &  GAY  EXPERIMENTAL 
FILM/VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  10-14,  NY.  Deadline:  July  16. 
Longest  running  lesbian  &  gay  film  fest  in  NY  &  premiere  int'l 
venue  for  experimental  media.  Requesting  all  genres,  as  well 
as  audio/visual  installations,  cyber  submissions  of  interac- 
tive &  digital  media  plus  media-based  performance.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  super  8  &  video.  Preview  on  NTSC  VHS  (no 
PAL  or  SECAM).  Entry  fee:  $19.99.  See  website  for  appl.  & 
rules.  Contact:  MIX,  29  John  St.  #132,  New  York,  NY  10038; 
(212)  501-2309;  mix@echonyc.com;  www.mixnyc.org 


NEW  YORK  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  24-Oct.  10,  NY  Deadline: 
Early  July.  Non-competitive  fest,  now  in  its  27th  year  is  a  pre- 
miere American  forum  for  groundbreaking  films.  Exhibiting 
between  25  &  30  features  &  shorter  works,  fest  showcases 
both  first  rank  int'l  filmmakers  &  emerging  talent.  Cats:  All 
genres  &  lengths  accepted.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm.  Preview 
on  16mm,  35mm,  3/4",  1/2"  (preview  tapes  not  returned).  No 
entry  fee.  For  entry  form  access  Web  site  or  send  s.a.s.e.  to: 
NYFF,  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center,  70  Lincoln  Center  Plaza, 
New  York,  NY  10023;  (212)  875-5610;  fax:  875-5636;  sbens- 
man@filmlinc.com;  www.filmlinc.com 

PORTLAND  LESBIAN/GAY/BI/TRANS  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  8- 
10  &  15-17,  OR.  Deadline:  June  15. 3rd  annual  fest  will  be 
held  in  Portland,  Oregon,  at  Cinema  21  &  is  presented  by 
Sensory  Perceptions.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm  &  3/4".  Preview 
on  VHS  only  &  will  be  added  to  the  Sensory  Perceptions 
archives  unless  accom.  by  s.a.s.e.  or  $5  &  request  for  return. 
For  more  info  &  entry  form  contact:  Sensory  Perceptions,  625 
SW  10th  Ave.,  Ste.  224,  Portland,  OR  97205;  (503)  242- 
0818;  PDXGayFilm@aol.com 

REELING  '99:  CHICAGO  LESBIAN  AND  GAY  INTERNATIONAL 
FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  5-18.  Deadline:  July  1. 19th  annual  fest 
seeks  wide  variety  of  lesbian  &  gay  films  &  videos  for  the  2nd 
oldest  fest  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  All  formats,  genres  & 
lengths  accepted.  Preview  on  1/2"  VHS  (NTSC  or  Pal).  Entry 
fee:  $15  (first  entry),  $10  (each  additional  entry).  Contact; 
Reeling  '99,  Chicago  Filmmakers,  1543  West  Division, 
Chicago,  IL  60622;  (773)  384-5533;  fax:  384- 
5542;  reeling@chicagofilmmakers.org;  www.chicago 
filmmakers.org 


Aloha  film! 

Travelling  to  a  tropical  destination  to  go  inside  and 
watch  movies  may  seem  contradictory,  but  the 
sprawling  efforts  of  the  Hawaii  International 
Film  Festival,  the  only  statewide  festival  in  the 
U.S.,  make  it  worth  the  trip.  The  festival  kicks  off 
on  Honolulu  with  a  week  of  premieres  &  seminars 
(last  year's  slate  included  such  diverse  topics  as 
cinematography  &  working  as  an  Asian  American 
in  film),  before  touring  the 
.,  neighboring  islands.  The 
at  the  hiff.     festival  is  renowned  for  its 

I  focus  on  Asia  and  the 
Pacific  Rim.  Program  choic- 
j  es  are  a  reflection  of-the 
i  i      Hawaiian  Islands'  diverse 
' ,   population  with  multiple 
selections  from  Japan, 
Korea,  India  &  the 
Phillipines.  "Our  festival  is  not  just  for  film  buffs 
but  for  people  who  love  life  and  are  interested  in 
the  world,"  explains  festival  director  Christian 
Gaines.  See  listing. 


TELLURIDE  INDIEFEST  '99,  Dec.  2-5,  CO.  Deadline:  Aug  1. 
Known  as  "Film  Camp"  because  of  its  friendly  &  intimate 
atmosphere,  this  year's  fest  highlights  the  Sheridan  Arts 
Foundation's  end-of-the-year  "Millennium  Program"  of  spe- 
cial events.  Non-competitive  fest  has  screenings  of  feature 
films,  shorts  &  docs,  as  well  as  workshops  for  independent 
filmmaking  &  screenwritmg.  Screenwriters  pitch  their  scripts 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


to  a  live  audience  during  the  test.  Limiting  entries  to  1,000 
(total  of  all  films,  videos  &  screenplays).  Film  &  video  entries 
must  be  on  standard  VHS  video,  and  screenplays  should  be 
no  more  than  120  pgs.  Entry  fees:  $45  (feature  films);  $40 
(30-60  mill.);  $35  (short  films),  $40  (feature  scripts),  $35 
(30-60  pgs.),  $30  (short  scripts).  Enter  online  at  website  to 
simplify  the  process.  Contact:  Telluride  IndieFest,  Box  860, 
Tellunde,  CO  81435;  (970)  728-2629;  fax:  728-6254; 
indiefest@usa.net;  www.tellundemdiefest.com 

URBANWORLD,  Aug.  4-8,  NY  Deadline:  June  28.  3rd  annual 
competitive  test  accepts  features,  shorts,  animation  &  docs 
conceived  by  blacks  in  prominent  roles.  If  director  is  black, 
film  may  be  any  subject  matter.  Otherwise,  film  must  feature 
blacks  in  prominent  roles  or  have  a  black  screenwriter.  Fest 
is  also  accepting  submissions  for  its  Latin  Film  portion.  Films 
must  have  been  completed  after  Jan.  1,  1997.  Non-English 
films  must  be  subtitled.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on 
VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25.  Entry  forms  avail,  at  website.  Contact: 
Film  Submissions,  Urbanworld,  1965  Broadway,  Ste.  HE, 
New  York,  NY  10023;  Angelique  Philips  (212)  941-3845;  fax: 
941-3849;  www.urbanworld.com 

VERMONT  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  21-24,  VT. 
Deadline:  July  15.  10th  annual  fest  devoted  to  presenting 
images  &  issues  for  social  change.  All  film  styles  welcome 
(narrative,  doc,  animation,  etc.)  Cats:  War  &  Peace,  Justice 
&  Human  Rights  &  Environment.  Awards  given  in  each  cate- 
gory as  well  as  awards  for  Best  of  Festival,  Heart  of  the 
Festival  &  People's  Choice.  Formats:  VHS,  S-VHS,  Beta,  Hi8, 
3/4",  PAL,  SECAM,  digital  video,  8mm,  16mm,  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $65.  Contact:  V1FF,  1  Main  St., 
Union  Station,  Burlington  VT  05401;  (802)  660-2600;  fax: 
860-9555;  viff@together.net;  www.vtiff.org 

VIRGINIA  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  21-24,  VA.  Deadline:  July  1. 
Fest  is  seeking  films,  videos  &  CD-ROMs  of  all  genres  & 
lengths  related  to  theme  of  TechnoVisions.  Theme  will  explore 
the  emergence  of  new  media  technologies,  from  the  dawn  of 
film  through  the  Web  &  beyond.  Topics  incl.  technological 
domination  (i.e.,  surveillance)  &  dependency;  thrill  rides, 
train  rides  &  film  technology;  low  tech  efforts  to  make  media 
more  affordable  &  jam  the  mainstream;  life  on  the  Internet. 
Festival  is  not  competitive;  selected  entries  are  paid  film 
rental.  All  formats  accepted  for  screening.  Preview  on  VHS 
(NTSC).  Entry  fee:  $15.  Entry  form  avail,  on  website.  Contact: 
James  C.  Scales,  UVA  Drama  Dept,  109  Culbreth  Rd., 
Charlottesville,  VA  22903;  (800)  UVA-FEST;  fax:  (804)  924- 
1447;  jcs4n@virginia.edu;  www.vafilm.com 


Foreign 

BANGKOK  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  17-26,  Thailand.  Deadline: 
June  15.  Fest  focuses  on  independent  film,  but  integrates  it 
into  wide-ranging  program.  Cats:  features,  shorts  &  docs. 
Strong  U.S.  indie  film  section  &  underground  films.  Awards: 
Best  Feature  Film,  Best  Doc  &  Special  Jury  Award.  Audience 
awards  also  presented.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm  &  video. 
Preview  on  VHS  (PAL  or  NTSC),  w/  stills,  synopsis,  press  kit. 
Please  declare  a  value  of  0  (zero)  &  write  "no  value,  for  cul- 
tural purposes  only"  on  envelope.  Contact:  Brian  Bennett, 
Director,  BFF,  4  Sukhumvit  Soi  43,  Bangkok  10110,  Thailand; 
Oil  66  2  259  3112;  fax:  259  2987;  film@nation. 
nationgroup.com;  www.nationmultimedia.com/filmfest 


The  Tenth  Vermont  International  HIlTI  Festival 

Images  &  Issues  for  Social  Change 

October  21-24,  1999 

call-for-entries 

Justice  &  Human  Rights 
War  &  Peace 
The  Environment 

802.660.2600 

deadline  July  15 

:E£3 

Opening  Night  Screening  and  Party 

GENGHIS  BLUES  by  Roko  and  Adrian  Belie/USA  Location  TBA 

June  3  -  6,   1  999 

The  Directors  Guild  of  America  Theatre 

1  10  W.  57th  Street 

7:00  pm:  THE  LIVING  MUSEUM   (USA) 
9:30  pm:  THE  SOURCE  (USA) 

7:00  pm:  SUPER  CHIEF  (USA) 
9:30  pm:  ON  THE  ROPES  (USA)     Midnight:   INSTRUMENT  (USA) 

10:00  am:   "Documentary  Making  in  the 
Digital  World:  An  Update"   1:00  pm:  THE  VALLEY  (UK) 
3:30  pm:   IN   RHYTHM  OF  TIME  (Germany)     5:30  pm:  ONE  GIRL 
AGAINST  THE  MAFIA  (Italy)     7:30  pm:    BATTU'S  BIOSCOPE 
(India)     9:30  pm:   HITMAN   HART,  WRESTLING  WITH  SHADOWS 
(Canada)     Midnight:   MEETING  PEOPLE  IS  EASY  (UK) 

10:30  am:  "Four  Decades  of  Documentary 
Making:  Dialogue  with  Fred  Wiseman  and  docfest  Filmmakers." 
2:00  pm:   LAW  &  ORDER  (USA)     4:30  pm:   MEMPHIS  BELLE  and 
BATTLE  OF  TARAWA  (USA)     6:45  pm:    LUCKY  PEOPLE  CENTER 
INTERNATIONAL  (Sweden)    9:00  pm:  THE  HUMILIATED  (Denmark) 

Discussion  with  filmmaker  and  reception  follow  each  screening. 


doc 


Documentary 


To  purchase  tickets  and  festival  passes,  please  call  (212)  668-1575, 

go  to  www.docfest.org  or  e-mail  docfest@aol.com. 

A  presentation  of  The  New  York  Documentary  Center. 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


CANADIAN  INTERNATIONAL  ANNUAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Early 

Oct.,  Canada.  Deadline:  July  15.  Competitive  test,  founded  in 
1969,  holds  showings  in  several  cities  in  Canada.  Open  to  pro 
&  nonprofessional  productions.  Cats  inch:  amateur  filmmak- 
ers, indie  filmmakers  &  pre-pro  film  students.  About  30  prods 
showcased.  Awards  incl.:  best  overall  entry,  scenario,  doc, 
natural  sciences,  animation,  experimental,  editing,  humor, 
teen  16-19  &  teen  under  16.  Max  running  time  for  entries:  30 
min.  (except  for  features).  Entries  must  have  been  completed 
w/in  previous  5  yr.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  8mm,  super  8, 
3/4",  1/2",  Beta.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC).  Entry  fee:  $20-$40. 
Contact:  CIAFR  25  Eugenia  St.,  Barne,  Ontario,  Canada  L4M 
1P6;  tel/fax:  (705)  733-8232;  ciaff@iname.com; 
www.fast.to/ciaff 

FANTOCHE  '99,  INTERNATIONAL  ANIMATION  FILM  FESTI- 
VAL, Aug.  31-Sept.  5,  Switzerland.  Deadline:  June  15.  3rd 
annual  test  has  introduced  a  new  art  of  wellness  to  the 
medieval  spa  town  of  Baden.  The  bi-annual  test  is  the 
youngest  of  the  mt'l  Swiss  film  festivals  &  has  quickly 
become  a  favorite  w/  audiences.  The  1997  fest  incl.  over  100 
events,  around  14,000  visitors  w/  650  titles  from  28  coun- 
tries. Sections  incl.:  "Int'l  Competition,"  "Best  of  the  World," 
"Info  Switzerland";  plus  retrospectives,  lectures,  workshops, 
exhibitions  &  school  &  studio  presentations.  This  year's 
theme  looks  into  status  of  animation  film  in  20th  century  art. 
Awards:  1st,  2nd  ("High  Risk")  &  3rd  ("New  Talent")  prizes, 
$3,500  each,  audience  award  $2,100.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Beta  SP  Pal.  Preview  on  35mm,  16mm,  Beta  SP  Pal, 
VHS  (Pal  or  NTSC).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Fantoche, 
Ottikerstrasse  53,  CH-806  Zurich,  Switzerland;  011411 361 
41  51,  fax:  41 1  364  03  71;  fantoche@access.ch;  www.fan- 
toche.ch 

FILMFEST  HAMBURG,  Sept.  27-0ct.  3,  Germany.  Deadline: 
July  8.  Fest,  founded  in  1969,  is  noncompetitive  survey  of 
new  int'l  prods,  incl.  retro  section,  special  section  on  country 
or  region,  shorts  &  Hamburg  prods.  Fest  w/  highest  number 
of  N.  American  indie  productions  in  Germany.  Cats:  features, 
docs,  animation.  Entries  must  have  been  completed  after 
June  30,  1998  &  must  not  have  been  shown  publicly  in 
Germany.  About  100  films  are  showcased  each  yr  Award: 
Douglas  Sirk  Award/Honorary  Award  (to  honor  a  selected 
individual's  outstanding  contribution  to  int'l  film  business  & 
film  culture).  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No 
entry  fee.  Contact:  Josef  Wutz,  fest  dir,  Filmfest  Hamburg  or 
Kathnn  Kohlstedde,  programming  coordinator,  Friedensallee 
44,  22765  Hamburg,  Germany;  011  49  399  19  00  0;  fax:  49 
40  399  19  00  10;  www.filmfesthamburg.de 

MANNHEIM-HEIDELBERG  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

Oct.  8-16,  Germany.  Deadline:  July  25.  Founded  in  1952,  this 
is  one  of  oldest  tests  in  Germany.  In  1994,  Heidelberg  became 
the  new  partner  of  Mannheim  &  fest  films  are  screened  in 
both  cities.  Well-known  forum  for  indies  &  springboard  for 
newcomers.  Approx  20  films  in  Int'l  Competition;  features, 
docs  &  shorts  compete  for  the  "Krzysztof  Kieslowski  Prize," 
the  "Rainer  Werner  Fassbinder  Prize,"  the  "Gabor  Body 
Prize,"  the  "Documentary  Film  Prize"  (each  endowed  w/ 
approx.  $5,425)  &  the  "Short  Film  Prize"  (endowed  w/ 
approx.  $2,712).  Other  awards  incl.  Audience  Prize  of 
Mannheim-Heidelberg,  Film  Critics'  Award,  Ecumenical  Jury 
Award.  Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in  previous  yr.  & 
not  screened  publicly  in  German  cinemas  or  broadcast  on 


German  TV  before  fest  &  not  participated  in  official  program 
of  certain  Euro  tests.  Other  sections:  Int'l  Discoveries  (out- 
standing prods  of  previous  yr),  Special  Screenings,  Retros. 
Films  in  Official  Program  will  be  presented  to  more  than  50 
distributors  &  TV  buyers  in  well-established  Independent 
Market  Service.  "Mannheim  Meetings",  the  Int'l  Co-produc- 
tion Meetings  Mannheim-Heidelberg,  offer  opportunity  to  find 
co-production  partners  for  film  projects.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Daniela  Koetz,  program  coordi- 
nator, MHIFF,  Collini-Center,  Galerie,  D-68161  Mannheim, 
Germany;  011  49  621  10  29  43;  fax:  49  621  29  15  64; 
ifmh@mannheim-filmfestival.com;  www.mannheim-film- 
festival.com 

OLDENBURG  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  8-12, 
Germany.  Deadline:  June  30.  Fest  comprises  Int'l  Section, 
Independent  Section,  the  Portrait  (dedicated  to  a  female 
director  w/  distinctive  voice  &  vision)  &  Retrospective  (in 
honor  of  outstanding  &  unique  body  of  work).  Short  films  pre- 
cede primetime  screenings  in  Indie  &  Int'l  sec- 
tions. Fest  will  present  a  spotlight  on  latest  pro- 
duction of  a  selected  country;  plus  various  side- 
bars, tributes  &  the  2nd  Annual  Screenplay 
Cafe.  Awards:  Levi's  Independence  (Audience 
Award  $5,500),  Screenplay  Award  (participation 
in  Script  &  Project  Developing  Workshop).  No 
entry  fee.  For  formats  &  more  info  contact:  OIFF, 
Bahnhofstr.  15,  26122  Oldenburg,  Germany; 
011  49  441  92508  55;  fax:  49  441  92508  56; 
tnt@filmfest-oldenburg.de;  www.filmfest-old- 
enburg.de 

OTTAWA  INTERNATIONAL  ANIMATION  FESTI- 
VAL, Sept.  26-Oct.  1,  Canada.  Deadline:  July  1. 
Largest  &  oldest  animation  festival  in  N. 
America  &  2nd  largest  animation  festival  in 
world.  Competitive  biennial  fest  for  film  &  video,  founded  in 
1976.  Fest  features  noncompetitive  Int'l  Panorama,  retros, 
tributes,  children's  program,  numerous  workshops  &  social 
events  in  addition  to  competition.  Entries  must  have  been 
completed  since  July  30  of  preceding  2  yrs.  Craft  entry  cats 
incl.:  anim.,  design,  story,  music  &/or  sound;  anim.  media: 
object,  computer  drawn,  mixed  media,  exp  or  unusual  tech- 
nique. Awards:  Grand  Prize  of  Fest.  in  each  competition,  2nd 
&  3rd  prizes,  cat  prizes,  Special  Jury  Prize.  In  1998,  fest  cre- 
ated 2  competitions,  one  aimed  for  indie  productions,  one  for 
commissioned  works.  Cats:  Independent  Short  Films 
Competition:  indep.  shorts  under  50  min.;  Student  Films; 
First  Films;  Films  made  for  Children.  Commissioned  Films 
Competition  categories  incl.:  educational  productions;  com- 
mercials; station/program  ids;  music  videos;  TV  specials;  TV 
series.  Fest  shows  about  115  new  works  as  well  as  another 
400  in  retros.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  Beta  SP 
(NTSC  only).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  OIAF,  Canadian  Film 
Institute,  2  Daly  Ave.,  Ste.  120.  Ottawa,  Ontario,  Canada  KIN 
6E2;  (613)  232-8769;  fax:  232-6315;  oiaf@ottawa.com; 
www.awn.com/ottawa 

PALERMO  INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  SPORTS  FILMS, 

Nov.  8-12,  Italy.  Deadline:  July  31.  Sports  films  &  videos  are 
focus  of  fest,  founded  in  79;  features,  shorts  &  videos  prod 
w/in  last  3  yr  eligible.  Entries  judged  in  2  sections:  film  & 
video.  Top  prize  is  Prix  Paladino  d'Oro;  medal  "Citta  di 
Palermo"  &  check  worth  approx.  $2,750.  Special  sections 


incl.  "Opere  in  concorso"  &  "Agonismo  &  Spettacolo." 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  Beta.  Entry  fee:  none. 
Contact:  Vito  Maggio,  director,  PIFSF,  Rassegna  Citta  Di 
Palermo/lnt'l  Sportfilmfest,  Via  XII  Gennaio  32,  90141 


Latin  Flavor 

The  Bay  Areas  Latino  Film  Festival  of  Marin 

County  celebrates  the  cultural  diversity  of  many 
countries  while  sharing  Latinos'  rich  heritage  with 
Marin  County.  Last  year's  festival  included  a 
conference  on  Latino  Cinema  that  featured 
filmmakers  &  scholars  participating  in  seminars 
on  Mexican,  Chicano  &  Latin  American  Cinema;  a 
16mm  forum  entitled  "New  Images,  New 
Perspectives"  featuring  young  independent 
directors;  the  Youth  and  Video 
Program,  which  trained  10 
local  Latino  high  school  and 
college  age  students  in  the  art 

of  filmmaking;  as  well  as 

tributes  to  trailblazing  Latino 

actors  and  directors. 

See  listing. 


SECOND  LATINO  fILM  FESTIVAL  O*  MARIN 


Palermo,  Italy;  Oil  39  091  611  4968; 
fax:  39  091  473361;  sporfife@tin.it; 
www.web.  tin.it/sportfilm_festival 

SAN  SEBASTIAN  INTERNATIONAL 
FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  16-25,  Spain. 
Deadline:  July  5.  Held  in  an  elegant  seaside  city,  San 
Sebastian,  which  celebrates  its  47th  annual  fest  with  the 
opening  of  its  new  Film  Palace,  designed  by  award-winning 
architect  Rafael  Moneol.  Fest  is  one  of  most  important  film 
tests  in  Spain,  in  terms  of  "glitter"  sections,  facilities,  atten- 
dance (over  150,000),  competition,  partying  &  number  of 
films.  City  is  known  for  its  food,  beaches  &  quaint  streets  & 
fest  attracts  a  number  of  int'l  celebrities  (over  1,400  int'l 
guests)  as  well  as  wide  selection  of  nat'l  &  int'l  press  (over 
1,000  journalists).  Fest  shows  narrative-only  features  most- 
ly, with  a  few  experimental  or  exp/doc.  Fest  sections  incl. 
Official  Competition;  Zabaltegi  (open  zone);  section  showing 
films  from  other  tests,  first  films  &  films  made  by  jury  mem- 
bers; 4  retro  cycles  (1999's  incl.  John  Stahl  &  Italian  come- 
dy); selection  of  recent  Spanish  language  films;  films  for  chil- 
dren. In  Official  Section  (18  features),  only  35mm  feature 
films,  prod  in  preceding  12  mos,  not  presented  in  any  other 
competitive  fest  &  not  theatrically  screened  in  Spain  are  eli- 
gible. Awards:  Golden  Shell  to  best  film;  Silver  Shells  to  best 
director,  best  actor,  best  actress;  Special  Jury  Award;  Special 
prizes  for  best  cinematography  &  best  screenplay.  New 
Directors  Award  of  $160,000  to  best  1st  or  2nd  35mm  feature 
fiction,  for  director  &  producer  of  winning  film.  Audience  prize 
of  $32,000  awarded  to  distributor  of  best  film  in  Zabaltegi  not 
competing  for  New  Directors  Prize.  Directors  of  selected  films 
(in  some  cases,  actors)  invited  to  fest;  hotel  accomodation 
covered.  Zabaltegi  section  shows  30-40  features.  Formats: 
35mm  (competition);  16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  NY  rep 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


Joyce  Pierpoline,  228  W.  15th  St.,  NY,  NY  10011;  (212)  929- 
3303;  fax:  929-3730;  West  Coast  rep  Berenice  Reynaud  c/o 
CA  Inst,  of  the  Arts,  24700  McBean,  Valencia,  CA  91355; 
(661)  255-1050  x.  2421;  fax:  253-7824.  In  Spain:  fest  dir., 
SSIFF,  Plaza  de  Oquendo  s/n,  Donostia,  San  Sebastian 
20004,  Spain;  011  34  43  481  212;  fax:  34  43  481  218; 
ssiff@mail.ddnet.es 

ST.  JOHN'S  INTERNATIONAL  WOMEN'S  FILM  AND  VIDEO 
FESTIVAL,  Oct.  13-17.  Deadline:  June  15.  Fest  celebrates  its 
10th  anniv.  of  showcasing  women's  work  in  film.  Workshops 
are  also  featured  during  fest,  dealing  with  the  TV  &  movie 
industry.  Formats:  16  mm,  35mm  &  video  (NTSC).  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $15  (int'l  money  order).  Contact:  Wanita 
Bates,  SJIWFVF,  Box  984,  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  Canada; 
(709)  754-3141;  fax:  754-3143;  filmfest@thezone.net; 
www.  mediatouch.com/film 

UPPSALA  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  18- 

24,  Sweden.  Deadline:  July  23.  Located  north  of  Stockholm  in 
univ.  town,  fest  estab  in  '82,  programs  int'l  shorts:  fiction, 
animation,  doc,  experimental  (around  80)  &  children's  films. 
Films  on  all  subjects  welcomed  (except  propaganda  &  adver- 
tising films)  amateur  as  well  as  pro.  Entries  must  be  under 
60  min.,  produced  no  more  than  2  yrs  prior  to  fest  &  not 
broadcast  or  commercially  screened  in  Sweden.  Awards: 
Grand  Prix  &  statuette  "Uppsala  Filmkaja"  for  best  film, 
"Uppsala  Filmkaja"  for  2nd  &  3rd  prize.  Awards  in  children's 
film  cat.  decided  by  special  children's  jury.  "Audience 
choice"  award  is  also  presented.  Program  also  incl.:  retros, 
exhibits,  Nordic  video  section,  special  focus  on  film  schools 
&  seminars.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No 
entry  fee.  Regs  &  entry  form  avail,  on  website.  Contact:  Asa 
Garnert,  UISFF,  Box  1746,  S-751  47  Uppsala,  Sweden;  Oil 
46  18  12  00  25,  fax:  46  18  12  13  50;  uppsala® 
shortfilmfestival.com;  www.shortfilmfestival.com 

VANCOUVER  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  24- 
Oct.  10,  Canada.  Deadline:  July  16.  Founded  in  '82,  fest  pre- 
sents approx.  300  films  from  40  countries  at  6  cinemas  over 
17  days.  Has  become  one  of  N.  America's  larger  int'l  tests 
(after  Montreal  &  Toronto).  Est.  130,000  people  attend,  incl. 
about  300  invited  guests  representing  filmmakers,  stars, 
buyers  &  sellers,  critics  &  other  industry  pros  from  around 
world.  Special  sections  incl.  "Dragons  &  Tigers:  Cinemas  of 
East  Asia"  (one  of  largest  annual  selections  of  East  Asian 
films  anywhere  outside  East  Asia);  "Canadian  Images: 
Nonfiction  Features,"  (25  film  program  devoted  to  current 
doc  filmmaking);  "Walk  on  the  Wild  Side,"  (midnight  series  of 
films  devoted  to  "lovers  of  extreme  cinema");  Archival 
Series;  Screenwriter's  Art  &  annual  film  &  TV  trade  forum. 
Awards:  Most  Popular  Film;  Most  Popular  Canadian  Film; 
Dragon  &  Tigers  Award  for  Young  Cinema  ($5,000  cash 
prize);  Rogers  Award  for  Best  Canadian  Screenplay  (comput- 
er hardware  &  software  prize);  Natl  Film  Board  of  Canada 
Awards  for  Best  Doc  Feature  &  Best  Animated  Film  (cash 
prize).  Fest  accepts  Canadian  shorts  &  features  but  only  fea- 
ture films  from  outside  Canada  that  have  not  been  screened 
commercially  or  broadcast  in  British  Columbia.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Alan 
Franey,  fest  dir,  VIFF,  1008  Homer  St,  #410,  Vancouver, 
B.C.,  Canada  V6B  2X1;  (604)  685-0260;  fax:  688-8221; 
viff@viff.org;  www.viff.org 


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Call  for  entries/information 

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FILM  FESTIVAL 

SEPTEMBER 
7-12,  1999 

LATE  SUMMER  ON 
THE  COAST  OF  MAINE 

DOCUMENTARIES 

COASTAL  & 

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SHORTS 

ECOLOGICAL/CULTURAL 

Awards  Ceremony 

Seminars 

Workshops 

For  tickets  &  information 

PO  Box  550 

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e.mail:  info@bhff.com 


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June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


(^J^_ 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  cur- 
rent, deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.,  june  1  for  aug/sep 
issue).  complete  contact  info  (name,  address  & 
phone)  must  accompany  all  notices.  send  to: 
independent  notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as  current  as  pos- 
sible, but  double-check  before  submitting 
tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

3rd  annual  film  in  arizona  screenwriting  compe- 
TITION seeks  original  feature-length  screenplays,  written  in 
standard  industry  format,  with  85%  of  script  set  in  Arizona 
locations.  Winner  will  receive  newly  added  $1,000  cash 
prize,  in  addition  to  one  roundtrip  ticket  to  Los  Angeles  and 
day  of  meetings  with  industry  professionals.  Deadline:  June 
24.  For  complete  rules  and  application  form  call  Gina 
Gennaro  at  (602)  280-1380  or  (800)  523-6695. 


F.O.C.U.S.  INSTITUTE  OF  FILM  call  for  screenplays:  "original, 
compelling  human  stories  that  promote  positive  values  & 
social  responsibility — material  that  endeavors  to  stir  the 
human  spirit."  Deadline:  June  1. 2-5  screenwriters  selected 
for  mentorship  program  &  one  script  will  go  into  production. 
Proceeds  from  release  of  films  produced  by  F.O.C.U.S.  will 
est.  academic  &  vocational  scholarship  funds  for  underpriv- 
ileged foster  children.  Deadline:  June  1.  Materials  avail,  by 
faxing  (310)  472-1481;  focusinstituteoffilm.com 

OHIO  INDEPENDENT  SCREENPLAY  AWARDS:  Call  for  entries 
for  Best  Screenplay  Award  &  Best  Northcoast  Screenplay 
Awards.  All  genres  accepted.  Prizes  include  $1,000,  screen- 
play reading  at  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival  in  Nov.,  sub- 
mission to  LA  literary  agent,  screenwritmg  software  &  indus- 
try script  analysis.  Entry  fee:  $40  per  screenplay.  Deadline: 
Postmarked  by  June  1.  Contact:  OIFF,  2258  W.  10th  St.,  #5, 
Cleveland,  OH  44113;  (216)  781-1755; 
OhiolndiefilmFest@juno.com;  www.rmestock.com/flickfest 

ROY  W.  DEAN  VIDEO  GRANT  sponsored  by  Studio  Film  & 
Tape  Corp.  awards  $40,000  in  goods  &  services  to  doc  film- 
maker for  project  that  is  "unique  and  makes  a  contribution  to 
society."  Deadline;  June  30.  Contact:  Roy  W.  Dean  Video 
Grant,  Studio  Film  &  Tape,  1215  N.  Highland  Ave.,  Hollywood. 
CA  90038;  (213)  760-0900  x.  864;  fax:  463-2121;  www. 
sftweb.com 

SLAMDANCE  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION:  Fest's  4th  annu- 
al competition.  3  grand  prize  winners  are  submitted  by  test  to 
major  studio  and  literary  agency.  Also,  cash  prizes,  with 
grand  prize  $2,000  plus  MovieBuff  software.  All  writers  can 
call  in  for  constructive  coverage  of  their  submissions.  Entry 
fee  $60,  entries  must  be  70-140  pgs.,  conform  to  standard 
U.S.  screenplay  format.  Deadline;  July  23  (postmark).  Send 
s.a.s.e  to:  Slamdance  Screenplay  Competition,  6381 
Hollywood  Blvd.,  #520,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90028;  mail® 
slamdance.com;  www.slamdance.com 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  1999  Filmcamps.  Offers 


Prizewinners  & 
IDA  reps  from  '9 


free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  features  &  shorts.  Editors- 
in-training,  under  supervision  of  experienced  feature  editor, 
learn  postproduction  on  multiple  Avid  Media  Composers 
while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  features  and  four  shorts 
accepted  before  end  of  1999.  Principal  photography  &  trans- 
fer must  be  completed  on  feature-length  film  (70+  min.)  or 
short  (under  70  min.).  Can  be  doc,  narrative,  or  experimen- 
tal. Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC  director,  (503)  297-2324; 
www.filmcamp.com 

CINESTORY  NATIONAL  SCREENWRITING  CENTER  kicks  off 
4th  annual  Script  Session  in  San  Francisco,  June  4-6. 
Sponsored  by  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  &  Sciences 
Foundation,  San  Francisco  State  University  Dept.  of  Cinema 
&  Film  Arts  Foundation,  conference  fuses  industry  profes- 
sionals with  emerging  writers  in  intimate  10:1  ratio  via  round 
table  discussions,  one-on-ones,  and  the  green  room,  where 
registrants  chat  casually  with  pros.  Contact:  Cinestory,  (800) 
6-STORY-6;  www.cinestory.com 

INDEPENDENT  FEATURE  FILM  MARKET  Sept.  17-24  at 
Angelika  Film  Center,  NY  The  original  market  devoted  to 
emerging  U.S.  indie  film  draws  festival  directors,  distributors, 
agents  and  development  executives  from  around  the  world. 
Now  accepting  submissions  of  U.S.  fiction  and  doc.  films  in 
the  following  cats:  features  (over  75  min.),  shorts  (under  60 
min.),  works-m-progress  (edited  scenes/trail- 
ers intended  for  feature  length  works)  &  copy- 
righted, feature-length  fictional  scripts. 
Special  invitation  sections  &  awards  incl.  "No 
Borders"  co-production  market,  "IFFM  Rough 
Cuts"  for  features  in  rough  or  fine  cut  stage  & 
the  Gordon  Parks  Independent  Film  Awards  for 
work  by  African-American  writers  &  directors. 
Separate  membership  &  entry  fees  apply.  Final 
deadline:  June  11.  Contact:  Independent 
Feature  Project,  104  W.  29th  St.,  12th  FL,  NY, 
NY  10001-5310;  (212)  465-8200:  fax:  465-8525; 
IFPNY@ifp.org;  www.ifp.org 

Films  •  Tapes 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its  on- 
going program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for 
Independent  Film  Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on 
1/2"  VHS  tape.  Feature-length  independent  film,  documen- 
tary and  new  media  projects  wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Ste. 
717.  Los  Angeles,  CA  90028.  For  more  info:  (213)  466-FILM. 

ANOMALOUS  VIDEO  THEATER  seeks  works  of  60  mm.  or 
less  for  unorthodox  local  access  TV  showcase  in  experimen- 
tal, abstract  and  documentary  categories.  Those  featuring 
unusual  or  unique  points  of  view  especially  encouraged. 
Formats:  VHS  &  S-VHS  only.  Must  have  originated  on  some 
video  format.  Submission  implies  consent  to  broadcast.  Send 
sufficient  s.a.s.e.  for  return.  Deadline:  ongoing.  Contact: 
Anomalous  Video  Theater,  2770  Ember  Way,  Ann  Arbor,  Ml 
48104;  anomalousvideo@juno.com 

ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All 
media  including  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to;  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622  or  call  (312)  733-2787;  www.icsp.net/arc 

ASHLAND  CABLE  ACCESS  seeks  video  shows.  VHS,  S-VHS  & 
3/4"  OK,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient 
s.a.s.e.  Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide. 
Southern  Oregon  State  College,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd., 
Ashland.  OR  97520;  (541)  552-6898. 


BALLYHOO!-.  Central  Florida  TV  show  featuring  independent 
film  and  filmmakers  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30 
mm.  Hour-long  community  access  show  produced  by 
Frameworks  Alliance,  a  nonprofit  organization  that  also  pro- 
duces Central  Florida  Film  &  Video  Festival.  Each  Ballyhoo! 
episode  aired  twice  weekly  for  one  month  to  over  700,000 
viewers.  Submit  VHS  tape  and  return  postage  to  Frameworks 
Alliance,  c/o  Phillip  Mastrella,  1906  E.  Robinson  St.  Orlando. 
FL  32803.  (407)  839-6045;  fax:  898-0504. 


IDA  OR  EGO  Students  take  note:  The 
International  Documentary  Association  has 
announced  its  call  for  entries  for  its  annual  David 
L.  Wolper  Student  Achievement  Awards,  part  of 
the  IDA  Awards  Ceremony  in  October.  There's 
more  than  a  statuette  at  stake:  IDA's  student 
awards  include  a  $1,000  honorarium  and  $1,000 
film  product  grant  from  the  Eastman  Kodak 
Worldwide  Student  Film  Program.  Sponsored  by 
Eastman  Kodak  since  the  festival's  inception  in 
1984,  the  IDA  awards  feature  a  variety  of  addi- 
tional categories: 


,*,.  -  Distinguished 
Achievement 
Awards,  Pare 
Lorentz  Award, 
ABC  News  Video 
Source  Award, 
and  the  Lifetime 
Achievement 
Award.  Last  year's  Distinguished  Awards  were 
given  to  Jay  Rosenblatt's  Human  Remains, 
Werner  Herzog's  Little  Dieter  Needs  to  Fly,  and 
Matthew  Diamond's  Dancemaher.  The  ABC 
News  Video  Source  Award  went  to  Barbara 
Sonnebom's  Sundance  winner,  Regret  to  Inform. 
See  listing  for  details. 


BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  and  mul- 
timedia works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  We're  look- 
ing for  original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  &  screen  ratio  for 
the  Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  band- 
width limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium? 
For  submission  guidelines  check  out:  www.lnPhiladelphia. 
com/TheBitScreen 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS,  in  its  4th  year,  is  accepting 
video,  film,  computer-art  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis 
for  monthly  screening  program  called  "Independent 
Exposure."  Artists  will  be  paid  honorarium.  Looking  for  exper- 
imental, erotic,  humorous,  dramatic,  narrative,  subversive, 
animation,  underground  works,  but  will  review  anything  for  a 
possible  screening.  Submit  a  VHS  (or  S-VHS),  clearly  labeled 
with  name,  title,  length,  phone  number  along  with  any  sup- 
port materials,  including  photos.  Incl.  $5  entry  fee  which  will 
be  returned  if  your  work  is  not  selected,  s.a.s.e.  if  you  wish 
work(s)  to  be  returned.  Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair 
Productions,  2318  Second  Ave.,  #313-A,  Seattle,  WA, 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT    June  1999 


98121.  Info/detaiis:  (206)  568-6051,  joel@speakeasy.org; 
www.blackchair.com;  www.lightlink.com/offline/SIFVC.html 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  &  feature-length 
European  films  on  video  for  language  project,  preferably 
without  subtitles.  We  desire  only  limited  rights.  Contact: 
Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970)  925- 
2805;  fax:  925-9880;  briann@rof.net;  www.rof.net/yp/ 
cinelingua.html 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS  Monthly  showcase  with  up  to  350  indus- 
try attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up- 
&-coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams  or  Marceil 
Wright,  Doboy's  Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39, 
Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (213)  293-6544;  doboydozen@ 
aol.com 

DOCUMENTAL:  doc.  and  exp  bimonthly  film  video  series  at 
LA's  historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of 
any  length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS,  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@ 
post.drexel.edu;  www.httpsrv.ocs.drexel.edu/~dutv/ 

EL  RIO  OUTDOOR  CINEMA  is  accepting  submissions  of  inde- 
pendent film  in  all  genres  for  monthly  outdoor  screenings. 
Small  artist's  fee  paid.  Send  VHS  preview  dub  of  16mm  print, 
press  kit  &  photos.  Proposals  for  multi-media  events  also 
accepted.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Contact:  El  Rio  Outdoor 
Cinema,  Attn:  Kim  Hawkins,  72  Montell  St.,  Oakland,  CA 
94611;  elriocinek@yahoo.com;  www.elriocine.com 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  for  the  99/00  exhibition  sea- 
son. All  media  considered  including  2-D,  3-D,  performance, 
video  &  computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable 
documentation,  s.a.s.e.  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman 
132,  Central  Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  world- 
wide audience?  Seeking  shorts  and  features  of  all  genres. 
Contact:  filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  and  works-in- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  Deadline:  On-going. 
Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino,  (212)  971-5846. 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for 
public/commercial  TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to 
Floating  Image  Productions,  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica,  CA 
90406  (incl.  s.a.s.e.  for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www. 
artnet.net/~floatingimage 

KINOFIST IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  with  relevance  to  alter- 


ERRATUM 

In  last  month's  article  "PBS  Potluck,",  an  incor- 
rect broadcast  time  was  listed  for  WNET's  inde- 
pendent acquisition  series,  Reel  New  York, 
which  begins  its  season  on  June  11. 
It  airs  at  10  p.m.,  an  hour  earlier  than  last  year, 
not  8  p.m.,  as  written. 


native  youth  culture  for  screening  and  distribution  within  the 
underground  community.  DIY,  exp.  &  activist  work  encour- 
aged. Send  VHS,  s.a.s.e.  to  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for  on- 
going bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/ 
brief  bio  &  s.a.s.e.  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box 
1220  Canal  Street  Station,  NY,  NY  10013.  Info:  kf_vl@ 
hotmail.com 

MEDIASPACE  AT  DECORDOVA  ARCHIVE:  DeCordova 
Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of  video  art  & 
documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  &  new  genres 
from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new  media  arts 
archive.  Contact:  George  Fifield,  Mediaspace  at  DeCordova, 
DeCordova  Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd.,  Lincoln,  MA  01773. 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  s.a.s.e.  &  $25  admin,  fee 
to:  New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY 
10011;  (212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audience. 
Works  longer  than  15  min.  considered  for  regular  group 
shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on  16mm  w/ 
optical  track.  Please  send  all  films,  together  w/  completed 
entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short  Film  Curator, 
Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th  St., 
Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713;  ocularis® 
billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  on-going 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  and  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  and/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  and  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact:  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286  or  kensherman@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE  is  a  roving,  spontaneous  screening 
series  &  distributor  of  experimental  video.  Based  in  Portland 
and  a  project  of  the  Rodeo  Film  Company,  Peripheral  Produce 
seeks  to  promote  experimental,  abstract  &  media-subversive 
work.  Formats:  16mm,  VHS,  S-8.  $5  entry  fee.  Deadline: 
ongoing.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce,  c/o  Rodeo  Film  Co., 
Box  40835,  Portland,  OR  97240;  perph@jps.net;  www. 
jps.net/perph 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks 
public  access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian,  bi,  drag, 
trans  subjects,  for  inclusion  in  academic  press  book  on  queer 
community  programming.  All  program  genres  welcome.  Incl. 
info  about  your  program's  history  and  distribution. Send  VHS 
tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Assistant  Professor,  Communication 
Dept.,  Florida  Atlantic  University,  777  Glades  Rd.,  Boca 
Raton,  FL  33431;  (561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu 

SHORT  TV:  A  new  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  direct- 
ed to  show  &  promote  short  films  is  seeking  submissions. 
Contact:  Short  TV,  (212)226-6258. 

SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST:  The  Net's  first  on-going  film  fes- 
tival seeks  short  noncommercial  independent  films  &  videos. 


FILNS 


SV  Dm  2  fsr  St.  •  Surrc  903  « ttr,  W  fOO  10 

2f2®367®3730 

viceroy  films<s>mindspri  ng.com 


DeWITT  STERN  GROUP,  Inc. 

CELEBRATING 
100  YEARS  ! 

ENTERTAINMENT  &  MEDIA 
INSURANCE 

420  Lexington  Ave.  New  York,  NY 
Tel:  212-867-3550  Fax:  212-983-6483 


Carol  A.  Bressi  Cilona 

Senior  Vice  President 

212-297-1468 

Jennifer  Brown 

Assistant  Vice  President 

212-297-1445 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


(W.*^) 


yoq-r 

LVCK 


Answer  printing 
doesn't  have  to  be 
a  game  of  chance. 


But  that's  exactly  what  it  is  if  you're  not  involved  in  the  process.  Still, 
most  labs  charge  you  for  the  right  to  oversee  this  critical  step  — 
either  you  pay  or  you  keep  your  fingers  crossed. 

Colorlab  has  a  different  approach.  We  know  we  can't  understand 
your  film  until  we  understand  you.  That's  why  we  build  one-on-one 
relationships  with  every  one  of  our  clients.  We  encourage  you  to 
play  an  active  role  in  the  answer  printing  process  to  ensure  your 
vision  reaches  the  silver  screen.  And  we  never  charge  extra  for 
consultations  with  our  timer. 

So,  if  you  don't  feel  like  chancing  it,  give  us  a  call. 


COLORLAB 


film/video  dailies  ■  16mm,  super-16,  35mm  b&w/color  processing  ■  super-16  screening 
film-to-tape  transfers  ■  color  corrected  prints  ■  blow  ups  ■  blow  downs  ■  answer  prints 


/\  avid  rental  suite  now  open 


27  west  20th  st  suite  307    ph  212.633.8172    fax  212.633.8241 


Web  users  can  vote  for  their  favorite  shorts  in  each  of  six  cat- 
egories: animation,  doc,  experimental,  less  than  a  min.,  nar- 
rative, made  for  the  Net.  New  films  added  each  month,  and 
there  are  new  winners  every  minute.  Fest  never  ends. 
Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  music.  Send 
VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  site):  Carla  Cole,  The  Sync,  4431 
Lehigh  Rd„  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD  20740;  info® 
thesync.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  111  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  expos- 
ing innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  ind.  works  in  all 
genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send 
submissions  to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTV,  33rd  &  Chestnut  Sts., 
Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  fax:  895-1054. 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  w/  audience  feedback.  Accepting 
VHS/S-VHS,  15  mm.  max.  Send  s.a.s.e.  to:  Box  1042, 
Nantucket,  MA  02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

WXXI  PUBLIC  TELEVISION'S  THE  SCREENING  ROOM  wants 
short  films/videos,  animation,  art  films  &  longer-length  doc- 
umentaries for  possible  screenings  on  weekly  pnmetime 
series.  Topics  are  your  choice,  but  should  be  suitable  for 
viewing  by  a  general  television  audience.  Submit  entries  on 
VHS.  If  chosen,  broadcast  quality  version  will  be  required. 
Contact:  (716)  258-0244;  kmeyers@wxxi.org 

ZOOM  Do  you  remember  ZOOM7  During  the  70s,  ZOOM  was 
a  unique  kids-only  TV  series  on  PBS,  featuring  kids'  plays, 
poems,  jokes,  films,  games  &  more.  ZOOM  is  coming  back 
and  we  are  actively  seeking  kid-produced  films,  animations, 
videos  for  the  series.  Every  kid  who  sends  something  will 
receive  a  free  newsletter  filled  with  fun  activities  from  the 
show.  Length:  5  sec. -2  mm.  Formats:  3/4",  VHS,  Hi-8, 
S-8,  16mm,  Beta.  Ages:  7-14.  Contact:  Marcy  Gardner, 
WGBH/ZO0M,  114  Western  Ave,  Boston,  MA  02134;  (617) 
492-2777  x.  3883;  marcy_gardner@wgbh.org 

Publications 

BI0PIC:  Special  Jan.  2000  issue  of  Biography  seeks  papers 
that  address  the  theoretical,  generic,  historical,  cultural,  or 
technical  aspects  of  representing  or  telling  lives  on  film  or 
video.  Deadline:  Aug.  1.  Contact:  Craig  Howes,  Center  for 
Biographic  Research,  University  of  Hawaii  @  Manoa, 
Honolulu,  Hawaii  96822;  tel/fax:  (808)  956-3774; 
biograph@hawaii.edu 

6th  INT'L  FILM  FINANCING  CONFERENCE  transcripts  are 
now  avail.  Topics  discussed  by  international  financiers,  com- 
missioning editors  &  producers  include:  "Pitch  Perfect:  How 
to  Sell  Your  Idea"  &  "Fiction  &  Non-Fiction."  Send  $46  to  IFF- 
CON,  360  Ritch  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  281- 
9777. 

GUIDE  TO  TAX  EXEMPTIONS  FOR  FILMS  SHOT  IN  NY  STATE 

is  avail,  for  producers  who  want  clear  instructions  on  how  to 
claim  the  numerous  tax  exemptions  available  in  NY  state  for 
film,  TV  &  commercial  production.  Put  together  by  Empire 
State  Development  Corp.  &  NY  State  Dept.  of  Taxation  and 
Finance.  51-page  reference  guide  can  be  obtained  by  con- 
tacting NY  State  Governor's  Office  or  Tax  Office.  NY  State 
Governor's  Office  for  Motion  Picture  and  Television 
Development,  633  3rd  Ave.,  33rd  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10017- 
6706;  (212)  803-2330;  fax:  803-2369;  wwwempire. 
state.ny.us/mptv.htm 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION  Save  the  Ideas' 
Without  independent  sources  of  ideas  and  discussion. 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     lune  1999 


democracy  and  dissent  cannot  thrive.  The  IPA  works  to  nur- 
ture &  encourage  indie  publications  committed  to  justice  tor 
all.  Contact:  IPA,  2390  Mission  St.,  #201,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110-1836;  or  call  (415)  634-4401;  mdypress® 
indypress.org;  www.indypress.org 

MEDIA  MATTERS.  Media  Alliance's  newsletter,  provides 
comprehensive  listings  of  New  York  area  events  &  opportuni- 
ties for  media  artists.  For  a  free  copy,  call  Media  Alliance  at 
(212)  560-2919;  www.mediaalliance.org 

NATIONAL  MEDIA  EDUCATION  DIRECTORY  for  1997  avail. 
from  the  National  Alliance  for  Media  Arts  &  Culture  (NAMAC). 
Over  220  full-page  entries  for  individual  &  organizational 
media  educators  nationwide.  Join  NAMAC  to  receive  free 
Directory,  or  order  from  Center  for  Media  Literacy  for  $19.95. 
Contact:  (415)  431-1391;  namac@igc.apc.org 

Resources  •  Funds 

ARTISTS  FELLOWSHIPS  PROGRAM  sponsored  by  Illinois 
Arts  Council,  offers  non-matching  fellowships  of  $5,000  and 
$10,000  and  finalist  awards  of  $500  to  Illinois  artists  of 
exceptional  talent  in  recognition  of  outstanding  work  &  com- 
mitment to  the  arts.  Awards  based  on  quality  of  submitted 
work  and  evolving  professional  career.  Not  a  project-related 
grant.  All  categories  reviewed  annually.  Deadline:  Sept.  1. 
Contact:  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500, 
Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6750;  toll-free  in  Illinois  (800) 
237-6994;  info@arts.state.il.us 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690; 
www.afionline.org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  film  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts 
Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916) 
322-6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@ 
cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.,  nonprofit  arts  education  organization 
dedicated  to  promoting  art  of  filmmaking,  is  planning  to 
establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  &  is  looking 
for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  lighting  &  edit- 
ing equipment  in  good  working  order.  Donations  of  equipment 
are  gratefully  accepted  and  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan 
Blanchfield,  Executive  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  not 
eligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done  in 
combination  w/  S-8,  Hi8,  audio,  performance,  photography, 
artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  includes  Amiga,  special  effects, 
A&B  roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  Send  s.a.s.e.  for  guidelines 
to:  The  Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  NY  NY  10014- 
2035;  (212)  924-4893. 

IDA/DAVID  L.  WOLPER  STUDENTDOCUMENTARY  ACHIEVE- 
MENT AWARD  is  a  $1,000  honorarium  presented  annually  to 
recognize  exceptional  achievement  in  nonfiction  film  and 
video  at  university  level.  Films  &  videos  must  be  produced  by 
registered  students  &  completed  between  Jan.  1,  '98  &  Apr. 
30,  '99.  Winner  honored  at  15th  Annual  IDA  Awards  Gala  on 
Oct.  29  &  screened  at  Docufest  on  Oct.  30,  as  well  as  $1,000 
certificate  from  Eastman  Kodak  for  film  stock.  Deadline:  June 
18.  Contact:  IDA  Awards,  1551  S.  Robertson  Blvd.,  Ste.  201, 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 

TTiTi  BBEEEB3 

at    affordable 
rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  2te  MicroNet  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -  Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  '  NYC 
212  253  9472 


FILM  VIDEO  ARTS 


The  Stomping  Ground  for 
Independent  Giants! 

since  1968 


Courses 
Camera  Rentals 

Avid  1000 

Digital  Studio 

Video  Edit  Suites 

Flatbeds 

Dubs  &  Transfers 

Affordable  Rates 


212.673.9361 

817    Broadway    NYC 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


(  J.  _T  X^-L^-i  -3121S  ) 


AVIO  EDIT  SUITES 

DFFLINE/DN    LINE/3DFX 


Grafix  Suite/After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O.  Booth  /Read  To  Picture 


212.24-4.0744 


Let's 

Make  History 

AtWPA,  all  we  really 
think  about  is  history. 

XM^K&rf       British  Pathe 

___                                                     JET'JnSf        News  Archive 

^^JN                                           -*Wtf'      ^       (1896  to  1970) 

And  time.  We're  a  film 

and  video  archive,  and 

we  act  as  custodians  to 
the  world's  most  cele- 

^^■W  _^/**-l       WETA-TV 
^^r    L^^^  \        Public 

brated  collections  of 

^r^^^r      \^M  ^F~TM             ^^r                            ^^     Television 
m  \^^^K           jVK^    m           ^^F                                          Archive 

moving  images.  We 

f^^     ^^B    M         fl                                         (1965  to  1999) 

provide  historical           I 
footage  to  television 

r 

'Sfl^S  B :    r    ^^      1                "^^Bifc     ,^B^- 

programs.  Lots  of  it.  Al 
of  it  wonderful  to  look 
at.  But  we  also  provide 

MY'^BV^^^M      ^B        ^^B^^^        '    Willie  Nelson 

Mjjfl            BJlV^BV'^^^^        |"*^_                 ^SW      Country 
fc^^^l    ^^^             ^Bjk  (1958  to 

ideas.  And  context.  Anc 
a  producer's  sensibility. 

i 

^TW     B^A^^ 

I    m      ^^    x  *      ^-""-*» 

■        Bj\  /  ^^±  \ 

When  you  work  with 

WPA,  you  work  with  a 
remarkable  team  of  his- 

K             ^M       The  Hullabaloo 
^m             H           Archive 
^m              H        Popular  Culture 
V              ^M        (1964  to  1966) 

torians  and  archivists, 

researchers  and  artists, 
movie  buffs  and  rights 
specialists.  We  call 

^M               /  *   *¥f        ColorStock 
^B/                  1    ^^^     \      Archive  of  Retro 
^B)T                  t^"^^\.  \         Americana 
.      ^m                                      N\     (1945  to  1975) 

ourselves  Merchants  of 

Time.  Let's  Work  Togethe 
Let's  Make  History. 

^^^^  f   f     40,000  hours  of  history, 
^p"^**-  '^      music,  nature,  and 
I  /^■A       popular  culture 

The  WPA  Film  Library 

Merchants     of     Time 

1-800-777-2223               www.mpimedia.com/wpa 

16101  Smith  108th  Avenue  •  Orlai 

id  Park,  1L  •  60467  •  708-460-0555  •  Fax:  708-460-0187  •  Email:  wpasales@mrimcdia.com 

Los  Angeles,  CA,  90035;  (310)  284-8422;  fax:  785-9334; 
ida@artnet.net 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  Contact:  ITVS,  51 
Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  356- 
8383;  www.itvs.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  foun- 
dation or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
nonprofit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999,  x.  111. 

NEW  DAY  FILMS:  premier  distribution  cooperative  for  social 
issue  media  seeks  energetic  independent  film  &  videomakers 
w/  challenging  social  issue  documentaries  for  distr.  to 
nontheatrical  markets.  Now  accepting  applications  for  new 
membership.  Contact:  New  Day  Films  22D  Hollywood  Ave., 
Ho-Ho-Kus,  NJ  07423;  (415)  332-7172;  www.newday.com 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
was  est.  to  help  exceptionally  talented  filmmakers  launch 
their  careers.  In  addition  to  furnishing  funds,  company  also 
helps  implement  festival  &  press  strategies,  serves  as  a  pro- 
ducer's rep  &  assists  in  finding  financing  for  filmmakers'  next 
films.  Contact  company  before  production  &  then  apply  fin- 
ishing funds  w/  rough  cut.  Contact:  Tara  Veneruso/Mark 
Stolaroff,  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste.  E,  Santa 
Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  launch® 
nextwavefilms.com 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard 
TV  lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr.,  etc.).  Contact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346 
Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814; 
fax:  863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  www.naatanet.org 

0PPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  program 
offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system  for  first 
serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or  narrative 
form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered.  Provides 
camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  deadline,  but 
allow  10  week  mm.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana  Meaux, 
Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA 
98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  dana@ 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  offered  by  Film  Arts  Foundation  to 
documentary  filmmakers  living  in  California,  Oregon  & 
Washington.  Limited  to  organizations  certified  as  public  char- 
ities which  control  selection  of  individual  recipients  &  super- 
vise their  projects.  Grants  range  from  $l,000-$8,000  with 
approx.  $75,000  awarded  annually.  For  proposal  summary 
sheet,  send  s.a.s.e.  to:  Film  Arts  Foundation,  346  9th  St.,  2nd 
fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  454-1133. 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs.  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  incl.  student  thesis  films.  Send  s.a.s.e.  to:  Kelly 
Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto 
Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367-2602. 


46    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


PEN  WRITER'S  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS WITH  AIDS.  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants, 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers, 
including  screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emer- 
gency funds  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or  pro- 
fessional development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center,  568 
Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SHORT-TERM  ARTISTS  RESIDENCY  PROGRAM  sponsored 
by  Illinois  Arts  Council,  provides  funding  for  Illinois  nonprofit 
organizations  to  work  w/  professional  artists  from  Illinois  to 
develop  &  implement  residency  programs  that  bring  arts 
activities  into  their  community.  Each  residency  can  range 
from  5  to  30  hrs.  IAC  will  support  50%  of  artist's  fee  (up  to 
$1,000  plus  travel);  local  sponsor  must  provide  remaining 
50%  plus  other  expenses.  Applications  must  be  received  at 
least  8  weeks  prior  to  residency  starting  date.  IAC  encour- 
ages artists  to  seek  sponsors  &  initiate  programs.  Call  for 
availability  of  funds.  IAC,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500, 
Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6750;  fax:  814-1471; 
info@arts.state.il. us 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  int'l  doc.  films  and 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  funding:  initial  seed  funds  (grants 
up  to  $15,000),  projects  in  production  or  postproduction 
(average  grant  $25,000,  but  max.  is  $50,000).  Highly  com- 
petitive. For  more  info.,  contact:  Soros  Documentary  Fund, 
Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10019; 
(212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  the  Illinois  Arts 

Council.  Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  IL  artists  for  spe- 
cific projects.  Examples  of  activities  funded:  registration  fees 
&  travel  for  conferences,  seminars,  workshops;  consultants' 
fees  for  resolution  of  a  specific  artistic  problem;  exhibits, 
performances,  publications,  screenings;  materials,  supplies 
or  services.  Funds  awarded  based  on  quality  of  work  submit- 
ted &  impact  of  proposed  project  on  artist's  professional 
development.  Applications  must  be  received  at  least  8  weeks 
prior  to  project  starting  date.  Call  for  availability  of  funds. 
Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500,  Chicago, 
IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570;  toll-free  in  IL  (800)  237-6994; 
iinfo@arts.state.il. us 

THE  JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION 

provides  partial  support  to  selected  documentary  series  & 
films  intended  for  national  or  international  broadcast  & 
focusing  on  an  issue  within  one  of  Foundation's  two  major 
programs  (Human  and  Community  Development;  Global 
Security  &  Sustainability).  Send  preliminary  2-  to  3-page  let- 
ter to:  Alice  Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine  T.  MacArthur 
Foundation,  140  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Ste.  1100,  Chicago,  IL 
60603-5285;  (312)  726-8000;  4answers@macfdn.org; 
www.macfdn.org 

U.S./JAPAN  CREATIVE  ARTISTS'  PROGRAM,  sponsored  by 
Japan-U.S.  Friendship  Commission  and  NEA,  provides 
stipends  &  awards  for  5  artist  residencies  in  Japan.  Deadline: 
June  28.  Contact:  Japan-U.S.  Friendship  Commission,  1120 
Vermont  Avenue,  NW,  Ste.  925,  Washington,  DC  20005;  (202) 
275-7712;  fax:  275-7413;  jusfc@compuserve.com; 
www2.dgsys.com/~jusfc/ 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, doc  &  exp./animation/multi-media.  Deadline:  Jan.  1, 
2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on  grants). 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212)  889-1775 


Avid    MC9000,    MC1DOD 
Film  Composer,  Xpress  Plus 
off/on-line  AVR77  S.  3D  DVE 
Digital  Betacam,   Digital  I/O 
DVCPRO,   3/4  SP,   HIS  S.  VHS 


transfers  &  duplication  Crush  available] 


Macintosh  graphics  Si  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  CJazz,  Zip,   Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  &    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

offering  special  ra-^es  for  ar-ys-ts  and  independents  since  1  ,'c( 

212.523.S204 

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Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

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FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41st  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feidman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


CONTACT:  [scott@aivf.org]  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 
MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  JUNE 
1  FOR  AUG/SEPT  ISSUE).  CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240 
CHARACTERS  (INCL.  SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST 
$25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEM- 
BERS;  240-480  CHARACTERS  COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR 
AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR  NONMEMBERS.;  480-720 
CHARACTERS  COST  $60/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS, 
$90  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER 
ID#.  ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE 
EDITED.  ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPA- 
NIED BY  A  CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF, 
304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY 
CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD 
NUMBER;  NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING 
ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5  + 
TIMES  RECEIVE  A  $5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 
making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely 
up-to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film 
festivals,  distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition 
venues,  media  arts  funders,  film  and  video  schools,  broad- 
cast venues  &  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video 
Coalition,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110; 
(415)  861-3282;  fax:  861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

DIGITAL  FILM  FACTORY  now  offers  "The  DV  Feature 
Specials;"  Canon  XL1  Camera  Package:  $99/day.  G3  Firewire 
DV  Editing  Suite:  $99/day.  Editors  &  Shooters  also  avail.  Call 
for  rates  on  additional  equipment  rentals  &  services.  (310) 
937-0957 

FILM  EQUIP:  Moviola  M-86AH  16mm  6-plate  flatbed  + 
accessories  $2,000.  Magnasync/Moviola  16mm  mag  dubber 
w/  rack  &  patch  bay  $850.  Angenieux  9.5-57mm  lens  Aaton 
mt  $900.  Buy  any  2.  less  10%;  all  3,  20%.  (301)  972-8086 
or  GPProd@aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  Sony  DCR-VX1000  3-chip  digital  camera.  Also 
available:  mic,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both  short 
&  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID,  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in 
your  space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable 
Chelsea  location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400,  Beta  deck.  36GB 
storage.  Free  cappucino.  Call  (212)  579-4294. 

FOR  SALE:  ARRI 16BL.  Crystal,  Zoom  Control,  Battery  Belt, 
12-120  Blimped  lens,  steel  case  $5,500.  Also:  Arri  16M, 
takes  BL  mags,  var.  &  const,  spd  motors,  Batt,  3  lenses, 
case,  $3,250.  Also:  lights,  Arri  BL  Acess.  Call  for  list  (212) 
490-0355. 

LIGHT  &  EQUIPMENT  RENTAL  Mole.  Am,  Lowell-complete 
light  &  grip  pkgs  &  kits  for  the  low-budget  filmmaker.  Our 
prices  will  help  you  get  it  in  the  can'  Guenllaquip  (212)  252- 
2485;  gonllaquip@smartweb.net;  www.smartweb.net/goril- 
laquip 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS;  Time  code  Oats,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  lloewinger@earthlink.net 


SOUND  CREW  &  EQUIPMENT  FOR  RENT:  Need  a  reliable 
sound  recorder  &  boom  operator  for  high  quality  recordings 
w/  modern  equipment7  We  have  qualified  staff,  Sony  DAT 
recorders,  Nagras  &  Sennheiser  mics.  Competitive  rates. 
Reductions  for  low  budgets.  Laterna  equipment  (718)  965- 
3885. 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I  deliv- 
er! All  types/best  prices;  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW-1800) 
$150/day,  $450/week.  S-VHS  offline  edit  system  $350/week. 
Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Lights,  mics  &  mix- 
ers. David  (212)  362-1056. 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Distributor  of  award- 
winning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disability  & 
related  issues  invites  new  work.  Fanlight  Productions,  4196 
Washington  St.,  Ste.  2,  Boston,  MA  02131;  (800)  937-4113; 
www.fanlight.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS;  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5  Powder- 
house  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquanusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR7  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohn  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such 
as  violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distri- 
bution. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau 
for  At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distrib, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassettes  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Suite  506,  NY,  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com.  Ask  for  our 
Distribution  Services  brochure. 

Freelancers 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the 
low-budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807- 
0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video, 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@mterport.net 


ACADEMY,  EMMY  NOMINATED  producer/director/wnter/edi- 
tor;  Hoop  Dreams.  20  years  expertise,  all  areas,  fundraising 
to  distribution:  features,  docs,  theatrical,  broadcast/cable. 
Work  1  hr-1  yr.  Contact  only  if  something  paid  in  cash.  (415) 
381-3430;  Fmfilm@aol.com 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri  35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172; 
AndrewD158@aol.com 

ARCHIVAL  FILM  RESEARCHER,  highly  regarded,  compre- 
hensive archival  film  researcher  avail,  for  doc  projects,  films, 
commercials  &  videos.  References  avail.  Contact;  Rosemary 
Rotondi;  799  Greenwich  St.,  Loft  Six  S„  NY,  NY  10014;  (212) 
989-2025;  fax:  989-4607;  RotondiResearch@onepine.com 
I  will  locate  the  footage  you  need,  on  schedule. 

ASPIRING  CINEMATOGRAPHER;  Experienced  lighting  tech- 
nician looking  for  films.  Strong  lighting  background;  Copland, 
U-Turn,  Ice  Storm,  Sopranos,  Out-of-Towners,  Analyze  This, 
Clockers.  Owner  16SR.  Call  for  reel.  Tim  Healy.  (201)  217- 
1719. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  Nuria  Olive- 
Belles  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand-held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking 
interesting  projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam 
SR  cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to 
travel.  Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com.  Credits;  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire-, 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  loca- 
tion package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects. 
Michael  (212)  691-1311. 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  produc- 
tivity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/Std.16 
Aaton  XTR  prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass® 
concentric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Highly  collaborative,  committed,  will 
work  w/  you  to  find  the  right  style  for  your  film  (narrative  or 
doc).  Unique  credits.  Love  to  travel.  Eileen  S.  (718)  349- 
3078;  filmgrrl@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mm  pkg  w/  video 
tap  &  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


diverse  styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for 
compelling  visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
PS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel;  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/ Arri  16SR  package  &  35IIC,  w/over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195. 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/initial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobnen@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively 
score  your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style. 
Extensive  credits  include  nationally  released  features,  TV 
dramas,  documentaries,  animation,  on  networks,  MTV, 
Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA  in  composition;  full  digital  studio; 
affordable.  Demo  reel  available.  Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721- 
3218  or  email  Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  World 
renowned  composer/performer/director  expert  in  world/eth- 
nic &  modern  music  styles  to  distinguish  &  enrich  your  film. 
Broad  contacts  among  great  ethnic  musicians.  Dir.  Woody 
Guthrie — Pastures  of  Plenty  touring  int'l.  Cred.  incl.  Ryl 
Shakespr  Co/Nat'l  Geo/Nik.  Makes  great  stir  fry.  Call  for  CD 
incl.  Copeland  Award-winning  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaverc@aol.com 

COMPOSER  for  film/video,  new  media  projects.  Innovative 
sounds  that  won't  strain  your  pocketbook.  For  a  free  demo  & 
brochure,  contact  Passionworks  at:  (415)  821-4866; 
filmscore@hotmail.com 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to 
techno — you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance, 
Absolut.  Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin 
Chiappetta  (718)  383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@ 
el.net 

COMPOSERS-PRODUCERS  For  film,  TV,  video,  all  media. 
Award-winning  original  music,  rock,  orchestral,  techno,  jazz. 
No  project  too  large  too  small.  Free  VHS  demo.  Info  (800) 
349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@soundmechanix.com 

DIGITAL  VIDEO;  DP  w/  Sony  VX1000  digital  camera,  Pro 
Sound  &  accessories.  Exp.  in  features,  docs,  dance  &  theatre. 
$150/day.  John  Newell  (212)  677-6652. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/DP  w/  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  &  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  email:  365892 
@newschool.edu 


Introducing 

FilmLogic8 

The  Software  Tool  for 
Independent  Filmmakers 

www.filmlogic.com 


Judge  TTs 
By  The 


"We:    Kieie 


Smithsonian  Institution 

Jhe  film  collection  from  the  gieot  cultuwl 
institution's  Office  of  Jelecommunicotions. 


KILLIAM 

Jhe  world's  premier  collection  of  early  motion 
pictures,  silent  features,  and  shorts:  1896-1940. 


Hearst  Historical 

One  of  the  premier  historical  collections 
dating  back  to  the  turn  of  the  century. 


Andrew  Conti 
tel:  (212)  653-1558 
fax:  (21 2)  799-9258 


I   K 

O  T      S 

TT 

O  T 

s  I 

c 

O  OL- 

CUT 

S 

WTK  IT  1 1 

Footage  from  Ws  best  news  station,  from  1948  to  the  present. 
Warhol,  lackie  0,  Yankees,  Studio  54  &  morel 


Rick  DeCroix 
tel:  (212)  799-1978 
fax: (2 12)  712-9297 


email:  clips@filmclip.com 


THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  CONTEMPORARY  &  ARCHIVAL  STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 


June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


C^^^^D 


MERCER  STREET 


5 


J  14.  XL  JL 


DIGITAL  AUDIO 
-  PRODUCTION - 

for  Film  and  Video 
and  Multimedia 


Pro    Xools 
Media    lOO 

Sound  Design  •  Original  Music  •  Sound  Effects 

Voice  Over  and  ADR  •  Sound  Editing  and  Mixing 

Non  Linear  Video  Editing  •  Multimedia  and  Internet 

Alan  Berliner  •  Lisa  Lewenz  •  Jem  Cohen  •  Cathy  Cook 
Maria  Venuto  •  Shelley  Silver  •  Brett  Morgen  •  Tony  Oursler 
Peggy  Ahwesh  •  Kathy  High  •  Ellen  Spiro  •  Lewis  Klahr 
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Discount  Rates  for  Independents 


76  MERCER  ST.    NYC  10012  •  212.966-6794    •    E-mailmercerst@aol.com 


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training 


digital/non-linear  editing 


Classes  offered  monthly 

Introduction  to  Media  Composer, 
Tips  and  Techniques,  and  Media 
Composer  Effects. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts  is  an 
Avid  Authorized  Education  Center 
serving  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
Western  Pennsylvania  and  Kentucky. 

Call  for  more  information 

Maria  Troy,  674  292-7617 

Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts 

The  Ohio  State  University 
1871  North  High  Street 
Columbus,  Ohio  43210 


DTD 
Authoring  *k  Encoding 


21  2-242-0444 


DlT»UCATIO.\ 
POST  PBODVCTIOI 


Media  100  Editing 

DVD  Authoring 
MPEG  2  Encoding 

DVD  Burning 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 

145  West  20th  St. 

New  York,  NY  10011 

Fax:  212-242-4419 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


Pro  Tools  •  Sound  Editing 

•  Surround  Sound  •  ADR  • 
Automated  Mix  to  Picture  • 
Foley  •  SFX  •  Sound  Design 

•  Custom  Music 


1  Media  100  XR  •  HDR  Real 

* 

1  Time  FX  •  Adobe  After 

1 

Effects  •  Photoshop  •  D3 

1 

Digital  •  Betacam  SP  • 

; 

Off-Line  •  On-Line  •  Ani- 

mation •  Full  On-Location 

Services 

601  Gates  Road  •  Vestal,  NY  13850 
SERVING  INDEPENDENTS  SINCE  1971 

1-800-464-9754 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.:  Features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York-based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (888)  602-1774 

DIRECTOR  OR  PHOTOGRAPHY  Award-winning,  exp.  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits:  features,  docs,  commercials 
&  music  videos.  With  access  to  35mm  &  S/16  packages.  Call 
for  reel.  Moshe  (212)  661-2333 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  with  Am  SR  II  w/  tap,  and 
Panavision  filters,  Sony  Beta  SR  HMI's,  Kino  Flos,  Jimmy  Jib  & 
grip  truck.  I  make  great  pictures,  work  fast  &  have  tons  of  expe- 
rience. Call  for  reel:  (203)  254-7370;  page:  (917)  824-3334. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  mcl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  &  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great-looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arnflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953- 
1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  Digital  Canon  XL1,  digital 

postproduction  facility,  and  a  powerhouse  Macintosh  graph- 
ic/composing workstation.  Real  film-look  quality  without  the 
high  cost  of  shooting  on  film.  Available  for  shorts,  features, 
music  videos,  industrials,  commercials.  Strong  lighting  back- 
ground &  accustomed  to  working  with  limited  resources. 
Flexible  rates  &  willing  to  travel.  Call  for  reel.  Seeing  is 
believing.  Tom  (203)  849-8958. 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award  winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/  new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg.;  Media  100  editing.  Trilingual  in 
English,  Spanish  &  German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project. 
Reasonable  rates.  Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7398. 

DP  w/full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle 
rates. 

DP/EDITOR:  Avid  (AVR  77),  Sony  D-30  Beta  SP  or  Aaton  XTR 
package.  Sound  &  lights.  Edit  suite  w/  city  view.  Speak 
French,  Spanish,  Farsi.  Commercial,  doc  &  feature  credits. 
Andre:  (212)  367-3730  or  (917)  873-7953. 

EDITOR:  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212)  352-4476 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE:  experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


available  to  work  on  interesting  &  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs, 
shorts,  features).  Call  Kevin  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/  18  years 
experience  in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  pro- 
jects. Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952- 
0848;  Ruvn@aol.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID,  14  years  experience,  including  4  fea- 
tures. Full  featured  Avid  MC1000  w/  AVRs  3-77,  3D  DVE, 
Ultimatte  &  Film  matchback.  Low  price  package  deals  for 
independent  projects.  Contact  Dan  Lantz  at  (610)  337-3333. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equipment; 
16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212)  995- 
0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 
MTV,  feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

GRANTWRITER/FUNDRAISER  Extensive  exp.  w/  indie  media 
projects.  Successful  proposals  to  NEA,  NEH,  ITVS,  NYSCA. 
NYCH  &  many  foundations,  excellent  int'l  co-prod  contacts. 
Fast  writer,  reasonable  rates.  W.  Bershen,  (212)  598-0224; 
wb22@pipeline.com 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  pro- 
jects. Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music 
video  &  documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246-8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/time  code  Nagra 
&  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  projects. 
Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  beeper:  (800)  796- 
7363  (ext/pin  1021996);  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

MUSIC  MUSIC  MUSIC!  We  have  it!  Original  music  &  scoring. 
Stock  available  for  temps.  Digital  sound  design  too.  Free  VHS 
demo.  Info  (800)  349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@sound- 
mechanix.com 

SOUNDS  LIKE  a  "cross  between  Steely  Dan  &  Jackson 
Browne  with  some  Frank  Zappa  humor  thrown  in."  Good, 
short,  varied,  pop  songs  avail,  for  films.  Will  work  with  your 
budget.  Boomer  Music  &  Records.  Toll  free  (877)  298-9953; 
Boomerrec@aol.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/ the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

STEADICAM;  Videographer  creating  dolly-like  movements 
w/out  heavy,  cumbersome  dolly  equip.  Able  to  strike  lines  w/ 


AVIDSTOGO 


Luna  delivers. 


\ 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 

FEATURES 

SHORTS 

DOCUMENTARIES 

BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

DEMO  REELS 

MUSIC  VIDEOS 

CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services  with 
experienced  cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/563  0210 

FAX:  212/563  0221 

mercient@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


AA 


IVX 


MHMm 


HBHH                                   H^ 

rr  .-Ti 

1  «    P    ■    n  1 

c  y  c  lie 

We're  a  Full-Service  Post- 
Production  facility  for  the 
alternative  filmmaker.  We  have 
an  ADR/Foley  Studio,  AVIDs, 
AudioVisions,  ProTools,  and  a 

high-speed,  8-plate, 
supercharged  steenbeck.  We 

provide  creative  editors, 
experienced  technical  support 
and  expert  post  supervision  at 

competitive  rates.  For  more 

information,  contact  Jeanette 

King  at  (212)  679-2720.  Or  Fax  at 

(212  679-2730. 

SPIN  CYCLE  POST,  INC. 

■    12  West  27th  St.,  6th  Floor    ■ 

New  York,  NY  10001 

i^M                          mmmk 

June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


■ ■■,,■,  ,„■■ _~ - 


Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  15  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project. 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support. 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


ProTools  24  Mix  Plus 
ADR,  Voice  Over 
Foley  Recording 
Duplications 


Solar  Film/Video  Productions 


212.473.3040 


632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


n-linear  editing 
digital  video 
video  gear 
audio  gear 
cell  phones 
walkie-talkies 
video  dubbing 


invites  vou  w  \°,n  the  di9itOCr 


acy 


We're  a  one-stop  shop,  offering  state-of-the-art 

Camcorders,  cranes,  dollies,  lighting  units  $  accessories, 

Dubbing  to  popular  formats  and  a  Discreet  Logic  online/offline 

Edit  Suite  with  compositing,  painting  $  uncompressed  images. 


118  West  22nd  Street    New  York  City   1  001  1 
(212)  243-8800     fax  691-6961 


vvi^   All  In  One  Productions 

Jf^fV-"^^^       Your  Low  Budget   Production   Paradise 

■  rZ  |p  Newest  Software  V  5.0—  supports  16:9  DTV 

^^^^"^^      Jl/f      *J "  -//")/?  On-line  Quality 

^^^  MGCT/cJ    7uU  As  low  as  $200/Day 

Non-Linear  Digital  Editing  Systems  FOR  FtE/Vl  Editors  Available 

G3s,  91  GIGs,  300  MB  of  RAM.  Support  ALL  Formats 

After  Effects,  Commotion,  Boris  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator,  ProTools... 

Multi-lingual  Voice  Over,  Titling  &  Sub-Titling 

Chinese.  Spanish,  Russian,  Japanese.  Korean,  Hindi.  Arabic,  Italian.  Tagakx)  English,  and  counting      —  - 

DV  Cloning,  Timecode  Burn-in,  Multi-Format  Transfers  &  Dubs 
www.AllinOne-USA.com    (212)   334  4778    401  Broadway,  Suite  2012,  NYC 


graceful  curves.  Avail  for  all  applications.  Vic  Blandburg 
(703)  941-4497;  Box  2254,  Merrifield,  VA  22116; 
photo8224@aol.com 

VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hip-hop  col- 
lages/ambient sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  pro- 
ductions (212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro;  Lynch;  S.  Shepard 
types  pref.  Animation! 


Opportunities  •  Gigs 

CAMERAPERSON  NEEDED  for  documentary  on  a  fun,  female 
sport.  Summer-December.  Pay.  Interested7  Call  Nicole 
Franklin  (718)  826-1414. 

INDIE  PROJECTS;  Innovative  film/video  co.  seeks  entrepre- 
neurs in  arts,  all  areas:  equip,  operators,  directors,  crews, 
editors,  etc.  Visit  www.scnproductions.com/eia.htm  to  view 
projects.  Compensation  is  end  determinative. 

NY  BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  talented 
Production  Manager,  Producers,  APs,  PAs  &  Interns  for  trav- 
el/documentary series.  Please  fax  resumes  to  Benita  at  (212) 
647-0940. 

VIDEO  WORKSHOPS  on  the  Island  of  Skopelos,  Greece  from 
June  26-July  24.  These  two  week  classes  will  explore  "Video 
as  Autobiography";  mixed  media  &  video  and  "Traditions  of 
Greek  Art  Through  Video."  Instructed  by  professional  film  & 
video  makers  from  New  York.  Two  weeks  at  $2,000  mcl. 
room/board,  no  airfare.  For  brochure,  e-mail:  Valkyried 
f@hotmail.com  or  write  to:  The  Skopelos  Foundation  tor  the 
Arts,  2000  Patrick  Henry  Dr.,  Arlington,  VA  22205. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  C0A  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 


PREPR0DUCTI0N  •  DEVELOPMENT 

BUDGETS  FOR  FEATURE  FILMS,  done  by  Line  Producer/ 
Production  Manager  with  accounting  background  (Movie 
Magic).  Call  (917)  874-0846. 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns.  Shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  Low  budget  indie 
rates,  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

INDIE  FILM  PROJECT  seeking  additional  investors  to  corn- 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates, 
articles,  FAQs  &  news  on  AIVF's  website, 
along  with  bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member 

salons,  and  databases.  Check  it  out: 

www.  aivf.org 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


mence  shooting.  Have  half  of  necessary  capital;  in  alliance 
with  leading  North  American  indie  production  studio. 
Completed  script,  based  on  off-Broadway  play,  drama/ 
romantic  comedy;  genre  of  A  Walk  in  the  Clouds,  Smoke 
Signals.  Please  reply  ASAP  American  Productions  (212)  935- 
4503;  aristastar@aol.com 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT:  Years  of  experience.  Script 
analyst  for  studios,  indies,  and  private  clients.  Full  analysis, 
commercial  assessment.  Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays: 
(212)  567-8820  (M-F  9-5);  Actfour4@aol.com 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 


POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 


&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 
services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call 
Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  EDITOR:  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  resolutions.  Beta  SP,  DAT,  extra  hard  dri- 
ves. Pro-tools  sound.  Editing-mixing.  Fast  &  easy  to  get  along 
with.  Will  work  on  your  Avid  or  mine.  Drina  (212)  561-0829. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal 
only.  Regular  8mm,  super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or 
Betacam  SR  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by- 
scene  only.  Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948- 
7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 


DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater. 
com;  (800)  807-4142. 

MEDIA  100  for  rent  in  BOSTON:  Excellent  rates!  Top  of  the 
line  XR  system  with  300  KB  resolution;  32  gigs  hard  drive 
space;  Beta  SP  deck;  Private  office  with  24  hour  access  and 
beautiful  garden.  Call  Liz  Canner  (617)  266-2418. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8  .  .  .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates, 
tech  support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212) 
431-9299. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  Media  100  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee.  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 

THE  MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  & 
3/4  suites,  Hi-8  video,  Super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services. 
Call  Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 


Web 

WEBSITE  DEVELOPMENT  AND  PROMOTION:  Specializing  in 
creating  and  promoting  web  sites  for  media  producers,  distrib- 
utors and  national  groups  since  1995.  Clients  include  New  Day 
Films,  KCTS-TV,  Loni  Ding,  California  Newsreel,  NAMAC,  BAVC, 
NEMN  and  more.  See  my  web  clients  and  recommendations  at: 
www.laddmedia.com/webprojects.html.  Contact  Steve  Ladd 
Media:  steve@laddmedia.com;  or  (510)  652-3913. 


North  Cajcolln/v 
School  of  the  Ajtts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina. 


Digital  /  Analog 

Film,  Video  &  Web  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

After  Effects  /  Motion  Graphics 

xperienced  in  feature  length 
-ocumentaries  and  narratives 


375  WEST  BWAY3R,  NY,  NY  10012 

3  3  4-8283 

www.americanmontage  .com 

WE  ACCEPT  ALL  MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


www.aivf.org 


ij"j.j; 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  listed  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office: 
304  Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam)  6th 
fl.,  in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston 
St.);  C,  E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 

ATVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registration 
and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline  with 
Visa  or  Mastercard  information  or  mail  in  a  check 
or  money  order.  (Please  note:  your  check  must  be 
received  one  week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve  your  seat. 
Seats  are  sold  on  a  first-come  first-served  basis.) 

The  following  is  a  listing  of  events  whose 
details,  upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed. 
Please  visit  our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our 
Events  Hotline:  (212)  807-1400  ext.  301  for  the 
latest  information. 

June  Events 

SCREENING:  NEW  FILMMAKERS 

GALA  EVENT  PRESENTED  BY  AIVF 
AND  NEW  FILMMAKERS 

When:  Wednesday,  June  2,  reception  at  7  p.m., 

screening  at  8  p.m.,  after-party  at  10  p.m. 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  Second  Ave 

at  Second  St.) 

Cost:  Free  to  AIVF  members  with  invite 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Come  celebrate  the  one-year  anniversary  of  New 
Filmmakers  and  AIVF's  official  co-sponsorship! 
Mix  and  mingle  at  the  pre-screening  reception, 
then  take  in  David  Maquiling's  debut  film,  Too 
Much  Sleep,  the  sly  and  witty  story  of  a  twenty- 
something's  journey  through  a  sleepy  American 
suburb.  Following  the  screening,  join  us  at  a  near- 
by locale  for  networking  and  merriment. 

AIVF CO-SPONSORS 

docfest  1999  Panel  Discussion: 

4  DECADES  OF  DOCUMENTARY 

FILMMAKING:  A  DIALOGUE  WITH 

FRED  WISEMAN 

When:  Sunday,  June  6,  10  a.m.  -  12:30  p.m. 
Where:  DGA  Theatre  (110  West  57th  St,  NYC) 
Cost:  $12  gen  pub/Free  with  Festival  Pass 
Hear      more      details:      Contact      docfest      at 
www.docfest.org 

Esteemed  master  fly-on-the-wall,  Fred  Wiseman, 
attending  docfest  '99  with  a  rare  screening  of  his 


film  Basic  Training,  will  hold  forth  on  changes  and 
continuities  in  the  form  and  technique  of  docu- 
mentaries over  the  span  of  his  career.  Joining  him 
in  a  later  roundtable  discussion  will  be  other  docfest 
'99  directors,  representing  projects  in  every  format 
from  miniDV  and  Hi8  to  Super-16  and  35mm. 

meet  &  greet: 
Creative  Capital  Foundation 

When:  Thursday,  June  10,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10/general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  RSVP  required.   (212) 

807-1400  x.  301.  Space  is  limited. 

Creative  Capital  Foundation  (profiled  in  the  April 
issue)  is  a  new  organization  that  manages  a  revolv- 
ing fund  that  supports  artists  pursuing  innovative, 
experimental  approaches  to  form  and/or  content 
in  the  visual,  performing,  and  media  arts.  Creative 
Capital  will  work  closely  with  the  recipients  by  pro- 
viding other  support,  such  as  marketing  approach- 
es, researching  distributors,  etc.  to  help  maximize 
audience  potential.  Meet  Ruby  Lerner,  executive 
director,  and  Esther  Robinson,  program  officer,  as 
they  introduce  this  exciting  new  funding  initiative! 

AIVF  PROUDLY  CO-SPONSORS 

THE  1999  HUMAN  RIGHTS  WATCH 
^  INTERNATIONAL  FILM 

i^L  FESTIVAL 

^Sfc^^^^  Presented  by   the   Human   Rights 
^^^^^m    Watch  Film  Festival  and  the  Film 
^^^k         Society  ^t  Lincoln  Center 
^P  When:  June  1 1-24 

^^£       Where:  Walter  Reade  Theatre  (165 
"^  West  65th  Street,  New  York) 

Cost:       $5       AIVF       members; 
$8.50/general  public 
Hear  more  details:    (212)  875-5000  or  www.film- 
linc.com 

This  year's  festival  tackles  a  variety  of  challenging 
and  inspiring  topics,  from  today's  headlines  (for- 
mer Yugoslavia,  street  kids  in  Latin  America)  to 
recent  history  (the  Holocaust,  the  Hollywood 
Blacklist)  and  biases  that  have  spanned  genera- 
tions (racism,  school  prayer,  prison  reform,  gay 
rights).  Highlights  include:  Goran  Ivanisovic's 
The  Powder  Keg,  a  drama  of  everday  anguish  of  life 
in  Belgrade  which  won  Best  Film  at  last  year's 
Venice  Film  Festival;  Regret  to  Inform,  war  widow 


•^^^^^ 

^*  C?*^- 

■^^^^ 

"«"      -.       ** 

^^^jfc 

"«  »"0t\ 

^% 

W 

AIVF  publishes  and  sells  many  titles  that  are  MUSTS  for 
your  filmmaking  library.  See  our  Membership  Insert  for 
titles  you  can  order  by  mail.  No  spare  cash  for  books? 
Come  browse  them  in  the  AIVF  Resource  Library.  We 
stock  our  shelves  full  of  essential  resources  for  film- 
makers, including  periodicals  such  as  The  Hollywood 
Reporter  and  Variety,  Res  Magazine,  and  Filmmaker, 
as  well  as  directories  of  distributors,  funders,  and  pro- 
duction companies.  The  Center  is  free  and  open  to  all 
Monday  thru  Friday  from  11-5  p.m.  and  is  located  at 
the  AIVF  office. 

Barbara  Sonneborn's  1998  Oscar-nominated  film 
of  her  journey  back  to  Vietnam;  The  Children  of 
Chabannes,  the  story  of  the  French  village  that 
saved  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  Jewish  children  dur- 
ing WWII;  The  Terrorist,  a  stunningly  filmed  drama 
of  an  Indian  woman's  struggle  between  love  and 
extreme  politics.  Also  screening  will  be  Strike, 
Sergei  Eisenstein's  brilliant  classic  (not  to  be  missed 
on  the  Walter  Reade  Theater  big  screen!),  along 
with  Spotlights  on  a  Massacre,  a  series  of  shorts  by  10 
celebrated  filmmakers  on  the  issue  of  landmines. 

PANEL  DISCUSSION: 

EXHIBITORS  AND 
THE  INDEPENDENT  FILMMAKER 

When:  Tuesday,  June  22nd,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  New  York  Film  Academy  (100  E.  17th  St. 

at  Union  Square,  NYC) 

Cost:  $10  AIVF  members/$20  general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  Specifics  posted  at 

(212)  807-1400  x.  301  and  www.aivf.org 

Wondering  if  self-distribution  is  the  route  for  you? 
Then  this  discussion  is  not  to  be  missed!  Come 
celebrate  the  long-awaited  publication  of  The 
AIVF  Self-Distribution  Toolkit  and  find  out  from 
exhibitors,  distributors,  producers  reps,  and  film- 
makers how  to  successfully  reach  intended — and 
unintended — audiences.   Case   studies   of  select 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


resource  Profile: 
Filmmakers  Alliance 

What:  A  collective  of  mediamakers  who  share 
time,  energy,  and  resources  as  a  means  to  getting  . 
their  projects  made. 

Where:  Los  Angeles 

When:  Filmmakers 
Alliance  (FA)  was  found- 
ed in  1993  by  a  small 
group  of  film  industry 
professionals  anxious  to 
create  their  own  projects  but  lacking  the  resources 
to  do  it  alone.  FA  offers  filmmakers  the  opportunity 
to  realize  their  own  collective  worth  and  exploit 
their  wealth  of  resources  in  pursuit  of  professional 
goals. 

How:  FA  is  managed  by  the  filmmakers  and  main- 
tains only  one  full-time  administrator.  FA  is  sup- 
ported by  a  membership  of  120  and  also  a  combi- 
nation of  corporate  sponsorship,  individual  dona- 
tions, production  services  fees,  and  various  other 
production/education-related  activities. 

In  detail:  FA  was  founded  on  a  principal  of  mutual 
support  that  is  inherent  in  its  structure.  New  mem- 
bers must  support  four  other  member  projects 
before  receiving  access  to  resources.  Besides  the 
company-owned  and  membership-pooled 
resources  (which  include  a  Canon  XL-1  digital 
camera  and  MedialOO  editing  system),  FA  holds 
seminars  and  workshops,  script  readings,  screen- 
writing  classes,  and  maintains  a  number  of  special 
programs,  including  the  Filmmakers  Forum  (aes- 
thetics discussions)  and  the  PSA  Program.  FA  also 
has  an  office  which  houses  office/editing  comput- 
ers and  a  book/script/video  library. 

Watch  for:  FA  is  in  the  process  of  raising  funds  for 
the  Filmmakers  Center,  a  production/resource/ 
activity/community  center  which  will  allow  a  vast 
expansion  of  its  current  activities.  Membership  in 
FA  demands  active  participation  and  is  therefore 
L.A.  area-specific,  but  the  organization  envisions 
creating  chapters  across  the  country.  On  June  30, 
FA  will  host  its  second  annual  screening  of  mem- 
bership work  at  the  DGA.  Last  year  a  crowd  of  900 
showed  up  and  this  year  should  prove  even  more 
successful. 

Get  involved:  Filmmakers  Alliance,  4470  Sunset 
Blvd.,  #716,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90027;  (310)  281- 
6093;  www.filmmakersalliance.com 


films  will  inform  you  of  the  dos  and  don'ts  of  the- 
atrical self-distribution.  Topics  include:  pitching 
to   exhibitors;   getting  press; 
preparing   for   a   self-distrib- 
uted run,  including  budgets, 
and   press   kits;   evaluating 
the    market;    and    distin- 
guishing the  dynamics  of 
self-promotion.  Among  panelists  will  be  indie 
maverick  John  Pierson  and  producers  rep  Rob 
Fields. 

Copies  of  The  AJVF  Sel/-Distribution  Toolkit 
will  be  available  ($25/AIVF  members  $20). 


OUTSIDE  NEW  YORK: 

AIVF  LOS  ANGELES  MIXER 

When:  Monday,  June  7th,  6-8:30  p.m. 
Where:  The  Derby  (4500  Los  Feliz  Blvd  at 
Hillhurst.  323/663-8979) 
To  register/hear  more  details:   Please   RSVR 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301 

Join  your  fellow  members,  AIVF  board  mem- 
ber Lee  Lew-Lee,  executive  director  Elizabeth 
Peters,  and  program  and  information  services 
director  Michelle  Coe  for  good  company  and 
a  cash  bar.  Come  with  your  ideas  on  how 
AIVF  can  better  serve  you  long-distance. 


AIVF  PROUDLY  CO-SPONSORS: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-Sponsored  by  AIVF,  Angelika  Entertainment 

Corporation,   and   the  New  York  Underground 

Film  Festival 

When:  Every  Wed.  Shorts  7  p.m.,  Features  8  p.m. 

Wliere:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave.  at 

2nd  St.  in  NYC). 

Cost:  $5  both  shows.  Tickets  avail,  at  box  office. 

For  a  complete  schedule:  Visit  the  AIVF  Resource 

Library,  pick  up  an  Anthology  monthly  schedule, 

or  call  Anthology  at  (212)  505-51 10. 

The  by-filmmakers-for-filmmakers  year  round  film 
festival.  To  submit  your  feature  or  short,  call 
(212)410-9404. 

Don't  Miss:  June  9  boasts  a  great  line-up  of  docs, 
among  them  Of  Skin  and  Metal,  a  short  on  body 
piercing,  and  Bookwars,  a  feature  on  New  York 
street  booksellers.  On  June  13,  Wrestling  With 
Alligators,  starring  Joely  Richardson  and  Aleska 
Palladino  (official  Sundance  entry)  plays  with  a 
short  on  poet  Alan  Granville. 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT 

SCREENPLAY  READING  &  SHORT 
FILM  SERIES 

NOTICE:  The  Fifth  Night  is  on  hiatus  for  the 
summer.  Readings  and  short  film  presentations 
will  resume  in  September  every  Tuesday  at  the 
Nuyorican  Poet's  Cafe. 


BRAVO 


Jilm 


40  WEST  27TH  STREET 

2ND  FLOOR 

NEW  YORK  NY  IOOOI 

212  679  9779 

FAX  212  532  O444 

www  bravofilm  com 


Sound  Stage  Rentals 

34'  x  28'  x  14' 

600  amps 

Hard  Cyc/Blue  Screen 

$595/day 

On-line  Editing 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  %",  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

DVE:  Pinnacle  Alladin  with  many  Effects 

Video  Toaster  4.1 

$85/hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages 

Sony  DVCam: 

DSR-130 $325 /day 

DSR-300 $225/day 

Audio  Services 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55/hour 

In-house  Sound  Design  & 

Scoring  also  available. 

Tel:  212  679  9779      Fax:  212  532  0444 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


xiw«*.  out  or 


2 


Everything 
included. 

Avid  Media 

Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

can  afford. 


kitchen 


225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 

Component  Editing 
Transfers,  Window  Dubs 

45/hr    340/day    175/night 


1123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


by   Gesh  a-  Marie 
Bryant 

Glen  Pearcy's  Home  Movie,  55  years  in  the 
making,  has  just  finished  postproduction.  The   j 
documentary  is  Pearcy's  personal  and  technical 
journey  through  the  multi-generational  trajec-    j 
tory  of  recording  one's  memories  and  family  on 
film.  In  homage  to  his  father's  common  post- 
war hobby  of  shooting  family  footage  on  16mm 
black  and  white 
reversal      stock, 
Pearcy       started 
doing    the    same 
in   the   seventies 
with  a  slight  vari- 
ation. Instead  of 
focusing  on  spe- 
cial family  occa- 
sions    like     the 
majority  of  post- 
WWII   suburban 
dads,  Pearcy 

filmed  the  quo- 
tidian activities 
that      are      the 

bread  and  butter  of  family  life.  Grappling  with 
his  emotional  attachment  to  old-fashioned  lin- 
ear editing  on  the  Moviola  and  a  way  to  pre- 
serve his  father's  fragile  reels,  a  long  difficult 
process  of  editing  ensued.  After  transferring 
everything  to  Avid,  Pearcy  added  finishing 
touches  of  antique  sepia  processing  to  differen- 
tiate his  father's  aging,  technically  superior 
footage.  Glen  Pearcy  Productions,  Inc.,  21900 
Beallsville  Road,  Box  71,  Bamesville,  MD  20838; 
(301)  972-8086;  GPPod@aoI.com 

In  the  small  border  town  of  Juarez,  Northern 
Mexico,  a  chilling  epidemic  has  shaken  the 
poverty-stricken  masses  with  no  end  in  sight: 
since  1993  125  maquiladoras,  teenage  female 
factory  workers,  have  been  raped,  murdered, 
and  abandoned  in  the  desert.  In  addition  to 
bringing  the  serial  crime  phenomenon  to  light, 
San  Francisco-based  director  Lourdes  Portillo 
and  producer  Jennifer  Maytorena  Taylor  will 
also  investigate  the  global,  socio-economic  fac- 
tors that  turn  these  third  world  teenagers  into 
the  prey  of  unjust  industry.  Now  in  preproduc- 
rion,  on  location  shooting  of  A  Border  Story: 
Death  Comes  to  the  Maquiladoras  is  scheduled 
to  commence  in  the  fall.  Xochitl  Films,  981 
Esmerelda  Street,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110: 
(415)  642-1614;  fax:  642-1609,  portillo@sir- 
ius.com;  tacotruk(u  sirius.com 

Instead  of  spending  the  time  and  money 
needed  for  film  school,  Ted  Cormey  chose  the 


hands-on  path  of  a  self-made  filmmaker  with 
WIDIWA  (What  I  Did  When  I  Was  Away). 
This  feature  tracks  a  young  man's  ultimate 
descent  into  alcoholism  after  a  failed  attempt 
to  relocate  cross-country  to  rekindle  a  college 
flame.  Cormey  scheduled  a  five  year  plan  to 
produce  a  feature,  supplemented  by  a  detailed, 
candid  newsletter  and  website  of  his  progress 
and  failures,  including  rejections  from  festivals. 
Currently  completing  the  sound  mix  while 
devising  creative  fundraising  for  completion 


LTO    A 

\rii)LEii<jjN 

funding  of  the  16  to  35mm  blow-up,  Cormey 
now  assumes  the  role  of  PR  and  promotional 
wiz.  The  crew  of  WIDIWA  hopes  to  secure  a 
distribution  deal  with  a  cross-marketing  strate- 
gy involving  the  film's  local  Boston  gothic/ 
industrial  soundtrack.  Lost  Jockey  Productions, 
Kenmore  Station,  Box  15205,  Boston,  MA 
02215;  www.gothflik.com 

Minneapolis-based  St.  Anthony  Films 
releases  its  first  feature,  Herman,  USA,  about 
loneliness  and  companionship  in  small  town 
America.  During  a  local  mixe,  known  as  the 
Harvest  Weekend  Festival,  a  great  deal  of 
excitement  befell  Herman,  MN,  when  78  of  the 
town's  bachelors  placed  a  newspaper  ad  solicit- 
ing women  for  business  and  pleasure.  The  over- 
whelming response  and  couplings  that  resulted 
when  1,200  women  arrived,  accompanied  by  an 
international  media  explosion,  inspired 
writer/director  Bill  Seamans  and  producer 
Patrick  Wells  to  begin  their  own  production 
company  for  Herman,  USA,  with  an  additional 
film-per-year  goal.  Now  in  the  final  stages  of 
postproduction,  Wells  and  Seamans  are  seeking 
distribution  for  this  romantic  comedy,  shot  on 
location  in  New  Germany,  MN,  a  town  of  just 
400  inhabitants.  St.  Anthony  Films,  15 
Groveland  Terrace,  Ste.  #205,  Minneapolis,  MN 
55403;  (612)  574-4096. 

AIVF  Members:  Send  info  on  works  in  progress  or  recently 
completed  projects  to:  In  &  Out  of  Production,  304  Hudson 
St.,  6th  fl.,  NY,  NY  10013;  or  email:  intern@aivf.org 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


THE    ASSOCIATION    OF    INDEPENDE 
VIDEO    AND    FILMMAKERS 


^bout  AIVF  and  FIVF 

[he  Association  of  Independent 
/ideo  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
lational  membership  organization  of 
)ver  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
>pinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
rideo  and  filmmakers.  AIVF  is 
iffiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
ndependent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
m  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
ledicated  to  the  development  and 
ncreased  public  appreciation  of 
ndependent  film  and  video. 

'o  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
|ou  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
:onnections,  and  the  best  information 
ivailable.  Whether  through  the  pages 
A  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
ir  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
organization  raising  its  collective 
oice  to  advocate  for  important 
ssues,  AIVF  preserves  your 
^dependence  while  letting  you  know 
;ou're  not  alone. 

fere's  what  AIVF 

lembership  offers: 


jjjj 


"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 

lembership  provides  you  with  a 
ear's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
hought-provoking  features,  news, 
nd  regular  columns  on  business, 
Jchnical,  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
istival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
inder    profiles,    funding    deadlines, 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  {ocus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education  Business  and  non-profit 
members  receive  discounts  on 
advertising  and  special  mention  in 
each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  ATVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  long-distance  service, 
and  other  production  necessities. 
Members  also  receive  discounts 
purchases  of  on  the  AIVF  mailing  list 
and  classified  ads  in  The  Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  www.aivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to   exclusive 


on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  publish  informational  resources 
on  international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members.  With  over 
600  volumes,  our  office  library  houses 
information  on  everything  from 
preproduction  to  sample  contracts. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities  across 
the  country.  These  member-run, 
member-organized  salons  provide  a 
unique  opportunity  for  members  and 
non-members  alike  to  network, 
exhibit,  and  advocate  for  independent 
media  in  their  local  area.  To  find  the 
salon  nearest  you  check  the  back 
pages  of  The  Independent  the  AIVF 
website,  or  call  the  office  for  the  one 
nearest  you  If  you're  interested  in 
starting  a  salon  in  your  area,  ask  for 
our  startup  kit! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts 

•  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events 

•  book  discounts  "  classifieds  discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for 
board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household,  except  for  the  year's 
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SPOTLIGHT  ON  THE  AIVF  SALONS 

FIVE  YEARS  AGO,  A  NEW  ANNOUNCEMENT  STARTED  SHOWING  UP  IN  THE  "MEMORANDA"  SECTION  AT 
the  back  of  The  Independent.  (Since  I'm  one  of  those  folks  who  reads  the  mag  cover  to  cover,  I  took 
note.)  "Meet  Your  (Fellow)  Maker,"  the  head  proclaimed,  announcing  an  informal,  Manhattan- 
based  monthly  get  together  for  AIVF  members.  This  kind  of  networking  opportunity  is  a  natural 
for  trade  associations,  and  by  late  spring  the  back  pages  of  The  Independent  heralded  "Salons  Go 
National,"  with  contact  information  for  Manhattan,  Boston,  Los  Angeles,  Chicago,  Minneapolis, 
and  Washington,  DC  groups. 

From  my  vantage  point  in  Austin,  the  word  "salon"  evoked  earnest  tea  parties — or  memories  of 
a  group  I  once  participated  in  where  we  would  gather  to  sing  political  folk  tunes,  then  order  ice 
cream  and  gossip.  So  when  in  1995  a  salon  was  established  in  Austin,  Texas,  I  was  taken  aback  to 
find  the  meeting  not  in  the  folksy  living  room  of  an  aesthete  independent,  but  in  a  popular  down- 
town bar.  I  was  even  more  surprised  to  attend  my  first  monthly  meeting  and  run  into  five  of  my 
friends  and  students,  as  well  as  three  people  I  had  been  trying  to  chase  down.  Instant  community! 

The  obvious  irony  of  working  as  a  media  "independent"  is  you  don't  work  independently  at  a 
minimum,  you  collaborate  with  an  audience  to  bring  your  work  to  fruition.  More  often,  media  pro- 
duction is  a  collective  effort,  requiring  the  participation  of  folks  with  diverse  (business,  literary, 
social,  political,  technical)  backgrounds.  Salons  provide  an  essential  place  to  remind  us  we  are 
independent  but  not  alone;  that  community  is  not  a  location  but  a  lexis:  a  place  where  people  with 
similar  vision  but  disparate  needs  and  experience  come  together. 

True  to  our  grassroots  core,  AIVF  consciously  elected  not  to  establish  formal  chapters  but  rather 
to  facilitate  regional  salons  in  whatever  form  was  most  appropriate  to  the  particular  community. 
Thus  our  salons  range  from  informal  groups  that  meet  occasionally  (Seattle,  Denver)  to  more 
structured  programs  run  by  established  media  arts  centers  (Atlanta,  Dallas).  And  there  is  nothing 
that  dictates  the  focus  or  activity  of  a  salon:  for  example,  in  Westchester,  NY,  we  may  soon  see 
complementary  salons  for  fiction  and  nonfiction  makers.  Yet  despite  their  differences,  each  salon 
creates  a  place  where  makers  can  renew  their  sense  of  purpose  while  sharing  ideas,  energy,  and 
resources. 

At  this  five-year  mark,  AIVF  is  renewing  its  commitment  to  regional  salons  through  increased 
communication  and  resource -sharing.  Although  we  have  never  intended  to  sustain  salons  finan- 
cially, we  are  set  up  to  seed  them  through  small  stipends  and  leadership  resources.  Following  the 
"teach  a  man  to  fish"  philosophy,  an  important  secondary  goal  for  our  salon  program  is  to  educate 
community  leaders  in  the  media  arts.  The  collective  experience  of  AIVF  salon  leaders  can  provide 
a  leg-up  for  new  salons,  while  the  AIVF  mission  helps  to  articulate  the  goals  of  the  group  and 
therefore  illuminate  possible  programs  and  approaches.  Under  the  brand  of  our  national  organiza- 
tion, the  salon  itself  frequently  serves  as  a  lightning  rod  to  bring  together  independent  producers 
and  to  coalesce  local  resources.  And  no  less  important  is  the  role  of  the  salons  in  keeping  our 
national  organization  in  touch  with  the  particular  concerns  of  the  field,  providing  the  opportuni- 
ty to  see  how  they  manifest  themselves  community  by  community. 

Following  our  list  of  salons,  three  brief  articles  describe  very  different  salons,  each  at  a  different 
point  in  its  life  cycle.  For  more  comprehensive  information  on  these  and  other  salons,  visit  the 
salon  section  of  our  web  site:  www.aivf.org.  Of  course,  the  most  dynamic  way  to  learn  more  is  to 
visit  a  salon  near  you — or  contact  us  for  information  on  establishing  one  of  your  own! 

Elizabeth  Peters,  AIVF  executive  director 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


The  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  indepen- 
dents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the 
AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Note:  Since 
our  copy  deadline  is  two  months  before  the  meet- 
ings listed  below,  be  sure  to  call  the  local  organiz- 
ers to  confirm  that  there  have  been  no  last-minute 
changes. 


Contact:      Peter      Paolini, 
tilmsalonC"  aol.com 


(843)     805-6841; 


Cleveland,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:    Annetta    Marion,    (216)    781-1755; 
OhioIndieFilmFest(«  juno.com 


Albany,  NY: 

When:  1st  Wed.  of  each  month,  6:30  p.m. 
Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:      Mike     Camoin      (518)      489-2083; 
videos4c("  cris.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tues.  of  the  month,  7:00  p.m. 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets  off  of 

Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  geninfo(5  imagefv.org 

Austin,  TX: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Rebecca  Milner,  c/o  Austin  Film  Society, 
(512)  322-0145 

Birmingham,  AL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Peter  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories(«  mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Susan  Walsh,  (508)  528-7279; 
walshcid(n  aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thurs.  each  mo.  from  6:30-8:45  p.m. 
Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 
68  Calhoun  St. 


Dallas,  TX: 

When:  3rd  Wed.  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:   Bart  Weiss,   (214)   999-8999;  vbart@ 

aol.com 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thurs.  of  the  month,  7  p.m. 

Where:    Rocky    Mountain    Peace    and   Justice 

Center,  1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:    Diane    Markrow,     (303)    449-7125; 

Dmarkrow@usa.net  or  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  p.m. 
Where:  Call  for  locations. 

Contact:    Houston   Film   Commission   Hotline, 
(713)  227-1407 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wed.  of  each  month,  5:30  p.m. 

Where:  Call  tor  location. 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-542;  dot@  inet- 

nebr.com;  www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wed.  of  each  month.  Call  for  time. 
Where:   Cappuccino's   Gourmet   Cafe,   Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  6k  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 


www.passionnver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  &  location. 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326- 
2668 

Portland,  OR: 

When/Where:  Call  tor  date  6k  location. 
Contact:   Beth   Harrington,    (360)    256- 
6254;  betuccia@aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  6k  location. 
Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,   (716)   442- 
8286;  chuck(5  millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  6k  location. 
Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811; 
espinosa@electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  6k  location. 
Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-6051  or 
visit  www.blackchair.com 

Tampa,  FL: 

Where/When:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690- 
4416;  FMondaruli@email.msn.com 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Mon.  of  each  month 
from  6-8  p.m.  at  Club  Congress,  311  E.  Congress, 
in  downtown  Tucson. 

Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridge(g  theriver.com,  Robert  Ashle,  robert(n 
access.tucson.org;  or  visit  http://access.tucson. 
org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 
Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4; 
sowande@bellatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

When/Where:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll® 

aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,   (914)   948-3447; 

jkap3@juno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

When/Where:  Call  for  dates  and  times. 
Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
www.cboss.com/flickclique 


NO  SALON  IN  YOUR  AREA? 

We  have  a  new  resource  kit  for  folks 

wanting  to  start  an  AIVF  salon  in  their 

community.  If  you  are  interested,  call 

LaTrice  Dixon  at  (212)  807-1400  x.  236, 

or  visit  the  salon  section  at  www.aivf.org 


June  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


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protools  4  /  media  100  /after  effects 

1 6  -  track  lock  to  betacam  sp  &  3/4 

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video  capture  &  compression 

original  music/sound  design 

special  rates  for  independents 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

2  12.431.1130      x  I  0 

596  Broadway,  Suite  602,  NYC  10012 

http://www.harvestworks.org 


THE 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  -■ 


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•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit  $120/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions  Inquire 

Contact     us     for     other     services, 
prices  and  access  information. 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:  (212)  219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


Stone  Soup,  Please 

Charleston,  SC 


The  AIVF  Salon 

is  an  effort  to  say  to  the 

community,  "Let's  just 

stop  for  a  moment, 

folks,  assess  our 

resources,  and  begin 

utilizing  them  together." 


by   Peter   Wentworth 

The  formation  of  the  AIVF  Salon  in 
Charleston,  South  Carolina  this  year,  is  best 
likened  to  the  children's  tale  "Stone  Soup."  In 
the  story,  three  hungry  soldiers  wander  into  a 
village,  hut  find  an  inhospitable  community 

that  fears 

their 
appetites, 
despite  an 
abundance  in 
the  town's  col- 
lective cellars. 
Placing  a  ket- 
tle on  a  fire  in 
the  village 
square,  the  soldiers  fill  it  with  water,  then, 
when  they've  caught  the  villagers'  attention, 
add  some  stones.  The  villagers  are  curious;  can 
something  be  made  from  so  simple  a  combina- 
tion? The  soldiers  offer  a  resounding  "Yes!"  and 
offer  to  share  the  broth.  A  gaunt  soldier  com- 
ments, "Stone  soup  is  delicious;  if  only  we  had 
some  leeks  to  add,  then  it  would  be  exquisite." 
Someone  in  the  crowd  darts  off,  returning  with 
an  armload  of  leeks.  "Now,  if  we  only  had  car- 
rots, potatoes,  and  mutton."  The  villagers  raid 
their  root  cellars,  and  by  the  end  of  the  evening 
they  remove  the  stones  and  share  their  com- 
munal effort. 

Charleston  is  a  community  that  has  many 
working  film  technicians,  but  also  a  competi- 
tive spirit  that  has  arisen  from  a  fear  that  there 
are  only  so  many  jobs  to  go  around  when  a  fea- 
ture appears  offering  paid  work.  People  tend  to 
keep  to  themselves.  The  city  also  has  drawn 
many  refugees  who  came  here  to  work  on  a  film 
and  then  chose  to  stay,  as  Charleston  is  a  high- 
ly seductive  and  charming  place.  It  also  has 
some  resources,  if  one  knows  where  to  look.  A 
Charleston  technical  trade  school  was  the 
recipient  of  an  $800,000  federal  grant  in  the 
mid-eighties  that  yielded  three  35mm  Arriflex 
cameras,  three  trucks  (one  with  a  1000  AMP 
generator,  another  with  a  dark  room  for  chang- 
ing mags),  a  significant  lighting  package,  a  good 
grip  package,  a  couple  of  Nagras,  and  a  suitcase 
of  Zeiss  lenses.  The  State  Arts  Commission  is 
home  to  a  regional  media  access  program  offer- 
ing equipment  at  a  discount  for  independents. 
Until  1997,  Worldfest  Charleston,  a  week-long 
film  festival,  ran  to  mixed  results;  while  the 
films  tended  to  draw  small  audiences,  the 
workshops,  filled  by  locals,  habitually  sold  out. 
Despite  these  resources  and  talent,  very  few 
indigenous  films  were  getting  made. 


The  AIVF  Salon  is  an  effort  to  say  to  the 
community,  "Let's  just  stop  for  a  moment,  folks, 
assess  our  resources,  and  begin  utilizing  them 
together."  We  cast  a  broad  net,  issuing  numer- 
ous press  releases,  collecting  email  addresses  on 
America  OnLine  of  people  who  list  filmmaking 
as  an  interest  and  sending  them  a  notice  (for- 
tunately we  weren't  accused  of  spamming), 
notifying  local  colleges,  and  emphasizing  that 
this  was  an  opportunity  for  everyone — not  just 
people  already  in  the  industry.  Clearly  there 
was  growing  interest  in  filmmaking;  what  was 
missing  was  an  environment  where  information 
was  valued  for  exchange. 

The  first  salon  in  January  attracted  64  peo- 
ple. Among  them  were  four  filmmakers  who 
had  already  raised  considerable  funding  for 
independent  features;  six  documentary  makers 
with  projects  in  various  phases;  three  screen- 
writers with  projects  under  option  and  another 
dozen  working  on  second  or  third  scripts;  a 
director  with  three  features  under  his  belt;  two 
individuals  with  their  own  nonlinear  editing 
suites;  and  a  film  composer  with  five  feature 
credits,  who  won  his  first  Grammy  in  February. 
If  the  inaugural  event  succeeded  at  anything,  it 
was  to  create  recognition  for  the  enormous  tal- 
ent, both  old  and  new,  in  our  community. 

We  purposefully  structured  the  first  six 
salons  with  different  speakers.  This  has  its 
advantages  and  disadvantages.  On  the  plus 
side,  it  creates  a  sense  of  an  event  with  a  shape 
and  purpose.  On  the  minus  side,  it  tends  to 
gravitate  toward  a  lecture  format  that  prevents 
interaction  among  attendees.  This  is  a  difficult 
balance,  given  the  average  attendance  of  50. 

Our  success  now  leads  to  a  bigger  challenge: 
How  do  we  address  all  the  separate  needs  and 
organize  this  ungainly  mass?  The  first  thing  we 
did  was  create  a  database  of  attendees  that  cat- 
alogs interests,  skills,  and  services.  Subgroups 
were  then  organized  to  address  specialized 
areas  of  interest.  One  group  broke  off  to 
explore  a  staged  script-reading  series,  putting 
together  actors,  writers,  and  directors.  A  sec- 
ond group  met  to  address  future  programming 
interests.  As  the  new  county  library  offers 
state-of-the-art  video  projection,  screening  of 
members'  work  is  yet  another  possibility. 

The  community  seems  to  enjoy  the  first 
batch  from  the  kettle.  The  challenge  is  per- 
suading people  to  continue  attending  and  con- 
tributing, especially  if  they'd  wrongly  conclud- 
ed the  kettle  was  always  empty. 

Peter  Wentworth  is  an  independent  producer  who  has 
been  living  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  since  1 989. 


60    THE    INDEPENDENT     June  1999 


by   Paul   Espinosa 

Independent  film  and  video  is  alive  and  well 

in  San  Diego.  Despite  the  seduction  of  nearby 
Hollywood — or  perhaps  because  of  it — the 
AIVF/San  Diego  Salon  has  been  able  to  mount 
an  impressive  number  of  alternative  media 
events  since  its  founding  two  and  half  years 


tions  and  organizing  groups,  like  the  San  Diego 
Public  Library,  the  San  Diego  Film  Com- 
mission, local  PBS  affiliate  KPBS,  ITVS,  Sony 
Art  Walk,  San  Diego  State  University,  and  the 
Centra  Cultural  de  la  Raza.  These  have  been 
key  to  our  success.  Even  if  we  are  not  princi- 
pally involved  in  organizing  specific  events,  we 
have  become  an  information  clearinghouse  for 


Constructing  la  comunidad 

San  Diego,  CA 


ago.  From  sponsoring  profes- 
sional workshops  to  screen- 
ing exciting  work  by  San 
Diegans,  we've  began  the 
task  of  building  a  media  arts 
community  in  our  region. 

Like  independents 

everywhere,  the  challenge 
is  to  keep  our  momentum 
going  and  tap  into  the  pas- 
sions of  local  folks.  Our 
core  group  over  the  last 
several  years  has  experi- 
enced a  predictable  ebb 
and  flow,  as  individuals 
move  in  and  out  of  San 
Diego.  We  sponsor  two  mixers  a  year  with  the 
express  purpose  of  helping  indies  connect.  This 
is  useful  to  both  area  newcomers  and  those 
who've  been  here  awhile  but  don't  have  many 
opportunities  to  meet  people  with  similar  inter- 
ests. 

Through  screenings  of  members'  work,  we 
have  exposed  ourselves  and  the  larger  commu- 
nity to  a  wealth  of  independent  media.  We've 
shown  a  documentary  bio  on  Herbert  Marcuse 
(Alex  Juutilainen's  Herbert's  Hippopotamus),  a 
historical  documentary  on  Irish  soldiers  in  the 
U.S. -Mexican  War  (Mark  Day's  The  San 
Patricios),  a  contemporary  look  at  Cuba  (Todd 
Mattox's  Voices  of  Cuba),  an  outsider's  look  at 
San  Diego's  indie  rock  scene  (Melissa  Collins 
Porter's  The  Crash  Zone),  an  examination  of  the 
Promise  Keepers  (Niklas  Vollmer's  Daddy  Said 
So),  a  look  at  being  Jewish  in  Germany  today 
(Deborah  Lefkowitz's  Intervals  of  Silence) ,  and  a 
feature  film  about  the  Irish  potato  famine  (The 
Young  Irish  Film  Makers'  Under  the  Hawthorne 
Tree).  Each  screening  has  been  followed  by  a 
stimulating  discussion  about  the  film's  topic 
and  the  challenge  of  making  this  kind  of  work. 

Since  burnout  is  always  a  danger  for  a  vol- 
unteer group,  the  San  Diego  Salon  has  worked 
hard  to  build  partnerships  with  other  institu- 


indie-related  activities 
that  interest  our  mem- 
bers. 

One  example  of  a  fruit- 
ful relationship  is  the  one 
we  have  with  the  new  and 
dynamic  San  Diego 
Latino  Film  Festival.  As 
part  of  the  yearlong  task  of 
audience  development  for 
the  festival,  we  have 
worked  with  festival  orga- 
nizers to  create  Cine  Club, 
a  series  of  monthly  screen- 
ings leading  up  to  the  festi- 
val. Spotlighting  work  on 
the  Latino  experience,  Cine 
Club  has  been  well  promoted  among  our  mem- 
bership and  the  larger  community.  The  result 
has  been  wonderful  discussions  and  sizable 
audiences  for  works  like  Jayasri  Hart's  Roots  in 
the  Sand,  Lourdes  Portillo's  La  Ofrenda,  and 
Juan  Francisco  Urrusti's  A  Long  Journey  to 
Guadalupe.  This  year's  Cine  Club  culminated 
in  mid-March  with  the  annual  festival  show- 
casing a  wide  variety  of  domestic  and  foreign 
works,  including  a  homage  to  well-known  indie 
Gregory  Nava  (El  Norte;  Mi  Familia). 

Our  plans  for  the  coming  year  include  a  dis- 
tribution workshop  that  will  include  partici- 
pants from  the  local  PBS  affiliate  and  reps  from 
independent  distributors  in  Los  Angeles.  We 
also  expect  to  continue  screening  works  by  our 
members  and  others  who  drop  into  the  region. 
Through  it  all,  we  strive  to  create  a  space  that 
fosters  the  artistic  and  professional  growth  of 
local  mediamakers  in  our  San  Diego/Tijuana 
region. 

Paul  Espinosa  (espinosa@electriciti.com) ,  an 
independent  producer  based  in  San  Diego,  is  current- 
ly completing  a  two-hour  series  titled  The  Border  to  be 
broadcast  on  PBS  this  fall.  He  can  be  reached  via 
Espinosa  Productions  at  or  (619)  284-9811. 


Media  100  Suites 

(with  or  without  editor) 

beta  sp  -  3/4"  -  Hi8  -  VHS  -  SVHS 

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photoshop,  illustrator, 
after  effects,  electricimage 

Voice-over  Booth 
Internet  and  CD-ROM 

integration  of  your  video  projects 
into  web  pages  and  cd-rom. 


Medialuna 
Productions 


636  broadway,  suite  214 

tel.  212.228.1133 

fax  212.228.1101 

www.medialuna.com 


Finding  Stock  Footage 


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June  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


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Fax  (212)   966-5618 


Cutting  LOOSe  Houston,  Texas 


The  AIVF-Houston  Salon  (and  soon-to-be  HIP)  brain  trust  is  (l-r) 
screenwriter  Mike  Ruiz,  documentary  filmmaker  Laura  Harrison, 
salon  founder/director  David  Mendel,  and  producer  Beth  Federici. 


a  web  site  that  wil 
online    membership 


by    David   Mendel 

In  Houston,  Texas,  AIVF  is  HIP.  To  us, 
that  has  a  double  meaning.  There's  the  obvious 
connotation.  And  there's  HIP,  the  acronym  for 
Houston  Independent  Production,  which  is  a 
fledgling  501(c)(3)  that  is  an  offshoot  of  the 
local  AIVF  Salon.  At  the  same  time  that  the 
Houston  Salon  has 
served  as  a  powerful 
magnet  for  new 
membership  in 

AIVF,  it  is  about  to 
break  free  of  nation- 
al AIVF's  orbit.  The 
result  will  be  a  local- 
ly-rooted nonprofit 
whose  modest  goals 
include  the  produc- 
tion of  films  and 
videos  of  various 
lengths   and  genres 

and  sponsorship  of  a  regional  independent  film 
festival. 

Our  salon  leadership  has  concluded  that 
operating  essentially  as  a  production  unit  will 
satisfy  two  key  areas  of  interest:  one,  we'll  cre- 
ate original  artistic  works;  and  two,  everyone 
will  play  a  hands-on  role  in  the  production 
process.  In  other  words,  instead  of  talking  film 
and  video,  we'll  be  making  it.  This  also  address- 
es a  long-standing  conflict  over  workshops  that 
present  information  that  is  too  sophisticated 
for  the  novice  filmmaker  or  too  rudimentary  for 
the  veteran.  HIP  offers  individuals  from  both 
ends  of  the  spectrum  the  opportunity  to  work 
side -by-side  toward  a  common  goal.  Now, 
instead  of  meeting  simply  because  it's  that  time 
of  the  month,  we'll  gather  to  tackle  preproduc- 
tion  assignments,  shoot  the  film,  and,  after  the 
cry  of  "That's  a  wrap!"  is  sounded,  finesse  the 
work  in  post.  Our  nonprofit  status  affords  obvi- 
ous tax  benefits  to  contributors  of  film  and  tape 
stock,  equipment,  and  other  resources  that  will 
make  these  projects  possible. 

The  move  toward  independence  has  been  in 
the  works  for  several  months,  sparked  by  grow- 
ing frustration  over  the  process  of  funding 
Salon  activities.  We  customarily  paid  out  of 
pocket  for  expenses  related  to  social  gatherings, 
seminars,  and  postage.  The  obvious  solution  to 
this  cumbersome  arrangment  was  to  secure  our 
own  business  bank  account.  However,  individ- 


ual salons  cannot  open  separate  business  bank 
accounts  under  the  aegis  of  the  national  AIVF, 
and  none  of  us  were  comfortable  opening  an 
account  in  one  of  our  own  names  on  behalf  of 
the  salon.  As  a  nonprofit,  HIP  will  be  able  to  do 
banking  in  its  own  name.  Our  new  organization 
will  build  a  funding  framework  by  establishing 
membership  dues.  We  plan  to  offer  student  dis- 
counts but,  like  many  clubs  and  groups  that 
meet  on  a  regular 
basis,  will  levy 
admission  fees  to 
defray  honorariums 
and  other  costs 
associated  with 
special  events. 
HIP  is  determined 
to  take  advantage 
of  rapidly  evolving 
multimedia  tech- 
nology on  the  web. 
We  are  developing 
eature  an  easily  updated 
directory  with  sufficient 
bandwidth  tor  filmmakers  to  post  short  reels. 
This  not  only  enables  these  filmmakers  to  pro- 
mote their  work,  it  also  paves  the  way  for  artis- 
tic exchanges  between  other  AIVF  Salons,  as 
well  as  independent  film  and  video  organiza- 
tions the  world  over. 

Collaboration  promises  to  be  HIP's  anthem 
as  we  enter  the  new  millennium.  Despite  a 
technical  parting  of  ways,  HIP  remains  sup- 
portive of  AIVF  and  its  important  mission.  As 
a  salon,  we  forged  a  strong  bond  with  the 
Houston  Film  Commission.  We  are  determined 
to  continue  fostering  healthy  working  relation- 
ships with  film-  and  video-related  entities 
throughout  the  Houston  market,  since  we 
believe  unity  and  cooperation  are  the  best  way 
to  advance  the  independent  cause. 

The  Houston  Salon  has  witnessed  a  dramat- 
ic increase  in  membership  since  its  founding 
more  than  three  years  ago.  Inquiries  about  the 
organization  filter  in  daily  as  aspiring  and  estab- 
lished filmmakers  catch  wind  of  all  we  have  to 
offer.  Despite  the  hefty  workload  that  lies 
ahead,  we're  thrilled  about  the  prospect  of  blaz- 
ing new  creative  frontiers  for  the  HIP  indepen- 
dent. 

David  Mendel  is  senior  producer  for  the  Health 
Channel  and  a  media  arts  instructor  at  the  Art  Institute 

of  Houston. 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT    June  1999 


liui 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash  re- 
serve fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than 
$93,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts;  Washington  DC  Film  Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck;  Peter 
Buck/C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  C&S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Hugo 
Cassirer/  Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge, 
Linda  &  Bob  Curtis;  Richard  Linklater/ 
Detour  Film  Foundation;  Loni  Ding; 
Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen  Freedman  & 
Roger  Weisberg;  David  Haas;  Henry 
Hampton;  Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey;  Jewish 
Communal  Fund;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz; 
Richard  Kylberg;  Tom  LeGoff;  Helaine 
&  Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner;  Juan 
Mandelbaum;  John  Bard  Manulis;  Diane 
Markrow;  Jim  McKay/C-Hundred  Film 
Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins;  David  &  Sandy 
Picker;  Sarah  E.  Petit/  R.E.M.  Athens 
LLC;  Barbara  Roberts;  James  Schamus; 
Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza  Vann  Smith; 
Miranda  Smith;  Michael  Stipe;  Ann 
Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records/Videos/Books; 
Walterry  Insurance  Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  & 
Nancy  Meyer;  Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan 
Wittenberg. 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals 
and  organizations  who  have  recently 
made  or  renewed  generous  donations  of 
$100  or  more  as  MCF  FRIENDS  (3/15/99 
to  4/15/99): 

Kristin  Angelique,  Donald  M.  Burch, 
Chuck  Workman 


iir: 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film   (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 


Academy  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs 

The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation 

Home  Box  Office 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation 

Jerome  Foundation 


NYSCA 


Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 
Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  Forest  Creatures  Entertainment; 
Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3; 
Intrepid  Film  &  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  Respectable  Street  Inc.;  GA:  Legacy 
Pictures  Inc.;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  Ml:  Jes  &  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MO:  Wild  Pictures,  LLC; 
NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC;  Galarza  &  Associates,  Inc.;  NV:  United 
Pictures;  NY:  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  C&S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment;  Catherine  Carey;  Dependable  Delivery, 
Inc.;  Dynamism;  Fred  Ellis;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  G  Productions;  Julia  John 
Music;  LD  Media  Corp;  Media  Principia;  Merci  Entertainment,  Inc;  Middlemarch  Films;  New 
Rican  Filmmaker;  NYT  Television;  One  Such  Films;  Prime  Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Sundance 
Channel  LLC;  Surf  and  Turf  Films  Inc.;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune  Pictures;  Wonder 
Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  Rl:  Treasure  Chest  Television;  TX:  Aries  Productions;  PBLK 
Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  WA:  Junk  Empire  Motion 
Pictures;  India:  Foundation  for  Universal  Responsibility;  Spain:  Sogecable 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona 
University;  CA:  Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film 
Festival;  KOCT;  Media  Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  RJB  Productions;  USC  School  of  Cinema 
TV;  University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest  New  Haven;  GA:  Image  Film 
Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii;  IL  Community  Television  Network; 
The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Facets;  Macarthur  Foundation;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The 
Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media  Working  Group;  MA:  Harvard  Medical  School;  Long  Bow 
Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film  Festival;  MD:  Laurel  Cable  Network;  Ml: 
Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  Public  Benefit  Corp;  WTVS 
Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO: 
Webster  University;  NE:  Ross  Film  Theater;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  ASCAP;  Andy  Warhol 
Foundation  for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Cinema  Arts 
Centre;  Communications  Society;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing 
Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Educational  Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of 
Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation;  Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  Irish  American  Film  Foundation; 
John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network 
Museum  of  Modern  Art;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television; 
Open  Society  Institute;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange; 
Rochester  Film  Office;  Ross-Gafney;  Squeaky  Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies; 
Syracuse  University;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13;  Women  Make 
Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  6k  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  City  of  Cleveland; 
Cleveland  Filmmakers;  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival;  Ohio  University-Film;  OR: 
Communications  Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New 
Liberty  Productions;  Council  On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  FilnVVideo  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center; 
Temple  U./Dept.  of  Media  Arts;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN: 
Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Cinemaker  Coop;  Austin  Film  Society;  Detour  Film 
Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film 
Commission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio-TV-Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  Wl:  Madison  Film  Forum; 
Mexico:  Centra  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Australia:  Clememger  Harvie;  Canada: 
Video  Pool;  York  University;  Norway:  Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket;  Singapore:  Ngee  Ann 
Polytechnic  Library    • 


ARN 


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/V4/^I\IN«3 


WRITE  •  SHOOT  •  DIRECT  •  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE 
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NEW  YORK  CITY       PRINCETON  &  YALE  UNIVERSITY 

UCLA  CAMPUS  -  LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 

PARIS,  FRANCE        ROME,  ITALY 

CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY,  CAMBRIDGE,  ENGLAND 

SUMMER  WORKSHOPS  LOCATION  ONLY  ■  FOUR  AND  SIX  WEEK. 


ADVANCED  DIRECTING  WORKSHOPS  ALSO  AVAILABLE 

NEW  WORKSHOPS  START  THE  FIRST  MONDAY  OF  EVERY  MONTH  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY  ALL  YEAR  ROUND 


All  workshops  are  solely  owned  and  operated  by  the  New  York  Film  Academy 


NEW  ^©CK  ril_A4  ACADCMy 

100  EAST  17TH  STREET  NYC   10003  TEL:  212-674-4300   FAX:  212-477-1414 


■  ■    .  ^:i /2v c_ 


^Fl 


< 

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Advancing  and  preserving 

the  art  of  the  moving  image 


f  f 

Call  for  Entries 

October  21  -  29, 1999 


^        0  Lufthansa 


"A  great  festival  for  film  professionals  and 
the  Los  Angeles  community  to  discover  new 
talent  from  around  the  world. " 
-Kevin  Thomas,  Los  Angeles  Times 


FILM  PROGRAMS 

Official  Competition 

European  Film  Showcase 

New  Directions 

Documentary 

Short  Subject  Competition 

AWARDS 

Grand  Jury  Prize 

New  Directions  Prize 

Best  New  Director 

Best  New  Writer 

Best  Actor 

Best  Actress 

Best  Film  Editing  Award 

Audience  Awards: 
Best  Feature 
Best  Documentary 
Best  Short 


DEADLINES 


Early: 
Final: 


June  15 
August  2 


Features 

$40.00 

$50.00 


Shorts 

$30.00 

$40.00 


CONTACT 
AFI  Los  Angeles  International  Film  Festival 
2021  N.  Western  Avenue 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90027 
Tel:  323.856.7707 
Fax:  323.462.4049 
E-mail:  afifest  @  afionline.  org 
Web  site:  afifest.com 


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AND       FILMMAKERS 


Karen  Cooper 
Director. 

Film  Forum 


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Photo  Tom  LeGoff 


Design  Nik  Ives 


Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community. 


Name. 


Address . 
City 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


State  . 


Zip. 


Home  Phone . 


.Business  Phone. 


I /We  wish  to  be  listed  In  acknowledgements  as: 


J  $35 

J  $50 
J  $100 
J  Other 


J  $150 
J  $200 

|    $500  and  up 

Honorsry 

Committee 

Member 


Make  your  check  payable  lo  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF.  304  Hudson  St..  Gth  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013    For  more  information  call  (212)  8071400.  ext.  223. 

The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization-  Yoor  contribution  is  tax-deductible.  ft, 


A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film      www.aivf.org 


FILM&  VIDEO  MONTHLY 


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Leighton  Pierce  Hits  His  Stride 

Jesse  Ventura's  Choke  Hold  on  Public  TV 

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22 


Special  Issue:  Experimental  Media  1 

Throughout  this  issue — The  Independent's  fourth  annual  spotlight  on  experimental  work — we  pro- 
file an  array  of  media  innovators  and  the  distributors,  hinders,  and  exhibitors  who  support  them. 

22   Off  the  Beaten  Track:  The  Blair  Witch  Project 

Think  of  your  worst  camping  nightmares,  add  some  improv,  some  Bigfoot,  a  Global  Positioning 
System,  stir  it  together,  and  you've  got  a  great  case  for  "Method  Filmmaking"  and  The  Blair  Witch 
Project,  the  scariest  movie  and  most  original  indie  feature  of  the  year. 

by  Adam  Pincus 

28   But  will  it  play  in  Peoria? 

Curators  John  Columbus  of  Black  Maria  and  Rajendra  Roy  of  the  MIX  festival  discuss  the  current 
state  of  exhibition  opportunities — and  audiences — for  experimental  media. 

by  Jeremy  Lehrer 

32   Transcendental  Domesticity:  Leighton  Pierce 

As  chronicler  of  the  everyday  shapes,  sounds,  and  events  in  his  domestic  environment,  Leighton 
Pierce  has  amassed  a  gently  persuasive  body  of  film  and  video  work. 
by  Scott  MacDonald 


■* 


2    THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


->*»  J     ^ 

£■  '# 


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» 


Upfront 


5  News 

Minnesota  Governor  Jesse  Ventura  tries  to  armlock  state  public  TV 
and  radio  funding;  the  Estate  Project  launches  its  independent  film 
preservation  initiative  with  the  films  of  Warren  Sonhert. 

by  Nadine  Ekrek,  Lawrence  Ferber 

8   Profiles 

Karl  Nussbaum,  James  Benning,  Igor  Vamos,  Peter  Calvin. 

by    Jerry  White,  Anthony  Kaufman,  Richard 
Baimbridge,  Aaron  Krach 


18   Festival  Circuit 

The  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival,  U.S.  Super  8  Film  Festival,  Los  Angeles 
Independent  Film  Festival,  Thessaloniki  Documentary  Festival. 

by  Elizabeth  Henry,  Paul  Power,  Rob  Rownd 


Departments 

14  Wired  Blue 
Yonder 

Will  Avid  ditch  the 
Mac  platform?;  a  look 
at  Hi-Def  editing. 

by  Ben  Long, 
Ryan  Deussing 

25  Technology 

If  you've  ever  spent  longer  than  20  seconds  looking  for  a  film  trim, 
this  article  will  save  you  hours  of  fruitless  hunting  in  the  cutting 
room. 

BY   SU   FRIEDRICH 


FAQ  &  Info 

39   Distributor  FAQ 

Since  its  days  as  a  collective, 
Toronto's  V  tape  has  been 
home  to  the  work  of  experi- 
mental film-  and  videomak- 


ers. 

BY    1 

^ISSA    GlBBS 

42 

Funder  FAQ 

The  Experimental  Television 
Center  celebrates  28  years  of 
funding  and  supporting 
experimental  media  artists. 

BY    1 

vIlCHELLE   COE 

44 

Festivals 

49 

Notices 

54 

Classifieds 

@AIVF 

58 

Events 

60 

Salons 

62 

Member  Benefits 

iri-iVrU«iJ<fl 

kBTlmcs 

1 

1 

^SB 

1  **I 

Jlif — ~t 

tHKH^ 

:__ ■— 

■■  *        *"                ' 

COVER:  Boo!  The  creepy  iconography  of  The  Blair  Witch  Project.  Photo:  Patricia  Thomson 


a  study  of  sexual  fantasy  on  the  Internet 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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Mind  Over  Body? 

Ventura  puts  choke  hold  on  Minnesota  public  broadcasting. 


Minneapolis  Star-Tribune  suggesting  that  a  tax 
credit  he  given  to  contributors  to  let  them 
make  their  own  decisions  about  the  value  of 


' )lhl<<'liu  to 

The  Office  of  Governor  Jesse  Ventura 


Thorie  are  no  dumb  questions 


You  can't 

legislate 
against  stupidity 


Love  i*  bigger 
than 
government 


No  person  in  Minnesota 

is  ever  done  learning 


Every  vote  counts 


Fewer  people  will  be  hearing 
about  the  plight  of  the  rural  farmer 
on  Minnesota  public  broadcasting,  now  that 
there's  a  new  Body  in  town.  Reform  Party 
Governor  and  former  pro-wrestler  Jesse  "The 
Body"  Ventura  (who's  recently  renamed  himself 
Jesse  "The  Mind"  Ventura)  plans  to  phase  out  the 
$4  million  that  public  broadcasting  received  in  fis- 
cal year  98/99  from  the  state  of  Minnesota.  The 
governor's  draconian  cuts,  which  would  have 
seen  state  funding  for  public  radio  disappear  by 
2001,  and  dry  up  a  year  later  for  public  TV,  were 
reversed  by  the  legislature  in  a  heated  House 
debate  in  May  (although  Ventura  did  manage  to 
veto  a  $113,000  budget  for  conversion  to  digital 
of  Minnesota  public  TV).  Ventura  has  targeted 
Minnesota  Public  Radio  (MPR)  for  budget  cuts 
and  privatization  largely  based  on  his  own 
experiences  as  a  radio  talk- show  host  in  his 
body- slamming  days.  He  claims  state  funding  is 
superfluous  to  public  radio  stations  that  already 
boast  for-profit  subsidiaries,  copious,  well-paid 
executives,  and  high-tech  equipment-compared 
with  gear  held  together  with  baling  wire  and  duct 
tape  at  the  commercial  station  where  he  used 
to  work. 

"At  first,  I  felt  sorry  for  him,"  jokes  Will 
Haddeland,  principal  executive  officer  and 
vice  president  of  public  affairs  for  MPR. 
"I  thought  we  should  send  his  former  station 
some  used  microphones.  But  then  I  realized  the 
radio  station  Ventura  worked  for  was  owned  by 
Chancellor  Media,  whose  stock  has  skyrocket- 
ed in  the  past  two  years." 

Haddeland,  who  wrote  an  editorial  in  the 


public  radio,  admitted  that  the  MPR  mother 
station  will  not  be  affected  by  the  cuts. 

"We  have  never  asked  the  state  for  any 
operating  funds,"  he  says,  "but  we  provide  ser- 
vices for  smaller  public  radio  communities  in 
the  rural  areas  that  can't  get  them  in  any  other 
way." 

Indeed,  MPR  still  earns  $27  million  from 
programming,  contributions,  and  sales  of  show 
products,  so  it  could  easily  shrug  off  the  annual 
$600,000  it  receives  from  state  funding,  but  it's 
the  smaller  radio  stations  like  KAXE  in  Grand 
Rapids  and  KFAI  in  Minneapolis  that  would  be 
hardest  hit.  The  $36,363  grant  KAXE  received 
from  the  state  last  year,  for  example,  allowed 
the  station  to  qualify  for  an  additional  $6,000 
from  the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting 
(CPB),  thereby  making  up  roughly  14  percent 
of  the  station's  annual  operating  budget  of 
$300,000.  Besides  MPR,  1 1  Minnesota  public 
radio  stations  receive  state  aid. 

The  financial  implications  of  Ventura's  pro- 
posal seem  more  dire,  however,  for  Minnesota 
public  television.  According  to  Bill  Hanley, 
Executive  Vice  President  of  Content  at 
Minnesota's  public  television  station  KTCA, 
although  only  two  percent  of  KTCA's  operating 
budget  comes  from  state  funding,  it  is  impor- 
tant in  several  ways. 

"Directly,  it's  some  of  the  funding  that  allows 
us  to  do  our  educational  services  in  a  more 
vibrant  way,"  says  Hanley,  referring  to  the 
operating    money    earmarked    for    children's 


EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 

programming,  as  well  as  outreach  programs 
to  help  parents  and  daycare  providers  make  the 
most  of  children's  shows  such  as  Barney,  Mr. 
Rogers,  and  Sesame  Street. 

Hanley  explains  that  the  most  powerful 
impact  of  state  level  cuts  would  come  in 
indirect  ways,  since  smaller  public  television 
stations  in  the  state  might  have  to  close  down 
altogether  as  an  eventual  result  of  Ventura's 
cuts.  Smaller  stations  in  the  area  rely  heavily  on 
non-federal  support — such  as  KSMQ  in 
Austin,  which  counts  on  state  funding  for  30 
percent  of  its  budget.  "It's  a  domino  effect 
if  these  other  smaller  stations  go  off  the  air, 
since  we  lose  our  impact  in  our  pitch  to 
statewide  flinders  in  claiming  we  appeal  to  a 
statewide  audience.  It's  oftentimes  hard  to 
explain  to  legislators  why  this  is  so  crucial," 
says  Hanley. 

Says  KSMQ  general  manager  Rick  Sailors, 
"To  even  have  a  shot  at  getting  CPB  funding,  a 
station  has  to  demonstrate  a  certain  level  of 
support  from  non-federal  funding."  He  predicts 
that  KSMQ  would  not  be  able  to  make  up  the 
loss  from  state  funding  two  years  from  now  to 
claim  the  necessary  non-federal  support  dollars 
needed  to  qualify  for  the  federal  grant. 

"This  isn't  a  trend,  it's  an  exception,"  says 
Mark  Lynch,  Senior  Catalyst  in  the  Office  of 
the  President  at  KTCA,  who  has  been  working 
with  lobbyists  to  present  information  in  support 
of  public  broadcasting  to  the  Minnesota  legisla- 
ture. "Traditionally,  public  broadcasting  has 
enjoyed  support  from  a  very  wide  range  of  peo- 
ple," he  says.  "Seventy-nine  percent  support 
government  funding  for  public  broadcasting  in 
the  state.  When  Ventura  first  announced  his 
budget  cuts,  the  commercial  television  stations 
turned  around  and  wrote  their  support  of  pub- 
lic broadcasting  to  us,  including  the  president 
of  the  Minnesota  Broadcasters'  Association,  so 
it's  not  really  a  notion  of  whether  the  two  are  in 
competition." 

Although  Lynch  understands  Ventura's  rea- 
soning due  to  his  own  personal  experiences 
with  commercial  radio,  he  questions  the 
Governor's  familiarity  with  the  reality  of  public 
broadcasting  and  the  significant  reduction  in 
local  production  both  the  Twin  Cities  and  rural 
towns  in  the  greater  area  could  experience  in 
the  next  few  years. 

"This  reinforces  chronic  problems  you  see  in 
public  television,"  Lynch  says.  "When  you're 
trying  to  bridge  the  gap  between  urban  and 
rural,  rich  and  poor,  you  have  to  get  out  there, 
and  increasingly  in  the  smaller  public  television 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      5 


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markets  we're  seeing  forums  between  inner  city 
folks  and  farmers.  It's  expensive  to  bridge  these 
gaps,  and  that's  the  first  stuff  that  goes  with 
these  cuts,  because  it's  these  kinds  of  mission- 
oriented  programs  that  don't  generate  much 
revenue. 

"In  turn,"  Lynch  concludes,  "the  loss  of  local 
stations  results  in  fewer  federal,  corporate,  and 
foundation  dollars  coming  to  these  communi- 
ties. Fewer  stations  means  fewer  matched  fed- 
eral and  corporate  dollars,  so  you  have  less 
money  for  programming.  Fewer  people  watch 


and  then  fewer  people  become  members.  It's  a 
downward  spiral." 

To  make  amends,  since  the  Internet  was 
such  a  successful  tool  for  Ventura  during  his 
campaign  for  Governor  (he  has  noted  that  the 
Internet  is  maturing  much  faster  than  televi- 
sion did  as  a  medium  for  political  communica- 
tion), perhaps  Ventura  might  suggest  an  educa- 
tional forum  be  set  up  on  the  web  for 
Minnesota  farmers  to  peruse  in  between  har- 
vests and  cow-milking. 

Nadine  Ekrek  is  a  freelance  writer  based  in  Chicago. 


Filmmakers'  Preserve 

The  Estate  Project  for  Artists  with  AIDS 


In  1991,  the  Alliance  for  the  Arts — a  non- 
protit  arts  service  organization  specializing  in 
research  and  publications  concerning  the 
arts — became  alerted  to  a  crisis.  AIDS  had 
consumed  a  distressing  number  of  filmmakers 
whose  bodies  of  work  were  being  left  unpro- 
tected or  even  discarded.  In  response,  the 
Alliance  initiated  the  Estate  Project  for  Artists 
with  AIDS,  which  published  a  guide  addressing 
estate  planning  for  artists,  and  ways  to  ensure 
their  work  could  be  protected. 

"When  we  published  that,  there  was  a  lot  of 
press,"  reports  the  Estate  Project's  director, 
Patrick  Moore.  "We  got  a  front  page  article  in 
the  New  York  Times  and  there  was  such  a  flood 
of  interest  and  demand  that  we  knew  we  had  to 
do  something — other  than  giving  advice — to 
really  have  an  impact." 

That  something  was  starting  the  Indepen- 
dent Film  Preservation  Project  in  1997,  whose 
first  film  series,  held  this  past  April,  was 
Friendly  Witnesses:  The  Worlds  of  Warren 
Sonbert.  "He  was  famous  for  always  carrying  his 
camera,  and  his  entire  life  was  filmed,"  says 
Moore  of  Sonbert,  a  seminal  figure  in  avant- 
garde  filmmaking  who  died  in  1995.  His  epic, 
diaristic  films  were  first  compiled,  then 
painstakingly  restored  by  the  Academy  Film 
Archives  (AFA)  of  the  Academy  of  Motion 
Pictures  Arts  and  Sciences  (AFA  director 
Michael  Friend,  with  Michael  Pogorcelski, 
supervised  all  the  physical  work)  and  Tony 
Monroe  at  Triage  Lab,  screened  at  the 
Guggenheim  Museum,  and  ultimately  picked 
up  by  a  distributor,  Canyon  Cinema. 

Moore  says  they  basically  started  from 
scratch,  enrolling  a  number  of  curators,  experts 
in  the  field  of  preservation,  and  advisors — 
including  Callie  Angell,  director  of  the  Warhol 
Film      Project;      the      Guggenheim's     John 


,  ^  Warren  Sonbert,  the  first  beneficiary  of  t! 
u   Independent  Film  Preservation  Project. 


Hanhardt;  and  Jeff  Scher  of  Columbia 
University  Film  School.  "One  thing  we  realized 
was  that  there  was  not  a  complete  model  for 
preservation  of  independent  film,"  Moore  says. 
"You  not  only  have  to  preserve  the  physical 
material,  you  also  have  to  preserve  journals  and 
written  materials,  and  you  have  to  build  into  it 
some  sort  of  distribution  plan.  Really,  to  have 
the  preservation  part  of  it  without  the  distribu- 
tion means  the  films  are  never  going  to  be 
seen." 

Archivist  and  film  scholar  Jon  Gartenberg, 
who  acts  as  program  director  of  the 
Preservation  Project,  was  approached  by  Moore 
because  of  his  curatorial  expertise.  Having  pur- 
chased many  experimental  works  for  the 
Museum  of  Modern  Art  some  years  earlier 
(including  those  by  Sonbert,  Jim  Jarmusch, 
Barbara  Hammer,  and  Curt  McDowell), 
Gartenberg  knew  that  "when  institutions 
acquire  prints,  that  doesn't  mean  the  films  are 
preserved.  What  this  project  afforded  me  the 
opportunity  to  do  was  to  go  and  find  all  the 
artists'  originals  and  make  preservation 
internegatives  from  them." 

The  first  step  was  locating  Sonbert's  original 
body  of  work,  some  of  which  had  been  thought 
long  lost,  including  Amphetamine  (1966),  The 
Tenth  Legion  (1986),  and  Friend!}  Witness 
(1989).  Sonbert's  surviving  companion, 
Ascension  Serrano,  was  instrumental  during 


6    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


this  stage,  which  included  extensive  research  to 
create  complete  filmographies  and  catalogs  of 
Sonbert's  work.  "Serrano,  who  owns  all  of 
Warren's  materials,  was  incredibly  generous  to 
make  it  open  and  available,"  says  Gartenberg, 
"because  if  the  estate  doesn't  help  locate  and 
provide  access  to  the  artist's  materials,  we  can't 
do  the  professional  work  we  need  to." 

Presented  with  an  impressive — and  unusual- 
ly complete — assemblage  of  Sonbert's  work, 
and  even  raw  source  material,  at  the  AFA, 
Friend  and  colleagues  experimented  with  vari- 
ous stocks  and  processes  to  approximate 
Sonbert's  original  intentions.  "On  a  project  of 
this  scale  or  ambition,  we  don't  shrink  from 
doing  tests,"  explains  Friend,  "because  we  real- 
ly want  to  assure  ourselves  that  we're  on  target 
with  the  work  we're  doing." 

"There's  some  obvious  things  like  wet  gate 
printing.  We  used  7272  negative  to  copy  the 
films  because  its  range  of  color  and  saturation 
and  contrast  values  was  most  effective  in  cap- 
turing the  original  values  of  Kodachrome, 
which  is  what  the  original  films  generally  were. 
Since  many  of  the  core  technologies  that  these 
films  are  based  on — Kodachrome  for  exam- 
ple— are  no  longer  available,"  Friend  contin- 
ues, "we  have  to  make  some  very  careful  aes- 
thetic choices  as  we  preserve  the  films,  because 
we  are  no  longer  on  the  original  medium  in  the 
strictest  sense." 

When  asked  about  the  advantages  digital 
technology  might  offer  in  the  preservation 
process,  Friend  stresses  that  "digital  offers  a  lot 
of  powers  that  photography  doesn't,  but  it's  not 
the  original  medium  and  lacks  many  of  the 
original's  qualities.  Therefore,  what  we  really 
need  to  do  is  domesticate  or  tame  digital  and 
make  it  work  for  us  in  a  photographic  context, 
but  we're  very  far  from  being  there." 

Next,  long-term  conservation  and  storage  of 
the  original  source  material,  a  fresh  internega- 
tive,  and  a  preservation  print  was  arranged  at 
the  Academy.  Finally,  a  distribution  print  and 
secondary  print  were  made  for  special  museum 
showings,  while  San  Francisco's  Canyon 
Cinema  was  secured  as  distributor. 

"Because  many  of  these  filmmakers  are 
unknown  or  known  primarily  in  the  indepen- 
dent community,  we're  thinking  of  trying  to 
package  the  films  together,"  says  Moore,  who 
envisions  each  filmmaker's  work  benefiting 
from  such  a  situation. 

According  to  Moore,  the  project  will  consid- 
er any  and  all  filmmakers  who  have  been  lost  to 
AIDS  or  live  with  HIV,  including  Jack  Smith, 
Curt  McDowell,  and  Derek  Jarman.  To  further 
document  the  AIDS  crisis,  the  Estate  Project  is 
preserving  1 ,000  hours  of  AIDS  activist  video 


at  the  New  York  Public  Library,  which  will  be 
available  to  documentarians  and  historians.  As 
its  next  designated  filmmakers,  the  project  has 
chosen  David  Wojnarowicz  and  Jack  Waters. 
"I'll  be  the  first  living  artist,"  says  New  York- 
based  Waters  modestly.  Waters  regularly 
unveils  new  pieces  at  New  York's  MIX  festival, 
while  his  most  popular  work,  The  Male  GaYze, 
was  screened  at  the  Whitney  as  part  of  its  1995 
series,  Black  Male  Representations  of  Mascu- 
linity in  Contemporary  American  Art.  (Waters 
is  not  only  the  series'  first  living  artist;  he's  also 
the  first  who  works  with  video.) 

Waters,  clearly  enthused  by  the  project,  feels 
that  the  initiative  is  long  overdue  "because 
there's  just  so  much  work.  Take  the  Kuchar 
brothers.  George  is  very  well  known,  but  Mike's 
films  are  disintegrating.  Seeing  the  program 
tonight,"  he  says  of  the  Guggenheim  screening, 
"I  can  see  just  how  influential  Warren  Sonbert 
and  the  Kuchars  surely  must  have  been,  so  I 
think  its  great  that  it's  happening  now  for  this 
kind  of  film." 

Waters  isn't  alone.  While  Friend  hopes  that 
the  project  "adds  impetus  to  the  movement  to 
preserve,  conserve,  and  make  available  inde- 
pendent film  in  America — and  I  mean  all 
kinds,"  those  involved  also  hope  that  avant- 
garde  cinema  is  the  first  to  benefit  from  their 
efforts.  "We  can't  afford  to  throw  away  that  part 
of  our  cultural  tradition,"  stresses  Friend.  "The 
'consumer  culture'  idea  is  pretty  much  passe  in 
the  areas  of  ecology  and  energy,  but  in  cultural 
terms  we  still  don't  understand  that  these  are 
nonrenewable  cultural  resources.  This  is  an 
extreme,  exotic,  and  extremely  powerful 
moment  in  the  history  of  our  culture  and  if  we 
allow  it  to  slip  away,  we've  lost  something  that's 
really  vital,  and  no  culture  can  really  afford  to 
throw  away  its  resources." 

The  Estate  Project  for  Artists  with  AIDS, 
c/o  Alliance  for  the  Arts,  330  W  42nd  St.,  Ste. 
1701,  New  York,  NY  10036;  (212)  947-6340; 
www.artistswithaids.org 

Lawrence  Ferber 

Lawrence  Ferber  [EWehhorpe(5  aol.com]  is  a 

filmmaker  and  writer  based  in  New  York.  His  writing 

has  appeared  in  Time  Out  New  York,  The  Advocate, 

and  the  Washington  Blade. 


ERRATUM 

In  May's  In  and  Out  of  Production  column,  the  title  of 
Dempsey  Rice's  film  was  incorrectly  credited  on  the 
photo  caption;  it  is  Daughter  of  Suicide.  In  addition. 
Rice  attended  the  Amsterdam  Documentary  Film 
Festival  as  an  observer,  and  not  to  show  Daughter  of 
Suicide,  as  the  article  implies.  The  film  is  in  postpro- 
duction  in  New  York  and  is  due  for  completion  in  July. 


National 

Educational 

Media 

Network 


supporting  excellence  in 
educational  media 

Call  for  Entries 

30th  Annual 

Apple  Awards 

The  largest  awards  competition  for 
nontheatrical  media  in  the  US  is  seeking 

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film,  video  or  CD-ROM  titles  for  the  home 

market,  for  classroom  or  corporate  use 


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science  &  technology     art  &  humanities 

sports  &  travel      business  &  careers 

New  Entry  Deadlines! 

Early  Bird  (save  $15):  October  15,  1999 

Regular:  November  1,  1999 

Late:  November  30,  1999 

all  deadlines  are  postmark  deadlines 


Content  2000 

May  2000  Oakland,  CA 
14th  Annual  Media  Market 

Early  Bird  submission  deadline 

March  15,2000 

The  nation's  only  gathering  for  producers, 

distributors,  users  &  vendors  of 

educational  media 

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distributor  for  works-in-progress 

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NEMN 

655  Thirteenth  St.,  Suite  100 

Oakland,  CA  94612-1220 

ph:  510  465-6885 

fax:510  465-2835 

email:  nemn@nemn.org 

web:  www.nemn.org 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


r  j-  =■>  r1-  r*   •  :r 


V. 


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i^arl  jfussbaum 

Raw  Images  from  the  Optic  Cross 

by  Jerry  White 


^  ♦  ♦  ♦ 


Karl  Nussbaum  is  trying  to  write  a  new 
kind  of  history  of  the  Holocaust.  "We've  seen 
the  Holocaust  portrayed  mostly  hy  older  people 
in  black-and-white  documentaries  that  are  very 
straightforward,"  remarks  the  New  York-based 
filmmaker,  whose  grandfather  died  at 
Auschwitz.  "My  feeling  is  that  that's  not  having 
an  effect  anymore."  Raw  Images  from  the  Optic 
Cross  is  Nussbaum's  attempt  to  chronicle  this 
history  in  a  way  that  will  have  an  effect  on  con- 
temporary viewers.  The  film's  dense,  experi- 
mental mixture  of  images  is  utterly  distinct, 
combining  the  historical  with  the  personal  and 
the  narrative  with  the  visual  in  a  way  that  cap- 
tures his  family's  pain  and  hints  at  the  open 
wounds  of  the  generation  that  came  of  age  in 
the  shadow  of  Auschwitz. 

Raw  Images  from  the  Optic  Cross,  a  25- 
minute  film,  combines  a  dense,  fragmented 
visual  collage  with  a  personal,  fairly  straightfor- 
ward voiceover  that  describes  growing  up  in  a 
house  haunted  by  the  ghosts  of  Auschwitz.  The 
visuals   consist   of  surrealist,   often   grotesque 


images — photographs,  swastikas  and  other 
symbols,  medical  drawings,  and  other  represen- 
tations of  pieces  of  junk  that  crowd  people's 
unconscious. 

The  collage  effect  was  accomplished  entire- 
ly in-camera,  and  Nussbaum  takes  considerable 
pride  in  the  fact  that  it  was  created  without  any 
computer-generated 
assistance.  "It's  actually 
hundreds  of  double- 
exposed  slides,"  he 
explains.  "I  had  double 
exposed  them  in  the 
camera,"  rather  than  uti- 
lize any  computer-gener- 
ated effects.  "We  had  a 
live  show  for  a  long  time 
in  which  I  worked  two 
projectors  with  a  dis- 
solve unit  and  then  two 
super  8  projectors.  I  did 
the  live  show  to  music, 
and  we  workshopped  the 
whole  thing  until  we  got 
it  in  order."  This  work- 
shopping  process  allowed 
him  to  work  out  what 
order  the  slides  should 
be  in  and  how  a  com- 
plete piece  might  flow. 
Following  this  period  of 
performance/experimen- 
tation, Nussbaum  recalls, 
he  had  the  images  opti- 
cally printed  onto  16mm  film,  using  a  special 
slide  holder.  This  allowed  him  to  commit  to 
film  the  exact  same  images  he  had  used  in  the 
performance. 

The  voiceover,  written  by  Nussbaum,  tells 
how  he  tried  to  come  to  terms  with  his  family's 
history  and  comprehend  the  ways  in  which  the 
Holocaust  subtly  affected  the  next  two  genera- 
tions. "I  was  interested  in  the  very  unconscious 
effect  it  had,"  he  says,  recalling  the  film's  origi- 
nal impetus.  "Nobody  really  realized  what  was 
happening  for  a  long  time." 

This  merger  of  the  avant-garde  with  memoir 
is  a  hallmark  of  what  Nussbaum  calls  "narrative 
collage,"  a  style  he  considers  his  trademark.  "I 
really  love  the  techniques  of  experimental  film, 
but  a  lot  of  experimental  filmmakers  don't  real- 
ize the  need  for  pacing  and  for  an  emotional 
arc,  which  I  get  from  narrative,"  he  says.  "And 
then  narrative  filmmakers  just  seem  to  think 
that  if  you  put  a  man  and  a  woman  in  the  room, 
they'll  tall  in  love,  and  I'm  always  bored  watch- 
ing that.  I  wanted  to  take  my  favorite  elements 


of  narrative  and  experimental  and  combine 
them." 

Prior  to  Raw  Images  from  the  Optic  Cross, 
Nussbaum  made  more  than  25  short  films  and 
videos  including  work  for  MTV,  VH1,  Fox-TV, 
and  Children's  Television  Workshop.  To  help 
support  and  distribute  his  shorts  and  those  by 
other  filmmakers,  Nussbaum  co-founded  Film 
Crash  in  1986.  The  group's  members  include 
New  Yorkers  Matthew  Harrison  (Rhythm  Thief, 
Kicked  in  the  Head)  and  Scott  Saunders  (The 
Headhunter's  Sister,  The  Lost  One),  and  L.A.- 
based  producer  Allison  Dickey.  In  addition  to 
assembling  programs  of  short  films  that  tour  the 
country,  Film  Crash  serves  as  a  kind  of  support 
group  for  its  members,  who  share  information 
and  contacts.  Emphasizing  the  informal  char- 
acter of  the  group,  Nussbaum  says,  "Sometimes 
we  call  it  a  virtual  company;  we've  just  got  a 
logo."  Even  so,  Film  Crash  is  stepping  up  its 
ambitions.  The  group  is  now  focusing  its  ener- 
gies on  producing  each  other's  features. 

Nussbaum  is  ready  for  this  next  step.  He  is 
currently  working  on  a  feature  that  will  have 
much  the  same  subject  matter  and  some  of  the 
same  footage  as  Raw  Images  from  the  Optic 
Cross.  "The  feature  is  part  narrative,  part  col- 
lage, and  part  documentary,  and  weaves  in  and 
out  all  the  time,"  he  explains.  "A  family — 
mother,  father,  and  son — live  in  a  house  with  a 
huge  picture  window,  and  behind  that  picture 
window  appear  the  collages  from  Raw  Images 
from  the  Optic  Cross.  The  camera  goes  out  the 
window  and  shows  pictures  the  [family]  can't 
express  or  are  too  difficult  to  think  about.  It's 
the  same  story  as  the  short,  but  fully  expanded, 
with  characters  and  so  on." 

Funding  has  been  an  uphill  battle,  with 
many  agencies  put  off  by  Nussbaum's  uncon- 
ventional form.  "I  haven't  found  one  [hinder] 
yet,"  he  admits.  "I  got  a  Puffin  Grant  for  Raw 
Images  from  the  Optic  Cross,  but  other  than 
that,  I  think  [my  work]  really  scares  people, 
being  a  subject  and  a  style  that's  really  not  a 
moneymaker." 

Nonetheless,  Nussbaum  feels  a  real  sense  of 
obligation  toward  his  work  and  subject  matter. 
This  obligation,  interestingly,  is  what  leads  him 
to  his  avant-garde  style.  "As  second  generation, 
I  feel  part  of  my  responsibility  is  to  bring  these 
stories  of  the  Holocaust  to  the  next  generation 
and  those  afterward,"  he  says.  "They  need  to 
have  a  style  they  can  relate  to."  No  doubt, 
Nussbaum  will  be  able  to  bridge  this  gap  as  suc- 
cessfully as  he  did  those  between  narrative  and 
experimental  film,  and  history  and  memory. 


8    THE    INDEPENDENT     July  I< 


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Karl  Nussbaum,  475  Dean  Street,  #3C, 
Brooklyn,  New  York  1 1217;  tel/fax:  (718)  636- 
5496;  www.lilmcrash.com. 

Jerry  White  is  a  doctoral  student  in  Comparative 

Literature  at  the  University  of  Alberta,  where  he  also 

teaches  Film  Studies. 


James  Venning 


Utopia 


by  Anthony  Kaufmann 


Called  a  "master  framer  of  landscapes"  by 

Chicago  critic  Jonathan  Rosenbaum,  experi- 
mental filmmaker  James  Benning  could  just  as 
well  be  called  a  master  framer  of  cultures,  his- 
tories, and  states — both  emotional  and  conti- 
nental. For  the  last  25  years,  Benning  has  tra- 
versed the  country,  framing  everything  from 
our  most  breathtaking  vistas  to  our  most  banal 
industrial  buildings.  In  the  process  of  docu- 
menting cross-country  drives  and  examining 
urban  and  suburban  locales  across  time, 
Benning  maps  the  spatial  and  temporal 
breadth  of  America  with  exacting  precision. 

Influenced  by  structuralist  filmmakers 
Michael  Snow  and  Hollis  Frampton,  while 
always  fascinated  with  notions  of  narrative, 
Benning  has  created  a  body  of  work  that  inhab- 
its  some   playful   region   between   the   two. 


"Because  I  grew  up  in  that  structuralist  time,  all 
of  my  films  have  been  very  much  involved  with 
structure,"  says  Benning  over  morning  coffee  at 
the  Viennale,  Austria's  international  film  festi- 
val, where  his  Four  Corners  screened  last 
October.  "But  all  the  work  done  before  mine 
was  very  self-reflexive  and  about  cinema.  I 
wanted  to  add  another  element — to  use  mini- 
mal narrative  forms  for  a  context  to  do  struc- 
tural experiments." 

The  narrative  element  has  evolved  over 
time,  moving  from  the  abstract  to  the  more  his- 
torical and  political.  Although  his  1974  debut, 
8  1/2  x  11 — his  graduate  thesis  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Wisconsin — had  a  minimal  narrative 
about  two  women  traveling  by  car  and  a  man 
hitchhiking  without  end,  "its  main  concerns," 
notes  Benning  "are  with  screen  space,  color 
and  texture,  sound/image  relationships,  shot 
duration,  distance,  and  choreographed  move- 
ment." Two  years  later,  Benning  made  11  x  14 
— "one  of  the  most-praised  American  avant- 
garde  films  of  recent  years,"  according  to  Village 
Voice  critic  James  Hoberman.  This  83-minute 
feature  has  what  Benning  calls  a  "quasi-narra- 
tive," which  samples  footage  from  8  1/2  x  11 
along  with  additional  shots  of  an  older  man 
and  a  younger  woman  in  various  domestic  and 
exterior  contexts,  but  its  single-shot  sequences 
of  Midwestern  landscapes  point  to  a  film  that  is 
"really  about  backgrounds,  offscreen  space,  and 
textures,"  the  director  remarks. 

With  his  use  of  titles  like  8  1/2x11  and  1 1  x 
14,  it  comes  as  little  surprise  that  Benning  once 
taught  high  school  math.  Numbers  dominate 
his  films,  from  One  Way  Boogie  Woogie  (1977), 
which  is  made  up  of  60  one-minute  shots,  to 
his  rigorously  structured  Deseret  (1997),  which 
describes  the  history  of  Utah  through  94  stories 
taken  verbatim  from  the  New  York  Times  from 
1850  to  the  present — and  where  each  shot  lasts 
as  long  as  each  sentence  of  the  text. 

Now  a  professor  of  filmmaking  at  Cal  Arts, 
the  57-year-old  artist  is  one  of  the  most- 
screened  and  respected  American  experimen- 
tal filmmakers  working  today.  He  has  received 
grants  from  the  National  Endowment  of  the 
Arts  and  the  Guggenheim  and  Rockefeller 
foundations,  and  had  prestigious  showings  at 
New  Directors/New  Films,  the  Whitney 
Museum,  and  the  Berlinale.  Perhaps  his  proud- 
est accomplishment  yet  is  his  daughter  and 
"inspiration,"  Sadie  Benning,  an  accomplished 
experimental  videomaker  in  her  own  right.  The 
father-daughter  duo  received  a  joint  retrospec- 
tive in  April  at  New  York's  Anthology  Film 
Archives,  where  Dad  premiered  his  latest  film, 


Utopia — a  series  of  desert  landscapes  from 
Death  Valley  to  Mexico,  interspersed  by  three 
texts  about  the  Imperial  Valley — about  the  effi- 
cacy of  farming  due  to  cheap  (illegal)  labor;  15 
illegal  laborers  found  dead  trying  to  cross  the 
border;  and,  finally,  a  food  chain  phenomenon 
between  a  Kangaroo  Rat,  a  sidewinder  snake, 
and  a  roadrunner. 

With  all  Benning's  acclaim,  you'd  think  it 
would  get  easier  for  him  to  finance  his  work, 
but  it's  quite  the  contrary.  Early  in  his  career, 
grants  and  German  television  provided  a  steady 
source  of  financing;  not  today.  Of  his  four  latest 
films,  only  one  was  funded  through  a  grant — 
which  he  spread  out  over  two  films.  The  other 
two  Benning  made  with  his  savings.  "I've  got- 
ten every  grant  you  can  get,"  he  admits.  "And 
it's  hard  to  get  second  grants."  Because  there 
are  so  few  to  go  around,  Benning  says,  "I  feel  a 
little  greedy  trying  to  get  a  second  grant,  so  I 
don't  even  apply.  There  are  so  many  young  peo- 
ple that  aren't  getting  any  money  now." 

Nonetheless,  Benning  still  manages  a  steady 
output.  Four  Corners,  his  ninth  feature,  contin- 
ues his  exploration  of  U.S.  history  and  culture, 
sound/image  interplay,  and  the  potency  of  the 
American  landscape.  As  his  starting  point, 
Benning  takes  the  geographical  point  where 
New  Mexico,  Utah,  Colorado,  and  Arizona 
meet  and  finds  a  common  ground  of  cultural 
misunderstanding  between  immigrant  whites, 
African  Americans,  and  Native  Americans. 

The  film  is  meticulously  structured  into  four 
20-minute  sections,  bracketed  by  two  framing 
shots — one  of  a  bonfire,  the  other  of  a  Hopi 
pueblo.  Each  longer  part  presents  a  scrolling 
text  of  identical  length  about  a  different 
artist — Claude  Monet,  Moses  Tolliver  (a  black 
laborer-turned-artist  from  Alabama),  Yukuwa 
(a  fictional  Native  American  artist  born  around 
42  AD),  and  Jasper  Johns.  A  nine-minute  shot 
of  each  artist's  work  is  accompanied  by  a 
voiceover  describing  another  place  (Chaco 
Canyon;  the  Milwaukee  neighborhood  where 
Benning  grew  up;  Mesa  Verde;  and  Farmington, 
New  Mexico)  and  some  person's  interaction 
with  it.  This  is  followed  by  thirteen  40-second 
shots  of  the  place  just  described.  The  text  con- 
nects with  the  painting  and  the  voiceover  with 
the  landscapes,  all  forming  what  Benning  calls 
"a  retrospective  narrative  by  remembering." 

"The  structure  came  out  of  the  idea  of  giving 
equal  time  to  equal  stories"  he  explains. 
Structure  becomes  a  leveling  democratic  force, 
each  group's  story  being  given  equal  value  and 
presence  in  his  overarching  "story."  Though 
this  might  sound   a  bit  didactic,   that's  not 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


rig's  intention:  "I  don't  want  to  make  a 
tic  film;  I  didn't  want  to  make  a  film 
about  another  guilty  white  person,"  he  jokes. 
For  Benning,  "In  order  to  understand  one 
thing,  you  have  to  know  another  thing.  And 
there's  some  kind  of  important  interrelation- 
ship in  putting  your  life  in  a  larger  context,  a 
bigger  history." 

James  Benning,  Cal  Arts  Film,  24700 
McBean,  Valencia,  CA  91384;  (805)  255-1050; 
fax:  253-7824. 

Anthony  Kaufman  is  a  freelance  writer  and  senior 
editor  at  indieWlRE.com 


Igor  Vamos 

Le  Petomane 


by  Richard  Baimbridge 

To  call  Igor  Vamos  a  filmmaker  would  be 
equivalent  to  calling  William  Wegman  a  dog 
owner.  It  only  tells  a  small  part  of  the  story. 
More  often  than  not,  Vamos'  films  are  an 
attempt  to  capture  the  essence  of  an  artistic 
occurrence  and  convey  it  to  those  who  were 
not  physically  present  at  the  time.  The  1994 
film    Barbie    Liberation    Organization    (BLO) 

Nightly     News, 

for     example, 

employs       a 

news-style 

format      to 

document 

a    guerrilla 

operation 

carried  out  by 

Vamos  and  his 

band  of 


THE    INDEPENDENT     Jury  W99 


merry  pranksters,  as  they  switch  the  voice 
boxes  of  Barbie  Dolls  and  GI  Joes  in  stores 
across  the  country  just  in  time  for  kids  to 
receive  the  gender-altered  toys  under  their 
Christmas  trees.  In  the  process,  however, 
Vamos  also  subverts  television  news  journalism, 
adding  yet  another  layer  of  irony  to  his  art. 

Yet  even  the  term  'art'  doesn't  go  down  well 
with  the  31 -year-old  shaggy-haired  man  sitting 
across  the  table,  dining  on  Chicken  Cordon- 
Bleu  by  candlelight,  as  a  collection  of  music 
from  French  porno  films  plays  softly  in  the 
background.  Wearing  a  thick  Hungarian  mus- 
tache, he  looks  rather  like  someone  from  whom 
you  might  be  wary  of  purchasing  a  used  car.  "I 
feel  more  comfortable  comparing  myself  to  the 
Belgian  pie  man  than  saying,  I'm  an  'artist,' 
Vamos  declares,  in  reference  to  the  group  of 
Belgians  who  have  put  cream  pies  in  the  faces 
of  Bill  Gates,  Jaques  Chirac,  and  other  notables. 
Indeed,  Vamos  may  be  better  described  as  an 
"art  terrorist,"  or  perhaps,  as  the  subject  of  his 
documentary  film,  Le  Petomane,  was  commonly 
referred  to  by  turn-of-the-century  art  critics  in 
Paris,  a  "fartiste." 

"When  it  comes  to  Le  Petomane,  I  guess  I 
could  be  called  a  videomaker,  or  maybe  a  crack- 
pot amateur  historian,"  Vamos  says. 

Indeed,  tracing  the  real  history  ot  Le 
Petomane  (translated  literally  as  "fart  mania") 
is  as  difficult  as  figuring  out  exactly  whodunnit 
in  a  crowded  elevator.  There  are  many  suspi- 
cions, but  little  actual  evidence  to  go  by. 
Nonetheless,  it  is  known  that  Joseph  Pujoll  was 
a  cabaret  performer  in  fin-de-siecle  Paris  who 
used  his  "wind"  as  an  instrument,  and  could,  in 
fact,  produce  sustained  "notes"  with  his  flatu- 
lence at  will.  Vamos  first  came  across  Le 
Petomane  in  an  alternative  newspaper  column 
devoted  to  researching  unusual  questions  and 
historical  facts.  Intrigued,  he  then  began  his 
own  research  on  Le  Petomane,  based  primarily 
on  a  1967  biography  by  Francois  Caradec. 

"Some  of  the  facts  that  I  thought  were  really 
solid  from  the  Caradec  biography  later  sort  of 
unraveled,"  Vamos  admits.  "For  instance,  it 
says  in  the  book  that  Le  Petomane  outgrossed 
[singer]  Sarah  Bernhart  on  the  stages  of  Paris 
one  year,  during  the  height  of  her  popularity 
at  the  Moulin  Rouge.  In  reality,  that  figure 
was  a  little  misleading.  I  later  discovered  that 
Francois  Caradec  was  a  member  of  a  French 
society  of  farces." 
If  not  a  mockumentary  (since  Le  Petomane 
did  in  fact  exist),  Le  Petomane  certainly  parodies 
the  biographical  style  that  dominates  televi- 
sion's cultural  channels  in  its  depiction  of  Le 


Petomane  as  an  "anal  anarchist"  in  the  context 
of  Freud  and  modernism.  It  also  takes  a  stab  at 
the  validity  of  "expert  opinion"  as  a  means  of 
certifying  historical  accuracy. 

Ideally,  Vamos  would  like  to  see  Le  Petomane 
air  on  PBS,  right  after  a  biography  of  Thomas 
Jefferson.  "I  think  that  type  of  biography  is  just 
as  suspect  [as  Le  Petomane],  in  many  ways," 
Vamos  maintains.  "I  mean,  there's  this  whole 
issue  of  'Did  Jefferson  have  children  with 
slaves?'  and  all  these  other  speculations,  so  I 
guess  Le  Petomane  is  somewhat  of  a  parody  of 
the  historical  documentary  style  that's  become 
so  popular  over  the  past  few  years  on,  like, 
A&E." 

In  fact,  nearly  everything  about  Vamos, 
down  to  his  very  identity,  smells  a  little  .  .  .well, 
fishy.  Yet  what's  intriguing  about  it,  is  that  it  all 
checks  out.  Or  most  of  it,  anyway.  This  inter- 
spersing of  fact  and  fiction  is  one  of  Vamos' 
trademarks.  (Vamos  is  his  real  name,  by  the 
way.)  A  professor  of  Integrated  Electronic  Arts 
at  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute  in  Albany, 
New  York,  Vamos  first  began  making  films  as 
an  MFA  student  at  the  University  of 
California,  San  Diego.  Among  his  early  pro- 
jects was  a  sculpture,  inspired  by  Richard  Long, 
that  consisted  of  dog  food  and  200  pounds  of 
raw  beef  that  was  to  be  viciously  devoured  by 
dogs  on  film.  Unfortunately,  when  the  dogs 
were  released,  most  either  ran  the  opposite 
direction  or  merely  sniffed  at  the  meat  before 
snacking  peacefully  on  dry  dog  food.  Vamos, 
however,  says  he  did  not  view  it  as  a  failure.  He 
continued,  with  a  more  socially  conscious  plat- 
form, replacing  street  signs  in  Portland, 
Oregon,  with  signs  that  read  "Malcolm  X  Blvd" 
and  orchestrating  a  "vomit  protest"  with  red, 
white,  and  blue  mashed  potatoes  during  a  Dan 
Quayle  visit,  all  of  which  is  documented  in  the 
film  Undeniable  Evidence. 

"I  first  used  video  in  this  damage -control 
kind  of  way,"  Vamos  says,  "piecing  together 
news  reports  from  the  activities  we  had  carried 
out.  But  it  came  off  really  boring,  just  watching 
the  same  news  report  over  and  over  again,  so  I 
got  more  interested  in  the  narrative  process  of 
filmmaking." 

Le  Petomane  is  certainly  Vamos'  fullest 
development  as  a  filmmaker,  calling  to  mind 
Peter  Greenaway's  early  films,  such  as 
Drowning  by  Numbers.  His  next  project  is  a 
video  called  Is  Your  VCR  Y2K  Compliant'— 
which  he  hopes  to  put  on  the  shelves  of  major 
video  stores  throughout  America. 

"I  want  to  recast  the  Y2K  bug  not  as  a  tech- 
nical problem,  but  as  a  problem  brought  on  by 


a  complex  set  of  social  issues,"  Vamos  says. 
Unfortunately,  most  of  Vamos'  work,  including 
Le  Petomane,  is  not  being  taken  seriously 
enough  to  land  him  major  distribution,  rarely 
playing  outside  museums  and  festival  circuits, 
though  Le  Petomane  did  receive  a  recent  one- 
night  showing  at  New  York's  Anthology  Film 
Archives.  Still,  Vamos  believes  his  big  break  is 
somewhere  in  the  wind. 

Vamos'  work  is  available  through  Video 
Data  Bank,  Cinema  Guild,  and  vamosi@ 
rpi.edu. 

Richard  Baimbndge,  a  contributing  editor  to  The 

Independent,  was  arrested  daring  the  writing  of  this 

article  in  the  Atlanta  airport  on  charges  of  assault, 

trespassing,  disorderly  conduct,  and  passing  counterfeit 

currency  to  an  ice  cream  vendor.  He  thus  apologizes  for 

any  inaccuracies  that  may  appear  here,  as  he  was  being 

held  for  questioning  until  press  time. 


(peter  Cabin 

Sleep 


by  Aaron  Krach 


Peter  Calvin  has  finally  come  out  of  hid- 
ing.  For  the  last  year,  the  30-year-old  filmmak- 
er has  been  holed  up  inside  his  bedroom  edit- 
ing his  debut  fea 
ture,  Sleep. 
Though  the 
film  is 
complex, 
layered,  and 
intitive — 
exactly  the 
kind  of  work  for 
which  nonlinear 
editing 
systems  are 
particular- 
ly well- 
suited — Calvin  did 
the  unortho- 
dox. He 
cut 


As  difficult  as  Sleep  may  be  to  explain,  it's 
never  difficult  to  watch.  The  genre-crossing 
film  elegantly  combines  formats  and  styles — 
documentary  footage  from  sleep-disorder  clin- 
ics, scripted  narrative  segments  about  a  hand- 
some assortment  of  disaffected  Los  Angeles 
residents,  purely  visual  sequences  of  construc- 
tion sites,  city  lights  and  landscapes,  and  aural 
sequences  of  urban  sounds  mixed  with  an  orig- 
inal score  by  Eric  Johnson.  The  ability  to  weave 
such  disparate  elements  into  a  seamless  feature 
is  what  makes  Sleep  satisfying  and  marks  Calvin 
as  a  filmmaker  to  watch. 

Ironically,  the  idea  for  a  film  about  sleep 
came  from  a  period  of  insomnia.  "For  about  a 
month,  I  would  wake  up  every  morning  at  4:30. 
I  would  look  at  the  clock,  and  it  would  be  with- 
in five  minutes  of  the  same  time,"  recalls 
Calvin.  "I  had  a  lot  of  time  to  think.  It  would 
be  dark  out,  and  I  would  just  stare  at  the  ceil- 
ing for  a  little  while,  then  start  hearing  things. 
I  became  aware  of  all  the  small  sounds.  After 
that,  I  did  research  [on  sleep]  for  about  six 
months.  My  personal  insomnia  went  away.  I 
never  figured  out  what  caused  it.  Experts  still 
don't  know  much  about  sleep.  People  have 
only  been  studying  sleep  for  about  20  years." 

Armed  with  the  information  he  gathered, 
Calvin  started  shaping  what  would  become  the 


it  the  old-fashioned  way — on  a  flatbed.  "It  was 
a  nightmare,"  he  now  admits.  "I  edited  Sleep 
myself  because  I  didn't  think  anyone  could 
really  help  me.  It  was  so  intricate  and  instinc- 
tual, I  didn't  think  I  could  explain  it  to  any- 
one else." 


documentary  sequences  in  the  film —  inter- 
views with  doctors,  researchers,  and  patients 
suffering  from  sleep  disorders.  He  then 
launched  into  the  narrative  scenes.  "I  wrote 
them  separately  with  the  plan  of  putting  [the 
narrative  and  documentary  scenes]   together. 


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Some  of  the  narrative  has  nothing  to  do  with 
sleep.  I  didn't  want  everything  to  illustrate 
something  else." 

Sleep  marks  Calvin's  first  attempt  to  write  a 
script.  "I  had  never  really  written  out  anything 
as  completely  as  this,"  he  says.  "It  was  pretty 
rough,  but  there  was  a  shooting  script.  The 
documentary  parts  had  just  a  few  lines,"  and 
for  the  collage  sequences,  "I'd  just  describe  an 
image." 

This  approach  grew  very  naturally  out  of 
Calvin's  background  in  art.  Before  attending 
CalArts,  where  he  got  his  MFA  in  film  in  1997, 
the  director  earned  a  Bachelors  in  Fine  Arts  at 
UCLA,  where  he  started  out  as  a  painter. 
Contact  with  faculty  members  such  as  Paul 
McCarthy  led  him  to  film  and  video.  "I  kept 
painting,  but  as  far  as  thinking  of  a  career,  I  was 
led  toward  film.  In  film,  there  is  sound  and  pic- 
ture and  writing.  It  was  a  good  way  to  incorpo- 
rate everything  I  was  doing  anyway." 

Calvin  immediately  attempted  to  combine 
narrative  and  experimental  strategies  in  his 
short  films.  In  addition,  "I  made  some  almost 
straightforward  documentaries — at  least,  if  you 
heard  the  sound,  they  would  be  considered 
that,  but  they're  pretty  experimental  too." 

Calvin  started  Sleep  during  his  final  year  at 
CalArts.  The  feature  was  made  on  a  budget  of 
less  than  $20,000,  thanks  to  a  New  Filmmaker 
Grant,  which  supplied  the  camera  package, 
and  a  Kodak  Film  Grant  from  Panavision.  With 
no  money  for  locations  or  permits,  Calvin  had 
to  continually  adjust  his  script  during  the 
shoot.  "One  of  my  strengths  is  adapting  to  dif- 
ferent situations.  I  think  I  learned  that  from 
[producer]  Andrea  Sperling,"  with  whom 
Calvin  worked  as  art  director  on  Jon 
Moritsugu's  Terminal  USA. 

Compared  with  his  experience  on  low-bud- 
get features,  Calvin  attests  to  the  extreme  dif- 
ficulty in  funding  experimental  work.  "It  was 
hard  to  get  donations  because  it  was  so  difficult 
to  pitch.  Sleep  was  so  hard  to  describe.  I  had  to 
have  a  lot  of  phone  conversations  and  talk 
around  it."  He  ran  into  the  same  problem  later, 
when  sending  the  film  out  to  festivals.  "They 
always  want  to  know,  'Is  it  a  documentary?  a 
feature?  Where  should  we  play  it?'  So  far  I've 
gone  under  the  feature  category.  I  think  there 
is  enough  there  for  people  to  hook  onto."  In 
any  case,  fitting  into  neat  categories  is  not 
something  this  director  is  going  to  lose  any 
sleep  over. 

Sleep,  4  a.m.  Productions,  440  1/2  Stanley, 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90036;  (323)  951-9151. 

Aaron  Krach  lives  and  writes  in  New  York  City. 


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July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


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Avid  Leaves  Mac  on 
the  Cutting  Room  Floor 


AB  IS  ALWAYS  A  FORUM  FOR  MAJOR 
announcements  and  surprising 
releases,  but  few  announcements 
have  created  as  big  a  stir  in  the 
broadcast  and  film  communities  as 
this  year's  statements  by  Avid, 
Incorporated.  Though  the  compa- 


by   Ben    Long 

holders  Microsoft  and  Intel,  there  is  little  to 
support  this  idea  either. 

Avid's  official  statement  is  that  Windows  is 
required  for  high- end  finishing  systems  such  as 
the  company's  Avid  Symphony  and 
Softimage  |  DS.  Many  of  Avid's  statements  cite 
Mac  technical  weaknesses  and  hardware  limi- 


The  decision  to  switch  to  another  platform  is  complicated  for  both  producers  and 
editors  who  will  have  to  decide  whether  it's  worth  learning  a  new  operating  system, 
or  better  to  stay  on  the  Mac  and  learn  a  new  editing  system. 


ny's  claims  are  open  to  interpretation,  one  mes- 
sage came  through  loud  and  clear:  Avid's 
future  on  the  Mac  platform  is  limited,  and  fur- 
ther releases  will  be  for  the  Windows  NT  oper- 
ating system  only. 

Avid's  official  statement  is  that  "the 
Macintosh  platform  continues  to  be  an  impor- 
tant part  of  our  strategy"  and  says  that  they  will 
continue  Mac  development  and  support 
through  release  8.0  of  MediaComposer  later 
this  year.  After  that,  the  company  claims,  they 
will  have  to  see  what  the  market  dictates.  This 
short-term  planning,  they  say,  is  perfectly  normal. 

The  word  from  the  show  floor  was  quite  a  bit 
different,  with  many  Avid  spokespeople  and 
engineers  stating  that  Mac  development  will 
cease  after  MediaComposer  8.0,  though  the 
company  will  continue  to  offer  technical  sup- 
port and  bug  fixes.  However,  the  company  has 
neglected  to  say  whether  or  not  they  will  con- 
tinue to  sell  Mac-based  systems. 

The  absence  of  a  solid  statement  from  the 
company's  upper  management  makes  it  clear 
that,  even  if  they  have  no  immediate  plans  to 
cancel  Mac  development,  Avid's  future  on  the 
Mac  is  on  very  shaky  ground. 

The  explanations  for  this  suddenly  unsure 
footing  vary  greatly.  Initially,  it  was  reported  on 
MacWeek.com  that  strained  relations  between 
Apple  and  Avid  had  spurred  Avid's  departure, 
though  there  is  little  official  word  from  either 
company.  And,  though  it's  easy  to  speculate 
that  Avid  may  have  been  pressured  by  stock- 


tations  as  the  reason  for  the  shift  to  NT.  The 
recent  focus  on  multiple,  uncompressed  Dl 
video  streams  is  cited  as  the  major  impetus  for 
NT's  horsepower. 

The  question  of  the  Macintosh's  hardware 
viability,  though,  is  easily  debatable.  Most  of 
the  Mac  hardware  complaints  center  around 
the  speed  and  limited  number  of  PCI  slots. 
Avid  has  already  addressed  the  three-slot  PCI 
limitation  with  its  PCI  Extender.  Though  it's 
true  that  the  Mac's  PCI  slots  aren't  implement- 
ed at  the  full  66-MHz  speed  defined  by  the  PCI 
specification,  few  Windows-based  machines  use 
the  full  bus  speed,  opting  for  the  same  33  MHz 
clock  that  Apple  uses. 

It  is  difficult  to  see  an  NT  preference  as 
much  more  than  a  "six-of-one,  half-dozen-of- 
another"  choice.  Though  it  is  true  that  NT's 
symmetrical  multiprocessing  is  a  great  advan- 
tage that  Apple  abandoned,  NT's  true,  pre- 
emptive multitasking  is  irrelevant  due  to  Avid's 
recommendation  that  Symphony  users  run  no 
concurrent  applications. 

Avid  has  traditionally  been  very  slow  to 
implement  new  Mac  OS  features  and  upgrade 
its  hardware  to  OS  changes.  The  company's 
claims  that  a  Mac  OS  X  rewrite  would  be  too 
costly  is  questionable  given  the  long  history  of 
compatibility  problems  following  new  Windows 
releases.  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  Avid  would 
expect  to  have  an  easier  time  keeping  up  with 
changes  and  updates  to  NT. 

Whatever  the  reasons,  the  word  is  out,  and 


many  of  Avid's  50,000  installed  users  have 
been  very  vocal  in  their  response.  Ultimately, 
hardware  questions  will  prove  far  less  impor- 
tant to  Avid's  future  than  user  reaction. 

Whether  Avid  ceases  Mac  development 
now,  later,  or  not  at  all,  editors,  production 
supervisors  and  engineers  have  been  forced  to 
think  about  their  options  in  a  post-Mac/Avid 
world. 

Darla  Marasco  of  Van  Ness  Films  is  a  post- 
production  supervisor  who  oversees  up  to  20 
Avid  bays  which  are  used  for  production  of 
nonfiction  documentary  episodes  for  series, 
including  A&E's  Biography. 

"We  have  no  complaints  with  the  current 
version  of  MediaComposer,  so  the  lack  of  new 
releases  isn't  such  a  big  deal.  We  had  the  first 
Avid  8000  in  Orange  County,  and  today  we've 
got  a  lot  of  Avid  equipment.  What  are  we  going 
to  do  when  it  comes  time  to  replace  this  hard- 
ware?" 

Marasco  is  mostly  concerned  about  the 
upkeep  and  technical  support  necessitated  by 
moving  to  a  new  operating  system.  "Can  my 
facility  run  24  hours  without  them  paging  me? 
Right  now,  the  Mac-based  Avid  is  second- 
nature  to  my  editors  and  my  techs.  I  don't  see 
how  I  can  change  to  a  new  system  without  my 
workflow  breaking  down,"  explains  Marasco. 

Many  facilities  managers  are  also  concerned 
about  their  anciliary  investments  in  the  Mac 
platform.  In  addition  to  Avid,  most  houses 
have  large  investments  in  other  Mac  programs 
such  as  Adobe  Photoshop  and  After  Effects. 
The  decision  to  switch  to  another  platform  is 
complicated  for  both  producers  and  editors 
who  will  have  to  decide  whether  it's  worth 
learning  a  new  operating  system,  or  staying  on 
the  Mac  and  learning  a  new  editing  system. 

Freelance  editor  Sonja  Schenk  doesn't  mind 
the  idea  of  learning  a  new  system.  "I  hate  NT! 
And  I'm  not  just  being  a  Mac  snob.  File  man- 
agement is  too  difficult  and  clunky  on  NT  and 
when  you're  working  with  dozens  of  hours  of 
footage,  you  spend  a  lot  of  time  copying  and 
moving  files.  And  if  something  goes  wrong  with 
NT  it  takes  much  longer  to  fix  it.  With  the 
Mac,  if  something  goes  wrong,  I  just  fiddle 
around  with  the  Extensions  Manager  and 
reboot.  I  can't  afford  any  more  time  than  that 
on  a  deadline.  And  I  don't  care  what  anyone 
says,  Photoshop  does  not  feel  the  same  on  NT 
as  it  does  on  the  Mac.  I'd  much  rather  learn 
new  software — if  it's  good  enough — than  make 
the  switch  to  NT." 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


Many  users,  though,  feel  the  switch  might 
make  things  easier.  "I  blame  Apple  for  this," 
says  editor  Craig  Fisher  of  Burlington, 
Vermont-based  Burlington  Production.  "It's 
been  years  since  they  did  anything  for  the  high- 
end  user.  If  it  turns  out  I  can  make  the  switch- 
over easily,  I  might  not  mind  being  on  a  plat- 
form with  a  sturdier  future."  The  question  of 
how  to  change  from  the  Mac  to  NT  is  not  an 
easy  one.  "We're  always  swapping  drives  from 
bay  to  bay,"  concludes  Marasco.  "I  worry  about 
compatibility  between  the  Mac  and  NT.  When 
we  have  to  move  a  project  from  a  Mac  bay  to  an 
NT  bay,  will  the  media  be  compatible/  Yes,  we 
could  start  a  project  on  one  bay  and  leave  it 
there,  but  we're  really  not  used  to  working  that 
way.  There's  gonna  be  a  lot  of  changes.  There 
are  a  lot  of  unanswered  questions."  These 
include: 

•  Will  I  be  able  to  buy  new  Mac-based  Avid 
hardware  to  replace  existing  equipment? 

•  Will  I  be  able  to  exchange  files  between 
Mac  and  NT  systems? 

•  Will  I  be  able  to  easily  move  drives  from 
one  system  to  the  other? 

•  What  are  the  technical  concerns  related 
to  the  NT  operating  system  that  my  mainte- 
nance techs  will  have  to  learn? 


•  How  much  re-training  will  my  editors 
require  to  learn  to  use  NT? 

Whether  Avid  answers  these  questions  or 

not,  many  editors  are  already  considering  their 
options  for  the  future.  No  matter  what  Avid 
does,  many  may  go  ahead  and  abandon  the 
Mac  to  stave  off  future  problems.  Loyal  users 
feel  betrayed  by  both  companies  and  want  to 
see  a  show  of  support:  six-slot,  faster  machines 
from  Apple  and  support  for  those  machines 
from  Avid.  If  that  support  doesn't  come,  Avid 
may  lose  a  lot  of  users  to  other  Mac-based  edit- 
ing systems,  while  Apple  may  lose  a  lot  of  users 
to  NT. 

However,  by  saying  they  can't  afford  to  sup- 
port both  platforms,  Avid  may  very  well  be 
showing  that  they're  starting  to  feel  a  crunch  in 
the  industry.  With  the  proliferation  of  digital 
video,  Firewire,  and  desktop  computers  that 
are  becoming  increasingly  powerful,  the  non- 
linear editing  market  may  be  fast  becoming  a 
software-only  industry.  In  this  new  model, 
there  may  be  little  room  for  turnkey  systems 
such  as  Avid. 

Ben  Long  is  a  freelance  writer,  illustrator,  and 
videographer  based  in  San  Francisco.  He  is  the  co- 
author of  Real  World  Digital  Video,  due  for 
publication  later  this  year  by  Peachpit  Press. 


Is  HDTV  Future  Proof? 


"Traditionally,  a  lot  of 

documentary  productions  are 
shot  on  16mm,"  explains  Vince 
Forcier,  director  of  engineering 
at  Roland  House  [www.roland- 
house.com],  a  digital  postpro- 
duction  facility  in  Arlington, 
Virginia.  "But  HDTV  is  more 
cost-effective,  and  it  better 
protects  producers'  invest- 
ment." One  of  the  first  post 
houses  to  opt  for  a  multimil- 
lion-dollar Sony  high-defini- 
tion package  (which  includes  a 
camera  and  several  VTRs — high- definition 
displays,  an  effects  board,  and  conversion  hard- 
ware) ,  Roland  House  has  its  own  investment  to 
protect  and  is  doing  so  by  touting  ways  in 
which  producers  can  take  advantage  of  HDTV, 


by   Ryan   Deussing 

whether    or    not    they    can 
afford  to  shoot  it. 

HDTV  differs  from  conven- 
tional television  not  only 
because  it's  digital,  but  also 
because  it  displays  images 
using  1,080  interlaced  vertical 
scanning  lines  (as  opposed  to 
your  analog  TV's  480).  That 
translates  to  more  color  infor- 
mation, higher  resolution 
images,  and  a  radically 
improved  picture. 
One  way  independent  pro- 
ducers can  take  advantage  of  HDTV  is  to  use 
it  to  prepare  for  the  inevitable.  "Many  produc- 
tions that  would  have  been  shot  on  Digital 
Betacam  are  now  shooting  HD  to  future-proof 


With  HD  cameras  costing  well  over  $100,000,  most  independents  can't  afford 
to  shoot  HD,  hut  they  can  utilize  it  through  a  process  known  as  upconversion. 


M 


ISLAND  MEDIA  INTERNATIONAL 
212*252*3522 

AVID 

Media  Composers 

•  Film  Negative  Matchback 

•  AVR77 

•  3D-DVE  effects 

•  92  GIGS  storage 

•  Protools  sound  mix 
Transfers  /  Duplication 
Camera  Pkgs  /  Animation 
Graphics  /  AVID  Classes 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      15 


(^^— 


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HELPING  FILM  MAKERS 
MAKE  FILMS 


al  Film  to  Tape  Ti 
da  Vinci  Color  Correction 

■  Next  Day  Video  Dailies 

■  Same  Day  Processing 
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■  Non-Linear  Editing 

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■  Negative  Match  Back 

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■  Budgeting  Services 

Competitive  Rates 
212  564-9929      , 

208  West  30th  Street  NX  N.Y.    1 0001 

Major  Credit  Cards  Accepted 


their  source  material,"  says  Forcier.  "Then  they 
can  edit  and  deliver  the  program  on  any  format 
and  still  have  the  ability  to  go  back  and  recon- 
form  the  show  the  day  someone  wants  it  on 
HD."  When  that  day  will  come  is  still  anyone's 
guess,  but  this  type  of  production  can  protect 
programming  from  becoming  obsolete  when 
16:9  HDTV  becomes  the  standard  someday. 

Of  course,  with  HD  cameras  costing  well 
over  $100,000,  most  independents  can't  afford 
to  shoot  HD,  but  they  can  utilize  it  through  a 
process  known  as  upconversion,  by  which 
lower-resolution  images  such  as  DV  or  Beta  are 
digitally  augmented  (a  computer  adds  lines  of 
resolution  by  interpolating  between  existing 
ones).  The  results  are  markedly  different  from 
true  HDTV,  but  they  have  a  lot  of  people  excit- 
ed. "The  independent  film  community  is 
embracing  video  technology  like  never  before," 
remarks  Forcier.  "It's  a  whole  new  creative  aes- 
thetic they  enjoy.  The  goal  is  not  to  mimic  the 
look  of  film  anymore."  And  as  acceptance  of 
HDTV  grows,  producers  are  looking  not  only 
to  television,  but  also  to  film  festivals  to  present 
work  digitally.  The  phenomenon  already  has  a 
name:  electronic  cinema. 

Upconverting  isn't  always  pretty,  though; 
every  imperfection  in  the  source  material  is 
magnified,  and  on-screen  text  is  often  rendered 
unreadable.  For  this  reason,  Roland  House  sug- 
gests that  filmmakers  taking  their  work  to 
HDTV  create  title  sequences  and  subtitles  in 
the  format  with  the  highest  resolution  they  can 
afford.  And  like  every  other  aspect  of  digital 
filmmaking,  HDTV  is  getting  less  expensive  at 
every  turn.  (Well,  maybe  less  prohibitively 
expensive.)  Though  shooting  HDTV  is  less 
costly  than  shooting  35mm,  formidable  hurdles 
remain  in  postproduction,  where  real-time  HD 
equipment  comes  at  a  very  high  price.  "It  pret- 
ty much  takes  a  six-figure  computer  to  be  able 
to  import  HDTV,  and  10  minutes  of  storage 
runs  about  $100,000,"  explains  Forcier. 

Though  not  on  the  Roland  House  radar, 
there  are  other  post  options,  most  notably 
offlining  on  MiniDV,  for  which  10  minutes  of 
EIDE  hard-drive  storage  (i.e.,  2.77  GB)  costs 
an  unbelievably  low  $60.  Whatever  your  bud- 
get, it's  a  good  idea  to  be  aware  that  the  future 
of  television  is  HD  and  to  be  thinking  of  ways 
to  insure  that  audiences  will  be  able  to  see  your 
work  five,  10,  or  50  years  down  the  line. 

Ryan  Deussmg  contributes  to  The  Independent, 
Filmmaker,  indieWIRE,  Res,  and  the  Village  Voice. 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


'  Avid  Non-Linear  Editing,  available  in 
both  PAL  &  NTSC  for: 
Short  Films/Documentaries/ 
Music  Videos  &  Commercials 

'  Demo  Reels 

Post  Production 


Video  Tape  Transfers  in  all  formats, 
including:  DV  Cam  &  DVC  Pro 

International  Standards  Conversion, 
PAL  &  SECAM 

High  Quality  Duplication  from  any 
Source  Master 
Film  to  tape  Transfer 


ANALOG  DIGITAL  INTERNATIONAL 

20  East  49th  Street,  2nd  floor 

New  York,  NY  1001 7 

Tel:  (21 2)  688-51  TO  Fax  (21 2)  688-5405 

E-MAIL  address:  adidigital@aol.com 


Documentary  Makers: 

Video  Animation  Stand 

3    CCD   CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  price  In  New  York 

CONTACT:    PETER    CASCONE 


419  Park  Avenue  South 
TEL:   212-689-7678 


NEW  YORK,    NY    10016 
FAX:   212-689-7544 


REPRESENT  THE  REEL: 
THE  1999  SOUTH  BRONX 
FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL 
SEPTEMBER  22  -  25, 1999 
CALL  TO  ENTRIES 

Categories: 

Narrative,  Documentary,  Experimental/Animation, 
Films  for  Children  &  Films  About  The  Bronx. 
The  Festival  will  screen  works  in  I  6mm,  BETA,  3/4" 
U-MATIC  and  1/2"  VHS  (NTSC).  Preview  material 
must  be  submitted  in  1/2"  VHS  (NTSC)  format. 

Entry  fees  for  features  /  shorts: 

$  1 5.00  /  $  1 0.00  for  students  under  age  I  8 
$25.00  /  $20.00  for  Bronx  residents 
$35.00  /  $30.00  for  all  other  entrants. 
Entries  must  be  received  by  Aug.  20, 1 999 

For  applications  and  more  information,  contact: 

The  Point  CDC,  940  Garrison  Ave. 

The  Bronx,  NY    1 0474. 
7 1 8.  542.  4 1 39  *  Fax:  7 1  8.  542.  4988 


V- 


jiry_±iuiiL2Li 


The  Breast  Fest  in  the  Midwest 


The  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival 


y   Elizabeth   Henry 


Where  Lies  This  Homo?  Jean- 
Francois  Monette's  coming-of-age 


The  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival  (March  16-21) 
goes  for  the  full  range  of  experimental  film — 
from  plastic  bags  ironed  over  clear  leader  to 
dense,  digitally  edited  collages  combining  opera 
and  Vertov.  And  with  107  shorts  included  in 
the  line-up,  there's  every  imaginable  genre  in 
between:  voiceover  memoir,  documentary 
diary,  and  found-footage  jokes,  sorrows,  and 
travesties. 

In  the  justifiably  proud  words  of  festival 
director  Vicky  Honeyman,  this  37-year-old 
event  boasts  being  "the  oldest  experimental  fes- 
tival in  the  U.S.,  which  runs  as  much  film  as 
time  allows  with  high  regard  for  art."  Over  the 
course  of  six  days,  that's  a  lot  of  film,  and  it 
continually  generates  a  high  regard  for  the 
multi-layered  art  of  16mm. 

The  festival  packs  in  a  glorious  crowd  of 
relaxed  filmmakers  and  intelligent,  belligerent 
film  buffs.  Judges  who  come  to  give  away  the 
fest's  $15,000  of  awards  are  continually  amazed 
at  how  big  the  audiences  are  for  this  far-out 
work.  All  congregate  at  the  Michigan  Theater, 
which  itself  gives  16mm  fans  cause  for  celebra- 
tion. An  original  work  of  art  in  its  own  right, 
this  historic  theater  holds  1,700  well-cushioned 


IS 


V 


seats,  a  300 
square  foot  screen, 
and  the  finest 
Xenon  projector 
any  filmmaker 
could  desire. 

This  year's  show 
displayed  a  lot  of 
breasts,  white 
sheets,  x-rays,  and 
beating  hearts. 
The  breasts  were 
in  many  contexts: 
breast  cancer, 
breasts  underwa- 
ter, breathing 
piles  of  sand,  and 


eral  and  stuffy  meaning — tricky  stuff  for  a  visu- 
al/aural medium. 

Where  Lies  the  Homo?  (Jean-Francois 
Monette)  is  a  well-written  gay  man's  coming  of 
age  memoir,  which  incorporates  a  new  perspec- 
tive on  John  Ford,  The  Wild  Ones,  Sal  Mineo, 
and  Joan  Crawford.  The  film's  greatest  success 
is  its  subtle  ambiguity  of  tone,  with  simultane- 
ous humor  and  pathos — no  easy  feat  for  a 
memoir  film,  let  alone  one  that  uses  well-worn 
techniques  of  found  footage  and  personal  suf- 
fering. 

The  unofficial  crowd-pleaser  was  Come  Unto 
Me:  The  Faces  of  Tyree  Guyton,  Nicole  Cattell's 
documentary  about  an  installation  artist  who 
uses  the  gutted  streets  of  Detroit  as  his  trans- 
formative medium.  Guyton  looks  for  car  parts 
and  scriptural  hope  in  junkyard  piles  and  deco- 
rates condemned  and  abandoned  homes  with  a 
beautiful  extravagance  that  underscores  the 
wrongs  of  urban  blight.  This  is  art  as  medi- 
cine— homeopathic  and  hopefully  preventa- 
tive. 

Martin  Arnold  exhibited  another  piece  of 
his  brilliant  trilogy  Alone,  Life  Wastes  Andy 
Hardy,    illuminating    the    subtle    power    of 


plastic  inflat- 
able party-doll 
breasts.  But 
the  x-rays  more 
fully  expressed 
one  of  the  the- 
matic   threads 


1 


)V*L 


310 


running 
through  many 
of  the  films. 
These  high- 
contrast,  opti- 
cally printed 
images  seemed 

a  grim  reminder  of  the  horror  of  soulless 
machines  invading  the  human  body  and  pro- 
vided a  critique  of  20th-century  mechaniza- 
tion. Nevertheless,  many  films  combined  their 
disdain  for  20th  century  inventions  with  a  joie 
de  vivre  that  has  sprung  from  that  same  hun- 
dred years.  Canadian  filmmaker  B.  Nash's  bp 
(PUSHING  THE  BOUNDARIES),  for  exam- 
ple, focused  on  concrete/sound  poet  and  per- 
formance artist  bpNichol  and  made  a  hearten- 
ing film  about  liberating  the  alphabet  from  lit- 


kV 


Festival  crowd-pleaser 
Come  Unto  Me:  The  Faces 
of  Tyree  Guyton 


Hollywood  imagery  through  not  so  subtle 
frame -by-frame  animations,  looping  and 
repeating  the  briefest  and  most  telling  of 
moments  in  the  Andy  Hardy  oeuvre.  The  film 
exemplifies  the  definition  of  deconstruction  if 
ever  there  was  one.  Both  times  it  was  shown, 
the  audience  literally  roared  with  delight. 

Ann  Arbor  is  one  of  too  few  competitive  fes- 
tivals which  invites  its  jurors  to  screen  their  lat- 
est work.  Passionate  documentarian  Lynne 
Sachs'  films  explore  the  personal  and  political 


18     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


with  innovative  collage.  Animation  experimen- 
talist Chel  White  showed  films  in  which  sound- 
track and  the  rhythm  of  image  work  so  closely 
together  that  White  calls  these  "song  films" — 
structural  exercises  that  have  recently  evolved 
to  become  personal  expressions.  And  experi- 
mental "fringe  worker"  Mike  Hoolboom's  film 
Panic  Bodies  spliced  in  very  well  with  the 
themes  of  contestants'  films;  in  the  words  of 
Toronto  NOW  writer  Cameron  Bailey,  the  film 
is  "Hoolbooms'  testament  to  the  permanent 
impermanence  of  the  flesh." 

The  "Best  Experimental"  award  went  to  a 
trance -inducing  film  by  Juris  Poskus  called 
110/220 — a  series  of  pans  across  ubiquitous 
European  and  American  cityscapes.  Many  of 
these  cityscapes  look  unerringly  the  sae,  as  do 
the  dull  faces  and  plodding  feet  of  many  of  the 
human  figures  in  this  cityscape.  Poskus  was  able 
to  shoot  with  an  unmanned  camera  in  the  back 
of  his  pick-up  truck.  Folks  don't  seem  to  notice 
an  unmanned  camera,  so  in  this  film  they  move 
naturally,  stare  blankly,  as  if  they've  been 
directed  to  do  so.  "Best  of  Fest"  went  to  Ken 
Kobland's  Shanghaied  Text,  a  20-minute  film 
during  which  I  did  not  once  blink.  The  land- 
scape is  digitally  manipulated  and  forced  to 
perform  via  AfterEffects  technology.  Images  of 
construction  sites  are  superimposed  on  an  open 
field,  marching  soldiers  matted  in  over  hillsides 
and  meadows;  the  20th-century's  treatment  of 
the  land  is  elucidated  with  the  help  of  a  com- 
puter. It  seemed  an  appropriate  use  of  digital 
technology  in  this  16mm-only  festival. 

Shifting  gears  from  the  experimental  to  more 
classically  shaped  documentary,  the  festival 
also  highlighted  Barbara  Sonneborn's 
Academy-Award  nominee  Regret  to  Inform.  It's 
a  nicely  constructed  and  well-paced  feature- 
length  documentary  about  war,  widows,  and 
the  green  depths  of  Vietnam. 

But  the  true  highlights  of  the  festival  were 
the  100- some  other  films — most  of  them  under 
10  minutes  long,  many  wholly  unconventional. 
The  reason  they  can  be  seen  in  such  a  lovely 
venue  is  festival  director  Honeyman,  who  con- 
tinually wins  the  "Hero  of  the  Festival"  award 
from  the  many  grateful  filmmakers  who  attend. 
Honeyman's  massive  effort  gives  experimental 
filmmakers  the  rare  opportunity  to  meet  and 
learn  from  each  other  and  thereby  to  keep  the 
medium  moving.  May  she  continue  to  have  the 
energy,  and  someday  perhaps  the  salary,  to  keep 
experimental  film  alive  and  well  in  Ann  Arbor 
and  beyond. 

Elizabeth  Henry  is  a  freelance  writer  and 
professor  living  in  Denver,  Colorado. 


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July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


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CIRCUIT 


PIECES  OF  8 


The  VS.  Super  8  Film  &  Video  Festival 

by   Paul   Power 


At  a  stage  of  lfaps-and-bounds  development 
in  digital  technology,  it  was  a  refreshing  step  off 
the  electronic  merry-go-round  to  attend  the 
United  States  Super  8  Film  &  Video  Festival 
(February  19-21)  in  New  Brunswick,  New 
Jersey.  Organized  by  Al  Nigrin  under  the  aegis 
of  the  Rutgers  Filmmaker's  Cooperative,  the 
fest  bills  itself  as  the  only  annual,  juried  8mm 
festival  in  North  America.  A  total  of  25  films 
selected  from  140  submissions  (from  countries 
including  Germany,  the  UK,  the  Czech 
Republic,  Japan,  Hungary,  and  Singapore), 
were  screened  on  tape  to  an  audience  that 
totalled  about  500  over  the  three  nights. 

So  is  super  8  an  anachronism  at  the  end  of 
the  millennium?  Happily,  no.  There  are  still  a 
number  of  filmmakers  creating  bold  and  highly 
original  work  on  super  8.  Even  so,  it's  getting 
increasingly  difficult  to  defend  the  format  and 
keep  it  alive  in  a  digital  world,  and  on  the  basis 
of  the  films  at  the  festival,  it's  unclear  what 
direction  films  shot  in  the  format  will  take.  But 
the  immediate  health  of  small-gauge  is  assured, 
since  Kodak  not  only  reversed  its  controversial 
decision  to  discontinue  manufacturing  small 
gauge  stock  altogether,  but  also  moved  super  8 
from  its  home/amateur  to  its  professional  divi- 
sion. Now  the  company  is  bringing  out  new 


From  Tony  Gault's 
lyrical  Tabernacle,  one 
of  the  few  experimental 
films  at  the  festival. 


stock — both  negative  stock,  to  encourage  users 
to  make  workprints,  and  color  surveillance 
stock,  "which  looks  like  Pixel  video,  but  is 
much  nicer,"  according  to  Nigrin,  who  feels 
that  the  company  should  receive  its  due  for  its 
support  of  the  gauge,  and  the  festival,  over  the  years. 

Nigrin  makes  another  point  in  favor  of  film's 
viability:  "Video  preservation  is  an  oxymoron; 
film  has  proved  itself  as  the  medium  that  holds 
up,  and  it  will  always  be  around  since  it'll  con- 
tinue to  be  an  archival  medium."  Small-gauge 
is  still  a  viable  shooting  format,  too,  with  figures 
from  Kodak  indicating  that  30  percent  of  all 
music  videos  are  shot  wholly  or  partly  on  super  8. 

In  years  past,  a  super  8  festival  would  have 
showcased  a  fair  number  of  experimental  pro- 
jects. This  year,  only  three  films  were  out-and- 
out  experimental.  The  rest  were  mainly  spoofs, 
comedies,  and  parodies,  which  begs  the  ques- 
tion: Why  weren't  some  of  these  just  shot  on  tape? 

"I  definitely  see  a  new  generation  of  film- 
makers: Tarantino  has  really  made  his  mark  on 
this  generation,"  says  Nigrin.  "In  some  ways  I'm 
a  little  depressed.  The  catchphrase  for  this  sea- 
son's work  was  parody,  but  the  old 
seventies/eighties  avant-garde  that's  alienated 
the  masses  will  come  back:  pendulums  swing 
back  and  forth." 


Tabernacle,  a  beautifully  textured  work  from 
Colorado -based  filmmaker  Tony  Gault,  was  one 
of  the  few  films  to  utilize  the  medium  for  any- 
thing other  than  straight  shooting.  With  its  del- 
icately layered  images  of  naked  caressing  bod- 
ies, the  film  was  one  of  those  highly  commend- 
ed by  the  jury.  Gault  chose  to  shoot  super  8 
because  "it  shows  how  film  works,"  he 
says.  "The  formalism  of  the  film  comes 
out  when  you  blow  it  up — the  texture 
and  grain  come  out,  which  tends  to 
enhance  the  subjective  intensity  that  I 
use,  one  of  dreaminess."  Gault,  who 
teaches  film  in  Colorado,  notes  that 
more  and  more  of  his  students  who 
want   to   shoot   on   film   are   moving 
toward  super  8  and  that,  paradoxically, 
it's  a  digital  tool  that's  enabling  them  to 
do  so:  super  8  cameras  and  stock  are 
now    easily    and    cheaply    available 
through  the  website  eBay.com 

Yvette  Torrell's  wordless  1988  travel- 
ogue Y  Na  Na,  took  the  festival's  grand 
prize.  The  filmmaker's  assertion  that 
"the  texture  of  super  8  is  much  more 
poetic"  lent  itself  to  a  simple  and  beau- 
tiful  observation  of  four   indigenous 
peoples  in  China.  "It's  just  so  much 
more  beautiful  to  watch  than  tape.  It 
lends  a  texture  that  you  can't  replicate; 
it  doesn't  even  look  like  16mm,"  says  Torrell, 
adding   that   the  size   and  portability  of  the 
equipment  lent  itself  to  traveling.  Torrell's  con- 
sumer camera  posed  no  threat  to  Chinese  cus- 
toms officials  who  inspected  her  bags  and  found 
what  they  considered  to  be  only  tourist  equipment. 
Other  films  worth  a  mention  include  E.  Jay 
Sims'  dreamy  Dress,   Dave  Unsworth's  stop- 
motion  Baby  Doll,  the  darkly  surrealist  Oily 
Night  from  Lowell  Hildebrandt,  and  on  the  Hi8 
side,    Susan    Ingraham's   witty   and   pointed 
Period,  filmed  in  30  segments  in  the  filmmaker's 
bedroom  and  chronicling  her  ups  and  downs 
during  a  menstrual  cycle. 

Although  the  festival  has  accepted  Hi8 
video  since  1997,  interestingly  this  year  there 
were  more  super  8  submissions  than  Hi8  (ver- 
sus 1998,  when  it  was  50:50).  This  may  be 
attributed  to  the  move  to  DV  and  signal  the 
end  of  the  road  for  Hi8.  Meanwhile,  super  8 
filmmakers  can  enjoy  a  welcoming  venue  where 
small  gauge  flourishes  and,  even  if  boundaries 
aren't  pushed  as  vigorously  as  before,  the  vol- 
ume of  work  is  encouraging  for  another  gener- 
ation of  filmmakers  who  may  be  dusting  off  the 
family  camera.  Or  buying  one  online. 

Paul  Power  is  managing  editor  of  The  Independent. 


20    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


LAIFF  and  Fin  de  Siecle  Indywood 


by   Rob   Rown  d 


Saturn  spun  into  orbit  at  LAIFF 


"Feels  like  a  commuter  college,"  said  a  big 

Italian  guy  from  Jersey  with  a  smile.  His  friend 
knit  his  brow  over  his  decaf  latte,  then  con- 
firmed, "Yeah." 

"What  does?"  I  asked.  "The  digital  produc- 
tion seminar  we  just  sat  through?" 

"Nah,  the  whole  festival,"  continued  the 
smiler.  "The  panels,  the  screenings,  the  semi- 
nars. It's  so  focused,  so  functional.  Like  a  com- 
muter college.  It's  preoccupied  with  the  imme- 
diate, the  practical,  and  the  tangible  at  the 
expense  of  the  expansive,  the  potential,  and 
the  future.  Now  Sundance,  silly  as  it's  getting,  is 
Ivy  League  or  at  least  Oberlin.  This  thing? 
Well,  this  is  Fordham.  Solid.  Marketable  within 
existing  categories.  Not  especially  creative  or 
adventurous." 

Set  in  the  figurative  heart  of  old  Hollywood 
along  a  few  blocks  of  Sunset  Boulevard,  the 
fifth  annual  Los  Angeles  Independent  Film 
Festival  (LAIFF)  (April  15-20)  did  have  a 
decidedly  commuter  college/practical  knowl- 
edge feel  to  it.  The  participants  conveyed  a 
strong  sense  of  slipping  out  of  the  office  for  few 
hours  to  focus  on  a  side  project,  much  like  an 
ambitious  kid  leaving  a  day  job  early  to  get  to 
night  class  on  time.  The  sterile  hardwood  inte- 
riors of  the  DGA  building — festival  headquar- 
ters— wouldn't  be  out  of  place  in  any  corporate 
headquarters  in  America.  As  if  taking  a  cue 
from  its  surroundings,  this  year's  LAIFF  felt  like 


it  was  about  the  general  business  of  film  first 
and  the  love  of  film  second.  Even  participation 
in  the  audience  choice  awards  (the  only  awards 
presented)  was  pitched  at  the  start  of  every 
program  as  especially  important  because  of  the 
dollar  value  of  the  subsequent  development 
deals  that  previous  winners  had  been  able  to 
cut. 

This  emphasis  seemed  to  filter  through  to 
the  selected  films.  The  fiction  features  were  so 
formulaic  they  seemed  to  be  calling  cards  more 
than  stories  about  people.  All  seemed  designed 
to  say,  "Hey,  think  of  what  I  could  do  with  a  real 
budget!"  Unfortunately,  most  covered  familiar 
thematic  territory.  At  worst,  they  seemed  tired, 
slow,  and  stale.  At  best,  they  seemed  pre- 
dictable. 

Years  ago,  somebody  made  the  astute  obser- 
vation that  the  perfect  subject  for  an  Indie  Film 
was  a  lonely  guy  in  his  late  twenties  to  early 
thirties  who  lives  in  a  sparsely  furnished  loft  in 
an  industrial  section  of  lower  Manhattan  who 
only  goes  out  at  night.  If  you:  1)  open  up  the 
gender,  age,  and  location  of  the  lead  character; 
2)  have  him/her  be  partial  to  long  confessional 
phone  conversations  with  a  parent,  old  flame, 
or  therapist;  and  3)  add  two/three  sparsely  pop- 
ulated 'public  space'  locations  to  a  story  that 
otherwise  takes  place  in  the  lead  character's 
apartment/loft/shop,  you've  described  a  good 
portion  of  Indywood  Cinema. 


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July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


m"    i-ITT* 


ii  I  case  in  point  was  the  strongest  of  the 
features,  Robert  Schmidt's  Saturn.  In 
his  first  feature,  Schmidt  arranges  and 
then  plays  all  the  notes  in  the  Indywood  scale 
a  virtuoso.  The  small  number  of  characters 
are  well  written  by  Schmidt  and  subtly  under- 
played by  actors  Scott  Caan,  Mia  Kurshner,  and 
Leo  Burmiester.  The  Industrial  Loft  is  econom- 
ically dressed  and  the  additional  Public  Space 


stuff  of  great  drama,  but  here  it  works  in  subtle 
and  fluid  ways.  In  and  around  interviews  with 
fathers  and  sons  conducted  throughout  the 
world,  Chris  the  son  and  Richard  the  father 
reveal  how  one  of  the  few  things  more  difficult 
than  watching  someone  you  love  gradually  suc- 
cumb to  the  aging  process  is  doing  it  yourself. 
While  the  ending  is  a  bit  mannered,  this  is  one 
of  those  rare  films  that  makes  you  realize  how 


locations  are  cunningly  used.  The  Gritty  Night 
Exteriors  are  photographed  by  cinematograph- 
er  Matthew  Libatique  (who  shot  last  year's 
most  visually  stunning  cheap  film,  Pi)  to  appear 
simultaneously  barren,  menacing,  and  confin- 
ing. It  is  visually,  verbally,  and  psychologically 
strong  stuff,  but  the  refrain  is  so  familiar  from 
previous  Indywood  projects  that  it  comes  off 
like  a  cover  song.  Granted,  a  great  cover  song, 
but  it  still  refers  back  to  others'  work. 

The  two  other  stand-out  works  that  I  saw  in 
this  cautiously  selected  commercial  slate  of 
films  consisted  of  real  and  imagined  documen- 
taries. The  audience  pick  for  best  feature,  Chris 
Roe's  Pop  &  Me,  is  a  startlingly  honest  look  at 
a  healthy  but  mutable  father/son  relationship. 
In  this  age  of  dysfunction,  dark  secrets,  and 
inarticulate  rage,  a  mature  loving  relationship 
between  a  successful  father  and  his  equally  suc- 
cessful son  doesn't  seem  like  it  would  be  the 


much  of  life  and  how  many  people  don't  ever 
make  it  onto  the  screen  because  they  are  nei- 
ther conventionally  dramatic  nor  exotically  off- 
beat enough  to  be  considered  cinematic.  I  have 
no  idea  if  Roe  got  a  development  deal  for  win- 
ning the  audience  prize,  but  I  definitely  want  to 
see  his  next  movie. 

Gordon  Eriksen's  highly  original  mockumen- 
tary  The  Love  Machine:  A  Study  of  Sexual 
Fantasy  on  the  Internet  is  pure  but  poignant  fun 
that  parodies  everything  from  academia  to  the 
Internet,  gender  politics  to  trash  TV — plus  that 
most  awkward  of  sexual  positions,  honesty.  In 
your  own  little  corner  of  your  own  little  room, 
you  can  be  whoever  you  want  to  be,  but  think 
of  the  fun  to  be  had  if  you  leave  your  window 
shade  up.  That's  what  seven  East  Villagers  do, 
in  a  sense,  when  they  contribute  photographs 
and  text  to  a  naughty  online  BBS.  Somewhat 
naively,  these  closet  net  cases  agree  to  be  inter- 


viewed for  what  they  believe  to  be  a  documen- 
tary about  general  Internet  use.  Levels  of 
knowledge,  self  knowledge,  trust,  and  confu- 
sion constantly  shift  as  a  fictional  television 
reporter,  Becca  Campbell,  attempts  to  make  a 
no-holds-barred  expose.  Played  by  Marlene 
Forte  as  slightly  more  aggressive  than  Mike 
Wallace  and  slightly  less  intelligent  than  Kathy 
Lee  Giftord,  Becca  uses  verite,  surveillance 
footage,  surprise 
group  therapy, 
and  bold-face 
lying  to  'out' 
these  characters' 
secret  lives,  then 
film  their  reac- 
tions. Campbell  is 
such  a  wonderful- 
ly drawn  and  truly 
nasty  piece  of 
work  that  she  had 
the  jaded,  post- 
therapy  LA  audi- 
ence audibly 
gasping  at  the 
sheer  audacity  of 
her  manipulative 
cruelty. 

While  Eriksen's 
film  is  great  fun 
for  general  audi- 
ences, it's  even 
better  for  any- 
body who's  ever 
had  to  safety-pin 
a  low-budget  pro- 
ject together. 
Relative  to  the  pretty  pictures  surrounding  it, 
The  Love  Machine  is  an  unapologetically,  almost 
gleefully  ugly  film.  You  lose  track  of  the  number 
of  unmatched  film  stocks  long  before  you're 
aware  that  you've  been  watching  this  world 
through  the  worn  glass  of  a  junk-store  Bolex 
EMB  or  CP  16  camera.  It  takes  some  nerve  and 
more  than  a  little  personal  financial  risk  to 
work  this  loosely,  but  the  energy,  enthusiasm, 
and  strength  of  the  central  idea  all  shine 
through. 

The  Love  Machine  reminds  us  that  it's  the 
idea  and  the  way  it's  presented  that  sparked 
this  whole  indie  enterprise.  Let's  face  it,  inde- 
pendent filmmaking  is  no  longer  the  Road  Less 
Traveled.  But  if  it's  going  to  continue  to  mean 
something,  directors  have  to  continue  to  reach 
for  the  unexpected — and  so  should  the  festivals 
that  support  them. 

Rob  Round  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent. 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


ALEXANDER'S  RAGTIME  BAND 

The  First  Thessaloniki  Documentary  Festival 

by    PAUL    POWER 


SAVE  ME  AN  AISLE  SEAT: 

Aristotle  presides  over  Thessaloniki's 

town  square. 


In  the  week  before 
NATO's  first  strikes 
on  Yugoslavia,  and 
with  U.S.  secret  ser- 
vice men  teeming 
around  our  hotel 
(where  Tipper  Gore 
was  staying),  there 
was  an  eerie  sense  of 
foreboding  during 
this  festival  in 
Northern  Greece.  It 
was  appropriate, 
then,  that  the  focus 
of  the  inaugural 
Thessaloniki 
Documentary 
Festival  (March  15- 
21),  boundaries  and 
loyalties  notwith- 
standing, was  to  fos- 
ter filmmaking  links 
in  the  Balkan  region. 

In  what's  already 
been  dubbed  "The  Year  of  the  Documentary," 
thanks  to  strong  showings  at  Sundance, 
Thessaloniki  couldn't  have  timed  it  better. 
Although  unofficially  an  offshoot  of  the  well- 
established  Thessaloniki  Festival,  which  takes 
place  in  Greece's  second-largest  city  (in  Greek 
Macedonia,  birthplace  of  Alexander  the 
Great),  the  documentary  festival  got  off  to  a 
good  start  with  an  impressively  varied  selection 
of  90  titles.  Attendance  started  off  slowly,  but 
reached  capacity  by  week's  end,  especially  at  an 
innovative  all-nighter  screening  event. 

"The  program  is  aimed  at  the  common,  ordi- 
nary film  viewer  rather  than  the  festival  view- 
er," says  festival  director  Dimitri  Eipides,  who 
also  programs  for  Toronto  and  for 
Thessaloniki's  feature  festival.  "I  wanted  to 
prove  that  documentary  can  be  entertaining  to 
just  about  anyone."  Eipides  was  also  adamant 
in  his  decision  to  make  the  festival  noncompet- 
itive. "I  can  tolerate  competition  in  fiction  cin- 
ema, but  documentaries  shouldn't  be  antago- 
nistic. They  all  should  aim  for  communication, 
exchange,    and   dialogue."    (Other   competing 


documentary  festi- 
vals in  Greece  are  on 
Crete,  which  shows 
archaeological  docs; 
one  on  the  island  of 
Samos  showing  work 
from  the  Mediterr- 
anean; and  a  new 
one  in  Kalamata.) 

The  festival's  final 
weekend  was  devot- 
ed to  a  pitching  ses- 
sion     and      market 
under    the    aegis    of 
the  EU's  MEDIA  II 
body,    the   European 
Documentary    Net- 
work   (EDN).    The 
Copenhagen- based 
EDN   also  organizes 
the    open    pitching 
sessions   at   Amster- 
dam, but  the  low-key 
and  lengthy  pitches 
at  Thessaloniki  were  mixed  with  case  studies  to 
a  mainly  Greek  audience  plus  a  handful  of  folk 
from  European  TV,  and  some  sales  agents.  Ziba 
Mir  Hosseini,  co-director  of  Divorce  Iranian 
Style,  told  of  the  strain  of  striking  a  balance 
between  investigation  and  respect  for  a  culture 
in  shooting  her  ethnographical  film  on  four 
women  who  were  seeking  divorces  in  Teheran. 
Belgian  producer  Paul  Pauwels  gave  an  intrigu- 
ing and  entertaining  case  history  on  his  soccer 
series     The     African     Dream,      and     U.S. 
producer/director  Jason  Rosette  outlined  the 
genesis  of  Book  Wars,  his  doc  on  New  York 
street  booksellers. 

All  in  all,  this  is  a  welcoming  festival,  with  a 
laid-back  air  that  reflects  the  easy  nature  of  the 
city's  inhabitants.  However,  on  the  basis  of  this 
year,  the  festival's  relevance  for  U.S.  documen- 
tary makers  seeking  finance  is  negligible,  unless 
there  is  a  distinctively  Greek  or  Balkan  element 
in  the  production,  although  the  festival's  inter- 
national outlook  is  in  its  programming  (The 
Cruise  took  the  Greek  press  prize),  which 
augurs  well  for  next  year.  There  was  little  evi- 


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July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


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dence  of  the  week-long  market,  apart  from  a 
tape  viewing  area,  yet  by  week's  end  films  such 
as  Mobile  Cinema  of  Dreams/Battu's  Bioscope, 
Lou  Reed:  Rock  'ri  Roll  Heart,  and  Zakir  and  His 
Friends  had  been  acquired  for  Greek  TV. 
Instead,  the  focus  was  on  Greek  documentaries, 
a  curiously  anachronistic  law  unto  themselves, 
where  there's  a  heavy  concentration  on  the  arts, 
archaeology,  and  history:  the  market  catalog 
was  peppered  with  films  on  painters  or  sculp- 
tors, mythological  or  philosophical  figures,  or 
geographical  films.  The  absence  ot  cutting-edge 
titles  is  something  Eipides  is  hoping  the  festival 
will  alter.  Yet  the  retrospective  sidebar  devoted 
to  Athens  documentarian  and  theater  director 
Dimitrios  Mavriokos  had  a  personal,  almost  ele- 
giac, take  on  the  nature  of  being  Greek,  in  a 
quirky  personal  style  akin  to  Nanni  Moretti's 
Dear  Diary. 

With  an  expanded  market  section  promised 
for  next  year,  the  festival  looks  set  to  become  a 
sturdy  fixture  on  the  European  documentary 
circuit,  and  Eipides'  commitment  to  the  docu- 
mentary form  is  a  welcome  pointer  for  the 
future. 

Paul  Power  is  managing  editor  oj  The  Independent 


North  Carolina 


School  of  the  Arts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  npjxjrtunitv  institution  ot  the  University  of  North  Carolina. 


FIT  &  TRIM  f™^ 

III    vS    I  I II  III    for  storing  bum  Lnms 


his  article  is  ded- 
icated to  the 
memory  of 

Rafik,  who  died 
on  March  I . 
With  the  screening 
series  he  used  to  run,  the 
help  he  gave  people 
behind   the  scenes,   and 


the  equipment  and  dubbing  services  he  ran  for 
many  years,  he  was  a  well-loved  and  invaluable 
member  of  the  film  community  and  will  be  sorely 
missed.  I'd  want  to  honor  him  in  any  case,  but  this 
is  also  a  relevant  context  for  doing  so,  since  he  gets 
the  credit  for  my  discovery  of  the  following  system. 
Four  years  ago,  Rafik  sold  me  green  leader  with  the 
word  "head"  stamped  all  along  it,  and  red  leader 
with  the  word  "tail."  I  was  irritated  at  having  that 


by    Su    Friedrich 

directive  all  over  the  leader  until  .  .  . 

At  the  risk  of  SOUNDING  LIKE  AN  INFOMERCIAL: 
Have  you  ever  lost  a  film  trim?  Have  you  ever 
had  to  spend  more  than  20  seconds  finding  a 
trim?  If  your  answer  to  either  of  these  questions 
is  "Yes,  goddamn  it!"  then  I  have  news  that  will 
change  your  life,  or  at  least  your  life  in  the  edit- 
ing room.  If  you're  anything  like  me,  that's  a 


'       1" 


The  split  second  it  takes  to  find  out  the  shot  letter  is 

a  lot  less  than  the  15  minutes,  or  15  hours,  it 

takes  to  find  that  trim  in  your  box  or  envelope  or 

on  some  trim  bin  hook. 


II 


II 
II 

!> 


I 

II 
b 


II 

v 

r 

V 

V 
h 

[> 

r 
V 

r 
li 

li 


TreeUst  1*lk.P^^ 


NDEPENDENT 


77) 


■  >rtion  ot  it.  Moreover,  if  you're  any- 
ike  me,  you  still  love  to  cut  on  film 
and  are  slightly  peeved  at  the  bragging 
rights  that  Avid/Media  100  people  think 
they  can  claim  for  being  able  to  work  so 
much  faster  than  us. 

In  all  seriousness,  anyone  who  cuts  film 
knows  that  storing  and  then  trying  to  find 
lost  or  misplaced  trims  is  the  biggest  draw- 
back in  editing  (besides  coming  up  with  a 
good  structure!).  I've  found  that  the 
scheme  I  chanced  upon,  after  20  years  of 
trying  out  every  other  method,  has  made 
an  enormous  difference  in  my  speed  and 
peace  of  mind  while  I  work.  Of  course, 
once  I  figured  it  out,  it  seemed  so  obvious 
that  I  wondered  why  it  took  so  long — but 
that's  life.  At  any  rate,  it's  really  easy  and, 
like  most  systems,  it  works  without  fail  as 
long  as  you  abide  by  it. 

For  you  gadget  freaks  in  the  group,  it 
even  involves  some  "equipment":  a  ring  binder 
notebook  (the  kind  whose  rings  snap  open)  and 
a  pack  of  loose-leaf  paper.  You  also  need  a  black 
Sharpie  marker  and  tape  in  two  colors — two 
complementary  colors,  because  the  system  is 
based  on  the  concept  of  those  leaders  that 
Rafik  sold  me:  head  is  green  (go)  and  tail  is  red 
(stop).  I've  been  using  blue  and  orange  lately 
because  I  can't  find  red  and  green;  either 
combo  is  fine. 


£ 


He 


Lere's  how  it  works.  You  begin  by  orga- 
NlZing  your  material  in  whatever  way  is  best  for 
the  project.  A  narrative  or  documentary  is  usu- 
ally based  on  scenes;  an  experimental  film 
might  not  be,  but  it  still  can  and  should  be  bro- 
ken into  manageable  units.  For  the  ease  of 
understanding  what  follows,  let's  think  of  them 
also  as  scenes.  I've  used  this  system  for  all  types 
of  film. 

So  you  title  and  number  each  scene  on  the 
top  of  a  loose-leaf  page,  e.g.  FLEA  CIRCUS/1. 
You  then  list  your  shots  however  you  plan  to 
string  them  together  and  attribute  a  letter  to 
each  in  order:  A,  B,  C,  D,  etc.  down  the  alpha- 
bet. One  caution:  Use  either  the  letter  I  or  H, 
not  both,  because  one  reads  like  the  other  side- 
ways and  it  can  lead  to  confusion.  And  since 
you're  working  with  the  alphabet,  which  has  26 
letters,  it  helps  to  keep  your  scenes  down  to  26 
shots  or  less.  But  there's  no  reason  to  be 
restricted;  if  a  scene  has  a  lot  of  shots,  you  just 
continue  using  AA,  BB,  CC,  etc. 

You  then  make  a  tabbed  page  for  your  ring- 
bound  notebook  with  the  scene  number  (or 
title)  on  the  tab.  I  usually  use  numbers  because 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


they're  quicker  to  write  and  easier  to  read.  I 
do  each  one  as  I  go  along,  but  you  can  set  up 
all  the  scenes  ahead  of  time.  Perhaps  it  goes 
without  saying,  but  the  tabbed  pages  let  you 
easily  flip  to  the  scene  you're  working  on. 

So  then  you  start  to  cut  the  scene  .  .  .  but 
allow  me  to  digress  for  a  moment.  If  you're 
doing  an  assembly  and  cutting  several  feet  off 
a  shot,  that  trim  will  go  back  into  the  reel  of 
dailies  it  came  from.  But  it  can  also  be  hung 
on  the  bin  with  a  piece  of  tape  with  ID  or  3G 
or  whatever  scene/shot  it  is,  if  you  think 
you'll  want  to  get  to  it  soon.  And  since  I'm 
digressing,  here's  another  groovy  tip:  I've 
started  to  cut  small  squares  of  cardboard, 
about  2"  square,  and  make  a  hole  punch  on 
the  top  and  then  write  the  scene  number  on 
it.  I  hang  these  on  the  bin  hooks  in  front  of 
the  outtakes  for  that  scene;  when  you  want  to 
-  access  a  shot,  they  lift  off  easily  and  they  also 
prevent  the  shots  from  popping  off  the  hooks 
and  dropping  into  the  bottom  of  the  bin,  never 
to  be  seen  again. 

But  back  to  the  main  topic.  The  only  trims 
we're  talking  about  storing  with  this  system  are 
the  critical  ones:  the  short  ones.  When  I  start- 
ed using  this  method,  I  only  kept  the  ones  that 
were  short  enough  for  the  length  of  the  loose- 
leaf  page,  but  then  I  began  to  cheat  and  put 
longer  ones  in  and  let  them  hang  over.  This 
works  fine  if  you're  keeping  the  notebook  in 
one  place,  but  not  if  you're  constantly  traveling 
to  and  from  an  editing  room;  the  stray  ends  will 
get  crushed. 

So  now  you're  editing  and  you  have  your  first 
short  trim  from  Scene  1.  You  look  up  at  your 
scene  list,  which  should  be  hanging  easily  in 
sight  (my  speaker  sits  on  top  of  the  screen,  so  I 
hang  it  on  that),  and  see  that  it's  shot  D.  The 
trim  is  from  the  head  of  the  shot,  so  you  take  a 
piece  of  green  (or  blue)  tape  and  write  D  (or 
ID — see  below)  on  it  with  a  Sharpie  and  attach 
the  trim  to  the  side  of  the  flatbed.  Then  you 
make  another  cut  and  it's  the  tail  of  shot  G. 
Time  for  a  red  (or  orange)  piece  of  tape  with  G 
(or  1G)  on  it.  And  so  on. 

When  I'm  finished  editing  a  scene,  I  pull  the 
trims  off  the  flatbed  and  put  them  into  the 
notebook  in  their  tabbed  scene  section.  I  don't 
bother  keeping  all  the  head  trims  together  or  all 
the  trims  from  a  given  shot — it's  so  easy  to  find 
them  within  the  scene  that  it  isn't  worth  the 
extra  time  to  do  that. 

It's  best  to  put  away  all  the  trims  from  a 
scene  before  you  start  a  new  one,  but  you  might 
not  want  to  do  that  or  you  might  be  pressed  for 
time.  If  you're  working  frantically  and  taking 


bits  off  from  various  scenes  without  stopping  to 
put  them  away,  then  all  you  have  to  do  is  add 
the  scene  number  to  the  shot  letter  on  the  tape 
(for  example,  1A,  IK,  IP,  etc.,  for  the  various 
trims  from  Scene  1).  That  way  you'll  aways 
know  which  scene  the  trims  belong  to  when 
you  finally  put  things  away.  I  combine  the  two 
methods:  When  I'm  starting  to  edit,  I  only 
write  the  letter  because  I  know  I'll  be  putting 
away  all  the  Scene  1  trims  when  I'm  finished 
up  with  that  scene.  Later  on,  when  I'm  skim- 
ming back  and  forth  between  scenes  in  the  fine 
cutting,  I  tend  to  write  the  scene  number  as 
well  as  the  shot  letter  on  the  tape,  so  I  can  let 
things  pile  up  on  the  flatbed  before  I  have  to 
put  them  away  in  the  notebook. 

Does  this  sound  time-consuming?  You  have 
to  tape  your  trims  to  the  flatbed  anyway,  right? 
And  the  split  second  it  takes  to  find  out  the 
shot  letter  is  a  lot  less  than  the  15  minutes,  or 
15  hours,  it  takes  to  find  that  trim  in  your  box 
or  envelope  or  on  some  trim  bin  hook.  And  it 
takes  less  time  to  write  ID  or  3G  than  to  write 
"guy  walks  across  room"  or  "dog  eats  grass." 

And  here's  the  beauty  of  it:  Five  weeks  or 
five  months  later,  when  you  go  back  to  recut 
the  FLEA  CIRCUS  scene  because  it  isn't  funny 
enough  and  you  want  to  add  in  two  frames  from 
the  head  of  shot  D,  you  open  to  that  scene  in 
the  notebook,  skim  through  looking  only  at  the 
green  tapes  with  D  on  it,  and  there  you  are. 
Less  than  a  minute,  I  promise. 


0 


KAY,  ALL  SYSTEMS  HAVE  REFINEMENTS,  SO  I 
want  to  describe  a  few  things  I've  run  into, 
especially  doing  more  complicated  edits.  First 
of  all,  you  might  decide  that  you  want  to  dras- 
tically reorder  the  shots  in  a  scene:  "A"  moves 
to  the  end,  "G"  is  now  first,  "K"  is  after  "M."  No 
problem.  All  you  do  is  rewrite  your  shot  list  but 
keep  the  letter  desigruition  of  each  shot.  Remember, 
if  you  change  the  letters,  your  trim  tapes — your 
whole  system — becomes  meaningless.  But  if  you 
maintain  the  original  letter  designations,  you 
can  do  this  endlessly.  I  first  used  this  system  for 
editing  Hide  and  Seek,  which  took  10  months 
and  involved  20,000  feet  of  film.  I  never  lost  a 
trim  and  never  spent  more  than  a  minute  find- 
ing one,  even  though  I  endlessly  reordered  the 
shots  within  scenes  and  the  scenes  within  the 
whole  film. 

Secondly,  you  might  decide  to  put  a  cutaway 
in  the  middle  of  shot  G.  In  order  not  to  lose 
track  of  that  shot  as  a  whole,  I  give  the  first  part 
the  simple  letter  G  and  the  second  half 
becomes  GA.  Then  if  I  subdivide  again,  the 
next  becomes  GB,  GC,  etc.  That  way,  you 


always  know  which  part  the  trims  belong  to, 
and  you  can  easily  reconstitute  the  scene. 

If  you  have  white/yellow  edge  coding  put 
onto  your  film,  it  can  be  helpful  to  write  the 
head  number  of  that  coding  alongside  each 
shot  in  your  list.  Given  the  craziness  of  the  edit- 
ing room  and  the  possibility  that  you  might  mis- 
label a  trim,  it's  a  backup  way  to  find  your  mate- 
rial. And  while  we're  on  the  subject  of  misla- 
beling: I've  done  that  a  few  times.  But  what  I 
discovered  is  that  I  can  take  the  pages  out  of 
the  notebook  and  hold  them  up  to  the  light  and 
easily  see  what  all  the  trim  images  are,  so  I've 
always  been  able  to  quickly  find  the  bit  I'm 
looking  for. 

For  the  experimental  filmmakers  in  the 
group:  There's  another  way  to  work  that  I  just 
started  using  on  my  new  film,  because  I  don't 
have  scenes — I  just  have  lots  of  disparate 
shots — and  I'm  not  sure  where  they'll  go  in  the 
film.  I  always  write  out  a  list  of  all  the  shots  in 
each  roll  of  original,  so  I  sit  down  with  those 
lists  and  give  them  each  a  thematic  name  and 
then  a  number  in  the  order  in  which  they 
appeared  (the  reel  of  Religion  shots  became  Rl, 
R2,  etc.  while  People  shots  were  PI,  P2,  etc.). 
I'm  using  these  letters/numbers  as  a  way  to 
define  the  shots  in  my  scene  lists.  That  way,  if  I 
rearrange  the  order,  I  can  always  find  the  trims. 
I'm  still  creating  "scenes,"  so  that  I  don't  have 
tons  of  pages  of  trims  to  sort  through,  but  if  I 
move  a  shot  from  the  YESTERDAY  scene  to 
the  WEATHER  scene,  I  can  move  the  trims  as 
well.  (If  you're  just  using  the  alphabet,  you 
might  start  having  lots  of  As  or  G's  in  one 
scene,  and  that  won't  do.) 

This  is  as  much  as  I've  figured  out  so  far. 
After  the  trial  run  with  Hide  and  Seek,  I  cut  a 
25-minute  experimental  narrative  film  for 
someone  and  it  still  worked,  and  now  it's  prov- 
ing itself  to  me  once  again  as  I  cut  my  new  film. 

I  hope  this  is  helpful  to  those  of  you  who 
decide  to  adopt  it.  Even  if  you're  suspicious  and 
think  it  sounds  like  more  trouble  than  it's 
worth,  give  it  a  try.  You'll  see  that  it's  simple  and 
logical,  and  is  easier  to  understand  in  practice 
than  it  might  be  to  read  about  here.  The  pay- 
off is  that  it  will  give  you  a  lot  more  time  for  the 
good  parts  of  editing,  and  then  you'll  have  more 
time  to  go  home  and  write  that  !%#(a>$&* 
grant  proposal.  By  the  way,  if  you've  figured  out 
a  good  system  for  curing  that  headache,  please 
let  me  know! 

Su  Friednch's  films,  including  The  Ties  That  Bind, 
Sink  or  Swim,  and  Hide  and  Seek,  are  distributed  by 
Women  Make  Movies  and  Canyon  Cinema.  Slxe  is  cur- 
rently fiivshing  a  short,  What  It  Is,  and  writing  a 
screenplay  with  Hide  and  Seek  cowriter  Cathy 

Quinlan. 


gog  Coo  0oo  g  O 

O    O  Oqu  Oco  OOO        *Oc' 


oP  o     oa°  8  2>    8     o0o  o  o0  Sop 


roon 

LUCK 


Answer  printing 
doesn't  have  to  be 
a  game  of  chance. 


But  that's  exactly  what  it  is  if  you're  not  involved  in  the  process.  Still, 
most  labs  charge  you  for  the  right  to  oversee  this  critical  step  — 
either  you  pay  or  you  keep  your  fingers  crossed. 

Colorlab  has  a  different  approach.  We  know  we  can't  understand 
your  film  until  we  understand  you.  That's  why  we  build  one-on-one 
relationships  with  every  one  of  our  clients.  We  encourage  you  to 
play  an  active  role  in  the  answer  printing  process  to  ensure  your 
vision  reaches  the  silver  screen.  And  we  never  charge  extra  for 
consultations  with  our  timer. 

So,  if  you  don't  feel  like  chancing  it,  give  us  a  call. 

COLORLAB  § 

answer        pi 

film/video  dailies  ■  16mm,  super-16,  35mm  b&w/color  processing  ■  super-16  screening 
film-to-tape  transfers  ■  color  corrected  prints  ■  blow  ups  ■  blow  downs  ■  answer  prints 

/\  avid  rental  suite  now  open 

27  west  20th  st  suite  307    ph  212.633.8172    fax  212.633.8241 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


But  Will  it  Play  in  Peoria? 

Two  festival  curators  assess  the  audience  for  experimental  media  today. 


The  first  time  an  avant-garde  film-viewing  experience  evolves 

into  a  state  of  bliss  is  an  absolutely  unforgettable  experience.  It  is  the 
fundamental  reason  why  acolytes  of  experimental  work  return  again 
and  again  to  darkened  theaters,  searching  for  a  path  from  this  sanctu- 
ary to  the  extraordinary  state  of  deep  awareness  this  work  inspires. 
Whether  led  by  an  acknowledged  master  or  an  emerging  voice,  there's 
a  palpable  point  after  the  initial  visual  and  aural  prelude  when  the 
rushes  of  light,  sound,  and  abstract  imagery  reflecting  from  the  screen 
coalesce  with  the  mind's  narrative  to  produce  a  heightened  conscious- 
ness. 

But  to  be  seen,  experimental  work  needs  organizers  who  will  bring 
the  work  to  potential  initiates  and  longtime  viewers.  The  Black  Maria 
Film  &  Video  Festival  and  MIXAThe  New  York  Lesbian  &  Gay 
Experimental  Film/Video  Festival  are  two  essential  venues  for  avant- 
garde  work.  Their  impact  lies  partly  in  the  fact  that  both  festivals  have 
traveling  sections  that  bring  experimental  media  to  a  wide  national 
audience.  Black  Maria,  now  in  its  18th  year,  has  stops  at  more  than  60 
locations  across  the  U.S.,  ranging  from  art  institutions  to  college  cam- 
puses. The  13-year-old  MIX  tours  colleges  throughout  the  U.S.,  includ- 
ing M.I.T.,  Harvard,  and  Princeton,  and  now  has  stops  in  Portugal, 


Belgium,  Japan,  the  UK,  and  Canada.  It  also  has  affiliated  MIX  festi- 
vals in  Brazil  and  Mexico. 

This  spring  The  Independent  sat  down  with  John  Columbus,  founder 
and  director  of  Black  Maria,  and  Rajendra  Roy,  executive  director  of 
MIX,  for  a  candid  discussion  about  the  current  state  of  audiences  and 
venues  for  experimental  work.  While  running  a  festival  is  undoubted- 
ly a  (more  than)  hill-time  job,  Columbus  also  teaches  filmmaking  at 


by   Jeremy   Lehrer 

University  of  the  Arts  in  Philadelphia.  In  addition  to  his  duties  at  MIX, 
Roy  works  as  program  facilitator  for  the  Guggenheim  Museum's  Film  &. 
Media  Arts  Program.  Both  are  thoughtful,  articulate,  and  had  a  lot  to 
say  on  the  subject.  Not  all  of  it  is  pretty,  but  these  two  curators  show 
themselves  to  be  true  allies  of  experimental  media. 

What  do  you  think  is  happening  with  audiences  of  experimental  work,  both  in  the 
New  York  area  and  where  the  festivals  travel? 

John  Columbus:  The  audiences  outside  of  culturally  focused  metropolis- 
es such  as  Chicago,  New  York,  and  San  Francisco  are  pretty  fragment- 
ed. I  don't  think  there's  a  lot  of  continuity  from  year  to  year.  It's  always 
a  new  generation  that  doesn't  really  have  a  context  for  avant-garde  or 
experimental  film  and  documentary.  I  think  it's  because  this  work  is  not 
valued  enough  in  "academia." 

Rajendra  Roy:  Your  comment  about  the  "new  generation"  or  the  contin- 
uing regeneration  process  is  definitely  how  MIX  sees  our  audience 
developing,  even  in  New  York.  There's  this  core  group  of  die-hard 
avant-gardists  and  post-avant-gardists,  but  we've  had  this  idea  about 
experimental  film  involving  new  genres  and  new  communities.  People 

who  are  expressing  visually  what's 
going  on  in  communities  that  haven't 
been  represented  in  film  before — we 
bring  them  into  the  experimental  cir- 
cle. But  a  lot  of  them  move  on  to  more 
narrative,  less  experimental  work.  It  is 
a  reviving  process  for  us. 

Columbus  Some  [film  organizations] 
have  struggled  and  even  disappeared.  I 
used  to  go  to  a  place  called  Alabama 
Filmmakers  Cooperative.  And  they 
essentially  dissolved,  because  they  got 
themselves  so  far  into  debt.  I  can't 
always  give  an  upbeat  report  [about 
audiences].  Or,  we'll  go  to  a  college 
campus  and  mention  Barbara 
Hammer,  who  we've  shown  many 
times  at  that  institution,  and  five  years 
later  they  don't  know  who  she  is.  I 
don't  want  to  be  morbid.  It  is  a  con- 
stant fight;  you  have  to  constantly 
bring  new  work  before  them,  but  also 
frame  it.  That's  one  reason  we  believe  in  going  in  person  to  shows  and 
presenting  the  work.  It's  an  important,  useful  thing  to  do.  Let's  say  you 
show  something  by  Joe  Gibbons  and  by  Jennifer  Reeves,  just  to  use  two 
examples.  Jennifer  Reeves  did  Chronic  two  or  three  years  ago.  It's  a 
minor  point,  maybe,  but  people  don't  realize  that  Joe  Gibbons  appeared 
in  Chronic.  It's  interesting  to  say,  "Well,  they've  had  a  history  before." 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


Roy:  MIX  has  one  central 
event  in  [New  York],  and 
then  we  travel.  For  that  [core 
event],  there  are  a  hundred 
people  who  will  come  every 
year  who  are  die-hard.  That 
group  is  primarily  filmmakers, 
videomakers,  artists,  media- 
makers.  I  had  a  conversation 
with  Sarah  Schulman,  who 
co-founded  MIX,  about  this 
last  year.  It  seemed  like  this 
constant  battle  to  bring  in 
audiences  every  year.  We 
couldn't  maintain  them  from 
year  to  year — in  a  town  that 
goes  to  the  movies  constantly. 
For  experimental  film,  people 
grow  out  of  it. 

Columbus:  It's  like  they  see  it 
as  a  phase — they've  been 
there  and  done  that. 

Roy:  Exactly.  It's  like  they've 
paid  their  dues.  Experimental 
film  for  a  lot  of  them,  is  real 
"tough,"  so  if  they  can  stick  it 
out  for  two  years,  then  they 
can  move  on  to  whatever  the 
next  stage  of  film  viewing  is  by 
a  film  connoisseur.  There  are 
people  who  view  the  avant- 
garde  as  authentic,  and  then 
there  are  people  who  view  it 
as  this  stage  in  their  learning 
process. 


One  of  the  challenges  you  both 
face  with  traveling  festivals  is 
finding  venues  for  experimental  work. 
How  have  these  changed  over  the 
years? 

If  a  venue  in  a  city  doesn't  exist  any- 
more, what  do  you  do? 


Roberto  labor's 
Conceigao  screened  at 
the  first  year  of  sister 
festival  MIX  Brazil. 


"One  of  the  most  essential  issues  today 
in  dealing  with  experimental  work  [is]  the 

context.  This  [work]  isn't  coming  out  of 
thin  air;  it  does  have  history.  You  have  to 

prepare  aUdienCeS  fOr  it." — Rajendra  Roy,  MIX  Festival 


Columbus:  Scramble.  It's  scary, 
actually,  because  our  founding 
mission  is  to  travel.  You  nurture  a 
relationship  with  an  institution  or 
organization  in  some  cases  for  15 

or  more  years.  Then  the  institution's  financing  starts  eroding,  and  it 
can  be  difficult.  A  good  example  is  Baltimore.  We  were  going  to  the 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  for  maybe  eight,  10  years.  When  the  program  was 
closed  down,  we  had  no  more  Baltimore  venue.  Now  they  just  sud- 
denly revived  the  program.  So  in  a  sense  you  scramble,  you  fret,  you 
find  alternatives,  too.  In  terms  of  running  a  festival,  it's  always  impor- 
tant to  maintain  perspective.  [To  think,]  "Okay,  we've  done  that  for 
many  years,  and  if  now  that  isn't  going  to  happen  this  year  or  next  year, 


maybe  we'll  have  another  city." 

Roy:  We've  been  doing  college  touring 
for  most  of  the  1 3  years  that  the  festi- 
val has  been  in  existence,  and  the 
international  collaborations  have  been 
taking  place  for  five  years  now.  In 
terms  of  venues  in  the  U.S.,  we  depend 
on  people  organizing  on  the  home  turf, 
on  campuses.  That's  what  our  nation- 
al touring  is  based  on — college  groups 
bringing  us  there.  So  that's  about  nur- 
turing relationships  with  people  on  the 
campus,  and  often  those  are  students 
and/or  professors,  so  that's  pretty  tran- 
sient. 

Internationally,    the    places   we've 
worked  with  have  come  to  us  specifi- 
cally for  direction  in  setting  up  their 
festivals.  What  we  do  is  help  them 
with   programming,    help   them   with 
starting  out  their  organizations.   But 
the  venues — at  least  in  Mexico  and 
Brazil,  and  in  Portugal,  Belgium,  and 
Japan — they  have  venues  that  are  just 
vacant,  waiting  for  this,  either  because 
the   government   has   allotted   them 
space   or   because    they're    the    only 
events  of  their  type  in  the  country. 
We'll  take  what  we  show  at  Anthology  [Film  Archives  in  New  York]  or 
a  comparably  sized  200-seat  theater  and  show  it  in  a  1,200-seat  theater 
in,  for  instance,  Sao  Paulo,  filling  the  seats.  That  is  a  big  difference. 
MIX  Brazil  is  five  years  old,  and  it's  one  of  the  largest  film  events  in 
Brazil. 

John,  how  do  you  curate  what's  going  to  travel? 

Columbus:  We  have  a  vision  and  commitment  to  this  medium  as  a  real- 
ly unique  medium,  whether  it's  film  or  video.  It's  different  from  drama, 
the  stage,  still  photography.  One  of  the  core 
things  we're  interested  in,  as  a  guiding  princi- 
ple, is  the  medium  used  as  a  plastic  medium. 
Then,  is  the  work  relevant  to  the  human  con- 
dition? Within  that  context,  we're  interested 
in  diversity  in  any  given  year  and  also  evolu- 
tion over  the  years. 

First  the  judging's  got  to  be  done.  We  get  800 
pieces  through  a  pre -screening  process  and 
then  there's  a  final  judging  process.  None  of 
that's  public,  and  we  sweat  for  four  months 
coming  up  with  the  collection.  Our  judging  panel  evolves  each  year. 
We  ask  one  of  the  winning  filmmakers  from  the  prior  year  to  be  one  of 
the  judges.  We  also  ask  one  of  the  judges  from  the  prior  year  to  return 
for  a  second  year.  So  we  try  to  build  a  thread  to  offer  some  context  to 
the  new  judges. 

Everything  that  gets  into  the  festival  is  part  of  our  annual  collection 
of  45  to  50  pieces  that  travel.  We  send  out  descriptions  of  the  films  to 
each  host  institution,  and  then  talk  about  each  individual  film  with 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


each  local  curator. 

When  you  say  you  talk  with  each  of  the  curators  at  each  location . . . 

CoiunibuS:  Let's  say  you're  doing  one  show.  I  might  say,  "Well,  do  you 
want  to  do  things  that  focus  on  women's  issues?  Do  you  want  to  do  a 
mix  of  things" — I  hate  to  say  this — "a  sampler,  in  a  sense?  Or  do  you 
want  to  follow  some  themes?"  We  try  to  work  with  each  institution 
doing  that.  Let's  say  it's  an  art  institution  where  animation  is  a  strong 
interest — not  cartoons,  but  animation — we're  quite  likely  to  pick  work 
that  is  of  interest  to  that  institution  in  terms  of  what  it's  dealing  with — 
its  style,  its  issues,  if  you  will.  We  just  did  our  Philadelphia  show.  It  was 
almost  unintentional,  but  in  the  end  it  was  really  quite  fascinating  to 
find  this  Oedipal,  Freudian  thread  running  through  every  one  of  the 
pieces.  That  can  be  a  very  gratifying  thing  when  putting  together 
shows. 

We  learn  from  each  show.  The  first  two  or  three  are  sometimes 
rough  going,  getting  the  pieces  seated  and  seeing  how  they  work  with 
each  other.  So  it's  an  interesting,  evolving  process  within  the  year.  I 
think  we're  doing  64  shows,  65  with  the  Baltimore  program.  So  as  we 
get  to  know  the  works  and  how  they  interact  with  each  other,  the  syn- 
ergies among  them  really  can  be  a  fascinating  thing. 

Roy:  We  work  very  similarly  with  the  college  touring  program.  All  of 
our  shows  for  the  festival  here  in  New  York  are  curated  by  theme.  We 
have  guest-curated  shows  based  on  work  they  know  about  and  sub- 
missions. And  our  shows  are  curated  from  submissions.  So  the  themes 
emerge  from  what's  being  submitted,  if  we  see  trends  happening. 

When  we  go  out  to  colleges,  we  give  them 
the  program  or  they  visit  our  website,  and  we 
allow  them  to  pick  programs  they  want. 
Sometimes  we  do  sampler  programs.  I  just  got 
back  from  Macalester  College  in  Minneapolis 
last  weekend,  where  we  showed  a  sampler.  At 
the  end,  we  had  a  discussion  about  how  there 
was  a  theme  going  through.  There  was  this 
huge  dream  thing  going  through  all  of  the 
works.  It's  funny  how  that  happens. 

But  when  we  program  for  our  international 
venues,  interesting  things  come  up  because 
there  are  limitations,  language  barriers.  A  lot  of  our  work  is  not  subti- 
tled and  certainly  wouldn't  be  subtitled  into  Portuguese  or  what  have 
you.  We  work  on  having  Spanish-language  programs,  and  [our  affiliat- 
ed festivals]  send  us  work,  too,  that  we've  shown  here.  One  of  the  rea- 
sons we've  been  able  to  be  successful  internationally  is  because  a  lot  of 
experimental  work  is  not  based  on  language.  It's  all  visual,  or  it's  a  dif- 
ferent type  of  language,  a  visual  language  where  it's  based  on  the 
artistry  and  not  the  narrative  per  se.  That's  allowed  us  to  be  more  suc- 
cessful in  sending  this  work  out. 

Columbus:  A  year  ago  we  started  a  show  out  in  Anchorage,  Alaska. 
Naive  as  I  was,  perhaps,  I  was  surprised  to  get  there  and  find  them  say, 
"Let's  do  some  real  cutting-edge  stuff,  we  want  to  push  the  envelope." 
I  pushed  it  pretty  hard  in  some  areas,  [even  though  I  expected]  all 
these  rough-and-tumble  petroleum  wranglers  and  maybe  some  women 
from  the  woods  to  come  in  from  this  frozen  tundra.  But  it  was  about 
half  a  gay  and  lesbian  audience,  which  was  totally  unexpected.  We  had 
programmed  Gift  from  My  Father,  which  is  about  a  young  woman  who 
is  a  high  school  basketball  star,  and  the  story  of  her  relationship  with 


her  father.  The  structural  strategies  of  the  film  were  really  well-con- 
sidered and  brought  home  her  message.  The  next  thing  I  know,  half 
the  audience  is  crying.  It  was  just  an  amazing  experience.  There's  these 
unexpected  things  that  happen  in  unexpected  places,  and  I  think  it's 
useful  and  important  to  be  readily  available,  not  set  up  a  fixed  idea 
about  what's  okay  to  show,  where  it's  okay  to  show  it,  and  what  that 
place  might  be  like.  You  might  be  surprised.  They  had  a  sell-out  crowd 
all  three  nights:  85  people  with  standing  room. 

Along  those  lines,  how  is  gay-themed  work  being  received  both  here  and  on  the 
road? 

Roy:  To  the  general  public,  "gay  and  lesbian  film  1999"  means 
Hollywood  film,  it  means  Ellen  [DeGeneres].  The  artistic  director  of 
the  festival  and  I  wrote  an  essay  last  year  about  the  exclusion  of  exper- 
imental film  from  gay  and  lesbian  filmmaking  these  days.  Gay  and  les- 
bian festivals — mainstream  festivals  like  Outfest  and  Frameline — tend 
to  focus  on  those  kind  of  breakout,  crossover  films.  While  they  still 
reserve  a  spot  for  experimental  work,  it's  certainly  not  a  highlight  in 
most  cases.  But  the  interesting  thing  is,  the  history  of  gay  and  lesbian 
filmmaking  is  the  history  of  experimental  filmmaking.  In  a  lot  of  ways, 
the  lines  are  very,  very  close.  The  really  early  pioneers  in  many  cases 
were  gay  or  lesbian  people.  So  the  lines  almost  converged  for  many 
years,  and  then  diverged  very  strongly  in  the  late  eighties  and  nineties, 
where  "gay  and  lesbian  filmmaking"  means  some  independent  film 
that's  gay-themed.  Going  to  see  experimental  film,  and  certainly  gay 
and  lesbian  experimental  film,  is  like  a  double  whammy:  It's  like  it's 
weird  and  doubly  weird. 


"Going  to  see  gay  and  lesbian 
experimental  film  is  like  a 

double  whammy:  It's  like  it's 
weird  and  doubly  weird." 


What  impact  is  new  media  having  on  your  festivals, 
and  how  are  you  accommodating  it? 


Rajendra  Roy,  MIX  Festival 


Roy:  In  1994  we  had  one  of  the  first  digital 
exhibitions  at  a  gay  and  lesbian  festival,  and 
we  continue  with  that,  on  a  CD-ROM  basis 
or  whatever.  But  there  was  this  drive  to  pro- 
vide a  venue  for  digital  filmmakers  in  the 
proper  context.  So  we  actually  set  up  [a  col- 
laboration] with  PlanetOut  and  PopcornQ, 
which  is  this  gay  and  lesbian  movie  web  site 
based  out  of  San  Francisco,  curated  by  Jenni  Olson,  who  used  to  run 
the  Frameline  festival. 

My  vision  of  how  to  provide  a  good  venue  for  experimental  work 
is  not  to  try  to  alter  what  mediamakers  are  putting  out.  If  we're  going 
to  show  it,  we  show  every  medium,  from  super  8  on  up.  The  way  to 
show  digital  film  for  me  is  to  put  it  on  the  Web,  which  is  the  original 
context.  The  Web  itself,  using  email  and  so  forth,  that's  our  primary 
basis  to  call  for  entries  now.  We  do  very  little  paper  mailing  anymore. 

Columbus:  I  hate  to  sound  conservative,  but  we  need  to  be  careful 
about  understanding  and  not  abandoning  things.  Sometimes  when  we 
rush  to  new  mediums,  it's  like  a  land  rush,  a  bandwagon.  I  fear  there's 
a  danger  of  losing  sight  of  what  you're  all  about  and  what  your  vision 
is.  And  by  nature  I  think  the  [Black  Maria]  festival  is  a  little  bit  con- 
trarian. While  we've  accepted  some  CD-ROM  pieces,  right  now  we're 
not  into  it  in  a  big  way.  Let's  remember  that  it's  not  the  medium  that 
ultimately  is  going  to  make  the  piece  great.  But  it  is  very  important 
that  filmmakers  make  a  piece  on  film  and  it's  16mm  or  super  8  and  it's 
film,  it's  silver  on  celluloid.  And  it  functions  to  be  shown  to  a  captive 


30    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


audience.  I  think  that's  an 
interesting  phenomenon  of 
film.  We're  talking  about  a 
totally  different  thing  when 
we  talk  about  CD-ROM 
and  looking  on  the  com- 
puter. You're  no  longer  a 
captive  audience,  and  that 
changes  the  medium. 

We're  not  automatically 
against   other   media.   We 
started  out  with  film  and 
clung  to  that  for  the  first 
four  or  five  years,  thinking 
it's  really  dabblers  who  are 
working  in  video.  We  were, 
I   don't   want   to   say   'old 
school,'  but  really  commit- 
ted to  that  visionary  idea  of 
film  as  a  precious  medium. 
But  then  it  became  too  pre- 
cious. So  you  open  up  a  lit- 
tle bit.  But  I  don't  think  you 
have  to  open  instantly.  In 
fact,  I  hate  responding  to 
things      instantly.      Then 
you're   just    responding    to 
pressure  and  commercialism,  and  I  think 
commercialism  has  affected  us.  There's 
tremendous  pressure  on  filmmakers  and 
on  us  as  film  festivals  to  appeal  in  a  very 
broad  way;  it's  part  of  the  financial  pres- 
sure of  survival.  If  you  can  show  AT&T 
that  you  have  100,000  audience  members 

or  200,000,  you're  more  likely  to  get  funding.  It's  all  bottom  line  now. 
There's  no  more  altruism.  Somebody  someplace  has  to  remember  val- 
ues, and  not  just  jump  just  because  something's  there. 

If  someone  was  going  to  start  their  own  festival,  what  advice  would  you  have  for 
them? 

Columbus:  Why  would  they  want  to  start  their  own  festival?  I  would 
suggest  they  go  out  and  help  other  festivals  that  are  struggling,  frankly. 
But  if  they're  in  some  place  that's  so  just  utterly  unserved,  [they 
should]  talk  to  other  people  who  have  run  festivals  and  find  out  what's 
involved.  Find  out  what  your  obligations  are  too.  I  do  see — I  won't 
name  them — but  I  see  festivals  out  there  that  are  exploiting  filmmak- 
ers, and  I  think  it's  very  important  to  have  a  conscience.  I  would  say 
that.  Have  a  conscience  about  what  your  mission  is,  have  a  conscience 
about  actually  serving  the  filmmakers  rather  than  exploiting  the  film- 
makers. Often  they  are  festivals  that  have  formed  at  resorts  or  are 
counterpoints  to  festivals  that  have  formed  at  resorts;  the  festival  was 
just  seen  as  another  way  to  pull  in  tourists.  That's  not  a  festival,  that's 
a  commercial  enterprise. 

Roy:  Yeah,  there  are  festivals  and  then  there  are  festivals.  If  it's  a  dis- 
service to  the  film  or  to  the  artist,  then  you're  really  talking  about 
something  else.  I  believe  in  paying  artists  and  generating  income  for 
them  through  exposure,  but  if  you  don't  present  films  correctly,  if 


there's  not  an  audience  for 
it,  you're  trying  to  ram 
something  down  some- 
one's throat. 

Here  in  New  York,  it  seems 
like  there's  a  growing 
grassroots  effort  to  curate 
and  screen  experimental 
work.  Is  that  your  sense? 
And  what's  your  percep- 
tion of  what's  going  on 
around  the  country  in 
terms  of  showing,  screen- 
ing, and  curating  experi- 
mental work? 

Columbus:  People  are  hun- 
gry for  alternative  vision 
because  they're  saturated 
with  conventional  melo- 
drama and  star/hero-wor- 
ship, but  they  don't  quite 
know  what  they're  in  for. 
They're  hungry  for  some- 
thing and  will  seek  it  out, 
but  they  don't  know  if  they 
can  trust  it.  It's  very  impor- 
tant to  build  trust.  Sometimes  that's  giving  it  a  context,  saying,  "This 
person's  been  making  films  for  25  years."  Tony  Buba  has  been  commit- 
ted to  filming  what's  happening  in  this  little  steel  town  next  to 
Pittsburgh  for  25  years.  He's  been  on  national  public  television  with  a 
straightforward  documentary.  Now  he's  got  this  experimental  piece, 
but  he's  done  15  other  pieces.  So  they  can  trust  him  a  little  bit.  If  he's 
off  the  beaten  path  in  terms  of  his  style  and  asks  people  to  actively  par- 
ticipate in  the  interpretation  of  the  piece,  they're  willing  to  give  them- 
selves over  to  it  because  he's  built  some  trust.  I  think  that's  an  impor- 
tant component. 

Roy:  I  would  like  to  say  that  I  think  it's  getting  better.  Shari  Frilot  was 
the  director  of  the  festival  before  me,  and  she  was  really  instrumental 
in  getting  this  international  project  going.  The  reason  she  started 
working  for  the  festival  was  because  her  short  experimental  work  was 
being  programmed  terribly  in  other  festivals.  They'd  put  her  work  in 
programs  that  would  change  its  context  so  intensely  that  for  her,  her 
work  was  being  undone.  So  for  Shari,  it  was  a  very  specific  mission  to 
program  well  and  be  very  conscious  of  the  context  in  which  you're 
putting  experimental  work,  because  it  can  be  swayed  politically  one 
way,  or  have  this  commentary  the  other  way,  or  made  to  look  ridicu- 
lous in  the  wrong  context.  I  actually  think  it's  one  of  the  most  essen- 
tial issues  today  in  dealing  with  experimental  work — the  context.  This 
[work]  isn't  coming  out  of  thin  air;  it  does  have  history.  You  have  to 
prepare  audiences  for  it.  We're  talking  about  audiences  who  don't 
know  who  these  artists  are,  who  don't  know  that  they've  been  working 
for  years  and  years.  In  this  case,  I'm  talking  about  audiences  who  are 
just  coming  in  to  "go  to  the  movies"  or  "go  to  a  festival."  Placing  the 
work  in  contexts  where  it  makes  sense  is  the  best  service  you  can  do. 

Jeremy  Lehrer  is  a  reporter  and  writer  for  Shoot. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


by   Scott   MacDonald 


URING  THE  1970S,  FEMINISTS  CALLED 
FOR  A  REORGANIZATION  OF  DOMESTIC 
POLITICS,  QUESTIONING  THE  ASSUMPTION 
THAT  CHILD  CARE  WAS  BIOLOGICALLY 
DETERMINED  "WOMEN'S  WORK"  AND 
DEMANDING  THAT  MEN  LEARN  TO  FUNC- 
TION    AS    TRUE    DOMESTIC     PARTNERS     IN 

THE  QUEST  FOR  ECONOMIC  STABILITY  AND  PERSONAL  FULFILLMENT,  RATHER  THAN  EXCLUSIVELY  AS 
BREADWINNERS.     That  domesticity  issue  the  new  frontier  in  cultural  development  was  clear  in  the  landmark  film  by  Laura  Mulvey  and  Peter  Wollen,  Riddles 

of  the  Sphinx  (1977),  which  argued  that  who  takes  care  of  young  children  is  the  issue  on  which  the  organization  of  modern  society  turns.  While  domestic  partnership  has 


Images  of  home  and  hearth  in  Memories  of  Water 


evolved,  at  least  in  some  sectors  of  society,  during  the  decades  since  Riddles  of  the  Sphinx  was  so  widely  discussed,  cinematic  attention — or,  really,  inattention — to  the 
domestic  has  changed  little.  The  realities  of  domestic  work,  and  especially  child  care,  have  remained  virtually  invisible. 

In  Leighton  Pierce's  films  and  videos  of  the  1990s,  the  domestic  arena  becomes  the  site  of  visual/auditory  dramas  that  have  the  potential  to  undermine  conventional 
ideas  about  the  domestic.  Indeed,  Pierce's  understanding  of  how  mediamaking  fits  into  daily  life  is  nearly  the  inversion  of  the  conventional  assumption  shared,  it  would 
seem,  by  both  commercial  mediamakers  and  most  of  those  who  provide  independent,  even  avant-garde  critiques  of  the  commercial.  The  general  assumption,  of  course, 
is  that  the  domestic  world  and  the  art-making  world  must  remain  separate.  One  may  create  a  life  that  includes  both,  but  such  a  life  requires  us  to  "intercut"  between  the 
two  spheres. 

While  Pierce,  a  1999  Guggenheim  Fellow,  does  earn  his  living  outside  the  home  (since  1985  he  has  taught  media  production  at  the  University  of  Iowa),  he  has  built  his 
reputation  as  a  major  contributor  to  independent  film/video  history  within  his  home,  as  part  of  his  day-to-day  domestic  experience.  Thursday  (1991),  for  instance,  is  a 
visual/auditory  evocation  of  his  kitchen,  shot  during  the  quiet  moments  during  his  son's  nap  time  (on  Thursdays):  images  and  sounds  of  Pierce  pouring  coffee  and  wash- 
ing dishes,  a  tree  blowing  in  the  breeze  outside  the  window,  the  sound  of  a  distant  train,  a  rainstorm  are  combined  into  what  filmmaker  Peter  Hutton  might  call  "a  reprieve" 
from  the  tendency  of  modern  life  and  most  cinema  to  project  us  relentlessly  forward  into  more  frenetic  busy-ness.  Similarly,  the  video  If  with  Those  Eyes  and  Ears,  the  first 
section  of  Principles  of  Harmonic  Motion  (1991),  was  made  soon  after  Pierce's  son  was  born.  Pierce  spent  time  in  the  child's  room,  exploring  visual  and  auditory  details 
of  the  space  and  combining  them  into  a  lovely,  haunting  experience  that  simultaneously  evokes  the  baby's  fascination  with  his  new  world  and  the  father's  excitement  at 
sharing  life  with  this  mysterious  new  being. 

Pierce's  output  in  both  film  and  video  has  been  considerable  in  the  1990s,  but  certainly  his  most  impressive  work  to  date  is  his  domestic  "epic,"  50  Feet  of  String.  This 
50-minute  work  depicts  domestic  life  in  and  around  Pierce's  home,  by  combining  imagery  and  sounds  collected  from  midsummer  to  fall  and  organizing  them  into  an  intri- 
cate, serenely  paced  montage. 

I  spoke  with  Pierce  in  October  1998  (a  few  weeks  after  he  suffered  a  heart  attack,  from  which  he  recovered  quickly),  and  by  email  in  subsequent  months. 


32     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


The  structure  of  your  career  reminds  me  of  Harold  Lloyd,  who  made  dozens  of 
films  until  he  figured  out  what  his  persona  should  be,  and  then  made  some  great 
work.  Your  early  films  are  certainly  capable;  but  since  1990,  you've  been  mak- 
ing remarkable  movies  and  videos. 

John  Orntlicher  (one  of  my  teachers  when 
I  was  a  grad  student  at  Syracuse)  said  of  my 
early  work,  "Well,  those  are  wise-guy 
films."  I  thought,  "What  does  he  mean.'"  It 
stuck  with  me  for  quite  a  while.  I  did  come 
to  realize  that  I  didn't  just  want  to  make 
these  clever,  "wise-guy"  structural  films — 
like  He  likes  to  Chop  Down  Trees  (1980) — 
but  to  find  a  way  to  integrate  my  filmmak- 
ing into  my  home  life. 

You  teach  at  the  University  of  Iowa.  And  you  have 

young  children.  At  the  same  time  that  you  had 

these  kids,  you  hit  your  stride  as  a  film  and  video 

artist.  To  what  extent  is  your  heart  attack  a  result 

of  trying  to  do  all  this?  Is  a  serious  commitment 

to  avant-garde  films  dangerous?  It  certainly 

costs  money  and  causes  stress. 

I  think  the  heart  attack  was  just  genetics. 

My  dad  died  young.  I  didn't — yet.  In  the 

late  1980s,  when  we  had  our  first  child,  Mackenzie,  my  life  and  work 

did  change.  The  stress  of  teaching,  having  a  family,  and  trying  to  make 

films  made  me  realize  I  couldn't  really  separate  them.  Teaching — I  had 

to  go  away  to  do  that.  But  I  started  making  work  in  the  house,  about 

the  house.  Not  really  about  Mackenzie,  but  with  him  involved,  so  I 

could  be  parenting  and  making  films  at  the  same  time. 

Was  the  video  If  with  Those  Eyes  and  Ears  (1991)  the  first  of  these  works? 

We  had  Mackenzie,  and  two  weeks  later  I  ordered  my  camcorder.  I'd 
done  video  all  along  but  not  with  my  own  camcorder.  Yes,  that  piece 
really  started  it.  I  wasn't  interested  in  one  of  these  "trying-to-see-the- 
way-the-baby-sees"  pieces.  I  was  just  trying  to  be  with  the  baby,  as  the 
baby  was  staring  at  the  lightbulb  or  at  the  fan  going  around.  It  was  like 
trying  to  do  parallel  play  with  my  kid.  Video  was  perfect  because  it's 
cheap.  And  making  that  piece  got  me  started  in  a  new  direction,  which 
I  tried  with  film  next. 

So  you  start  to  make  all  this  work  at  home,  so  that  you  could  stay  home.  Was  it 
also  a  matter  of  money? 

It  is  cheaper  to  work  at  home,  but  it's  hard  for  me  to  talk  about  the 
cost,  because  for  years — ever  since  I  was  in  graduate  school  in  the  mid- 
1980s — I've  never  imagined  a  film  and  then  tried  to  figure  out  how  to 
get  enough  money  to  make  it.  It's  always  the  other  way  around:  I  ask, 
what  are  my  resources  and  what  film  can  I  make  within  them.7  It's  the 
same  with  time:  Because  I'm  a  father  and  a  teacher,  I  just  have  little 
bits  of  time  to  work  with.  I  work  at  home  because  I  can  do  something 
in  fifteen  minutes  in  the  kitchen. 

Are  you  dependent  on  grants? 

Yeah,  pretty  much.  We  have  the  family  account  and  the  film  account, 
which  gets  money  from  tours  and  grants  and  so  on.  It  allows  me  to  buy 
my  tools  without  guilt.  A  lot  of  my  career  was  financed  by  Film  in  the 
Cities,  which  is  now  defunct.  I  was  getting  grants  from  them  every  two 
years.  And  the  university  here  gives  me  support.  For  50  Feet  of  String  I 
had  both  temporal  and  financial  support.  I  got  a  very  rare  deal:  a  three- 


year  contract  doing  halt-time  teaching,  plus  money  to  buy  filmstock 
and  a  computer.  My  expenses  for  making  a  film  are  just  the  cost  of  the 
filmstock,  the  cost  of  workprinting,  and  the  cost  of  the  prints. 
Everything  else — the  mixing  and  all  that  other  stuff — I  do  myself.  And 
video — I  can  make  a  video  for  $30. 

Is  it  your  goal  to  make  something  beautiful  out  of 
something  mundane;  in  50  Feet  of  String,  to 
make  something  epic  out  of  a  vernacular  space? 

I've  always  found  it  very  difficult  to  shoot 
when  I'm  in  spectacular  places.  When  I  go 
to  the  mountains  and  shoot,  I  film  little 
sticks  on  the  ground  or  a  bit  of  water,  not 
the   overwhelming  grandeur   around   me. 
One  of  the  reasons  I  made  50  Feet  of  String 
at   home — for   the   shooting   I   made   the 
"rule"  that  I  had  to  stay  within  100  yards  of 
my  kitchen — was  to  access  a  way  of  seeing 
that  takes  us  over  when  we're  surrounded 
by  obvious  beauty.  At  Yosemite  you  don't 
have  to  choose  what  to  look  at:  Yosemite 
tells  you  what  to  look  at.  But  if  you're  sit- 
ting  in    the    kitchen    of  a 
house  you've   lived   in   for 
years,  you  might  not  really 
look  around  you.  That's  the 
challenge  for  my  work. 


"I  was  just  trying  to  be 
with  the  baby,  as  the 

baby  was  staring  at  the 
lightbulb  or  at  the  fan 

going  around.  It  was  like 

trying  to  do  parallel  play 
with  my  kid." 


I  think  the  tradition  of  using 
cinema  to  contemplate  our 
visual  (and  in  your  work,  audi- 
tory) surroundings  has  been 
undervalued.  I'm  thinking  of 
Stan  Brakhage's  The  Text  of 
Light  (1974)  and  after,  Peter 
Hutton's  work,  Andrew  Noren's, 
Larry  Gottheim's,  Rose  Lowder's,  Nick  Dorsky's. 

I'm  aware  that  I'm  part  of  an  old  school  of  filmmaking — though  I'm 
younger  than  the  other  people  you've  mentioned.  Politics — overt  poli- 
tics— is  where  it  is  now,  or  has  been  for  a  while.  That  Flaherty  experi- 
ence got  me  thinking  about  this  again.  [Pierce  showed  50  Feet  of  String 
at  the  1996  Flaherty  Seminar:  see  The  Independent,  July  1997,  for  a 
description  of  the  brouhaha  there  over  George  Kuchar's  Weather  Diary 
I.]  I've  often  felt  I've  had  to  apologize  for  liking  to  make  beautiful 
things.  Some  of  my  students  say,  "You  should  never  admit  that,  because 
beauty  robs  you  of  thought."  And  then  I  say,  "Well,  actually,  that's  the 
whole  idea,  to  blank  out  the  thought,  at  least  until  after  you  really  look 
and  listen."  My  work  now  seems  unpolitical  because  it's  beautiful;  it 
seems  to  be  just  about  wallowing  in  beauty  and  escaping,  which  is  part 
of  the  goal  (I  want  to  create  a  space  where  you  can  psychically  trans- 
form), but  hopefully  there's  also  a  lingering  effect  that's  not  just 
escapism. 

I've  heard  that  when  [Utah  naturalist  and  author]  Terry  Tempest 
Williams  does  nature  walks,  she'll  walk  out  her  back  door  with  her 
group  and  that'll  be  it:  she'll  do  her  whole  talk  by  just  looking  down  at 
the  little  space  around  her  door,  really  looking — it's  a  deep  looking.  In 
making  my  stuff,  I  have  a  goal.  I  hesitate  to  talk  about  it,  because  once 
you  say  what  you're  trying  to  do,  then  everyone  can  say,  "Well,  that 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


happen  to  me."  But  I  would  like  to  be  able  to  change  people's 
perceptions,  if  only  briefly,  so  that  you  walk  out  of  the  film  and  sud- 
denly you  notice  this  sidewalk  you've  seen  hundreds  of  times;  you 
notice  the  cracks,  you  notice  that  tree.  I  think  there's  value  in  noticing 
where  you  are.  Once  you  see  exactly  where  you  are,  then  you  can  make 
decisions  about  action. 

Thoreau's  line,  "I  have  traveled  a  good  bit  in  Concord,"  is  perfect  for  your  films. 

[Laughter].  It  is. 

It's  true  that  beauty  can  rob  you  of  thought — and  vice  versa.  I'm  no  more  crazy 
about  all  thought  and  no  beauty  (which  seems  a  form  of  fascism)  than  I  am 
about  all  beauty  and  no  thought.  Academics  who  pooh-pooh  the  idea  of  beauty 


It  depends.  For  50  Feet  of  String,  I  shot  400  feet  every  two  weeks  dur- 
ing the  fall.  It  was  like  going  to  work.  I  do  have  that  attitude  about 
making  films.  I  "punch  in."  I'll  think  to  myself,  "I  didn't  shoot  my  400 
feet  this  week — I  gotta  do  it."  So  then,  not  waiting  for  the  right  light 
or  the  right  moment,  I  decide  it's  time  to  get  the  work  done.  This 
approach  developed  in  Thursday — my  first  really  serious,  rule-bound 
film.  And  this  relates  back  to  what  I  was  saying  earlier  about  the  kids. 
Every  Thursday  when  Mackenzie  was  one,  I  was  home  all  day  with 
him.  I'd  just  finished  the  video  Principles  of  Harmonic  Motion,  and  I 
wanted  to  make  a  film.  I  didn't  know  what  I  was  going  to  make  a  film 
about,  but  I  had  eight  100-foot  rolls  in  my  freezer,  so  I  just  made  a  rule: 


annoy  me.  It  seems  like  they  always  live  in  the  most  beautiful  towns,  but  ideo- 
logically take  a  position  that  keeps  them  from  feeling  any  responsibility  for  the 
advantages  they  have. 

When  I  was  in  Japan  last  January,  I  went  to  as  many  gardens  as  possible, 
including  Korakuen  in  Okayama,  which  the  guidebooks  call  "one  of  the  three 
scenic  gardens  in  Japan."  I  expected  something  the  size  of  Central  Park.  This 
was  a  modest-sized  garden,  but  one  that  included  an  amazing  range  of  experi- 
ences. It  modeled,  as  so  many  Japanese  gardens  do,  making  the  most  of  a  small 
space.  In  the  case  of  Zen  gardens,  making  a  tiny  space  remarkable  for  centuries 
is  a  spiritual  practice.  Do  you  see  your  filmmaking  as  a  spiritual  practice? 
I  embrace  Zen — I  would  say  that.  I'm  not  sure  it's  correct  to  say  that 
shooting  the  films  is  like  a  Zen  practice,  but  it  is  almost  like  meditation. 
Shooting  with  this  device  that  changes  the  way  I  see  forces  me  to  con- 
centrate. The  editing  is  like  meditation,  too.  Well,  I'm  a  little  embar- 
rassed to  claim  that  when  I  go  down  to  edit,  I'm  on  some  spiritual  jour- 
ney. 

Are  you  embarrassed  because  it's  not  true,  or  because  it  now  sounds  so  bad  in 
an  academic  context? 

Making  the  films  is  kind  of  like  making  a  garden,  though  I  hate  to  be 
so  presumptuous  as  to  say  I'm  making  a  beautiful  Zen  garden.  And  I'm 
trying  to  invite  people  into  that  "garden."  Some  people  don't  come  into 
it;  others  do  on  occasion.  That's  the  kind  of  work  that  I'm  drawn  to 
make,  and  that's  the  way  I  work  on  it.  But  you're  right:  showing  my 
work  at  my  school,  I  would  never  bring  this  up. 

How  often  do  you  shoot? 


"Once  you  see  exactly  where 

you  are,  then  you  can  make 

decisions  about  action." 


Every  Thursday  for  the 

next  eight  weeks,  when 

Mackenzie     took     his 

nap,  which  was  from  1 1 

to    1 — he   was   a   very 

dependable    sleeper — I 

would  shoot  100  feet.  And  I  made  a  film  out  of  it.  I  didn't  know  what 

it  was  going  to  be,  but  the  rule  forced  me  to  sit  down  and  work  during 

that  two-hour  period — if  the  sun  was  out  or  if  it  wasn't  out.  And  it 

meant  I  couldn't  leave  the  house,  because  I  was  taking  care  of  a  baby. 

I'd  like  to  talk  more  specifically  about  50  Feet  of  String,  especially  about  your 
use  of  a  narrow  depth  of  field  and  a  variety  of  focus  points. 

That  was  another  rule  in  that  film — to  use  the  narrowest  depth  of 
focus  possible. 

What  lens  do  you  use  to  create  this  narrow  focus? 

The  lens  is  not  what  does  it.  To  get  the  shallowest  depth  of  field,  I  open 
up  the  iris  all  the  way  (shooting  usually  at  f-2  or  2.8).  Since  I'm  usual- 
ly out  in  bright  sun,  I  need  to  cut  the  light  with  neutral  density  filters 
and  usually  a  polarizing  filter  as  well.  Shooting  at  a  high  frame  rate  also 
cuts  the  light  down  significantly.  To  reduce  depth  of  field  even  more,  I 
also  use  the  telephoto  end  of  the  10- 100mm  zoom  lens  (usually  a  Zeiss 
10-100  but  sometimes  a  50mm  or  75mm  prime  lens — Red  Shovel 
(1992)  was  shot  with  a  Bolex  with  a  150mm  lens).  This  also  has  the 
effect  of  reducing  the  perceived  depth  of  the  image — flattening  it 
somewhat.  Interestingly,  since  the  frame  seems  flatter  from  the  tele- 


34     THE     INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


photo  effect,  lateral  movement  in  different  planes  creates  surprising 
figure -ground  relationships. 

Second,  there's  diffraction  (light  getting  bent  around  edges  of  solid 
objects).  In  a  lot  of  shots  in  50  Feet — for  example,  the  toy  tractor  mov- 
ing toward  the  camera  in  a  field  of  shimmery  grass — I  use  diffraction  to 
color  the  depth.  Edges  of  solid  objects  close  to  the  lens  are  out  of  focus, 
but  they  bend  the  light  coming  into  the  lens  from  more  distant  objects. 
You  can  see  this  yourself  by  looking  at  something  far  away  and  bring- 
ing some  edge  into  your  visual  field  close  to  your  eye.  With  a  telepho- 
to  lens  and  shallow  depth  of  field,  that  effect  can  be  concentrated.  If 
there  are  many  objects  all  out  of  focus  and  waving  around  (like  grass 


A  related  question  about  place.  In  some  of  your  films — I'm  thinking  of  Red 
Shovel  at  the  moment — I'm  never  sure  where  I  am:  It  could  be  the  Midwest  or 
Maine,  where  I  know  you've  spent  a  lot  of  time.  The  sound  says  Maine. 

In  Red  Shovel,  both  sound  and  image  happen  to  be  Maine.  But  there 
are  plenty  of  times  when  I  mix  different  places  together.  Even  though 
I  told  you  that  in  50  Feet  of  String  I  had  a  rule  to  shoot  within  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  my  kitchen  in  Iowa  City,  50  Feet  has  sounds  in  it  from  all 
over  (East,  West,  Midwest,  France  .  .  .),  and  thinking  about  those 
sounds  vividly  evokes  my  memories  of  those  places.  In  fact,  I  frequent- 
ly listen  to  my  raw  tapes  the  way  people  look  at  photo  albums — to 
remember.  Sound  seems  to  bring  me  deeper  into  memory  than  photos. 
The  thing  about  sound,  though,  is  that  what  are  geographical  markers 


or  weeds),  you  can  really  mess  with  those  distant  light  rays. 

Third,  there's  camera  position.  This  is  obvious  I  suppose,  but  small 
changes  in  camera  position  create  extremely  different  perceptions  of 
the  activity  in  the  frame.  The  toy  tractor  shots  (and  many  others  too; 
I'll  just  keep  to  this  example)  took  most  of  the  morning  to  set  up  and 
shoot.  I  changed  elevation,  tilt  angle,  location,  etc.,  in  very  small  incre- 
ments. Since  I  was  on  the  ground,  a  few  inches  in  elevation  drastical- 
ly changed  the  horizon  and  the  effect  of  the  out-of-focus  but  diffract- 
ing grass.  This  might  explain  partly  why  I  shoot  from  the  ground  so 
much:  I  like  the  effect  of  grass.  It  also  causes  me  to  keep  my  grass 
longer  than  the  socially  accepted  norm  in  my  neighborhood! 

Both  your  videos  and  your  films  are  much  involved  with  sound.  Have  you  always 
explored  sound? 

That's  very  important.  I  did  sound  before  I  did  films  or  videos,  at  the 
school  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston,  where  I  also  painted  and 
did  ceramics.  Ever  since  I  was  little  I'd  done  conventional  music,  hut 
at  art  school  I  did  musique  concrete,  building  sounds  on  tape;  then 
when  I  went  to  school  in  Iowa,  I  did  electronic  music.  I  thought  I  went 
to  Iowa  to  be  a  music  major,  but  there's  this  problem  with  musique 
concrete:  what  do  you  do  at  a  concert?  It's  very  awkward:  You're  sit- 
ting in  an  auditorium  and  everyone's  watching  you  play  tape!  So  my 
first  impulse  was,  "Well,  I'll  take  a  film  course,  and  that'll  give  me 
something  to  put  the  music  to."  Once  I  did  that,  I  saw  the  similarities 
in  the  process  of  making  imagery  and  making  sound.  I  never  wanted  to 
be  a  filmmaker  until  I  actually  started  working  with  the  material,  and 
then  I  thought,  "Images  and  sound,  this  is  pretty  rich  stuff!" 


for  me  in  most  cases  remain  ambiguous  to  others.  I  still  make  images 
thinking,  "This'll  be  fun  to  do  sound  to."  Sound  is  still  the  part  I  like 
the  most. 

One  of  the  things  that  seems  clear  in  Peter  Mutton's  films  is  that  while  he's  doing 
something  that's  very  particularly  his  own,  at  the  same  time  his  work  reminds 
me  not  only  of  early  film  (the  Lumieres,  in  particular),  but  of  a  whole  history  of 
painting  and  photography.  His  films  are  resonant  of  the  history  of  art,  and  he 
assumes  some  viewers  will  see  these  resonances.  Is  this  true  of  you,  too? 

With  painting,  yes.  When  I'm  working  on  a  film,  part  of  my  work  is  to 
go  and  look  at  paintings.  I  do  it  very  consciously.  Hopper  is  big  for  me. 
Helen  Frankenthaler.  Rothko.  And  Turner.  And  Renoir.  Monet.  I  fill 
myself  up  with  these  kinds  of  images  and  read  what  the  artists  have 
written  about  their  work,  then  I  just  go  and  shoot  without  thinking  too 
much  about  it.  But  I  know  it  has  an  influence.  You  Can  Drive  the  Big 
Rigs  (1989)  is  pretty  Hopper-esque.  Red  Shovel  is  Renoir-esque.  I  never 
try  to  mimic  a  Hopper  painting,  nor  am  I  trying  to  get  people  to  think, 
"Oh,  Hopper!"  necessarily.  But  I  like  it  when  people  say,  like  someone 
at  Cornell  University  recently  did,  "I  just  saw  a  bunch  of  Bonnard 
paintings  and  your  film  reminded  me  of  them."  That's  good  for  me. 

Scott  MacDoruild  has  just  finished  The  Garden  in  the  Machine,  a  book  of  essays 

about  the  depiction  of  landscape  and  cityscape  in  modem  independent  media.  He  is 

at  work  on  A  Critical  Cinema  4,  the  fourth  in  a  series  of  books  of  interviews  with 

independent  filmmakers,  published  by  the  University  of  California  Press. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


"  e're  kind  of  a  garage  band  of  filmmaking,"  says  Dan 
Myrick  OF  his  collaborators,  an  Orlando,  Florida-based 
film  collective  called  Haxan  Films.  Low-fi  and  revved  up 
with  basement  tape  ingenuity,  Haxan  cranked  it  to  eleven  in  their 
debut  film  as  a  group,  a  thoroughly  spooky  mock-documentary-cum- 
horror  film  called  The  Blair  Witch  Project.  The  film  premiered  in  a  mid- 
night screening  at  this  year's  Sundance  Film  Festival,  and  its  visceral 
effect  may  have  come  as  a  surprise  to  the  parka-clad  crowd.  Unlike  the 
winking,  self-referential  spate  of  teen  horror  films  that  have  glutted 
multiplexes  since  Scream,  this  film  is  actually  scary.  More  surprising 
still,  the  most  terrifying  thing  in  the  picture  is  a  bundle  of  sticks. 

The  premise  of  The  Blair  Witch  Project  essentially  follows  the  time- 
worn  scheme  of  a  campfire  story.  But  as  anyone  who's  lain  trembling  in 
a  sleeping  bag  with  a  flashlight  for  half  the  night  knows,  a  good  ghost 
story  has  a  certain  terrifying  efficiency.  Monkey's  paw,  china  doll,  what- 
ever: from  bare  details  uncoils  a  dark  yarn  of  suggestion.  In  the  classics 
of  the  genre,  it's  what  you're  not  told  that  gives  you  the  creeps  ("What 
ever  happened  to  the  old  man?  No  one  knows."). 

The  Blair  Witch  Project  begins  with  the  same  type  of  narrative  ellip- 
sis. In  the  fall  of  1994  (the  film  states  in  its  opening  title  cards)  three 
film  students  hiked  into  Maryland's  Black  Hills  Forest  to  shoot  a  doc- 
umentary* on  a  local  legend,  "The  Blair  Witch."  They  were  never  heard 
from  again.  A  year  later,  their  footage  was  found.  This  is  that  footage. 
Creepy,  right? 

Using  only  this  "found  footage"  of  the  disappeared  filmmakers,  The 
Blair  Witch  Project  alternates  black  &.  white  16mm  (material  intended 


for  the  students'  documentary)  with  Hi8  video  shot  by  the  trio's  leader, 
a  prepossessing  young  woman  named  Heather  Donahue.  The  result  is 
a  first-person,  entirely  subjective  experience.  Watching  The  Blair  Witch 
Project,  there  is  no  relief  from  the  spiraling  confusion,  suspicion,  and 
fear  of  its  subjects  as  they  get  hopelessly  lost  in  the  woods  and  then 
find  themselves  being  followed,  even  hunted,  by  unseen  nocturnal 
beings. 

What  ultimately  makes  the  film  so  effective  is  the  painstaking 
efforts  the  filmmakers  have  made  to  situate  their  tale  within  the 
framework  of  the  real.  But  there  are  two  realities  that  contribute  here. 
The  primary  one  is  the  visible,  familiar  world,  one  that's  suggested  by 
the  verite,  first-person  camerawork  and  the  bare-wire,  unselfconscious 
reactions  of  the  actors,  improvised  under  the  duress  of  sleep-depriva- 
tion, physical  exhaustion,  and  the  uncertainty  of  a  scriptless  eight-day 
journey  into  the  woods,  made  in  almost  complete  isolation. 

The  other  reality  is  a  thoroughly  constructed,  fictitious  one,  a  care- 
fully wrought  legend  of  nearly  fetishistic  detail  that  incorporates  some 
300  years  of  local  lore  with  contrived  "texts,"  related  "events,"  and  the 
tangible,  terrible  stuff  of  Reality  TV:  crime  scene  photos,  and  inter- 
views with  police  and  the  lost  filmmakers'  families.  Perhaps  most  inter- 
esting about  all  of  this  is  that  it  takes  place  outside  the  frame — the 
mock  doc's  backstory,  as  it  were.  There  are  strands  of  this  mystery,  the 
film  implies,  that  lead  to  darker  tales,  ones  that  reflect  grimly  on  the 
unknown  (and  thus  all  the  more  unnerving)  fate  of  the  vanished 
three. 

Both  in  process  and  in  conception,  The  Blair  Witch  Project  is  the 


36     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


result  of  something  the  Haxan  filmmakers  called  "Method 
Filmmaking,"  an  approach  employed  to  bring  to  this  tale  of  supernat' 
ural  horror  the  disquieting  patina  of  realism. 

HE  FIVE  INITIATES  OF  HAXAN  FILMS — BlAIR  WlTCH  CO-WRIT- 
ers,  directors,  and  editors  Dan  Myrick  and  Ed  Sanchez,  along 
with  producers  Gregg  Hale  and  Robin  Cowie,  and  co-produc- 
er Michael  Monello — met  in  the  film  program  at  the  University  of 
Central  Florida,  where  they  variously  worked  on  student  projects 
(including  a  Twilight  Zone-like  trilogy  called  Black  Chapters  and  a  story 
of  a  witch  punished  for  employing  her  gift  to  cheap  commercial  ends) . 
After  school,  they  picked  up  production  savvy  on  feature  films,  shorts, 
commercials,  and  television  work.  In  1993,  Myrick  and  Sanchez  came 
up  with  an  idea  they  referred  to  as  The  Woods  Movie. 

Myrick  and  Sanchez  are  fans  of  a  certain  type  of  horror  film:  "The 
Exorcist,  The  Omen,"  says  Sanchez.  "The  Changeling — a  really  creepy 
movie."  Creepy — all  three — because  they  tell  of  occult  happenings 
that  occur  next  door,  in  that  house  right  over  there.  But  it's  another 
kind  of  film  that  really  captivated  the  Haxan  gang,  and  ultimately 
served  as  their  model  for  The  Blair  Witch  Project:  UFO  documentaries, 
Big  Foot  investigations,  Chariots  of  the  Gods.  "We  just  went  out  to  the 


ers?'  I  just  started  laughing.  I  said,  'John,  this  is  all  fiction.  This  is  just 
a  trailer  for  our  movie.'  "  Pierson  ended  up  buying  the  eight-minute 
segment  as  a  cliff  hanger  for  his  first  season's  close,  and  the  Haxan  col- 
lective used  that  money  to  shoot  much  of  the  footage  that  comprises 
The  Blair  Witch  Project.  "He  was  instrumental — not  only  giving  us 
money  for  the  film,  but  also  generating  the  buzz  that  ultimately  par- 
layed into  Sundance." 

Pierson's  reaction  isn't  that  uncommon — something  that  speaks  to 
the  film's  effectiveness.  There  were  a  few  people  at  Sundance  who  were 
embarrassed  to  learn  that  the  film  was  fiction. 

PART  FROM  A  DETAILED  STORY  OUTLINE,  THE  BLAIR  WlTCH 
Project  is  improvised  by  its  actors.  Casting,  then,  was  a 
process  of  looking  at  the  essential  issues  of  character:  were 
the  actors  themselves  the  kind  of  people  the  filmmakers  envisioned? 
"In  the  casting  process,  we  wanted  the  actors  to  be  one  step  removed 
from  the  characters,  so  that  they  would  draw  on  their  own  past  expe- 
riences and  just  kind  of  intertwine  them  with  our  character  profiles," 
says  Myrick.  Delineation  between  actual  and  invented  is  blurred;  the 
character  "Heather"  is  played  in  the  film  by  an  actress  named  Heather. 
"We  used  their  real  names,  so  when  they're  in  the  states  of  despair  and 


(Yitch  Project 


video  store  and  rented  as  many  of  those  cheeseball  pseudo-documen- 
tary films  as  we  could,"  says  Sanchez,  "and  just  watched  them  and 
creeped  ourselves  out  the  whole  night."  There's  something  about  the 
seventies  era's  take  on  far-out  theories 
and  mysterious  happenings  that  really 
appealed.  So  much  so  that  Sanchez  and 
Myrick  had  originally  planned  to  set  the 
lost  filmmakers  of  The  Blair  Witch 
Project  in  the  late  seventies,  something 
low-budget  realities — period  cars  and 
wardrobe — made  impractical. 

"The  collective  coalesced  around 
Blair"  says  Sanchez.  Producer  Gregg  Hale  in  particular  was  enthused 
by  the  project  and  offered  to  front  his  own  money  to  get  it  made.  In 
the  end,  he  didn't  have  to.  Co-producer  Mike  Monello  was  working  at 
the  Florida  Film  Festival,  when  John  Pierson — who  was  in  the  first  sea- 
son of  his  cable  television  program  Split  Screen — came  to  the  festival  to 
shoot  a  segment  for  the  show.  Pierson  likes  to  hire  local  filmmakers  to 
shoot,  and  Monello  recommended  Myrick,  who  worked  for  four  days 
on  the  show.  At  the  end  of  the  shoot  he  handed  Pierson  an  eight- 
minute  investor  reel  for  The  Blair  Witch  Project.  The  reel  included  only 
backstory  about  the  local  legend  and  talked  about  the  missing  film- 
makers and  their  footage — none  of  which  had  been  shot  yet. 

"He  bought  it  hook,  line,  and  sinker,"  says  Myrick.  "He  thought  it 
one  hundred  percent  genuine.  He  called  me  up  and  said,  'Dan,  when 
are  you  guys  going  to  have  access  to  this  footage  from  these  filmmak- 


The  filmmakers  kept  track  of  the  actors 
with  a  Global  Positioning  System  and 
shadowed  them  at  a  distance,  leaving 

notes  on  character  and  story,  along  with 
supplies,  in  marked  drop  points. 


by   Adam    Pincus 

real  emotion,  they  could  be  as  natural  as  humanly  possible." 

Sanchez  describes  the  audition  process  as  a  study  in  anti-acting: 
"We  said,  As  soon  as  you  go  in  the  door,  the  audition  begins,  so  be 

ready.  No  characters,  no  accents.  Just 
be  yourself  As  soon  as  they  would 
come  in,  we  would  say  something  like, 
After  serving  nine  years  of  an  eighteen 
year  sentence,  you  come  in  front  of  this 
parole  board  to  plead  your  case  for  early 
release.  Before  we  make  our  decision, 
we'd  like  to  give  you  the  chance  to  say 
a  few  words  on  your  own  behalf  Some 
people  would  be  like  'Is  this  the  audition?'  But  a  lot  of  people  really 
blew  us  away." 

Once  they  had  decided  on  their  three  actors,  the  Haxan  filmmakers 
gave  them  a  quick  course  in  camera  and  sound  basics  and  set  them 
loose.  The  actors  themselves — playing  the  trio  of  student  filmmak- 
ers— shot  the  footage  that  makes  up  the  film.  The  eight- day  shoot  was 
guided  by  the  Haxan  filmmakers  from  the  outline  of  essential  story 
points — riot  that  the  actors  knew  anything  about  it.  "We  gave  the 
information  to  the  actors  on  a  'need  to  know'  basis,"  says  Sanchez. 

Method  Filmmaking  takes  hold.  The  actors  were  led  from  various 
locations  within  the  town  to  the  remote  climes  of  Maryland's  Seneca 
Creek  State  Park.  There  they  wandered  in  almost  complete  isolation 
for  the  remaining  six  days  of  the  shoot.  The  filmmakers  kept  track  of 
the  actors  with  a  Global  Positioning  System  and  shadowed  them  at  a 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


) 


di  leaving  notes  on  character  and 

si  >ry  along  with  supplies,  in  marked  drop 

"There  was  an  immense  amount 

ist  on  both  sides,"  says  Myrick.  "Us 

r  i  allow  them  to  shoot  our  film,  and  of 

course  them  to  not  think  that  we  were 

setting  them  up  for  some  snuff  film." 

Uncertainty,  confusion,  and  fear. 
After  eight  days — hiking  long  distances, 
left  increasingly  fewer  supplies,  harassed 
in  the  night  by  shrieks,  waking  up  to  omi- 
nous totems — the  brittle,  beleaguered, 
and  finally  terrified  reactions  of  the 
actors  seem  entirely  genuine.  "They  had 
no  idea  of  what  was  going  to  happen," 
says  Sanchez  unapologe  tic  ally. 

"The  way  I  see  it,  we  built  this  tunnel 
of  reality  around  them,  wherever  they 
walked.  It's  almost  like  having  a  sound 
stage  that  just  doesn't  end.  We  controlled 
it.  We  tried  not  to  get  them  near  houses. 
We  tried  to  keep  them  away  from  roads. 
In  the  town,  they'd  get  to  a  coffee  shop 
and  there  would  be  a  couple  of  actors  in 
there  planted  by  us.  But  they  didn't  know 
who  was  who."  Told  to  act  as  themselves 
and  led  through  a  world  controlled  by 

unseen  forces,  never  knowing  where  reality  left  off  and  fiction  began, 
the  actors  had  a  kind  of  total  experience  with  the  Blair  Witch  shoot. 
"That's  what  Method  Filmmaking  is,"  Sanchez  says.  "In  this  case  it  was 
an  eight-day  play.  They  were  completely  inhabiting  the  world  of  the 
characters,  twenty-four  hours  a  day.  You  get  things  that  way  that  you 
really  can't  get  any  other  way." 

Myrick  concurs:  "We  were  always  trying  to  walk  that  line,  push  that 
limit  of  realism."  Indeed,  the  approach  took  a  certain  psychological 
toll.  "Heather  told  Ed — and  Mike  told  me  the  same  thing — that  they 
had  to  go  off  and  remind  themselves  that  they  had  a  life  outside  of  this 
movie,"  he  says.  "It  was  getting  so  close,  they  were  pushing  the  limit  so 
much,  that  they  had  to  separate  themselves  psychologically  from  the 
movie,  from  what  they  really  were." 

-  N  THE  FILMMAKERS'  INITIAL  CONCEPTION,  "THE  FILM  WAS  GOING 
to  be  more  of  a  documentary,"  Sanchez  says.  "Almost  like  an 
[episode  of]  Nova.  Originally  we  were  only  going  to  use  twenty 
or  thirty-  minutes  of  the  footage."  Surrounding  this  "found"  material, 
they  intended  to  craft  a  pseudo-documentary — not  unlike  the  Big  Foot 
movies  that  inspired  them,  if  more  determinedly  "pseudo" — that  would 
explore  both  the  disappearance  of  the  filmmakers  and  the  elaborately 
constructed  legend  Haxan  had  created  around  "the  Blair  Witch"  phe- 
nomenon. 

The  Haxan  filmmakers  referred  to  the  students'  footage  as  Phase  I. 
Phase  II  was  to  include  1940s  newsreel  footage  of  serial  killer  Rustin 
Parr,  who  claimed  to  have  been  compelled  by  "an  old  woman  ghost"  to 
ritually  murder  seven  local  children  at  the  modern  site  of  the  Blair 
Witch.  In  homage  to  their  models,  there  was  to  be  a  show  called  Mystic 
Occurrences,  a  kind  of  In  Search  of .  .  .  rip-off,  shot  seventies  style.  Local 
newscasts  and  interviews  with  police  and  the  filmmakers'  families  were 


"We  built  this  tunnel  of  reality  around 
the  actors,  wherever  they  walked.  It's 
almost  like  having  a  sound  stage  that 

jUSt  doesn't  end."  —  Ed  Sanchez 


Joshua  Leonard  shooting  the 
16mm  portion  of  the  trip 
into  the  Black  Hills  Forest 

(left):  Eduardo  Sanchez  and 
Daniel  Myrick,  the  film's 
co-writers,  co-directors, 
and  co-editors 


shot,  intended  to  frame  the  tale. 

But  after  paring  the  "found"  footage 
down  to  an  hour  and  a  half,  Myrick  and 
Sanchez  tried  incorporating  the  Phase  II 
material.  "It  just  didn't  work,"  admits 
Sanchez.  "It  took  away  from  the  power 
of  the  film.  Once  we  showed  the  film,  we 
saw  that  it  stood  up  on  its  own." 

Of  course,  the  material  that  comprises 
the  finished  film  isn't  actually  "on  its 
own"  at  all.  The  elaborate  construct 
invented  by  the  filmmakers — a  Blair 
Witch  legend  that  goes  back  to  1785,  a 
rare  19th  century  text  called  "The  Blair 
Witch  Cult,"  the  ritual  slayings  from  the 
1940s,  the  "evidence"  of  the  three  stu- 
dents' disappearance  (made  material  in 
crime  scene  photos,  film  cans,  and 
videotapes),  and  the  story  of  its  discov- 
ery by  an  anthropology  class  from  the 
University  of  Maryland — all  of  this  con- 
trived history  constitutes  a  fully  realized 
world.  It  exists  off  screen,  but  it  brings  a 
dimensional  reality  to  what's  visible. 

As  for  the  Phase  II  material:  "We're 
talking  about  the  possibility  of  that  being 
incorporated  into  a  more  tradition  docu- 
mentary format  for  another  project,"  says  Myrick.  "We  may  integrate 
some  of  those  segments  on  the  web  site  [www.blairwitch.com],  so  peo- 
ple can  download  some  of  those  things.  It'll  be  used."  Haxan  Films  is 
discussing  a  one-hour  show  that  would  incorporate  the  unused  footage. 
"Actually,"  says  Sanchez,  "I  had  a  dream  last  night  about  Leonard 
Nimoy  doing  it — and  it  was  creeping  me  out.  If  we  could  get  him  to 
narrate  it,  that  would  be  very,  very  cool." 

The  web — a  natural  place  for  the  seamless  blending  of  fact  and  fic- 
tion (it  happens  all  the  time) — has  been  an  environment  where  the 
extended  legend  of  the  Blair  Witch  has  flourished — outtakes,  evidence, 
and  an  entire  section  called  "The  Aftermath."  Pierson's  web  site 
[www.grainypix.com]  received  hundreds  of  curious  hits  after  the  initial 
Blair  Witch  material  was  aired  on  Spirt  Screen. 

As  for  Haxan  Films  and  their  collaborative  filmmaking  endeavors, 
Sanchez  says,  "the  collective  is  going  to  stay.  Dan  and  I  are  writing  a 
comedy  with  our  roommate,  Dave  Brown,  called  Heart  of  Love  which  it 
looks  like  we're  going  to  be  able  to  do.  And  we're  also  thinking  about 
the  Blair  sequel."  The  collective  has  a  first-look  deal  with  Artisan, 
whose  experience  bringing  the  cerebral  willies  to  audiences  with  last 
year's  Pi  encouraged  them  to  acquire  The  Blair  Witch  Project  at 
Sundance.  (The  film  opens  July  16.) 

"We're  always  brainstorming  ideas,"  says  Myrick,  "and  trust  each 
other  enough  to  say,  'What  do  you  think  about  this  shot  or  this  idea.7' 
It's  a  constant  refinement  process.  We  know  in  our  hearts  we're  not  the 
next  Stephen  Spielberg  or  Oliver  Stone.  We're  all  in  our  thirties  now. 
We're  not  19-year-old  prodigies  coming  out  with  the  next  greatest 
thing.  We  combine  our  strengths.  And  Blair  is  the  result  of  that." 

Adam  Pincus  is  a  writer/producer  at  Sundance  Channel,  a  freelance  writer  on 
independent  film  and  technology,  and  a  new  media  consultant. 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


I 


www.aivf.org 


33- 


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artists'  works  in  our  viewing  room,  organize  curated 
programs  and  print  small  catalogs,  initiate  internation- 
al exhibitions  of  Canadian  video  art,  maintain  an  exten- 
sive on-site  resource  center  open  to  the  public.  We  also 
have  the  most  complete  restoration  and  recovery  ser- 
vice for  electronic  media  in  Canada  and  provide  exhibi- 
tion equipment  (projectors,  decks,  sound  systems, 
monitors)  to  local  artists  and  art  centers  at  very  low 
rates. 

V  tape's  goal  as  a  nonprofit  distributor  of  indepen- 
dent media  is . . . 

to  increase  the  monies  going  into  artists'  pockets  and  to 
extend  the  reach  of  these  artworks  into  the  public  eye. 


BY     LlSSA     GlBBS 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

2,388  titles  by  over  600  artists 

Who  is  V  tape? 

V  tape  is  a  nonprofit  artist-run  organization.  Key  staff 
include  Kim  Tomczak,  executive  director;  Wanda  van 
der  Stoop,  director  of  communications;  Lisa  Steele, 
director  of  finances;  Louise  Liliefeldt,  distribution  man- 
ager; and  Cynthia  Lickers,  outreach  coordinator  for 
Aboriginal  projects.  Our  Board  of  Directors  includes 
video  artists  Colin  Campbell,  John  Greyson,  and  Nelson 
Henricks;  curators  Nicole  Gingras  and  Andrea  Fatona; 
and  photo  artist  Leah  Visser. 

What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn  about 

V  tape  and/or  its  staff? 

We  have  a  flag  of  the  week,  and  we  all  get  along  with 
each  other  really  well. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  V  tape  come  into  being? 

V  tape  was  formed  in  1980  by  a  group  of  five  artists 
(Steele,  Campbell,  Rodney  Werden,  Susan  Britton,  and 
Clive  Robertson)  who  withdrew  their  work  from  distrib- 
ution with  Art  Metropole,  a  Toronto  video  and  artists' 
multiples'  distributor,  and  began  to  operate  as  a  collec- 
tive. We  printed 
a  small  catalog 
of  our  titles  and 
would  support 
the  screening  of 
each  others' 
tapes  when 
curators  or 
artists  came  into 
Toronto.  In  1983, 
Kim  Tomczak 
and  Lisa  Steele, 
with  the  bless- 
ings of  the  other 

V  tape  mem- 
bers, began  a 
y  e  a  r  -  I  o  n  g 
research  project 


to  develop  strategies  for  how  to  increase  the  audiences 
and  appreciation  for  the  work  of  video  artists.  From  the 
beginning,  a  searchable,  computerized  database  cata- 
log was  seen  to  be  crucial  to  the  project. 

Where  does  the  money  come  from  to  fund  V  tape's 
activities? 

Roughly  50%  of  our  operating  funds  comes  from  gov- 
ernment sources  (the  Canada  Council  for  the  Arts,  the 
Toronto  Arts  Council,  and  the  Ontario  Arts  Council),  with 
the  remaining  monies  being  self-generated  by  sale  and 
rentals  of  videos,  rental  of  exhibition  equipment,  and 
other  services  (dubbing,  sale  of  books  and  catalogs, 
research  fees,  etc.). 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 

We  specialize  in  video  art  and  independently  produced 
documentaries.  Many  of  the  documentaries  are  highly 
innovative;  we  call  them  hybrid  documentaries.  Many  of 
the  video  art  titles  are  performative  and/or  experimen- 
tal. Many  are  produced  by  visual  artists  who  work  in  a 
variety  of  media. 

Best  known  titles  and/or  directors  in  collection: 

John  Greyson's  video  works  including  Uncut  and  Herr, 
all  of  Vera  Frenkel's  video  and  web-based  works;  all  of 
Ulrike  Rosenbach's  video  work;  Mona  Hatoum's  single- 
channel  work;  all  of  Richard  Fung's  experimental  docu- 
mentaries; Mike  Hoolboom's  video  titles;  Steve  Reinke's 
videos;  and  all  of  Robert  and  Donald  Kinney's  videos. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


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HARMONIC 


Do  you  only  distribute  works  made  by  Canadians? 

75  to  80  percent  of  our  titles  were  produced  by 
Canadian  artists;  the  remainder  are  American.  British, 
Japanese,  and  "other." 

How  is  the  collection  organized? 

We  have  a  very  user-friendly  database  which  allows 
people  to  search  in  almost  limitless  ways.  So  in  addition 
to  searches  by  artist  and  titles  and  the  more  traditional 
genre  categories  (documentary,  experimental,  perfor- 
mance, etc.)  and  subject  categories  (gay  and  lesbian, 
environment,  law,  health,  etc.  ),  you  can  also  search 
only  new  titles,  only  titles  under  five  minutes,  or  titles 
produced  by  Aboriginal  artists.  You  can  also  search  by 
key  word,  which  allows  curators  and  programmers 
putting  together  thematic  programs  to  see  descriptions 
of  a  range  of  materials  they  might  not  otherwise  have 
access  to. 

How  do  you  decide  what  to  add  to  your  collection? 

We  are  an  inclusive  distributor,  but  we  do  look  at  all 
work  submitted  to  us  and  decide  if  we  are  the  best 
place  for  your  title.  If  we  think  that  you  should  approach 
an  educational  commercial  distributor — based  on  your 
expectations  and  the  work  itself — we  provide  you  with 
that  feedback.  We  also  try  to  be  realistic  with  all  artists 
submitting  work — especially  the  first  title  to  come  into 
distribution;  it  is  important  that  artists  understand  that 
they  must  provide  V  tape  with  sub-masters  and  dubs, 
information  and  signed  contracts  before  anything  hap- 
pens. It  takes  a  certain  amount  of  commitment  from  the 
artist  to  make  the  relationship  with  the  distributor  work. 
We  operate  on  the  model  of  a  visual 
artists'  agent;  we  bring  artists — not 
just  individual  titles — into  distribu- 
tion. It  is  important  for  non-Canadian 
artists  to  realize  that  the  Canadian 
market  is  quite  a  small  one — our 
population  is  10  percent  that  of  the 
U.S.  Therefore,  potential  for  screen- 
ings is  more  limited  than  in  the  U.S. 

Where  do  V  tape  titles  generally 
show? 

Museums,  art  galleries,  university 
lecture  halls,  libraries,  community 
centers,  and  festivals  around  the 
world. 


Most  unusual  place  a  V 
tape  title  has  shown: 

During  the  1998  CAA  (College 
Art  Association)  meeting  in 
Toronto,  V  tape  presented  a 
screening  of  Aboriginal 
artists'  videos  on  a  bus  trip 
to  Woodlands  Cultural  Centre 
in  Brantford,  Ontario.  A  good 
time  was  had  by  all. 

Range  of  production  bud- 
gets of  titles  in  your  collection: 

From  $50  to  $200,000  +  . 

What's  the  basic  structure  of  a  filmmaker's  distrib- 
ution deal  with  V  tape? 

We  pay  all  Canadian  artists  twice  per  year;  all  others 
are  paid  once  per  year.  Our  artists  receive  75  percent 
of  all  monies  we  collect  on  their  behalf.  It's  a  very 
high  percentage,  but  we  feel  the  artists  deserve  it. 

The  biggest  challenge  in  reaching  your  audience 
is: 

achieving  adequate  publicity  and  promotion  from 
mainstream  media  sources.  When  you're  shut  out  of 
the  papers  and  local  coverage,  it  means  new  view- 
ers— what  we  call  the  next  tier  of  audience — isn't 
even  aware  of  your  activities  and  thus  can't  decide 
for  themselves  if  they  want  to  come  for  a  screening 
or  not. 

Biggest  change  at  V  tape  in  the  last  five  years: 

Arts  organizations  have  had  to  adapt  to  rapid 
changes  in  the  way  they  receive  economic  support 
from  public  and  private  funds.  We  have  had  to  wres- 
tle ourselves  into  a  very  responsive  and  very  flexible 
organization  at  the  same  time  trying  not  to  lose  sight  of 
the  8  ball.  And,  most  importantly,  our  partnership  with 
Aboriginal  media  artists,  which  has  resulted  in  two  cat- 
alogs of  works  by  Aboriginal  artists,  several  regional 
tours  of  Reserves  (in  the  U.S.  you  call  them  reserva- 
tions) in  Canada,  numerous  new  artists  being  brought 
into  distribution,  and  a  number  of  screenings  and  mini- 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


festivals  of  Aboriginal  titles  being  sponsored  and  co- 
sponsored  by  V  tape. 

Where  will  V  tape  be  10  years  from  now? 

We  will  be  working  more  and  more  on  the  restoration  of 
older  video  works  as  well  as  with  new  technologies  of 
distribution,  such  as  web  delivery  and  video  on 
demand. 

The  difference  between  V  tape  and  other  distribu- 
tors of  independent  work  is . . . 

well,  one  difference  is  that  we  do  not  de-accession 
work.  We  believe  a  work  gains  in  value  as  it  ages. 

Other  distributors  you  admire  and  why: 

Electronic  Arts  Intermix  because  of  their  commitment  to 
the  classics,  and  Women  Make  Movies  because  of  their 
effectiveness  in  marketing. 


From  Lonely  Boy,  from  Steve  Reinke 


Upcoming  V  tape  work  and  projects  to  keep  an  eye 
out  for: 

See  our  web  site  [www.vtape.org]  for  updates  on  all  our 
new  releases. 

Famous  last  words: 

As  distributors  we  constantly  remind  all  levels  of  fund- 
ing and  support  for  the  media  arts  that  distribution  is  a 
vital  link  in  the  ecology  of  media  arts.  Everybody  wants 
to  fund  and  support  the  artist  directly — to  fund  produc- 
tion. It's  sexy.  But  without  distribution,  nobody  will  see 
the  beautiful  works  being  done  today  and  the  artists  get 
discouraged  and  move  on.  We  are  always  aware  of  this. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  monthly  column  conducted  by  fax  ques- 
tionaire  that  profiles  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  indepen- 
dent film  and  video.  To  suggest  profile  subjects,  contact:  Lissa 
Gibbs,  c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl.,  New  York, 
NY  10013,  or  drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink.net 


Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director 


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W^E     KlEIE 


Smithsonian  Institution 

The  film  collection  horn  the  great  cultural 
institution's  Office  of  Telecommunications. 


KlIJJAM 

The  world's  premier  collection  of  early  motion 
pictures,  silent  features,  and  shorts:  1896-1940. 


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dating  back  to  the  turn  of  the  century. 


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email:  clips@filmclip.com 


THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  CONTEMPORARY  &  ARCHIVAL  STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


EXPERIMENTAL 
TELEVISION  CENTER 


ICHELLE    COE 


learning  and  creative  exploration  are  worthy  goals.  The 
tape  collection  offers  artists  a  chance  to  see  a  lot  of 
work. 

ETC  offers  two  different  grants:  the  Finishing  Fund 
and  the  Technical  Assistance  Fund.  In  addition,  the 
Presentation  Fund  is  offered  to  nonprofit  arts  orga- 
nizations. What  constitutes  these  funding  pro- 
grams? 


Experimental  Television  Center,  109  Lower  Fairfield 
Rd ,  Newark  Valley,  NY  13811;  tel/fax:  (607)  687- 
4341;  www.experimentaltvcenter.org.;  httpV/video- 
history.alfred.edu;  contact:  Sherry  Miller  Hocking, 
program  director. 


When  and  why  did  the  Experimental  Television 
Center  (ETC)  come  into  being? 

ETC  was  founded  in  1971,  an  outgrowth  of  a  media 
access  program  established  by  Ralph  Hocking  at 
Binghamton  University  in  1969.  The  center's  original 
programs  involved  individuals  from  the  arts,  education, 


and  regional  community  in  activities  that  included 
access  to  portable  video  equipment  and  editing  facili- 
ties, a  weekly  community  cable  series,  an  extensive 
series  of  workshops,  an  annual  exhibition  series,  a  res- 
idency program,  support  services  for  artists,  plus 
research  and  development  of  imaging  tools  and  sys- 
tems. 

The  driving  philosophy  behind  ETC  is . . . 

To  support  artists  as  they  investigate  the  media  and 
create  powerful,  innovative,  risk-taking  artwork.  All  of 
our  programs — residencies,  grants,  and  our  work  on 
video  history  and  preservation — derive  from  our  belief 
in  the  importance  of  the  individual  artist  in  our  culture. 
Specifically,  our  mission  is  to  support  the  self-directed 
creation  of  new  work  using  electronic  media  technolo- 
gies by  providing  space  and  time  to  artists,  and  by  pro- 
viding them  with  funding  and  administrative  support. 

For  years,  ETC  has  been  working  on  the  Video 


History  Project,  documenting  the  early  development 
of  video  art  and  community  television.  What  are  the 
ultimate  goals  of  the  project? 

The  Video  History  Project  is  an  ongoing  research  initia- 
tive that  reflects  the  multiple  and  interrelated  histories 
of  the  media  field.  The  goals  are  realized  in  an  interre- 
lated set  of  activities  combining  research;  oral  history 
interviews;  a  conference  on  the  links  between  the  early 
history  and  contemporary  practice  called  Video  History: 
Making  Connections;  and  a  web  site  [http://videohisto- 
ry.alfred.edu].  Briefly,  we  are  interested  in  providing  a 
dynamic  vehicle  for  the  creation  and  dissemination  of 
an  inclusive  media  history,  crafted  by  those  who  are 
shaping  it. 

ETC  offers  an  artist  residency  program.  What  do  you 
provide  film/video  artists? 

We  have  offered  residencies  to  artists  since  the  center 
began.  Each  residency  is  treated  individually.  The  resi- 
dency is  self-directed;  artists  are  provided  with  the 
tools,  the  time,  and  the  space,  and  then  left  to  do  their 
work.  We  are  located  in  the  small  village  of  Owego, 
along  the  Susquehanna  River  about  25  miles  south  of 
Ithaca.  The  studio  space  is  comfortable — much  like  a 
personal  studio  or  loft  space.  Artists  can  set  their  own 
schedules,  working  around  the  clock  if  they  desire.  We 
teach  them  to  use  the  analog/digital  system,  so  they  are 
free  to  explore  in  any  direction  they  wish.  There  is  no 
external  pressure  to  complete  a  work;  we  feel  that 


Actually,  both  Finishing  Funds  and  Presentation  Funds 
were  designed  to  provide  direct  support  to  individual 
artists,  although  their  mechanisms  are  different. 
Finishing  Funds  provides  artists  with  grants  up  to 
$1,000  to  help  with  the  completion  of  works-in- 
progress.  Eligible  forms  include  film,  audio,  and  video, 
as  well  as  works  for  the  Internet  and  new  technologies. 
All  genres  are  eligible,  from  documentary  to  narrative 
and  experimental  work. 

Presentation  Funds  provides  grants  to  nonprofit 
organizations  throughout  New  York  State.  The  program 
provides  fees  to  electronic  media  and  film  artists  for 
personal  appearances.  It's  important  to  note  here  that, 
although  an  organization  must  apply,  all  funding  goes 
directly  to  individual  artists,  so  in  a  real  sense  this  pro- 
gram also  provides  assistance  to  individuals. 

The  Media  Arts  Technical  Assistance  Fund,  offered 
in  partnership  with  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the 
Arts  (NYSCA),  is  designed  to  help  nonprofit  media  arts 
programs  stabilize,  strengthen,  or  restructure  their 
organizational  capacity,  services,  and  activities.  This 
fund  will  provide  upward  of  $1,200  per  project.  For 
example,  the  fund  can  help  you  with  staff  attendance  at 
professional  media  conferences  and  meetings  that  will 
build  critical  skills,  or  with  the  hiring  of  consultants  or 
other  professionals  to  help  with  organizational,  man- 
agement, and  programming  issues  that  influence  the 
media  arts  activities  of  your  organization.  By  strength- 


42     THE     INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


ening  media  organizations  statewide,  we  are  helping  to 
bolster  the  infrastructure  that  media  artists  rely  on. 

What  other  ways  do  you  assist  fund  recipients? 

The  center  serves  as  a  sponsoring  organization  for 
artists'  projects  in  the  electronic  and  film  arts.  We  pro- 
vide support  services,  assist  with  development,  and 
provide  fiscal  and  administrative  management  ser- 
vices. 

How  much  of  your  overall  funding  goes  toward  indi- 
vidual film  or  video  projects? 

Since  1996  we  have  administered  awards  to  artists 
totaling  $186,100. 

How  many  media  awards  are  given  out  per  year  for 
each  fund?  What  is  the  average  size  of  a  grant? 

Each  year,  Finishing  Funds  awards  about  $13,000; 
grants  are  either  $500  or  $1,000.  We  had  about  145 
applicants  to  this  year's  program,  with  17  awards 
given.  That's  about  average. 

Presentation  Funds  awards  about  $25,000  annually 
to  nonprofit  organizations  to  pay  artist  fees  ranging  from 
$200  to  $350  per  appearance.  If  the  organization  meets 
the  funding  requirements  and  guidelines  for  the  pro- 
gram, we  will  probably  be  able  to  offer  some  level  of 
additional  support. 

This  is  the  first  year  of  the  Media  Arts  Technical 


Assistance  Fund;  awards  are  generally  limited  to 
$1,200  per  project. 

What  are  the  restrictions  on  applicants'  qualifica- 
tions (e.g.,  ethnicity,  geography,  medium)? 

For  the  Residency  Program,  applicants  must  have  prior 
experiences  in  media  arts  production  and  be  working  on 
a  project  that  concerns  electronic  media  art;  full-time 
students  are  ineligible.  On  average,  between  30  percent 
and  40  percent  of  artists  each  year  reside  outside  the 
state  or  country. 

The  Finishing  Funds  program  is  open  only  to  New 
York  State  artists;  full-time  students  are  ineligible.  We 


fund  electronic  media,  film,  video,  digital,  sonic  work, 
and  work  for  the  Internet  and  new  technologies;  all  gen- 
res are  eligible.  We  can  support  single  and  multichan- 
nel work,  installation,  performance,  and  mixed  media 
works. 

Presentation  Funds  is  open  to  nonprofit  organiza- 
tions in  New  York  State;  support  is  available  for  person- 
al appearances  and  exhibition  of  work.  The  same  gen- 
res are  eligible. 

The  Media  Arts  Technical  Assistance  Fund  is  open  to 
nonprofit  arts,  cultural,  and  educational  organizations 
in  the  state  that  are  currently  receiving  funding  from 
NYSCA  through  the  Electronic  Media  and  Film  Program 
or  through  the  Decentralization  Fund.  Priority  is  given  to 
organizations  with  established  media  arts  activity  in  the 
areas  of  exhibition,  distribution,  facilities/equipment 
access,  training,  preservation,  or  information  services. 

Name  some  of  the  best-known  titles  and/or  artists 
ETC  has  funded: 

We  are  currently  fiscally  sponsoring  artists  whose  pro- 
jects have  received  support  from  NYSCA,  the  National 
Endowment  for  the  Arts,  the  Rockefeller  Foundation,  the 
Soros  Documentary  Fund,  ITVS,  and  other  organiza- 
tions. Among  them  are  Alan  Berliner,  Barbara  Hammer, 
and  Susan  Muska. 

Abigail  Child,  Kathy  High,  Ellen  Spiro,  and  Brian 
Springer  have  received  support  from  Finishing  Funds. 
Last  year  we  supported  presentations  by  such 
artists  as  Ulrike  Koch,  Joan  Braderman,  Sadie 
Benning,  and  Caspar  Stracke  at  such  venues 
as  the  New  York  Animation  Festival,  the 
Harlem  Film  Festival,  the  "Video  on 
Video   Series"   at  the   Saratoga 
Springs  Public  Library,  and  at  DCTV, 
Videoteca    del    Sur,    Hallwalls, 
Squeaky  Wheel,  and  many  other 
places  around  the  state. 
One  activity  that  was  supported  by 
the  Media  Arts  Technical  Assistance 
Fund  during  its  first  year  was  attendance 
by  key  media  groups  to  NAMAC's  14th 
Conference,  hosted  by  Pittsburgh  Filmmakers 
last  October. 

Explain  your  funding  cycle  for  the  different  funds. 
And  who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 

Finishing  Funds  has  a  single  deadline  each  year  of 
March  15.  Applications  are  available  in  January  and 
awards  are  made  by  a  peer  review  panel.  Past  panelists 
have  included  Steina  Vasulka,  Ken  Jacobs,  Chris  Hill, 
Arthur  Tsuchiya,  Mona  Jimenez,  Pam  Jennings,  and 
Carlota  Schoolman. 

Both  Presentation  Funds  and  the  Media  Arts 
Technical  Assistance  Fund  accept  applications  on  an 
ongoing  basis.  Organizations  are  notified  by  the  15th  of 
the  month  following  the  month  the  application  was 
made.  Review  is  based  primarily  on  the  organization's 


Above:  Alan  Berliner's  installation  Critical  Mass 
utilized  13  TVs,  35  audio  speakers,  and  five  car  radios 
to  recreate  the  front  page  of  The  New  York  Times. 
Below:  Dissing  D.A.R.E.:  education  as  spectacle, 
by  Diane  Nerwen  and  Les  LeVeque 


ability  to  meet  the  funding  requirements  and  guidelines 
for  each  program,  with  awards  affected  by  availability  of 
ETC  funds.  Residency  Program  deadlines  are  twice  a 
year,  with  a  potential  six-month  wait  for  eligible  artists. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  in  putting 
forth  a  strong  application? 

Speak  from  the  heart.  Be  passionate.  Be  honest.  Read 
carefully. 

What  is  the  most  common  mistake  applicants  make? 

Writing  an  application  in  "proposal-ese."  I  encourage 
people  to  craft  a  simple  and  clear  description  of  a  pro- 
ject that  they  care  deeply  about. 

What  would  people  most  be  surprised  to  learn  about 
ETC  and/or  its  founders? 

Perhaps  that  we  are  still  at  it. 

Other  foundations  or  grant-making  organizations 
you  admire. 

I  have  a  great  deal  of  respect  for  the  Electronic  Media 
and  Film  Program  at  NYSCA.  The  council  has  been  con- 
sistent and  unfailing  in  its  support  of  the  field.  The  Andy 
Warhol  Foundation  for  the  Visual  Arts  also  has  a  won- 
derful vision  and  a  willingness  to  take  chances  on  com- 
plex projects.  The  New  York  Foundation  for  the  Arts  has 
provided  important  leadership  in  regard  to  support  for 
artists  and  its  important  work  with  the  arts  in  education. 

Michelle  Coe  is  the  program  and  information  services  direc- 
tor at  AIVF. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


B  Y 


Scott   Castle 


listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes,  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months  prior 
to  cover  date  (aug.  1  for  oct.  issue).  include 
festival  dates,  categories,  prizes,  entry  fees, 
deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info.  send  to: 
festivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 

beyond  international  borders  film  festival,  sept 

9-10,  NY.  Deadlines:  July  25  (early);  Aug.  10  (final).  Purpose 
of  fest  is  to  exhibit  work  by  &  for  filmmakers  in  a  comfortable, 
politic-free  environment.  In  other  words,  "Send  us  your  piece 
&  if  we  think  it's  cool,  it's  in."  Cats:  shorts  &  feature-length 
narrative,  doc,  experimental,  video,  animation  &  music  video. 
Fest  panel  incl.  filmmakers,  teachers,  humanitarians,  actors, 
rappers  &  writers.  Awards  incl.:  Bolex,  film  &  other  unique 
prizes.  All  formats  accepted.  Preview  on  VHS.  Incl.  SASE  for 
return.  Entry  fee:  $25  (early);  $35  (final).  Contact:  Alexander 
Berberich,  fest  dir.,  BIBFF,  Box  1285,  New  Rochelle,  NY  10802; 
(914)  636-3633;  fax:  637-7723;  a.berberich@cwix.com 

CHICAGO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  6-21,  IL, 

Deadline:  July  30.  35th  annual  fest  is  the  oldest  competitive 
event  in  North  America.  It  spotlights  the  latest  work  in  int'l  & 
independent  cinema  by  featuring  both  established  int'l  direc- 
tors &  new  directors.  Awards:  Gold  Hugo,  for  best  feature  film 
in  int'l  competition;  separate  prizes  for  docs,  student  films  & 
shorts.  Chicago  is  the  only  U.S.  site  to  award  the  FIPRESCI 
prize  for  1st  &  2nd  time  directors,  judged  by  a  jury  of  top  int'l 
film  critics.  Entry  fees:  $30-$150.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm  & 
70mm  (video  not  accepted).  Preview  on  video  (VHS,  3/4",  U- 
matic),  film  (16mm,  35mm).  Contact:  CIFF,  32  W.  Randolph 
St.,  Ste.  600,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  425-9400;  fax:  425- 
0944;  filmfest@wwa.com;  www.chicago.ddbn.com/filmfest 

CMJ  FILMFEST,  Sept.  15-18,  NY  Deadline:  Aug.l.  CMJ  has 
produced  the  CMJ  Music  Marathon,  the  largest  music  indus- 
try event  in  the  world,  for  nineteen  years.  CMJ's  new  expand- 
ed fest  will  focus  on  the  convergence  of  music  &  film.  Music 
should  play  important  role  in  submitted  films  through  original 
scoring,  soundtrack,  etc.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  short.  Awards 
incl.:  best  feature,  best  short  &  the  CMJ  Master  Award  for 
excellent  use  of  music  in  film.  Formats:  16mm  &  35mm  (1/2" 
video  for  out  of  competition  screening).  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry 
fees:  $25  (features,  docs);  $15  (shorts).  Contact:  CMJFF, 
Donita  Dooley,  director;  (516)  498-3156;  fax:  466-7161; 
donitad@cmj.com;  www.CMJ.com 

CONTEMPORARY  AFRICAN  DIASPORA  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov 

26-Dec.  12,  NY  Deadline:  Aug.  31.  Founded  in  1993,  noncom- 
petitive fest  presents  films  that  depict  human  experience  of 
people  of  color  all  over  the  world.  Over  40  features,  shorts,  docs 
screened  from  Africa,  the  Caribbean.  North  &  South  America  & 
Europe.  Filmmakers  in  residence  participate  in  panel  discus- 
sions. Cats:  features,  shorts  &  docs.  Formats:  16mm  or  35mm 
only.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  CADFF.  535  Cathedral  Pk.  Way. 
Ste.  14B,  New  York.  NY  10025;  (212)  749-6020;  fax:  316-6020; 
ArtMattan@africanfilm.com:  www.africanfilm.com 


DANCE  ON  CAMERA  FESTIVAL,  Jan.  14-22,  NY  Deadline: 
Aug.  15.  28th  annual  fest  is  co-sponsored  by  Dance  Films 
Assoc.  &  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center.  Preference  given  to 
experimental,  doc  &  narrative  projects.  Entries  must  not  have 
shown  in  NYC,  or  on  U.S.  network  TV,  or  been  submitted  to  a 
previous  Dance  on  Camera  fest.  Entries  must  have  been 
completed  since  Jan.  1,  1997.  Formats:  16mm  or  35mm  w/ 
optical  soundtrack,  3/4"  or  Beta  SP  (NTSC);  no  Beta  SP  (PAL) 
can  be  shown.  Preview  on  VHS  1/2"  (PAL  or  NTSC)  &  3/4". 
Entry  fee:  $25  ($15  for  DFA  members).  Contact:  Dance  Films 
Assoc,  48  W.  21st  St.,  9th  fl„  New  York,  NY  10010;  tel/fax: 
(212)  727-0764;  dfa5@juno.com;  www.dancefilmsassn.org 

DENVER  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  7-14,  CO 
Deadline:  July  15.  Invitational  expo  of  film  presents  approx. 
150  films  over  8  days  &  plays  host  to  more  than  60  film 


>.v 


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comes     power 


The  goal  was  to  create  a  festival 
in  which  the  films  represented  the 
global  diversity  of  African  culture. 
The  result  is  the  Contemporary 
African  Diaspora  Film  Festival, 
the  brainchild  of  husband  and  wife 
team  Reinaldo  Barrosu-Spech  and 
Diarah  N'Dah-Spech.  With  back- 
grounds in  education,  the  couple 
sought  to  provide  an  arena  for 
films  that  illuminated  the  diverse 
aspects  of  Black  culture,  regard- 
less of  the  filmmaker's  race  or 
nationality.  Columbia  University 
helps  to  present  the  festival  and 
offers  a  non-credit  class  where 
students  attend  the  festival  and 


$50  (final).  Contact:  KFF,  Box  1861.  Athens,  GA  30603;  (706) 
227-6090,  fax:  227-1083;  www.prometheus-x.com 

LOUISVILLE  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  3-7,  KY. 
Deadline:  Aug  2.  Est.  1990,  fest  features  various  types  of  film 
&  video,  exp  &  non-exp.  Cash  awards  given  for  best  entries. 
Entries  must  have  been  completed  w/in  preceding  3  yrs. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview  on  VHS.  Enclose 
pre-paid  mailer  if  you  want  work  returned.  Entry  fee:  $35  (fea- 
ture, 60  min.  or  more);  $25  (59  min.  or  less);  $10  (student). 
For  entry  form  &  more  info  contact:  LFVF,  c/o  Speed  Art 
Museum,  2035  S.  3rd  St.,  Louisville,  KY  40208;  tel/fax:  (502) 
893-9661;  lfvf@artswatch.org;  www.artswatch.org/LFVFhtml 

MADCAT  WOMEN'S  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept, 
CA.  Deadline:  July  15.  3rd  annual  fest  seeks  innovative  inde- 
pendent &  experimental 
films  of  all  genres  &  lengths 
by  women.  Films  which 
challenge  the  use  of  sound  & 
image  &  explore  notions  of 
visual  storytelling.  Formats: 
16mm  &  super  8.  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  Fee  $10-30 
(sliding  scale/pay  what  you 
can  afford).  For  entry  form 
contact:  Ariella  Ben-Dov, 
MCWIFF,  937  Fell  St.,  San 
Francisco,  CA  94117;  (415) 


participate  in  professional  devel- 
opment seminars.  The  non-com- 
petitive fest  presented  40  films 
from  25  countries  last  year,  at 
venues  in  both  Manhattan  & 
Brooklyn.  See  listing. 


artists.  New  int'l  releases,  cutting-edge  indie  fiction  films  & 
docs,  animation,  experimental  works,  children's  programs  & 
shorts  included.  In  addition,  a  number  of  int'l  film  artist  are 
honored  w/  tributes.  Awards  incl.:  Lifetime  Achievement 
Award,  the  John  Cassavetes  Award,  the  Krzysztof  Kieslowski 
Award  for  best  European  film,  the  Cinema  Award  to  best  indie 
film  without  U.S.  distribution  &  the  People's  Choice  Award  for 
most  popular  feature-length  fiction  &  doc  films.  Formats: 
16mm,  35mm  &  video.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC/Pal).  Entry  fee: 
$30  ($20  for  students).  For  more  info  contact:  Denver  Film 
Society,  1430  Larimer  Square,  Ste.  201,  Denver,  CO  80202; 
(303)  595-3456;  fax:  595-0956;  dfs@denverfilm.org;  www. 
denverfilm.org 

KUDZU  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  13-16,  GA.  Deadlines:  Aug.  1 
(early);  Aug  15  (final).  Fest  is  now  accepting  entries  for  its 
2nd  annual  film  showcase  to  be  held  at  the  historic  Morton 
Theatre  in  downtown  Athens,  GA.  Cats:  features,  shorts,  docs 
&  animation.  Prizes  incl.  cash  awards  plus  over  $12,000  in 
services  from  Seattle  Post  Affiliates.  Entry  fees:  $40  (early); 


436-9523;  fax:  934-0642; 
alionbear@earthlink.net 

MANHATTAN  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  24,  NY  Deadline: 
July  30.  Fest  exists  for  filmmakers  w/out  backing  or 
resources  to  create  a  feature  film.  Film  can  be  no  longer  than 
10  min.  in  length.  Formats:  Beta,  DigiBeta,  16mm  &  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Awards:  Grand  prize  is  54,000  feet  of  35mm 
film,  complete  35mm  camera  package  &  processing/develop- 
ing. No  entry  fee.  Contact:  MSFF,  630  9th  Ave.,  8th  fl„  New 
York,  NY  10036;  (212)  613-5878;  www.msfilmfest.com 

MICROCINEFEST,  Oct.,  MD.  Deadline:  July  31. 3rd  annual  fest 
turns  audiences  on  to  ambitious,  low  budget,  underground 
films.  Seeking  films  w/  a  "substream/psychotronic  bent  that 
display  creativity,  originality,  entertainment  &  a  wise  use  of 
funds."  Awards:  Low  Budget  Award  to  the  coolest  video  made 
for  under  $100;  Low  Budget  Film  Award  to  the  coolest  film 
made  for  under  $1,000.  Entry  fees:  $15  (30  mm.  &  under); 
$25  (over  30  min.);  films  7  mm.  &  under,  mutiply  number  of 
min.  by  2  (4  min.  =  $8).  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  Skizz 
Cyzyk,  3700  Beech  Ave.,  Baltimore,  MD  21211;  (410)  243- 


44    THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


5307;  www.bcpl.net/~bfink/microcmefest/ 

NORTHWEST  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  5-12,  OR. 
Deadline:  Aug.  3.  Now  in  26th  year,  fest  is  juried  survey  of  indie 
Northwest  film/videomakers.  Draws  over  300  entries  each  yr; 
single  juror  (filmmaker,  critic,  or  programmer,  last  year  it  was 
Christine  Vachon,  producer  of  Kids).  Fest  screens  30-45  shorts, 
features  &  docs;  10-15  shorts  selected  for  Best  of  the  NW  Tour 
Program.  Total  aud.  exceeds  6,000.  Awards:  $10,000  in  prod., 
service  &  cash  awards.  Open  to  all  perm,  residents  of  OR,  WA, 
MT,  ID,  AK  &  British  Columbia  &  students  therein.  Entries  must 
have  been  completed  after  Aug.  1,  '97.  All  genres.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  super  8.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry 
fee  (return  shipping  costs  $15,  $20  Canada).  Entry  form  req., 
contact:  NW  Film  Center,  1219  S.W,  Park  Ave.,  Portland,  OR 
97205;  (503)  221-1156;  fax:  294-0874;  www.nwfilm.org 

OLYMPIA  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.15-24,  WA.  Deadline:  Aug.  1. 
16th  annual  fest  now  accepting  entries  for  this  fall's  festival. 
For  20  yrs  the  Olympia  Film  Society  has  been  presenting  the 
finest  in  int'l,  indie,  classic  &  fringe  features,  docs  &  shorts. 
Variety  recently  cited  the  OFS-operated  Capitol  Theater  (est. 
1924,  700  seats)  as  one  of  the  top  ten  viewing  venues  for 
indie  film.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  1/2"  &  3/4".  Preview  on 
VHS  (NTSC  only).  Filmmaker  should  send  a  clearly  marked 
tape  (name,  title,  phone  #,  running  time).  Entry  fee:  $10 
(+return  postage  for  return).  CINE-X  competition  is  two  pro- 
grams of  experimental  shorts  (entry  fee  only  $5;  please  don't 
submit  your  narrative  feature  to  CINE-X).  In  the  past,  winners 
have  received  postproduction  support  from  Alpha  Cine  Labs. 
Contact:  OFF,  Holly  House  or  Sean  Savage,  416  Washington 
St.  SE  Ste.  208,  Olympia,  WA  98506;  (360)  754-6670;  fax: 
943-9100;  ofs@olywa.net;  www.olywa.net/ofs 

PEACHTREE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct/Nov., 
GA.  Deadline:  Aug.  1.  Founded  in  1994,  fest  is  dedicated  "to 
films  for  film  lovers."  Incls  tribute  to  film  personality,  panel 
discussions,  parties  &  family/children's  program,  along  w/  at 
least  a  dozen  Atlanta  premieres  of  domestic  &  foreign  feature 
films.  Audience  Award  is  given;  other  special  awards  may 
also  be  created.  Each  yr  special  program  is  devoted  to  films 
of  selected  country.  To  submit  feature  or  short,  send  VHS  copy 
w/  publicity  info.  Formats:  70mm,  35mm,  16mm.  Entry  fee: 
$25.  Contact:  Michelle  Forren,  exec,  director,  Peachtree  Int'l 
Film  Fest,  2180  Pleasant  Hill  Road,  Box  A-5221,  Duluth,  GA 
30096;  (770)  729-8487;  fax:  263-0652;  film@peach- 
treefilm.org;  www.peachtreefilm.org 

PXL  THIS  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Late  Nov.  &  Mid-Feb.,  CA. 
Deadline:  Aug.  22.  Founded  in  '91,  fest  features  videos  pro- 
duced using  Fisher  Price  PXL  2000  (but  not  exclusively)  & 
entered  on  VHS.  PXL  2000  is  toy  camera  avail,  from  1987-89 
that  records  sound  &  images  directly  onto  audio  cassettes. 
Two  public  screenings  in  LA  per  fest,  in  Nov  &  Feb.  Two  hr.  long 
programs  span  many  genres,  incl.  doc,  poetry,  exp,  drama, 
comedy  &  music.  Formats:  1/2"  (must  use  footage  shot  w/ 
PXL  2000).  No  entry  fee,  but  incl.  3  stamps  &  synopsis  of  film. 
No  return.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  organizer,  PXLTVF,  Clap  Off 
They  Glass  Prod.,  2427  1/2  Glyndon  Ave.,  Venice,  CA  90291; 
(310)  306-7330;  www.rowan.edu/~cassidy/pixel  /index.html 

REHOBOTH  BEACH  INDEPENDENT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov. 
10-14,  DE.  Deadline:  Aug.  28.  2nd  annual  fest  celebrating 
indie  &  foreign  cinema  w/  special  events,  workshops  &  four 
solid  days  of  film,  incl.  children's  programs,  in  a  picturesque 


coastal  resort  setting.  Approx.  100  entries  will  be  selected 
(40  features  &  60  shorts  in  1998)  for  a  broad-based,  cultur- 
ally diverse  program  at  Atlantic  Theater's  six  screens  &  other 
local  venues  (130+  programs).  Audience  Choice  Awards 
given.  Cats:  short  &  feature  length  narrative,  doc,  animated 
&  experimental.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4"  &  VHS. 
Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC  only).  Entry  fee:  $15;  $10  (student). 
Contact:  Rehoboth  Beach  Film  Society,  Box  1132,  Rehoboth 
Beach,  DE  19971;  (302)  226-3744;  fax:  227-9469;  rbfilm 
@dmv.com;  www.rehobothfilm.com. 

REPRESENT  THE  REEL:  SOUTH  BRONX  FILM  &  VIDEO  FES- 
TIVAL, Sept.  23-25,  NY  Deadline:  Aug.  20. 3rd  annual  fest 
will  be  held  at  The  Point,  new  South  Bronx  neighborhood- 
based  cultural  institution.  Prizes  awarded  in  following  cats: 
narrative,  doc,  exp/animation,  films  for  children  &  films 
about  the  Bronx.  Formats:  16mm,  Beta,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview 
on  VHS  (NTSC)  Entry  fees:  $10-$35.  Contact:  The  Point  CDC, 
940  Garrison  Ave.,  Bronx,  NY  10474;  (718)  542-4139;  fax: 
542-4988;  www.thepoint.org 

SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct. 
29-Nov.  7,  CA.  Deadline:  Aug.  1.  Fest  showcases  classic  & 
restored  films;  exploring  the  technical  aspect  of  filmmaking 
through  special  screenings,  seminars,  guest  lectures  &  artis- 
tic tributes.  Cats:  features,  docs  &  animation.  Awards  (in 
each  cat):  1st  place — $500,  2nd  &  3rd — awards  of  merit, 
honorable  mention.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  Beta,  Beta  SR 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $20  (student,  any  length);  $40 
(60  min.  &  under);  $60  (61-120  mm.).  Contact:  SLOIFF,  Mary 
A.  Harris,  exec,  director,  Box  1449,  San  Luis  Obispo,  CA 
93406;  (805)  546-3456;  fax:  781-6799;  slofilmfest® 
slonet.org;  www.slonet.org/vv/ipsoiff 

TACOMA  TORTURED  ARTISTS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FES- 
TIVAL, Sept.,  WA.  Deadline:  July  31. 4th  annual  fest  is  a  non- 
profit event  funded  by  the  Tacoma  Guild  for  Independent 
Film.  Fest  was  created  to  promote  awareness  of  &  support  to 
the  indie  filmmaker.  Accepting  independent  film  &  video  of  all 
length  &  genres.  Awards:  Barby  Trophy,  cash  prizes,  promo- 
tional prizes,  plane  tix.  Entry  fees:  $20-30.  Formats:  All  film 
&  video  formats.  Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  TAFF,  Box  1817, 
Tacoma,  WA  98401;  (888)  20-CLUB-7;  fax:  (253)  627-1525; 
TacomaFilm@aol.com;  www.clubseven.com 


Foreign 

abitibi-temiscamingue  festival  of  international 

CINEMA,  Oct.,  Canada.  Deadline:  Sept.  1.  Fest,  now  in  17th 
yr,  programs  over  80  short,  medium  &  feature-length  films 
during  run  in  Rouyn-Noranda  in  Quebec.  Past  editions  have 
incl.  films  from  more  than  20  countries.  All  types  of  films, 
incl.  fiction,  doc,  &  animation,  accepted.  All  entries  must 
have  been  completed  after  Jan.  1st  of  preceding  yr  &  not 
shown  commercially  in  Canada.  Awards:  Grand  Prix  Hydro- 
Quebec,  awarded  by  public  to  best  in  competition;  Prix 
Telebec,  presented  to  best  short  or  medium  length  feature  by 
regional  jury  selected  by  the  fest  organizer  ($1,000  prize); 
Prix  Anime,  awarded  by  public  best  animation  film  in  compe- 
tition. Special  presentations  for  students  held  during  fest. 
Formats-.  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  ATFIC,  Jacques  Matte,  director,  215  Ave.  Mercier, 
Rouyn-Noranda,  Quebec,  Canada  J9X  5W8;  (819)  762-6212; 


you  talkin'  to  me?... 
you  talkin'  to  me?... 


IVIeth 


t 


Celebrating 
breakthrough 
perfomances 
in  indie  film 

Auy^t  20-26  *d99 
Historic  State  Theatre 
Pasadena,  California 

Call  for  entries 

310«535«9230 


Make  a 
Splash 

«i   at  the 

Rehoboth  Beach 
Independent  Film  Festival 

Nov.  10  -  14 

Set  on  the  scenic  Delaware  Coast 


•  Six  theaters     •  Lectures  and  receptions 

•  100  films        •  Video  programs 

Entry  deadline:  Aug.  27, 1999 

P.O.  Box  1U2  •  Rehoboth  Beach,  DE  19971 

(  J  0  2  )      2  2  6  •  J  7  4  4 

www.rehobothfilm.com 

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LT 


Rehoboth  Beach  Film  Society 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


(j-3'Si^yj.'S  y^-Xus) 


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Workshops 

For  tickets  &  information 

PO  Box  550 

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fax:  762-6762;  fciat@sympatico.ca;  www.telebec.qc.ca/ 
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BAHIA  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  9-16.  Brazil.  Deadline:  Late 
July.  Por  Um  Monde-  Mais  Humano  (For  a  More  Humanistic 
World)  is  motto  of  test  &  market.  In  its  26th  ed.  test  open  to 
Ibero-American  prods  as  well  as  non-lbero-American  prods 
on  Latin  Amer.  subjects.  Held  in  the  Brazilian  city  "that  best 
synthesizes  the  encounter  of  the  Afro-Indian  Iberian  & 
American  cultural  inheritance."  Program  incl.  film  &  video 
conquest,  retros,  symposia  &  exhibitions.  Intl  jury  awards: 
Tatu  de  Ouro  prizes  in  following  cats:  film/video  doc; 
film/video-fiction;  film/video  animation/exp;  film/video  made 
by  non-lbero-American  about  Latin  America:  best  feature 
doc.;  best  videoclip;  best  dir.;  best  script;  best  photography; 
best  editing;  best  sound.  Market  takes  place  during  test; 
objective  is  "to  create  an  alternative  space  for  commercial- 
ization &  int'l  distribution  of  exp  &  ind  film  &  video  prods." 
Market  will  disseminate  promotional  materials  sent  by  par- 
ticipants. Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Beta-SP/NTSC.  Preview 
on  VHS  (max  length:  60  mill.).  Entry  fee:  $50  payable  to 
FAPEX  (market).  Contact:  BFF,  Guidao  Araujo,  dir.;  Milena 
(asst).  Rua  Barao  de  Geremoabo  s/n,  Campus  Universitario 
de  Ondina,  40.  170-290  Salvador,  Bahia,  Brazil;  Oil  55  71 
235  4392  or  55  71  337 1851;  jornada@ufba.br 

BREST  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL.  Nov.  15-21,  France. 
Deadline:  Sept.  5.  Open  to  all  short  films,  provided  entry  is 
produced/co-prod.  by  EU  country.  Max  running  time  of  60 
min.,  completed  after  7/31/98.  Approx  40  films  accepted  for 
competition  &  about  30  films  incl.  in  "fringe"  screenings  out- 
side competition.  Awards:  Grand  Prix;  1st  Film  Award;  Audi- 
ence Award;  Best  Actress/Actor  Award.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact;  BSFF,  Gilbert 
LeTraon/Mirabelle  Freville,  artistic  directors,  Association  Cote 
Ouest,  40,  rue  de  la  Republique  (Porte  5),  B.P  173,  29269 
Brest,  Cedex,  France;  Oil  33  2  98  44  03  94;  fax:  33  2  98  80 
25  24;  film.festival@brest.com;  www.film-festival.brest.com 

CINANIMA  '99;  INTERNATIONAL  ANIMATED  FILM  FESTI- 
VAL. Nov.  8-14,  Portugal.  Deadline:  Aug.  2.  Espinho,  a  small 
seaside  resort  in  northern  Portugal,  hosts  this  animated  film 
event,  now  in  23rd  year.  Program  comprises  int'l  competition 
&  int'l  non-competitive  program,  which  incl.  retros.  Eligible: 
all  works  directed  "frame  by  frame"  or  computer-assisted  for 
cinema  &  TV.  in  film  or  video,  completed  after  Jan.  1998. 
Competition  cats:  up  to  6  min.;  6-13  min.;  13-26  min.;  26- 
52  min.;  long-feature-,  publicity  &  institutional;  1st  film; 
didactic  &  info;  title  sequences;  series.  Awards  incl.:  Great 
Prize  Cinanima  '99  (trophy,  certificate  &  PTE  750,000  [US 
$3,950]);  Prize  City  of  Espinho/Jury's  Special  Award  (trophy, 
certif.  &  PTE  500,000  [US  $2,633]);  and  prize  for  best  film  in 
each  cat.  (trophies  &  certifs.).  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  U- 
matic  3/4"  LB  (PAL,  SECAM,  NTSC).  U-matic  HB-SR 
Betacam  SP  (Pal).  Preview  on  VHS  multisystem;  U-matic 
3/4"  LB  (Pal;  SECAM;  NTSC);  U-matic  HB-SP;  Betacam  SP 
(Pal).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Cinanima,  Secretariado  do 
Festival,  Apartado  743,  Rua  62,  251,  4500-901  Espinho 
Codex,  Portugal;  Oil  351  2  734  4611/  734  1621;  fax:  351  2 
734  6015;  cinanima@mail.  telepac.pt;  www.cinanima.pt 

CINEMA  TOUT  ECRAN,  Sept.  20-26,  Switzerland.  Deadline: 
July  15.  Fest  presents  films  of  artistic  quality  produced  for  TV. 
Cats  incl.:  Offical  Competition,  Series  &  Collections  &  Short 
films.  Awards  presented  in  all  cats.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 


DigiBeta  &  Betacam.  Preview  on  VHS  (Pal  or  NTSC).  No  entry 
fee.  Contact:  Cinema  Tout  Ecran,  16  rue  General  Dufour,  DP 
5305,  CH-1211  Geneva  11,  Switzerland;  Oil  41  22  328  85 
54;  fax:  41  22  329  68  02;  www.cinema-tout-ecran.ch 

FANTASTISK  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.  22-26.  Sweden. 
Deadline:  Aug.  2. 5th  annual  fest  is  only  genre  film  festival  in 
Scandinavia,  held  in  cities  of  Lund  &  Malmo.  Cats: 
Premiere/competition,  retro,  classic,  psychotronic,  shorts, 
video.  Awards:  Jury's  Grand  Prize,  Audience  Prize.  Short  Film 
Prize.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  Beta  &  VHS.  Preview  on  VHS 
(Pal  or  NTSC).  No  entry  fee  (selected  shorts  have  to  pay  their 
own  freight).  Contact:  FFF,  Norra  Neptunigatan  5,  211  18 
Malmo,  Sweden;  Oil  46  40  12  46  66;  cell:  46  704  67  59  42; 
fax:  46  40  12  22  64;  info@fff.se;  www.fff.se 

FLANDERS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL.  Oct.  5-16, 
Belgium.  Deadline:  Aug.  10.  Fest  originated  in  1973  w/ focus 
on  music  in  film.  Today  the  int'l  jury  selects  winners  from 
features  from  around  the  world  (many  of  them  w/out  a 
Belgian  distributor).  Recent  addition  is  major  symposium  on 
a  theme  of  European  interest  (i.e.  the  problems  facing  pro- 
ducers &  distributors  in  smaller  countries).  Fest  incl.  films 
from  all  over  the  world,  mainly  focusing  on  fiction  films  &  to 
lesser  extent  on  docs.  Shorts,  animation  &  retrospectives  are 
also  incl.  Attendance  is  approx.  80,000.  Competition:  "The 
Impact  of  Music  on  Film,"  15  features  compete  for  three 
prizes;  Grand  Prix  of  the  Flemish  Community  for  Best  Film 
($30,000),  Best  director  ($15,000),  George  Delerue  Award 
for  best  (application  of)  music  ($24,000).  Out  of  Competition 
section  incl.:  Country  Focus,  Film  Spectrum  (int'l  films 
receiving  Belgian  premieres),  Memory  of  Film  (retrospective 
section)  &  a  tribute  to  an  important  filmmaker.  Formats: 
16mm,  35mm  &  70mm.  Sep/mag  prints  are,  for  technical 
reasons,  not  accepted.  Preview  on  VHS  (Pal  or  NTSC)  w/  doc- 
umentation of  film  (pressbook,  B/W  stills,  reviews  &  direc- 
tor's bio).  Print  deadline:  Oct.  2.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Wim 
De  Witte,  FIFE  Kortrijksesteenweg  1104,  B-9051  Ghent, 
Belgium;  Oil  32  9  221  89  4;  fax:  32  9  221  90  74; 
wim.dewitte@filmfestival.be;  www.filmfestival.be 

LEEDS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct  7-23,  England. 
Deadline:  July  21.  Fest  welcomes  film,  video  &  multi-media 
entries  of  any  length  incl.  docs,  animation  &  experimental. 
Entries  must  have  been  completed  after  July  1998.  Prints  w/ 
separate  sound  &  DigiBeta  tapes  cannot  be  screened.  Preview 
on  VHS  (Pal/NTSC).  No  entry  fee  (incl.  SASE  for  return). 
Contact:  LIFF,  The  Town  Hall,  Leeds  LSI  3AD,  England;  01 1  44 
1132  478  398;  charlotte.fergusson@leeds.gov.uk 

LONDON  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  4-18, 
England.  Deadline:  Aug.  6.  Fest,  run  continuously  since  1957, 
is  largest  non-competitive  &  invitational  film  fest  in  Europe. 
For  several  yrs,  it  has  programmed  one  of  Europe's  largest 
forums  of  U.S.  indie  prods.  Overall,  180  int'l  features  &  100 
short  films  showcased.  Sections  incl.:  Shorts  &  Animation, 
British  Cinema  Now,  Panorama  France,  Evening  Standard 
"Film  on  the  Square"  &  Experimental  Film.  Screenings  held  at 
Nat'l  Film  Theatre,  Museum  of  the  Moving  Image  &  other 
venues.  Nearly  1,000  filmmakers,  buyers  &  media  attend  & 
there  is  an  industry  office.  Extensive  media  coverage  &  audi- 
ences over  100,000.  Entries  must  be  UK  premieres,  produced 
w/in  preceding  2  yrs.  Fiction  &  doc  works  of  all  lengths  &  gen- 
res accepted.  Send  info  (incl.  synopsis  &  press  kit).  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  super  8  &  8mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


fee.  Contact:  LIFF,  Sarah  Lutton,  Natl  Film  Theatre,  South 
Bank,  Waterloo.  London  SE1  8XT,  England;  Oil  44  171  815- 
1322;  fax:  44  171  633-0786;  sarah.lutton@bfi.org.uk 

PORDENONE  SILENT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  9-16,  Italy. 
Deadline:  August  1.  Fest,  founded  in  1982,  is  devoted  to 
silent  cinema,  to  films  made  before  advent  of  sound  or  films 
discussing  that  period.  This  year's  program  incl :  Nordic 
Explorations-Scandinavian  Cinema  of  the  20s;  3rd  part  of 
D.W.  Griffith  Project;  The  Hitchcock  Connection;  Charles 
Laughton's  debut;  U.S.  Avant  Garde;  New  Restorations  & 
Discoveries.  Audience  of  about  1,000  generally  incl.  about 
500  specialists  (archivists,  historians,  collectors).  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4,"  1/2".  Contact:  PSFF,  David  Robinson, 
dir.,  Le  Giornate  del  Cinema  Muto  c/o  La  Cmeteca  del  Friuli, 
Via  G.  Bini,  Palazzo  Gurisatti,  33013  Gemona  (UD)  Italia;  teL 
Oil  39  432  980  458;  fax:  39  432  970  542;  gcm@ 
proxima.conecta.it;  www.cinetecadelfriuli.org/gcm 

RENDEZVOUS  WITH  MADNESS  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL, 

Nov.  17-21,  Canada.  Deadline:  Sept  15.  Annual  fest  presents 
features  &  shorts  touching  on  the  facts  &  mythology  sur- 
rounding mental  illness  &  addition.  Each  night  focuses  on  a 
different  theme  w/  panel  discussions  involving  filmmakers, 
artists  &  people  w/  professional  &  personal  experience  w/ 
mental  illness  &  addiction.  All  films  must  deal  w/  mental 
health  or  addiction  related  issues.  Shorts  or  features  accept- 
ed. Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  8mm,  super  8,  VHS,  S-VHS,  Beta 
&  Beta  SP  Preview  on  VHS  (tapes  returned  after  Sept.  30). 
See  web  site  for  films  shown  in  past  years  &  for  application. 
Contact:  RWMFF,  Lisa  Brown  or  Shannon  Sperry,  Workman 
Theatre  Project,  1001  Queen  St.  W.,  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada, 
M6J  1H4;  (416)  583-4339;  fax:  583  4354;  rendez- 
vous@sympatico.ca;  www3.sympatico.ca/rendezvous/ 

SAO  PAULO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  15-28, 
Brazil.  Deadline:  Mid-Aug.  Recognized  by  FIAPF,  23rd  annual 
competitive  fest,  presents  2  major  sections:  Int'l  Perspective 
&  New  Filmmakers  Competition  (up  to  3rd  film  of  director). 
Audience  makes  pre-selection  for  jury,  selecting  10  films  for 
final  judging.  Fest  also  awards  Critics  Prize  &  Audience  Prize. 
Features,  shorts  &  docs  of  all  cats  &  themes  accepted. 
Entries  must  have  been  produced  in  preceding  2  yrs  &  be 
Brazilian  premieres.  Winners  receive  Bandeira  Paulista,  tro- 
phy made  by  plastics  artist  Tomie  Ohtake.  Fest  offers  audi- 
ences opportunity  to  view  works  that  might  not  otherwise  be 
seen  in  Brazil.  About  150  films  showcased  each  yr.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Leon 
Cakoff,  festival  dir.,  SPIFF,  Mostra  Internacional  de  Cinema 
em  Sao  Paulo,  Alameda  Lorena,  937-Cj.  303, 01424  001  Sao 
Paolo  -  SR  Brazil;  Oil  55  11  883  5137;  fax:  55  11  853  7936; 
info@mostra.org;  www.mostra.org 

SHANGHAI  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  22-13. 
China.  Deadline:  July  31.  4th  annual  competitive  fest  aims  to 
enhance  the  mutual  understanding  &  friendship  among  peo- 
ple in  different  countries  &  regions,  to  flourish  cinematic  art 
&  to  promote  film  industry  development.  Fest  is  composed  of 
four  main  activities:  Golden  Cup  Film  Competition,  Film 
Panorama,  Film  &  TV  Program  Market  &  the  Academic 
Seminar.  Awards  incl.:  Golden  Cup  Grand  Award,  Special  Jury 
Award  &  Golden  Cups  for  best  actor,  actress,  music,  technol- 
ogy &  director.  Minimum  running  time:  70  mm.  Formats: 
35mm  &  70mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  SIFF 
11/F  STV  Mansions,  651  Nanjing  Rd.  W,  Shanghai  200041, 


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STOCKHOLM  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  12-21. 
Sweden.  Deadline:  Sept.  10.  Fest  aims  to  promote  new  & 
inventive  filmmaking  by  young  &  upcoming  directors  as  well 
as  giving  a  survey  of  the  current  film  situation  in  the  world. 
Cats  incl.:  Feature  &  short  film  competitions,  American 
indies,  Asian  Images,  Twilight  Zone  (genre,  cult  &  under- 
ground) &  Collage  (docs,  tv  &  experimental).  Awards:  a 
bronze  horse  for  best  feature  film  &  lifetime  achievment,  alu- 
minium horse  for  best  short,  best  actor,  best  actress,  best 
script,  best  DR  best  first  feature.  Formats:  35mm  (preferred), 
16mm  &  70mm  also  accepted;  shorts  are  only  accepted  on 
35mm;  collage  section  Beta  SP-PAL  accepted  as  well. 
Preview  on  VHS  (Pal,  NTSC).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  SIFF,  Jakob 
Abrahamsson,  Program  Coordinator;  Box  3136,  SE-103  62 
Stockholm,  Sweden;  Oil  46  8  677  50  00;  fax:  46  8  20  05  90; 
program@cinema.se;  www.filmfestivalen.se 

TOKYO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Oct.  30-Nov.  7, 
Japan.  Deadline;  July  15.  Founded  in  1985  as  major  int'l  com- 
petition, annual  FIAPF-accredited  fest  incl.  Competition, 
Special  Screenings,  Cinema  Prism,  Nippon  Cinema  Classics  & 
sponsored  events.  Int'l  Competition  &  Young  Cinema 
Competition  cats  are  being  combined  for  screenings  of  films 
from  around  the  world.  Int'l  Jury  panel  selecting  winners  for 
awards  incl.:  Tokyo  Grand  Prix,  Special  Jury  Prize,  Best 
Director  &  Best  Artistic  Contribution.  Directors  w/  3  or  less 
35mm  feature-length  films  to  their  credit  qualify  for  the  Tokyo 
Gold  Prize  (cash  prize  of  ¥10  million  [$80,775]),  aimed  at 
supporting  young  directors.  All  films  invited  for  the  competi- 
tion must  meet  following  conditions:  35mm  feature  films 
must've  been  completed  after  7/1/98  &  must  not  have 
already  competed  at  another  int'l  competitive  fest;  short  films 
under  60  min.  not  accepted;  doc  films  not  eligible;  foreign 
features  shouldn't  receive  commercial  release  in  Japan  prior 
to  the  conclusion  of  fest.  All  films  will  have  Japanese  subtitles 
(cost  borne  by  fest).  No  entry  fee.  Contact;  Toshiyuki  Horie, 
Secretary  General.  TIFF,  3F.  Landic  Ginza  Bulding  No. 2,  1-6-5 
Ginza,  Chuo-ku,  Tokyo  104-0061,  Japan;  Oil  813  3563 
6305;  fax:  813  3563  6310;  www.tokyo-filmfest.or.jp 

VERZAUBERT  FILM  FESTIVAL.  Nov  17-Dec  8,  Germany. 
Deadline:  Aug.  1.  "The  most  successful  gay  &  lesbian  film 
festival  in  Europe,"  presenting  about  70  features  &  short  pro- 
ductions in  5  different  German  cities.  Formats:  16mm, 
35mm.  Preview  on  VHS  (Pal,  NTSC).  Contact:  Schorsch 
Muller,  Rosebud  Entertainment  Berlin,  Wittelsbacher  Str.  26, 
D-10  707  Berlin;  Oil  49  30  861  4532;  fax:  49  861  4539. 

VIENNALE— VIENNA  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL 

mid-Oct.,  Austria.  Deadline:  mid-Aug.  A  "fest  of  tests,"  FIAF- 
recognized  noncompetitive  Viennale  introduces  local  auds  to 
major  films  of  annual  fest  circuit.  Fest  is  "in  praise  of  inde- 
pendent politics  &  visions."  emphasizing  films  off  beaten 
track.  Large  retro  every  yr.  on  overlooked  subjects,  such  as 
Rossellini  (1997)  or  Godard  (1998).  Sections  inc.  docs, 
shorts,  lost  &  found  (recently  discovered  or  very  rare  films) 
&  3  or  4  tributes  to  directors,  actors  &  producers.  Entries 
must  not  have  been  shown  theatrically  in  Austria.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Hans 
Hurch,  Internationale  Filmfestwochen  Wien,  Stiftgasse  6,  A- 
1070  Vienna,  Austria;  Oil  43  1  526  59 47, fax:  43  1  523  41 
72;  office@viennale.or.at;  www.viennale.or.at 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


G 


Jssj.jJ.: 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  cur- 
rent, deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.,  aug  1  for  oct.  issue), 
complete  contact  info  (name,  address  &  phone) 
must  accompany  all  notices.  send  to: 
independent  notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny.  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as  current  as  pos- 
sible, but  double-check  before  submitting 
tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

SLAMDANCE  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION:  Fest's  4th  annu- 
al competition.  3  grand  prize  winners  are  submitted  by  test  to 
major  studio  &  literary  agency.  Also,  cash  prizes,  w/  grand 
prize  $2,000  plus  MovieBuff  software.  All  writers  can  call  in 
for  constructive  coverage  of  their  submissions.  Entry  fee: 
$60.  Entries  must  be  70-140  pgs.,  conform  to  standard  U.S. 
screenplay  format.  Deadline:  July  23  (postmark).  Send 
s.a.s.e.  to:  Slamdance  Screenplay  Competition,  6381 
Hollywood  Blvd.,  #520,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90028;  mail@ 
slamdance.com;  www.slamdance.com 

SUNDANCE  CHANNEL  NYC  SHORT  FILM  CONTEST:  Win  a 

chance  to  see  your  short  film  (10  min.  or  less)  on  the  small 
screen  (Sundance  Channel )  and  the  big  (one  month  at  the 
Screening  Room  in  NYC).  Plus,  get  a  year's  supply  of  Joe 
Boxer  Undershorts!  IF  you're  a  legal  resident  of  the  State  of 
New  York  and  are  18  years  of  age  or  older,  send  a  VHS  NTSC 
copy  of  your  original  short  film  (also  make  it  available  in 
16mm),  along  with  a  signed  affidavit,  waiver  &  entry  form, 
before  August  8.  See  www.sundancechannel.com  for  rules, 
entry  form  &  more  details.  Mail  entries  to:  Sundance  Channel 
NYC  Short  Film  Contest,  c/o  Sundance  Channel,  1633 
Broadway,  16th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10019.  (Winner  notified  by 
mail  on  or  about  October  11.) 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media — accepting  submissions  for  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature 
films  and  shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  the  supervision  of 
experienced  feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple 
Avid  Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  fea- 
tures and  four  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  the  end  of  1999. 
Principal  photography  &  transfer  must  be  completed  on  fea- 
ture-length film  (70+  min.)  or  short  (under  70-min.).  Can  be 
doc,  narrative,  or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC 
director,  (503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

SELLING  TO  HOLLYWOOD— TWELFTH  ANNUAL  SCREEN- 
WRITER'S CONFERENCE,  Aug.  6-8  Get  solid  information, 
great  resources  &  real  access  to  Hollywood  industry  profes- 
sionals. "Get  ready  to  put  your  career  in  lift-off  at  this  inten- 
sive three-day  event  with  Hollywood's  working  elite."  Early 
registration:  June  15.  Call  for  regisration  form:  (408)  445- 
3600;  fax:  445-3609;  info@sellmgtohollywood.com; 
www.sellmgtohollywood.com 


NAMAC  MEDIA  LITERACY  ONLINE  FORUM,  July  15  -August 
15.  This  online  forum,  facilitated  by  Kathleen  Tyner,  will  be 
an  in-depth  salon  for  media  arts  educators  through  email 
exchange.  It  will  address  issues  of  critical  literacy,  including 
analysis  of  media  and  integration  of  new  technologies  in  for- 
mal and  informal  education,  with  a  special  emphasis  on  the 
moving  image.  Participants  will  engage  in  problem-solving, 
new  theories  for  media  education,  and  collegial  exchange  of 
practical  information  for  media  use  in  the  classroom.  The 
four  week  salon  will  include  weekly  topics  with  related  online 
readings.  Further  information  from  NAMAC  at  www. 
namac.org 

Films  •  Tapes 

AIR  YOUR  SHORTS:  New  public  access  cable  show  seeks 
short  films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No  pay,  just  sat- 
isfaction &  publicity  of  having  films  aired.  Sean:  (949)  531- 


48104;  anomalousvideo@juno.com 


ASHLAND  CABLE  ACCESS  seeks  video  shows.  VHS,  S-VHS  & 
3/4";  any  length  or  genre  OK.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient  SASE. 
Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide,  Southern 
Oregon  State  College,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR 
97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

BALLYHOO!  Central  Florida  TV  show  featuring  independent 
film  and  filmmakers  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30 
min.  Hour-long  community  access  show  produced  by 
Frameworks  Alliance,  a  non-profit  organization  that  also  pro- 
duces the  Central  Florida  Film  &  Video  Festival.  Each 
Ballyhoo!  episode  aired  twice  weekly  for  one  month  to  over 
700,000  viewers.  Submit  VHS  tape  and  return  postage  to 
Frameworks  Alliance,  c/o  Phillip  Mastrella,  1906  E.  Robinson 
St.  Orlando,  FL  32803.  (407)  839-6045;  fax:  898-0504. 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS,  in  its  4th  year,  is  accepting 
video,  film,  computer-art 


ui:  ihe 


KITCHEN     SYNC 


The  Sync  Online,  a  web-based 
showcase  for  experimental  film 
and  video,  offers  a  wider  range 
of  programs  than  might  be 
expected.  Newsdroid  is  your 
guide  to  the  Phantom  Menace, 
while  Cyberlove  and  Geek  TV, 
feature  Generation  X  video  pro- 
gramming, plus  a  series  of  fea- 
tures such  as  F.  W.  Mumau's 
Nosferatu.  Independent  Expo- 
sure shows  a  wide  variety  of 
shorts,  most  notably  Death 
Ship — the  unknown  story  of  the 
Titanic  featuring  Kathy   Lee 


7623;  www.shortfilmz.com 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  accepting  entries  for  on-going 
program  The  Alternative  Screen.  Send  submissions  on  1/2" 
VHS  tape.  Feature-length  indlE  film,  doc  &  new  media  pro- 
jects wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Ste.  717,  Los  Angeles,  CA 
90028.  For  more  info,  call  (213)  466-FILM. 

ANOMALOUS  VIDEO  THEATER  seeks  works  of  60  mm.  or 
less  for  unorthodox  local  access  TV  showcase  in  experimen- 
tal, abstract  and  documentary  categories.  Those  featuring 
unusual  or  unique  points  of  view  especially  encouraged. 
Formats:  VHS  &  S-VHS  only.  Must  have  originated  on  some 
video  format.  Submission  implies  consent  to  broadcast. 
Send  sufficient  SASE  for  return.  Deadline:  ongoing.  Contact: 
Anomalous  Video  Theater,  2770  Ember  Way,  Ann  Arbor,  Ml 


submissions  on  an  on-going 
basis  for  monthly  screening 
program  called 

"Independent  Exposure." 
Artists  will  be  paid  honorari- 
um. Looking  for  experimen- 
tal, erotic,  humor- 
ous, dramatic, 
narrative,  subver- 
sive, animation, 
underground 
works,  but  will 
review  anything 
for  a  possible 
screening. 
Submit  VHS  (or  S- 
VHS)  ,  clearly 
labeled  with 
name,  title,  length,  phone 
number  along  with  any  sup- 
port materials,  incl.  photos. 
Incl.  $5  entry  fee  which  will 
be  returned  if  your  work  is 
not  selected,  s.a.s.e.  if  you 
wish  the  work(s)  to  be 
returned.  Send  submissions 
to:  Blackchair  Productions, 
2318  Second  Ave.,  #313-A, 
Seattle,  WA,  98121. 
Info/details:  (206)  568-6051;  joel@speak-easy.org; 
www.speak-easy.org/blackchair 

BOWERY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  film/video  works  for 
monthly  screening  at  Dixon  Place.  Looking  for  literate/artistic 
narratives  and  experimental  work.  Oc-casional  documen- 
taries &  longer  works  will  be  screened.  Not  looking  for  "call- 
ing card"  shorts,  please  send  us  your  more  adventurous 
work.  Deadline:  ongoing.  Contact:  Send  VHS  preview  tape 
with  SASE  to  Bowery  Video  Lounge,  c/o  Detour  Film  &  Video, 
151  First  Ave.  #9,  New  York,  NY  10003;  (212)  228-1914; 
fax:  228-1914;  david@  detournyc.com 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  &  feature-length 
European  films  on  video  for  language  project,  preferably 
without  subtitles.  We  desire  only  limited  rights.  Contact: 


Gifford  and  the  cast  of  the 
Wizard  of  Oz.  The  Sync  also  has 
its  own  film  festival,  while  in  its 
1  Minute  Shorts  section,  Zeke 
the  singing  poodle  is  definitely  a 
star  in  the  making.  See  listing. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970)  925- 
2805;  fax:  925-9880;  bnann@rof.net;  www.rof.net/yp/ 
cinetingua.html 

DOCUMENTAL:  Doc.  and  exp  bimonthly  film  video  series  at 
LA's  historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of 
any  length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS,  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927; 
dutv@drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

EL  RIO  OUTDOOR  CINEMA  is  accepting  submissions  of  inde- 
pendent film  in  all  genres  for  monthly  outdoor  screenings. 
Small  artist's  fee  paid.  Send  VHS  preview  dub  of  16mm 
print,  press  kit  &  photos.  Proposals  for  multi-media  events 
also  accepted.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Contact:  El  Rio  Outdoor 
Cinema,  Attn:  Kim  Hawkins,  72  Montell  St.,  Oakland,  CA 
94611;  elriocinek@yahoo.com;  www.elriocine.com 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  THE  99-00  EXHIBITION 
SEASON:  All  media  considered,  incl.  2-D,  3-D,  performance, 
video  &  computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  compara- 
ble documentation,  s.a.s.e.  to:  Univ.  Art  Gallery,  Wightman 
132,  Central  Michigan  Univ.,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  world- 
wide audience7  Seeking  shorts  and  features  of  all  genres. 
Contact:  filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  accepting  shorts  and  works-in- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  Deadline:  On-going. 
Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino,  (212)  971-5846. 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  w/  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  &  distribution  w/l  under- 
ground community.  DIY,  exp.  &  activist  work  encouraged. 
Send  VHS,  s.a.s.e.  to:  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

KNITTING  FACTORY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  VHS  tapes  for  on- 
going bi-weekly  series.  Any  genre  or  subject.  Send  tape  w/ 
brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Knitting  Factory  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220, 
Canal  Street  Station,  New  York,  NY  10013.  Info:  kf_vl@hot- 
mail.com 

MEDIASPACE  AT  DECORDOVA  ARCHIVE  DeCordova 
Museum  &  Sculpture  Park  seeks  VHS  copies  of  video  art  & 
documentation  of  performance,  installation  art  &  new  genres 
from  New  England  artists  for  inclusion  in  new  media  arts 
archive.  Contact:  George  Fifield,  Mediaspace  at  DeCordova, 
DeCordova  Museum,  51  Sandy  Pond  Rd.,  Lincoln,  MA  01773- 
2600. 

MIDNIGHT  THEATRE  seeks  alternative  videos  for  monthly 
cable  access  show  on  Maui.  Possible  Hawaiian  distribution. 
Any  topics,  genres;  the  more  "out  there",  the  better.  Send  S- 
VHS  or  VHS  copy  &  release  w/  SASE.  Paradise  Productions, 
326  Pukalani  St.,  Pukalani,  HI  96768. 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 


going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  admin,  fee  to: 
New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10011; 
(212)  807-0126. 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  with  a  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audi- 
ence. Works  longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  regu- 
lar group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on 
16mm  w/  optical  track.  Please  send  all  films,  together  w/ 
completed  entry  form  (download  from  website)  to:  Short  Film 
Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N. 
6th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713; 
ocularis@billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  on-going 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  and  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  and/or  works-in-progress 
on  any  theme  for  screening  consideration  and  network  build- 
ing. PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact:  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286;  kensherman@makor.org 

RO.V:  PBS's  award-winning  showcase  of  independent,  non- 
fiction  film  seeks  submissions  for  its  next  season.  All  styles 
and  lengths  of  independent  non-fiction  films  are  welcome. 
Unfinished  work  at  fine  cut  stage  may  be  eligible  for  comple- 
tion funds.  Deadline:  July  31.  (212)  989-2041  x.  318; 
www.pbs.org/pov 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE  is  a  roving,  spontaneous  screening 
series  and  distributor  of  experimental  video.  Based  in 
Portland  and  a  project  of  the  Rodeo  Film  Company, 
Peripheral  Produce  seels  to  promote  experimental,  abstract, 
and  media-subversive  work.  Formats:  16mm,  VHS,  super  8. 
$5  entry  fee.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce, 
c/o  Rodeo  Film  Co.,  Box  40835,  Portland,  OR  97240; 
perph@jps.net;  www.jps.net/perph 

SHORT  TV:  New  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  com- 
mitted to  show  &  promote  short  films  is  seeking  submis- 
sions. Contact:  Short  TV  (212)  226-6258. 

THE  BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  and 
multimedia  works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  We're 
looking  for  original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  and  screen 
ratio  for  the  Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of 
bandwidth  limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medi- 
um7 For  submission  guidelines  check  out:  www. 
InPhiladelphia.com/TheBitScreen 

THE  SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST:  The  Net's  first  on-going  film 
festival  seeks  short,  noncommercial,  independent  films  & 
videos.  Web  users  can  vote  for  their  favorite  shorts  in  each 
of  six  categories:  animation,  doc,  experimental,  less  than  a 
min.,  narrative,  made  for  the  Net.  New  films  added  each 
month,  and  there  are  new  winners  every  minute.  The  test 
never  ends!  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content, 
including  music.  Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  on  site)  to: 
Carla  Cole,  The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College 
Park,  MD  20740;  info@thesync.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  expos- 
ing innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  ind.  works  in  all 


50    THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send 
submissions  to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTV,  33rd  &  Chestnut  Sts., 
Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  tax:  895-1054. 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  tor  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  with  audience  feedback. 
Accepting  VHS/S-VHS,  15  min.  max.  s.a.s.e.  to:  Box  1042, 
Nantucket,  MA  02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

WXXI:  Public  Television's  The  Screening  Room  wants  short 
films/videos,  animation,  art  films  and  longer-length  docu- 
mentaries for  possible  screenings  on  weekly  primetime 
series.  Topics  are  your  choice,  but  should  be  suitable  for 
viewing  by  a  general  TV  audience.  Submit  entries  on  VHS.  If 
chosen,  broadcast  quality  version  will  be  required.  Contact: 
(716)  258-0244;  kmeyers@wxxi.org 

Publications 

BIOPIC:  Special  Jan. 2000  issue  of  Biography  seeks  papers 
which  address  the  theoretical,  generic,  historical,  cultural  or 
technical  aspects  of  representing  or  telling  lives  on  film  or 
video.  Deadline:  Aug.  1.  Contact:  Craig  Howes,  Center  for 
Biographic  Research,  University  of  Hawaii  @  Manoa, 
Honolulu,  Hawaii  96822;  tel/fax:  (808)  956-3774; 
biograph@hawaii.edu 

CANYON  CINEMA'S  25th  ANNIVERSARY  CATALOG  (including 
1993-5  supplements)  w/  over  3,500  film  &  video  titles  avail, 
for  $20.  Call/fax  (415)  626-2255;  canyon@sj.bigger.net 

INDEPENDENT  PRESS  ASSOCIATION:  Save  the  Ideas! 
Without  independent  sources  of  ideas  and  discussion, 
democracy  and  dissent  cannot  thrive.  The  IPA  works  to  nur- 
ture &  encourage  indie  publications  committed  to  justice  for 
all.  Contact:  IPA,  2390  Mission  St.,  #201,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94110-1836;  or  call  (415)  634-4401;  indypress® 
indypress.org;  www.indypres.org 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks 
public  access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian,  bi,  drag, 
trans  subjects,  for  inclusion  in  an  academic  press  book  on 
queer  community  programming.  All  program  genres  are  wel- 
come. Incl.  information  about  your  program's  history  and  dis- 
tribution. Send  VHS  tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Assistant 
Professor,  Communication  Dept.,  Florida  Atlantic  University, 
777  Glades  Rd.,  Boca  Raton,  FL  33431;  (561)  297-3850; 
efreedma@fau.edu 

Resources  •  Funds 

ARTISTS  FELLOWSHIPS  PROGRAM:  sponsored  by  Illinois 
Arts  Council,  offers  non-matching  fellowships  of  $5,000  & 
$10,000  and  finalist  awards  of  $500  to  Illinois  artists  of 
exceptional  talent  in  recognition  of  outstanding  work  and 
commitment  to  the  arts.  Awards  based  on  quality  of  submit- 
ted work  and  evolving  professional  career.  Not  a  project- 
related  grant.  All  categories  reviewed  annually.  Deadline: 
Sept.  1.  Contact:  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste. 
10-500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6750;  toll-free  in 
Illinois  (800)  237-6994;  info@arts.state.il.us 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:    American    Film    Institute    (213)    856-7690; 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


digital  video 
video  gear 
audio  gear 
ell  phones 
./alkie-talkies 
'ideo  dubbing 


invites  vou  to  \°'*n  the  d,'9''^cra 


cy 


We're  a  one-stop  shop,  offering  state-of-the-art 

Camcorders,  cranes,  dollies,  lighting  units  $  accessories, 

Dubbing  to  popular  formats  and  a  Discreet  Logic  online/offline 

Edit  Suite  with  compositing,  painting  $  uncompressed  images. 


118  West  22nd  Street    New  Vork  City  1  001  1 
(212)  243-8800     fax  691-6961 


Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  13  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project. 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support. 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


ProTools  24  Mix  Plus 
ADR,  Voice  Over 
Foley  Recording 
Duplications  f 


Solar  Film/Video  Productions 


212.473.3040 


632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

"^  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  "«■ 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41st  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


THE 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  - 


•  lnterformat  Online  Edit 

$  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post 

$  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit 

$120/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions 

Inquire 

Contact     us      for     other 

services, 

prices  and  access  information. 

POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 

Phone:  (212)  219-0951     

Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 
Component  Editing 

Transfers,  Window  Dubs 
45/hr   340/day    175/night 


1123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


MERCER  STREET 


Pro    Xools 
Media    lOO 


Sound  Design  •  Original  Music  •  Sound  Effects 

Voice  Over  and  ADR  •  Sound  Editing  and  Mixing 

Non  Linear  Video  Editing  •  Multimedia  and  Internet 


uu„„ 

I  Alan    Berliner   •    Lisa   Lewenz    •   Jem    Cohen    •   Cathy    Cook 

DIGITAL  AUDIO  Maria  Venuto  •  Shelley  Silver  •  Brett  Morgen  •  Tony  Oursler 

■PRODUCTION™  Peggy   Ahwesh   •   Kathy   High   •   Ellen   Spiro   •   Lewis   Klahr 

for  Film  and  Video  Ardele  Lister  •  Hillary  Brougher  •    Adam  Cohen    •   Greg  Bordowitz 

Discount  Rates  for  Independents 


and   Multimedia 


www.afionline.org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  film  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts 
Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916) 
322-6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575; 
cac@cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.:  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
organization  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is 
planning  to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools 
and  is  looking  for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound, 
lighting  &  editing  equipment  in  good  working  order.  Donations 
of  equipment  are  gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible. 
Contact:  Dan  Blanchfield,  Executive  Director,  (201)  444- 
9875. 

CREATIVE  CAPITAL:  Newly  established  foundation,  commit- 
ted to  supporting  individual  artists,  is  accepting  appls. 
Download  from  www.creative-capital.org;  for  more  info,  call 
(212)  598-9900  or  see  the  April  Funder  FAQ  in  The 
Independent. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  are 
not  eligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done 
in  combination  w/  super  8,  Hi-8,  audio,  performance,  pho- 
tography, artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  includes  Amiga,  special 
effects,  A&B  roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  Send  SASE  for 
guidelines  to:  The  Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  New 
York,  NY  10014;  (212)  924-4893. 

FREE  INTERNET  LISTING  AND  EMAIL  ADDRESS    for  all 

actors,  technicians  &  organizations.  On-line  artists'  co-op 
offers  free  listing  in  their  Directory  &  Searchable  Database, 
free  email  (can  even  be  forwarded  by  fax  or  letter).  Address, 
free  use  of  bulliten  board.  S.a.s.e.  to  Jim  Lawter,  37  Green- 
wich Ave.  #1-6,  Stamford,  CT  06902;  www.8xl0glossy.com 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  Contact:  ITVS,  51 
Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415)  356- 
8383;  www.itvs.org 

JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION  pro- 
vides partial  support  to  selected  documentary  series  &  films 
intended  for  national  or  international  broadcast  &  focusing  on 
an  issue  within  one  of  the  Foundation's  two  major  programs 
(Human  and  Community  Development;  Global  Security  & 
Sustainability).  Send  preliminary  2-  to  3-page  letter  to:  Alice 
Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine  I  MacArthur  Foundation,  140  S. 
Dearborn  St.,  Suite  1100,  Chicago,  IL  60603-5285;  (312) 
726-8000;  4answers@macfdn.org;  www.macfdn.or 


rMJLm 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates,  articles, 

F.A.Q.S  &  news  on  AIVF'S  website,  along 

with  bulletin  boards,  A1VF  member  salons, 

and  databases.  Check  it  out: 


76  MERCER  ST.    NYC  10012  •  212.966-6794    •    E-mailmercerst@aol.com 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  foun- 
dation, or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
non-profit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
was  est.  to  help  exceptionally  talented  filmmakers  launch 
their  careers.  In  addition  to  furnishing  finishing  funds,  com- 
pany also  helps  implement  test  and  press  strategies,  serves 
as  a  producer's  rep  &  assists  in  finding  financing  for  film- 
makers' next  films.  Contact  Next  Wave  before  production  & 
then  apply  for  finishing  funds  w/  rough  cut.  Contact:  Tara 
Veneruso/MArk  Stolaroff,  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste. 
E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  launch® 
nextwavefilms.com 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard 
TV  lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr,  etc.).  Contact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346 
Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814; 
fax:  863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  www.naata 
net.org 

OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  program 
offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system  for  first 
serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or  narrative 
form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered.  Provides 


camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  deadline,  but 
allow  10  week  min.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana  Meaux, 
Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA 
98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  dana@ 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs.  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  including  student  thesis  films.  Send  s.a.s.e.  to:  Kelly 
Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto 
Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367-2602. 

PEN  WRITER'S  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS WITH  AIDS:  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers,  incl. 
screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emergency  funds 
are  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or  professional 
development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center,  568  Broadway, 
New  York,  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SHORT-TERM  ARTISTS  RESIDENCY  PROGRAM,  sponsored 
by  Illinois  Arts  Council,  provides  funding  for  Illinois  nonprofit 
organizations  to  work  w/  professional  artists  from  Illinois  to 
develop  &  implement  residency  programs  that  bring  arts 
activities  into  their  community.  Each  residency  can  range 
from  5  to  30  hrs.The  IAC  will  support  50%  of  the  artist's  fee 
(up  to  $1000  plus  travel;  the  local  sponsor  must  provide 
remaining  50%  plus  other  expenses.  Applications  must  be 
received  at  least  8  weeks  prior  to  residency  starting  date.  IAC 
encourages  artists  to  seek  sponsors  &  initiate  programs.  Call 
for  availability  of  funds.  IAC,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500, 
Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6750;  fax:  814-1471; 
info@arts.state.il. us 


SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  int'l  doc.  films  and 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  funding:  initial  seed  funds  (grants 
up  to  $15,000),  projects  in  production  or  postproduction 
(average  grant  is  $25,000,  but  max.  is  $50,000).  Highly 
competitive.  For  more  info.,  contact:  Soros  Documentary 
Fund,  Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  NY  NY  10019; 
(212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  the  Illinois  Arts 
Council.  Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  Illinois  artists  for 
specific  projects.  Examples  of  activities  funded  are  registra- 
tion fees  &  travel  for  conferences,  seminars,  workshops; 
consultants1  fees  for  the  resolution  of  a  specific  artistic  prob- 
lem; exhibits,  performances,  publications,  screenings;  mate- 
rials, supplies  or  services.  Funds  awarded  based  on  quality 
of  work  submitted  &  impact  of  proposed  project  on  artist's 
professional  development.  Applications  must  be  received  at 
least  8  weeks  prior  to  project  starting  date.  Call  for  availabil- 
ity of  funds.  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Suite  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570  toll-free  in  IL  (800) 
237-6994;  iinfo@arts.state.il.us 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  Student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, documentary  &  experimental/animation/multi-media. 
Deadline:  Jan.  1,  2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on 
grants). 


Accepting  shorts,  features, 
and  documentaries. 

Film  Entry  Deadline 
August  20,  1999 

For  submission  information 
visit  our  web  site 
www.marcoislandfilmfest.com 


Marco  Island  Film  Festival 

P.O.  Box  2002 

Marco  Island,  FL  34146 

Or  call 
941-642-3378 


Network 


SPONSORED  IN  PART  BY  THE  COLLIER  COUNTY 
TOURIST  DEVELOPMENT  COUNCIL. 


July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


2) 


;'  [scott@aivt.org]  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 
MOHTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  AUG  1 
i'OR  OCT  ISSUE).  CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240  CHARAC- 
TERS (INCL.  SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST 
$25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEM- 
BERS;  240-480  CHARACTERS  COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR 
AIVF  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR  NONMEMBERS.;  480-720 
CHARACTERS  COST  $60/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF  MEMBERS, 
$90  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER 
iO#.  ADS  EXCEEDING  REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE 
EDITED.  ALL  COPY  SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPA- 
NIED BY  A  CHECK  OR  MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF, 
304  HUDSON  ST.,  6TH  FL,  NY,  NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY 
CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD  TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD 
NUMBER;  NAME  ON  CARD;  EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING 
ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME  PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5  + 
TIMES  RECEIVE  A  $5  DISCOUNT  PER  ISSUE. 


Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

16MM  BEAULIEU  FOR  HIRE  with  or  without  DP  Reasonable 
rates  (212)  924-2450. 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 
making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely 
up-to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film 
festivals,  distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition 
venues,  media  arts  funders,  film  and  video  schools,  broad- 
cast venues  &  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video 
Coalition,  2727  Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110; 
(415)  861-3282;  fax:  861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

CHEAPEST  AVIDS  in  New  York  City.  Off-line  &  On-line.  Special 
prices  for  long-term  rentals  &  AIVF  members.  Experienced 
editors  also  available.  Call  Jonathan  at  (212)  462-4515. 

DIGITAL  FILM  FACTORY  now  offers  "The  DV  Feature 
Specials;"  Canon  XL1  Camera  Package:  $99/day.  G3  Firewire 
DV  Editing  Suite:  $99/day.  Editors  &  shooters  also  avail.  Call 
for  rates  on  additional  equipment  rentals  &  services.  (310) 
937-0957. 

FOR  RENT  AVID  XPRESS  V2  (9600  Power  Mac/155MB  RAM) 
54  GB  HD/AVR  75/3  monitors  incl.  20"  Hi-Res  mon.;  3/4" 
Sony  VO  9850  SP  Beta  SP  or  VHS  decks/Adobe  Photoshop/ 
AfterFX/scanner/pnnter/modem/phone.  Columbus  Circle,  24 
hr.  access:  Day/Night/Long-term  rates  available.  Also,  fur- 
nished production  offices  monthly  or  long  term.  Call  Ms. 
Arthur  (212)  246-7221;  LGRE63458@aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID:  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in 
your  space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable 
Chelsea  location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400.  Beta  deck,  36GB 
storage.  Free  cappucino.  Call  (212)  579-4294. 

FOR  RENT:  SONY  3-CHIP  DIGITAL  CAMERA  (DCR-VX1000) 
Also  available:  mike,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both 
short  &  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  SALE:  ARRI 16BL,  Crystal,  Zoom  Control,  Battery  Belt,  12- 
120  Blimped  lens,  steel  case  $5,500.  Also:  ARRI  16M,  takes  BL 
mags,  Var.  &  Const,  spd  motors,  Batt,  3  lenses,  case,  $3,250. 
Also:  lights,  ARRI  BL  Acess.  Call  for  list  (212)  490-0355. 

LIGHT  &  EQUIPMENT  RENTAL.  Mole,  Arn,  Lowell-complete 
light  &  grip  pkgs  &  kits  for  the  low-budget  filmmaker.  Our 
prices  will  help  you  get  it  in  the  can!  Guerillaquip  (212)  252- 


2485;  gorillaquip@smartweb.net;  www.smartweb.net/goril- 
laquip 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  dats,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  lloewinger@earthlink.net 

SOUND  CREW  &  EQUIPMENT  FOR  RENT:  Need  a  reliable 
sound  recorder  &  boom  operator  for  high  quality  recordings  w/ 
modern  equipment7  We  have  qualified  staff,  Sony  DAT  re- 
corders, Nagras  &  Sennheiser  mics.  Competitive  rates.  Reduc- 
tions for  low  budgets.  Laterna  equipment.  (718)  965-3885. 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I  deliv- 
er! All  types/best  prices:  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW-1800) 
$150/day,  $450/week.  S-VHS  offline  edit  system  $350/week. 
Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Lights,  mics  &  mix- 
ers. David  (212)  362-1056 


Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER'  Distributor  of  award- 
wmning  video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disability  & 
related  issues  invites  new  work.  Fanlight  Productions,  4196 
Washington  St..  Ste.  2,  Boston,  MA  02131;  (800)  937-4113; 
www.fanlight.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5 
Powderhouse  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquariusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact  (212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR'  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribu- 
tion. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distribu- 
tor, seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  pro- 
grams for  distribution.  Send  videocassettes  or  discs  for  eval- 
uation to:  The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Suite  506,  NY, 
NY  10019;  (212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com.  Ask  for 
our  Distribution  Services  brochure. 

Freelance 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-sourceforthe  low- 
budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155 


AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video, 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACADEMY,  EMMY  NOMINATED  producer/director/writer/edi- 
tor. Hoop  Dreams.  20  years  expertise,  all  areas,  fundraising 
to  distribution:  features,  docs,  theatrical,  broadcast/cable. 
Work  1  hr-1  yr.  Contact  only  if  something  paid  in  cash.  (415) 
381-3430;  Fmfilm@aol.com 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172;  AndrewD158 
@aol.com 

ARCHIVAL  FILM  RESEARCHER,  highly  regarded,  compre- 
hensive archival  film  researcher  avail,  for  doc  projects,  films, 
commercials  &  videos.  References  avail.  Contact:  Rosemary 
Rotondi;  799  Greenwich  St.,  Loft  Six  S„  NY,  NY  10014;  (212) 
989-2025;  fax:  989-4607;  RotondiResearch@onepine.com. 
I  will  locate  the  footage  you  need,  on  schedule. 

ASPIRING  CINEMATOGRAPHER;  Experienced  lighting  techni- 
cian looking  for  films.  Strong  lighting  background:  Copland,  U- 
Jurn,  Ice  Storm,  Sopranos,  Out-of-Towners,  Analyze  This, 
dockers.  Owner  16SR.  Call  for  reel.  Tim  Healy.  (201)  217-1719. 

BETA  SP  &  DVCAM  Videographer  with  both  cameras,  lights, 
monitors,  mics  &  wireless.  Very  portable,  light  weight  &  I'm 
fast.  Experience  includes:  documentaries,  industrials,  fund- 
raisers &  fashion.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand  held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SR 
cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel. 
Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com.  Credits:  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire-, 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs.  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  loca- 
tion package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects. 
Michael  (212)  691-1311. 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  produc- 
tivity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/  Std.16 
Aaton  XTR  Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277; 
wacass@concentric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Highly  collaborative,  committed,  will 
work  w/you  to  find  the  right  style  for  your  film  (narrative  or 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


doc).  Unique  credits.  Love  to  travel.  Eileen  S.  (718)  349- 
3078;  filmgrrl@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
RS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel;  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mm  pkgw/  video  tap 
&  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Arri  16SR  Package  &  35IIC,  w/  over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager.-  (213)  707-6195. 

COMPOSER:  20  yrs.  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  World 
renowned  composer/performer/director  expert  in  world/eth- 
nic &  modern  music  styles  to  distinguish  &  enrich  your  film. 
Broad  contacts  among  great  ethnic  musicians.  Dir.  "Woody 
Guthrie-Pastures  of  Plenty"  touring  int'l.  Cred.  incl.  Ryl 
Shakespr  Co/Nat'l  Geo/Nik.  Makes  great  stir  fry.  Call  for  CD 
incl.  Copeland  award-winning  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaverc@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  MFA  (NYU/Tisch)  and  extensive  experience  with 
theater,  dance  &  Sundance  filmmakers.  Will  work  with  any 
budget  in  styles  ranging  from  classical  to  drum  &  bass  to 
African-Hungarian  jazz.  Low  budget  services  include  digital 
studio  &  live  cello.  Contact  Raul  Rothblatt  (212)  254-0155; 
deblatt@interport.net 

COMPOSER:  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively 
score  your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style. 
Extensive  credits  include  nationally  released  features,  TV 
dramas,  documentaries,  animation,  on  Networks,  MTV, 
Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA  in  composition;  full  digital  studio; 
affordable.  Demo  reel  available.  Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721- 
3218  or  email:  Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/intial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to 
techno-you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance, 
Absolut.  Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiappetta 
(718)  383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@el.net 

DIGITAL  VIDEO;  D.R  w/  Sony  VX1000  digital  camera,  Pro 
Sound  &  accessories.  Exp.  in  features,  docs,  dance  &  theatre. 
$150/day.  John  Newell  (212)  677-6652. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/D.R  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  e-mail: 
365892@newschool.edu 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212) 889-1775 


Avid    MC9000,    MC100D 

Film  Composer,  Xpress  Plus 

off/on-line  AVR77  S.  3D  DVE 

Digital  Betacam,   Digital  I/O 

DVCPRD,   3/4  SP,   HIS  S.  VHS         V        i        D 

transfers  Si  duplication  Crush  available] 

Macintosh  graphics  &  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  CJazz,  Zip,  Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  &    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

offering  special  /'a-^es  ~rcr  a.r -\js-\s  and  independents  since  1  r£b 


212.529.8204 

DV8VI0E0  /  738  BROADWAY  /  PENTHOUSE  /  HVC  10  0  0  3 


avid  xpress,  avr  77,  54  gig 

film  matchback  option,  after  effects 
beta  sp,  dvcam,  dv,  dat,  3/4,  svhs,  hi8 


$40  /  hour 
$300  /  day 


DCtOXlX*  Film  &   Video 


with  fast,  experienced  editor 


212.228.1914 

convenient  east  village  location 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


IDS  TO  GO 


Luna  deliren. 


X 


i  your  home  or  office 
irm  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


IlltflMjJ'IjllliMdONJ 

imjl(niiiHEfljj 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


WHMm 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  Interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.:  Features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (718)  930-7969. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos.  Tra- 
vel no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953-1117. 

DOCUCREW  WEST:  Award  winning  writer,  producer,  director 
w/new  Betacam  (D-30)  pkg.;  Media  100  editing.  Trilingual  in 
English,  Spanish  &  German.  Let  us  help  shape  your  project. 
Reasonable  rates.  Near  San  Diego.  Mark  (760)  630-7398. 

DP/EDITOR:  Avid  (AVR  77),  Sony  D-30  Beta  SP  or  Aaton  XTR 
package.  Sound  &  lights.  Edit  suite  w/  city  view.  Speak 
French,  Spanish,  Farsi.  Commercial,  doc  &  feature  credits. 
Andre:  (212)  367-3730  or  (917)  873-7953. 

DP  w/full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle  rates. 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE;  experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 
available  to  work  on  interesting  and  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs, 
shorts,  features).  Call  Kevin  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR;  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212)352-4476. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/18  years 
experience  in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  pro- 
jects. Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952- 
0848;  Ruvn@aol.com 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equipment; 


16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212)  995- 
0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 
MTV.  Feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  pro- 
jects. Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music 
video  &  documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246- 
8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony,  teh  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs.  sound  exp.  w/  time  code 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  pro- 
jects. Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  cell:  (917) 
319-3365;  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

SOUNDS  LIKE  a  "cross  between  Steely  Dan  &  Jackson 
Browne  with  some  Frank  Zappa  humor  thrown  in."  Good, 
short,  varied,  pop  songs  avail,  for  films.  Will  work  with  your 
budget.  Boomer  Music  &  Records.  Toll  free  877-298-9953; 
Boomerrec@aol.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

STEADICAM;  Videographer  creating  dolly-like  movements 
w/out  heavy,  cumbersome  dolly  equip.  Able  to  strike  lines  w/ 
graceful  curves.  Avail  for  all  applications.  Vic  Blandburg 
(703)  941-4497;  Box  2254,  Merrifield,  VA  22116; 
photo8224@aol.com 

VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hip-hop  col- 
lages/ambient sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  pro- 
ductions (212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro;  Lynch;  S.  Shepard 
types  pref.  Animation! 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

INDIE  PROJECTS;  Innovative  film/video  co.  seeks  entrepre- 
neurs in  arts,  all  areas:  equip,  operators,  directors,  crews, 
editors,  etc.  Visit  www.scnproductions.com/eia.htm  to  view 
projects.  Compensation  is  end  determinative. 

NY-BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  talented 
Production  Manager,  Producers,  APs,  PAs  &  interns  for  trav- 
el/documentary series.  Please  fax  resumes  to  Benita  on 
(212)  647-0940. 

PRODUCER/DIRECTOR  of  shoestring  35mm  feature  seeks 
enthusiastic  co-producer  for  September  shoot  and  beyond. 
Serious  inquires  only.  Also  seeking  production  designer, 
wardrobe/makeup,  and  more.  Please  contact  Dave  Gebroe 
ASAP  (973)  992-4159. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     July  1999 


I 


THE    ASSOCIATION    OF    I 

VIDEO    AND    FILM: 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
irideo  and  filmmakers.  AIVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
m  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
ncreased  public  appreciation  of 
ndependent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
jou  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
:onnections,  and  the  best  information 
ivailable.  Whether  through  the  pages 
jf  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
8-  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
irganization  raising  its  collective 
'oice  to  advocate  for  important 
ssues,  AIVF  preserves  your 
ndependence  while  letting  you  know 
jou're  not  alone. 

fere's  what  AIVF 
oembership  offers: 

itnlndependent 

I  WHIM  t  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
membership  provides  you  with  a 
ear's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
hought-provoking  features,  news, 
nd  regular  columns  on  business, 
JchnicaL  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
istival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
inder    profiles,    funding    deadlines. 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media  new  technologies,  and  media 
education.  Business  and  non-profit 
members  receive  discounts  on 
advertising  and  special  mention  in 
each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  AIVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 
Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  long-distance  service, 
and  other  production  necessities. 
Members  also  receive  discounts 
purchases  of  on  the  AIVF  mailing  list 
and  classified  ads  in  The  Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field,  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  wwwAivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 


JDEPENDENT 
AKERS 

on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  publish  informational  resources 
on  international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members.  With  over 
600  volumes,  our  office  library  houses 
information  on  everything  from 
preproduction  to  sample  contracts. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities  across 
the  country.  These  member-run, 
member-organized  salons  provide  a 
unique  opportunity  for  members  and 
non-members  alike  to  network, 
exhibit,  and  advocate  for  independent 
media  in  their  local  area.  To  find  the 
salon  nearest  you  check  the  back 
pages  of  The  Independent  the  AIVF 
website,  or  call  the  office  for  the  one 
nearest  you.  If  you're  interested  in 
starting  a  salon  in  your  area,  ask  for 
our  startup  kit! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field,  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 


INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts 

•  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events 

•  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for 
board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 

subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both 

NON-PROFTT  ORSANIZATION/BUSINESS  fir  INDUSTRY  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES 

Student  □  $3S/1  yr. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization       □  $100/1  yr. 

Business  &•  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

UBRARY/UNIVERSnY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 

Name 

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Address 

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□  $60/2  yrs. 

□  $100/2  yrs. 

□  $150/2  yrs. 


MAILING  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

□  Canada  -  add  $15 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  S01(cX3). 


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Or  please  bill  my 

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Exp.  date: 
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O  Visa      Q  Mastercard 


/        / 


Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  Floor,  New  York,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  507-1400  x236, 

by  fax  (212)  463-5519,  or  via  our  website  wwwaivf.org 

Your  first  issue  of  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  four  to  six  weeks. 


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Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  MC,  Visa,  Amex. 
Indie  rates  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  Years  of  experience.  Script 
analyst  for  studios,  indies,  and  private  clients.  Full  analysis, 
commercial  assessment.  Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays: 
(212)  567-8820  (M-F  9-5);  Actfour4@aol.com 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  oreves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown,  near 
all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925-1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 


services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call 
Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less7  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time ft;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (718)  638-0028. 

AVID  EDITOR;  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  rez.  Beta  SR  DAT,  Extra  drives.  Pro-tools 
editing  &  mixing.  Your  Avid  or  mine.  Fast  and  easy  to  get  along 
with.  Credit  cards  accepted.  Drina  (212)  561-0829. 

AVID  MEDIA  COMPOSER  SUITE:  Online/Offline,  AVR  77, 
Beta  SR  3D  RealTime  Graphics,  Intraframe,  888  Digidesign 
Audio  Interface,  Digidizing  Video  Slave  Driver,  professional 
recording  studio  monitors,  2  20"  viewing  monitors,  SMPTE 
viewing  monitors,  DAT  recorder,  16  channel  mixer,  ProTools, 
After  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator.  350  MHz/128  MB  G3. 
Creative,  skilled  staff  editors  or  use  your  own.  Spacious, 
charming  environment.  24  hr  access.  Best  rates  in  NYC. 
Ph/Fx  (718)  802-9874. 

BOSTON  MEDIA  100  for  rent.  Indie  rates:  $20/hr!  Top  of  the 
line  system;  broadcast  quality;  32  gigs;  Beta  SP  deck;  tech 
support.  Office  w/  24  hr  access,  full  kitchen  &  beautiful  gar- 
den. Award-winning  editors.  Astrea  Films  (617)  266-2418. 


BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal 
only.  Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Beta- 
cam  SR  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by-scene 
only.  Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 
DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater. 
com;  (800)  807-4142. 


MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software.  Huge 
storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS,  Hi  8 . . 
.  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech  sup- 
port, talented  editors  &  ft  artists  available:  (212)  431-9299. 

MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  &  3/4 
suites,  Hi-8  video,  super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services.  Call 
Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee.  718-599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 


Visit  the  classifieds  on-line  at  www.aivf.org 


FILM  VIDEO  ARTS 


The  Stomping  Ground  for 
Independent  Giants! 

since  1968 


Courses 
Camera  Rentals 

Avid  1000 

Digital  Studio 

Video  Edit  Suites 

Flatbeds 

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Affordable  Rates 


212.673.9361 

817    Broadway    NYC 


40  WEST  27TH  STREET 

2ND  FLOOR 

NEW  YORK  NY  IOOOI 

212  679  9779 

FAX  212  532  O444 

vvwwbravofilm.com 


Sound  Stage  Rentals 

34'  x  28'  x  14' 

600  amps 

Hard  Cyc/Blue  Screen 

$595/day 

On-line  Editing 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  %",  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

DVE:  Pinnacle  Alladin  with  many  Effects 

Video  Toaster  4.1 

$85/hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages 

Sony  DVCam: 

DSR-130 $325/day 

DSR-300 $225/day 

Audio  Services 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55/hour 

In-house  Sound  Design  & 

Scoring  also  available. 

Tel:  212  679  9779   Fax:  212  532  0444 


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July  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office:  304 
Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &.  Vandam)  6th  fl., 
in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.);  C, 
E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 

AIVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registra- 
tion and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline 
with  Visa  or  Mastercard  info  or  mail  a  check  or 
money  order.  (Please  note:  your  check  must  be 
received  one  week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve  your 
seat.  Seats  are  sold  on  a  first-come  first-served 
basis.) 

The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest  information. 


July 


Our  Meet  &  Greet  Series  takes  a  brief  hiatus 
for  the  month  of  July  but  returns  with  full  gusto 
on  Thursday,  August  12th,  with  Cinema  Guild. 
See  below  for  details! 

aivf  co-sponsors  indie  focus 

(a  program  of  the  Independent  Feature  Project) 

TRUTH  AT  24  FRAMES  PER  SECOND 

When:  Wednesday,  July  21,  6:30  p.m. 

Where:  New  York  Governor's  Office  of  Motion 

Picture  and  TV  Development  (633  3rd  Ave 

btw40/41st,  37th  Floor) 

Cost:  Free  for  AIVF  and  IFP  members 

To  register /hear  more  details:  RSVP  to  IFP  at 

(212)  465-8200  ext.  280. 


r 


AIVF  bv  Email! 


"\ 


AIVF  has  begun  notifying  members  of 

events  and  advocacy  issues 

via  email  bulletins. 

If  you  are  not  receiving  these  updates,  we 

either  have  the  incorrect  email  address  or 

you  need  to  give  us  your  info! 

Add  your  name  to  our  address 

book  by  contacting 

members@aivf.org 


This  month's  topic:  mapping  the  landscape  of 
truth  in  nonfiction  work.  The  challenge  for  any 
filmmaker  is  to  find  the  truth  in  stories  and  the 
stories  in  truth.  What  are  the  ethical  bound- 
aries that  face  the  documentary  storyteller? 
Filmmakers  are  informed  by  their  politics  and 
although  film  may  not  be  inherently  or  fit  into 
a  political  agenda,  the  artist  still  faces  choices 
which  rest  on  subjective  intervention.  Join 
AIVF  and  IFP  members  in  a  discussion  of  the 
responsibility  of  the  documentarian  to  "fair" 
representation  and  on  how  ethical  judgment 
carefully  crafts  the  nonfiction  film. 

August 

UP  CLOSE:  CONVERSATIONS 
WITH  FILMMAKERS 

presents  Jem  Cohen 

When:  Thursday,  August  5,  7-10  p.m. 
Where:  TBA 

Cost:  $10  AIVF  members;  $15  general  public 
To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400 
x.  301.  Pre-paid  RSVP  encouraged,  as  these 
events  sell  out  quickly. 


Jem  Cohen  wil 
show  a  selection 
of     shorts      and 

excerpts  from  his  15  years  as  a  filmmaker, 
including  previously  unseen  16mm  works-in- 
progress.  Jem  will  be  interviewed  by  a  peer  film- 
maker (TBA)  on  his  artistic  and  philosophical 
approaches  to  past  &  current  projects,  and  on 
his  career  as  a  media  artist.  Selections  will 
include  excerpts  from  older  projects  such  as  Just 


Hold  Still  and  Buried  in  Light  as  well  as  rarely 
shown  music  pieces  including  Lucky  Three  (a  por- 
trait of  singer/songwriter  Elliott  Smith)  and  the 
unreleased  director's  cuts  of  videos  for  R.E.M.  and 
Jonathan  Richman.  New  16mm  work  will  cover 
terrain  ranging  from  dogs  of  Sicily,  to  the  end  of 
42nd  St.,  to  strip  malls  of  L.A.,  South  Carolina, 
and  Rotterdam. 

Meet  and 

Greet: 

CINEMA 

GUILD 

When:   Tuesday, 
August         12, 
6:30-8:30  p.m. 
Where:      AIVF 
office 

Video 

Cost:  Free  ATVF    and  ram 

Catalog 

members/ 

$10  general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x. 

301.  Please  RSVP 

Cinema  Guild  is  one  of  America's  leading  dis- 
tributors of  films  and  videos.  For  more  than  20 
years,  Cinema  Guild  has  distributed  both  docu- 
mentary and  fiction  films  (narrative  features 
and  shorts),  offering  producers  full  service  dis- 
tribution in  all  markets,  including  educational, 
nontheatrical,    theatrical,    television,    cable, 
satellite,   and   home   video.   They   distribute 
scores  of  award-winning  films  and  videos,  rep- 
resenting the  work  of  many  of  the  lead- 
ing producers  in  the  world,  including 
such     prestigious     organizations     as 
American      Film      Institute,      British 
Broadcasting    Corporation,    National 
Film  Board  of  Canada,  and  the  United 
Nations.  Cinema  Guild  films  include 
Slum  Nation,  Lena's  Dreams,  and  Going 
Nomad,  among  many  others. 

OUTSIDE  NEW  YORK 

AIVF  Co-Sponsors  a  Screening  of  the 
Landmark  Documentary  Wattstax 

Presented  by  the  International  Documentary 


58    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


Association  in  association  with  the  Hollywood 
Film  Festival  and  the  "Summer  Nights  at  the 
Ford"  program  of  the  L.A.  County  Arts 
Commission. 

When:  August  4,  time  TBA. 
Where:  The  John  Anson  Ford  Amphitheatre 
(2580  Cahuenga  Blvd.  E.,  just  off  the  101  free- 
way,   north   of  the    Hollywood    Bowl    in    Los 
Angeles) . 

Cost:  $20  general  public. 

To  purchase  tickets  or  for  festival  information  con- 
tact: Ford  Box  Office:  (323)  GO- 1 -FORD 
(461-3673). 

Wattstax  is  a  landmark  documentary  portrait  of 
Black  America  captured  as  it  was  in  1972.  Isaac 
Hayes,  the  Staples  Singers,  and  other  Stax 
recording  artists  perform  for  an  enthusiastic 
crowd  at  the  L.A.  Coliseum,  remembering  the 
riots  of '65.  Interspersed  with  pithy  social  com- 
mentary from  the  Black  community  and  biting 
comedy  from  a  young  Richard  Pryor,  this  film 
has  achieved  legendary  cult  status.  Wattstax 
kicks  off  the  3rd  Annual  Hollywood  Film 
Festival  which  presents  this  rare  opportunity  to 
see  it  on  the  big  screen.  (Directed  by  Mel 
Stuart,  produced  by  David  Wolper.) 

AIVF  Co-Sponsors 
NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-Sponsored  by  Angelika  Entertainment  Coqxxafjon 

&  die  New  York  Undergn  >und  Film  Festival 

Wien:  Every  Wed.  Shorts:  7p.m.,  Features:  8  p.m. 

Where:  Anthology  Film  Archives  (32  2nd  Ave  at 

2nd  St.) 

Cost:  $5  both  shows.  Tkts  avail,  at  the  box  office. 

For    a    complete    schedule,    visit    the    AIVF 

Resource    Library,    pick    up    an    Anthology 

monthly  schedule,  or  call  Anthology  at  (212) 

505-5110. 

The  year-round  festival  continues  through  the 
sweltering  summer  heat!  Ease  into  the  brisk  air 
conditioning  and  support  your  indie  filmmak- 
ers! (To  submit  your  feature  or  short,  call  (212) 
410-9404.) 

Don't  Miss:  On  July  21,  Craig  Richardson's 
Anima  tells  the  story  of  a  couple  living  out  their 
twilight  years  in  a  secluded  farmhouse  after 
escaping  from  Nazi  Germany.  And  Love  From 
Ground  Zero  (dir:  Stephen  Grynberg)  follows 
three  strangers  on  a  journey  across  America  to 
deliver  the  ashes  of  their  mutual  acquaintance. 

NOTICE:  The  FIFTH  NIGHT  Screenplay 
Reading  &  Short  Film  Series  is  on  hiatus  for 
the  summer.  Readings  and  short  film  presenta- 
tions will  resume  in  September  every  Tuesday 
at  the  Nuyorican  Poet's  Cafe. 


MEMBERSHIP  BENEFITS  UPDATES 

Card-carrying  AIVF  members  now  receive  10% 
off  at  all  Two  Boots  locations,  including  the 
East  Village  restaurant,  all  pizzeria/to  go  loca- 
tions, and  Two  Boots  Video.  Also  includes  dis- 


count on  rental  of  Den  of  Cin  exhibition  space. 
Contact  area  locations  for  details: 
restaurant  (212)  505-2276;  pizzerias/to  go  restau- 
rants (212)  254-1919;  (212)  777-1033;  (212) 
633-9096;  Video/Den  of  Cin  (212)  254-1441. 

GUERILLAQUIP 

Members  receive  15%  off  all  grip  and  lighting 
equipment  rentals.  Contact  Dean  LeCarre  at 
(212)  252-2485;  www.smartweb.net/gorillaquip 

Alliance  Insurance  Brokerage  Group 

Production  insurance  covering  AIVF  members 
for  $35  per  thousand  dollar  equipment  value. 
Designed  for  owners  of  equipment  (from  cam- 
eras and  Avids  to  make-up  kits  to  computers) 
and/or  larger  budgeted  films  ($200,000  and 
above).  Fast  turnaround  guaranteed!  Contact 
Jay  Levy  (516)  465-1161. 


SELF-DISTRIBUTION  TOOLKIT 

The  AIVF  Self-Distribution  Toolkit  is  avail- 
able! The  book  was  launched  in  June  with  a 
stellar  panel  on  exhibitor  relations  and  the  self- 
distributing  filmmaker  (with  indie  maverick 
John  Pierson  and  producer  rep  Rob  Fields 
among  the  voices).  This 
one-of-a-kind  book  contains 
case  studies  of  successful 
self-distribution  models  with 
special  emphasis  on  theatri- 
cal and  educational  distribu- 
tion for  features,  documen- 
taries, and  experimental  projects.  Toolkit  con- 
tributors include:  Greg  Laemmle  of  Laemmle 
Theatres,  documentary  filmmaker  Arthur 
Dong,  Sande  Zeig  of  Artistic  License  Films, 
filmmaker  Richard  Linklater,  and  Peter 
Broderick  of  Next  Wave  Films/Agenda  2000. 
The  Toolkit  is  available  through  AIVF  for 
$20/members;  $25/nonmembers.  Contact 
(212)  807-1400  x.  303  to  order,  or  check  out 
our  website  at  www.aivf.org  for  more  informa- 
tion. 

FILM  BYTES 

Every  Monday  at  8  p.m.  ET  at  www.pseudo.com, 
AIVF  co -hosts  FILM  BYTES,  a  webcast  series 
about  independent  media  production.  Produced 
by  Kinotek  &  Pseudo  Network. 


Minutes  of  the  AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors'  Meeting 


The  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  met  in  New  York  on  April  10—1 1.  Attending  were: 
Loni  Ding  (Co-Pres.),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat,  Peter  Lewnes,  Rick  Linklater,  Cynthia  Lopez  (FIVF), 
Diane  Markrow  (Secretary),  Jim  McKay,  Elizabeth  Peters  (ex-officio),  Robert  Richter  (Treasurer),  Valerie 
Soe,  Bart  Weiss  (Co-Pres.).  Absent:  Ruby  Lemer,  Robb  Moss  (Chair),  James  Schamus. 

Markrow  sat  in  as  Chair.  She  presented  the  new  Executive  Committee  slate.  Ding  and  Weiss  will  remain 
Co-Presidents,  Moss  and  Markrow  will  Co-Chair,  McKay  will  become  Vice  President,  Richter  will  remain 
Treasurer.  Finally,  McKay  will  become  Secretary,  as  well  as  VR 

Markrow  reported  on  her  experience  as  the  AIVF  rep  for  the  National  Coalition  of  Independent  Public 
Broadcasting  Producers  and  handed  over  her  position  at  the  Coalition  to  Peters. 

Richter  reported  that  the  state  of  the  finances  at  the  moment  is  not  rosy.  The  actual  income  versus  pro- 
jections reveals  gaps. 

Pat  Thomson,  Editor  of  The  Independent,  reported  on  upcoming  content.  July  will  be  an  experimental 
issue,  August/September  will  be  feature-oriented,  and  October  will  be  documentary-oriented.  Paul  Power, 
Managing  Editor  of  The  Independent,  reported  that  The  Independent  received  great  feedback  after  its  switch 
to  two-color  in  January,  but  will  have  to  scale  back  to  black  and  white  for  at  least  the  June  and  July  issues 
due  to  AIVF/FIVF's  financial  condition.  Peters  noted  that  the  scale  back  isn't  irreversible. 

Eugene  Hernandez,  AIVF's  website  coordinator,  reported  that  the  festivals  database  is  live,  but  not  yet 
public.  The  staff  is  training  to  manage  their  own  website  areas. 

Michelle  Coe,  Program  ck  Information  Services  Director,  reported  on  the  progress  of  the  Exhibitors 
Guide  and  Self-Distribution  Toolkit  books.  She  also  detailed  her  deliberations  about  what  to  offer  on  the  web- 
site, re:  free  information  vs.  member  information. 

Peters  spoke  on  behalf  of  Membership  and  Advocacy.  The  Membership  Director  position  has  not  been 
filled;  the  duties  have  been  streamlined  to  others  at  the  organization.  AIVF  is  currently  doing  well  pulling 
in  the  renewals,  with  an  30%  renewal  rate  and  many  new  members. 

Development  Consultant  Jodi  Magee  reported  on  where  AIVF/FIVF  stands  at  the  beginning  the  third 
and  final  year  of  the  Millennium  Campaign  Fund. 

On  behalf  of  the  membership  committee,  Valerie  Soe  reported  that  committee's  goals  are  to  clarify 
member  benefits  (insurance,  trade  discounts)  and  to  clarify  the  relationship  between  the  salons  and  the 
Mother  Ship. 

Dixon  spoke  about  Arts  Advocacy  Day  in  Washington  D.C.  and  told  the  Board  that  now  is  an  impor- 
tant time  to  write  letters  to  their  reps  in  support  of  the  NEA. 

The  the  next  Board  Meeting  is  June  26—28,  and  the  fall  meeting  will  be  September  25-26. 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


UIJI 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  2i£  MicroNet  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  •  NYC 
212  253  9472 


AVID 


New  MC  7.1  PCI 

FEATURES 

SHORTS 

DOCUMENTARIES 

BROADCAST  COMMERCIALS 

DEMO  REELS 

MUSIC  VIDEOS 

CORPORATE  VIDEOS 


Editorial  Services  with 
experienced  cutting-edge  editors 


OFFLINE/ONLINE 

AVR  up  to  77 

Beta  SP/VHS/TC  DAT 

After  Effects  &  3D  Effects 


HOURLY/DAILY/WEEKLY  RATES 


MERCI  MEDIA,  INC. 

143  WEST  29TH  STREET, 

SUITE  902 

NEW  YORK,  NY  10001 

VOICE:  212/563  0210 

FAX:  212/563  0221 

mercient@mercient.com 

www.mercient.com 


AA 


IA 


1  he  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity 

for  members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  inde- 
pendents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with 
the  AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Be 
sure  to  contact  your  local  Salon  leader  to  con- 
firm date,  time  &  location  of  the  next  meeting! 

Ne<u>  AIVF  Saions  starting  soon: 

Providence,  RI   •   Raleigh  Durham,  NC 
San  Francisco,  CA 

See  the  salons  section  at  www.aivf.org 
for  further  information. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  First  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30  pm 
Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin  (518)  489-2083; 
videos4c(S  cris.com 

Austin,  TX: 

Contact:  Rebecca  Millner  at 
rlmillner(5  hotmail.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  7:00  pm 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets 

ott  of  Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  geninfo(aimagefv.org 

Birmingham,  AL: 

Contact:  Pat  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories(5  mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

Contact:  Fred  Simon,  (508)  528-7279  or 
walshcid(a  aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month  from 

6:30-8:45  pm 

Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 

68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolim,  (843)  805-6841; 

filmsalon(5  aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

Contact:  Annetta  Marion,  (216)  781-1755; 
OhioIndieFilmFest@juno.coni 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  Third  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999; 
vbart(5  aol.com 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice 

Center,  1 520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Diane  Markrow,  (303)  449-7125; 

Dmarkrow(3  usa.net  or  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Beth  Mederios,  Houston  Film 
Commission  Hotline,  (713)  227-1407 


Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  the  month,  5:30  pm 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or 

dot(a  inetnebr.com, 

www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 

Manhattan,  NY 

When:  3rd  Monday  of  each  month,  5-8  pm 
Where:  Baby  Jupiter,  170  Orchard  Street 
(1  block  south  of  Houston,  2nd  Ave  stop  on  F) 
Contact:  Joe  Sullivan,  212/242-3396 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  6k  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 
allen(«  passionriver.com;  or  visit 
www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675;  mediaartCgconnix.com 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Portland,  OR: 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254; 
betuccia(g  aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 

chuck(c  millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811  or 

espinosa(5  electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-6051; 
joel(§  speakeasy.org;  or  visit 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tampa,  FL: 

Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690-4416 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Monday  of  each  month  fron 
6-8  pm  at  Club  Congress,  31 1  E.  Congress. 
Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridge(3  theriver.com,  Robert  Ashle, 
robertf"  access.tucson.org;  or  visit 
http://access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.4; 
sowande("  bellatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reel  1  \«> 
aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,  (914)  948-3447; 
jkap3("  juno.com 

Youngstown,  OH: 

Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
abyrd(5  alumni.ysu.edu,  or  visit 
www.cboss.com/flickclique 


GO     THE    INDEPENDENT     Jul    1999 


P~«^^^  =  ^.^  -,  rn 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AI VF) ,  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs     John  D.  and  Catherine  T  Mac  Arthur  Foundation 


The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation 

Home  Box  Office 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation 

Jerome  Foundation 


NYSCA 


National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 
Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Dinque  Entertainment,  Inc;  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  Forest 
Creatures  Entertainment;  Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO: 
BET  Movies/Starz!3;  Intrepid  Film  &.  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  Respectable  Street 
Inc.;  GA:  Legacy  Pictures  Inc.;  IL:  Optimus;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  MD:  Imagination  Machines;  MI:  Jes 
&  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC;  NV:  United  Pictures; 
NY:  Arc  International  Entertainment  Corp.;  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth;  C  6k  S  International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment;  Catherine  Carey; 
Dependable  Delivery,  Inc.;  Dynamism;  Fred  Ellis;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  G  Productions; 
Jr.  Video;  Julia  John  Music;  LD  Media  Corp;  Mad  Mad  Judy;  Media  Principia;  Merci  Entertainment, 
Inc;  Middlemarch  Films;  New  Rican  Filmmaker;  NYT  Television;  One  Such  Films;  Prime  Technologies; 
Remez  Corp;  Stuart  Math  Films  Inc.;  Sundance  Channel  LLC;  Surf  and  Turf  Films  Inc.;  Toolbox 
Animation;  Tribune  Pictures;  Wonder  Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI:  Treasure  Chest 
Television;  TX:  Aries  Productions;  Graham  Dorian,  Inc.;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television; 
VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  WA:  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures;  India:  Foundation  for  Universal 
Responsibility;  Spain:  Sogecable 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona  University;  CA: 
Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  KOCT;  Media 
Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  Nat'l  Educational  Media  Network;  RJB  Productions;  USC  School  of 
Cinema  TV;  University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest  New  Haven;  GA:  Image 
Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii;  IL:  Community  Television  Network; 
The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Facets;  Macarthur  Foundation;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The 
Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media  Working  Group;  MA:  Harvard  Medical  School;  Long  Bow 
Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film  Festival;  MD:  Laurel  Cable  Network;  MI:  Ann 
Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  Public  Benefit  Corp;  WTVS  Channel  56; 
MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster 
University;  NE:  Ross  Film  Theater;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  ASCAP;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation 
for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Center  For  New  American 
Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications  Society;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation; 
Crowing  Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Educational  Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of 
Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation;  Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  Irish  American  Film  Foundation;  John 
Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network  Museum 
of  Modern  Art;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Society 
Institute/Soros  Documentary  Fund;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding 
Exchange;  Rochester  Film  Office;  Ross-Gafney;  The  Roth  School  Library;  Squeaky  Wheel; 
SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies;  Syracuse  University;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.; 
WNET/13;  Women  Make  Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  &.  Video;  Cincinnati  Community 
Video;  City  of  Cleveland;  Cleveland  Filmmakers;  Ohio  Independent  Film  Festival;  Ohio  University- 
Film;  OR:  Communications  Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New 
Liberty  Productions;  Council  On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  FilmA'ideo  Assoc;  Scribe  Video 
Center;Temple  U./Dept.  of  Media  Arts;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  RI:  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SC:  South 
Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Cinemaker  Coop; 
Austin  Film  Society;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate 
Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio-TV-Film;  Worldtest  Houston;  WI: 
Madison  Film  Forum;  Mexico:  Centra  De  Capacitacion  Cinematogratica;  Canada:  Video  Pool;  York 
University;  Norway:  Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket;  Singapore:  Ngee  Ann  Polytechnic  Library   • 


FILMS 


• 


■ 


SV  /.tor  2  fsr  St.  «  Sum  903  »  Sir,  NY  100 10 

2f2®367®3730 

viceroy  films®  mi  ndsprimg.com 


«i  /  ei  e/ 1  o- 


non-linear  video  editing 

f    Y£j(ll€*>  in  the  comfort 
^  of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Hanley,  Editor 

212.254.1106 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


(^^^^S 


■J»U» 


;iP!20NA 


FX  Factory 

(520)  623-3175;  FXFactory@aol.com 

Special  effects  production  studio  specializing  in  film  effects, 

prosthetics,  &  makeup  effects.  15%  to  30%  disc,  on  labor. 

CALIFORNIA 

Aries  Post 

1680  Vine  St.,  Ste.  216,  Hollywood,  CA  90028 
Contact:  Kevin  Glover  (213)  463-6296;  ariespost@aol.com 
10%  discount  off  rate  card  for  all  video  postproduction  ser- 
vices including:  Beta  SP  Hi8,  3/4",  S-VHS,  and  DVC  to  Beta 
SP  analog  A/B  editing  and  Avid  nonlinear  suite. 

Mill  Valley  Film  Group 

104  Eucalyptus  Knoll,  Mill  Valley,  CA  94941;  contact:  Will 
Parrinello  (415)  381-9309;  tax:  389-9110;  MVFG@aol.com 
Ind.  doc  producers  provide  free  consultation  when  you  rent 
from  us  wl  35%  discounts  on  Media  100SX,  Media  100 
Nubus,  Avid  400s,  VHS  cuts  only  system  &  Beta  SP  pkg. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

215  N.  Highland  Ave.,  Hollywood,  CA  90038 

Contact:  Richard  Kaufman  (800)  824-3130;  fax:  (213)  463- 

2121;  SFTSERVICE@SPTWEB.COM 

10%  disc,  on  new  Fuji  16mm  film,  Word  16mm  b/w  film,  all 

formats  Maxwell  videotape,  all  editorial  supplies  inci  leader, 

mag  stock,  splicing  tape,  &  computer  data  storage  media. 

Virgin  Moon  Post 

56  E.  Main  St.,  Ste.  207,  Ventura,  CA  93001 
Contact:  Ken  Finning  (805)  652-6890;  fax:  652-6899 
10%  discount  on  all  postproduction  services:  Media  100XS. 
Betacam  SP  Adobe  AfterEffects,  Photoshop,  Boris  Effects, 
online/offline,  Fresh  Music  Library,  DL1 'Back-up,  Quick  Time. 

COLORADO 

MovieMaker 

4730  Table  Mesa  Dr..  Ste.  B-100,  Boulder,  CO  80303 
Contact:  Susan  Lyle  Kinney  (303)  449-6300;  fax:  499-7245 
15%  discount  on  video  production  services  including  shoot- 
ing, editing,  script  consultation. 

FLORIDA 

Film  Friends 

729  NE  71st  St.,  Miami,  FL  33138;  contact:  Mik  Cribben 
(305)  757-9038;  fax:  757-9795;  mikcamera@earthlink.net 
20%  discount  on  extensive  range  of  equipment  rentals-, 
camera,  video,  lighting  sound,  grip,  and  Steadicam. 

ILLINOIS 

Cybertech  Media 

26  W  482  Blair,  Winfield,  IL  60190;  contact:  Larry  Spiegel  (630) 
690-7611;  fax:  690-2143;  media@cybertechmedia.com 
10%  discount  on  all  videotape  conversions  to  streaming  video 
formats  such  as  Real  Video,  NetShow,  or  Vivo  for  use  on  the 
Internet,  or  Quicklime  and  AVI  formats  for  use  on  CD-ROM. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

110  W.  Kinzie  St.,  Chicago,  IL  60610;  contact:  Max  Good  (800) 
467-0070;  fax:  (312)  467-0074;  SFchi@Amentech.net 
10%  discount  on  new  Fuji  film  and  Word  B/W  film. 

MARYLAND 

East  Light  Productions 

413  S.  Ann  St.,  Baltimore,  MD  21214;  contact:  John 
Kavanaugh  (410)  276-4696  or  Jaime  Roberts  (410)  583-2583; 


fax:  342-1368;  lcpjk@erols.com;  lamer@home.com 
30%  discount  on  Avid  editing  or  negotiate  for  projects.  10% 
discount  on  Beta  SP  shoots,  Sony  600  (switchable  16x9  for- 
mat), or  Sony  70IS  camera  package. 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Northeast  Negative  Matchers,  Inc. 

25  Riverview  Terrace,  Springfield,  MA  01108;  contact:  Iris 
Girard  (413)  736-2177;  fax:  734-1211;  nenm@nenm.com 
10%  minimum  discount  on  negative  cutting  services  on  any 
format.  FREE  use  of  16mm  or  35mm  8-plate  Steenbeck 
editing  suites.  Call  for  details. 

NEW  JERSEY 

Ren  Media 

2011  St.  George  Ave.,  Rahway,  NJ  07065 
Contact:  Ruth  Kennedy  (908)  382-5329 
Discounts  on  music  scoring  for  film/video. 

NEW  YORK 

Bee  Harris  Productions 

79  Putnam  St.,  Mt.  Vernon,  NY  10550;  contact:  Robert  Bruzio 
(800)  811-2240;  fax:  (800)  988-3939;  BeeHarrisl@aol.com 
10%  disc,  on  all  editing  services  &  facilities  (Avid,  Beta  SP 
3/4",  16mm,  35mm,  transfers,  duplications).  Producers  of 
films,  commercials,  docs,  corporate  &  educational  videos. 

Diva  Edit 

330  W  42nd  St.,  Ste.  1510,  15th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10036 
Contact:  Robert  Richter  (212)  947-8433 
70%  discount  on  all  editing  services  and  facilities:  Avid 
1000  and  Avid  800  with  film  composer. 

Downtown  Community  TV  Center 

87  Lafayette  St.,  New  York,,  NY  10013 

Contact:  Hye  Jung  Park  or  Paul  Pittman  (212)  966-4510;  fax: 

219-024;  web@dctvny.org 

10-20%  discount  on  DCTV  video  workshops  and  seminars,- 

low-fee  Avid  &  DVC  camera  rental  for  nonprofit  projects. 

DuArt  Film  and  Video 

245  W  55th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10019 

(212)  757-4580;  fax:  262-3381 

Negotiable  discounts  on  color  negative  developing,  workpnnt- 

mg  blow-ups  from  16mm  &  S16mm  to  35mm,  &  titles. 

DV8Video,  Inc. 

738  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10003;  contact:  Morgan  Reese 
(212)  529-820;  fax:  982-5593;  lnbox@DV8designs.com 
10%  discount  on  all  Avid  editing  services  and  duplication, 
Betacam  SP,  Digital  Betacam,  DVCPRO,  3/4",  Hi8,  and  VHS. 

Film  Emporium 

17  E.  45th  Street,  Ste.  308,  New  York,  NY  10017 
Contact  Csilla  Criner  (800)  371-2555  or  (212)  681-6922; 
fax:  681-6920;  mail@filmemponum.com 
10%  discount  off  Kodak  &  II ford  16  &  35mm  motion  picture 
film  &  video  &  audio  tape  in  all  professional  brands  &  for- 
mats. Complimentary  consultations  on  production  insurance. 

Film  Friends 

16  E.  17th  St.,  8th  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10003 

Contact:  Jay  Whang  (212)620-0084 

20%  discount  on  extensive  range  of  equipment  rentals-. 

camera,  video,  lighting,  sound,  grip  &  Steadicam. 

GLC  Productions 

11  Weehawken  St.,  New  York,  NY  10014;  contact:  Stacy  Davidoff 
(212)  691-1038;  fax:  242-4911;  stacy@glc.com 


10-30%  discount  off  book  rate  for  audio  postproduction  ser- 
vices. ADR,  sound  design,  SFX/Foley  mix,  ISDN  phone  patch. 

Guerillaquip 

6  Jones  St.  #3B    New  York,  NY    10014;  contact:  Dean 
LeCarre  (212)  252-2485;  gorillaquip@smartweb.net 
15%  discount  on  all  grip  and  lighting  equipment  rentals. 

Harmonic  Ranch 

59  Franklin  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013 

Contact:  Brooks  Williams  (212)  966-3141 

Discounts  on  sound  editing  music,  mixing  &  sound  design. 

Hello  World  Communications 

118  W.  22nd  Street,  New  York,  NY  10011 
Contact:  Ron  Yoshida  (212)  243-8800;  fax:  691-6961 
10%  discount  for  walkies,  audio  &  video  pkgs,  dubbing,  and 
our  Discreet  Logic  (nonlinear  edit  system /offline  &  online). 

Image  Design  Studio 

139  Fulton  St.,  Ste.  508,  New  York,  NY  10038;  contact:  Michael 
Lee  (212)  571-0260;  fax:  346-9255;  Lee@IMAGEDS.com 
25-30%  discount  on  videobox  design,  graphic  design,  web- 
sites, logos,  ad  design,  and  desktop  publishing. 

Island  Media  International 

22  Prince  St.,  #110,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212)  252-3522 
50%  discount  off  all  corporate  rates  on  Avid  editing  ser- 
vices: Avid,  Betacam  SP  DV cam-digital,  film  to  tape  &  tape 
to  film  transfers,  camera  packages. 

Lichtenstein  Creative  Media 

1600  Broadway,  Ste.  601,  New  York,  NY  10019;  contact:  June 
Peoples  (212)  765-6600;  fax:  765-6550;  lcm@lcmedia.com 
15%  disc,  on  mim-DV&  DVcam  dubs  to  Beta  &  equip,  rental. 

Media  Loft 

463  West  St.,  #A-628,  New  York,  NY  10014 
Contact:  William  Creston  (212)  924-4893 
5%  discount  on  3/4"  VHS  &  mterformat  editing,  titling  dub- 
bing, special  effects,  Hi-8,  Amiga  computer,  still  photogra- 
phy, slides  &  photos  to  tape,  S-8. 

Mercer  Street  Sound 

76  Mercer  St.,  New  York,  NY  10012;  contact:  Bill  Seery  (212) 

966-6794;  fax:  226-6357;  mercerst@aol.com 

50%  disc,  off  corporate  rate  for  audio  postproduction  services. 

Moondance  Productions 

630  9th  Ave,  Ste.  1212,  New  York,  NY  10036;  contact:  Bob 
Schapiro  or  Eileen  Conlon  (212)  315-2000;  fax:  586-1572 
10-30%  discount  (depending  on  hours)  on  all  editing  ser- 
vices: Avid,  AVR-77,  Media  Log.  All  formats-.  Beta  SP,  DVC 
Pro,  DVcam,  3/4",  VHS,  D-7,  Hi8. 

NTV  Studio  Productions 

50  Rockefeller  Plaza,  New  York,  NY  10020;  contact:  Elyse 
Rabinowitz  (212)  489-8390;  fax:  603-4820;  entv@aol.com 
10%  disc,  on  all  editing  services.  Our  edit  suite  mcl.  -.  Sony  BVE 
2000  Editor,  DVS  2000C  Switcher,  DME  3000  Multi  Effects 
unit,  MXP  2016  Mixing  Console  &  Chyron  Max!  The  switcher 
allows  for  digital  editing  w/  Beta  or  Beta  SP  source  tapes. 

One  Art 

132  W  21st  St.,  New  York,  NY  1001 1;  contact:  Valerie  Kontakos 
(212)  741-9155;  fax:  675-5061;  0neArtFilm@aol.com 
10%  discount  on  Avid  rentals. 

Open  Studios 

601  Gates  Rd„  Vestal,  NY  13850 

Contact:  Peter  Bombar  (607)  729-0100  x.  356;  fax:  729- 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT    July  1999 


7328;  PeterJombar@WSKG.PBS.ORG 
10-40%  disount.  off  digital  audio/video  editing,  production 
&  field  shooting.  (Includes  audio  postproduction,  music, 
SFX,  sound  design,  surround  sound  automated  mixing,  full 
video  services  with  Betcam  &  D3  etc.) 

Pharaoh  Editorial,  Inc. 

35  W.  44th  St.,  2nd  fl„  New  York,  NY  10036 
Contact:  Peter  or  Richard  (212)  398-7676;  fax:  398-1314 
10-15%  discount  on  audio  services  &  mixing  editing,  sound 
design,  custom  music  &  labor  on  ADR  &  Foley.  (Excludes 
stock,  website  downloads  &  audio-plus-picture  packages). 

Picture  This  Music 

50  W.  34th  St.,  Ste.  9C9,  New  York,  NY  10001 

Contact:  Paul  D.  Goldman  (212)  947-6107 

10-30%  off  digital  audio  post-production:  music,  voiceovers, 

sound  design,  SFX,  audio  mixing  (Pro  fools  work  stations). 

The  Post  Office  at  Filmmaker's  Collaborative 

29  Greene  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013 

Contact:  Jonathan  Berman  (212)  966-3030  x.  244 
20-35%  off  rates  for  Avid  Media  Composer  Off-line  Editing 
and  Digital  Camera  Rental. 

PrimaLux  Video 

30  W.  26th  Street,  New  York,  NY  10010 
Contact:  Judy  Cashman  (212)  206-1402 

10%  or  more  discount  (non-profits  encouraged)  on  services 
incl.:  studio  production  facilities,  remote  production  pack- 
ages &  postproduction. 

Quark  Video 

109  W.  27th  Street,  New  York,  NY  10001 
Contact:  Michael  Levin  (212)  807-7711;  fax:  807-7016 
10%  discount,  for  all  postproduction  services,  including  3/4, 
3/4SRS-VHS,  VMS,  Betacam,  BetacamSPA/B  Roll  editing  to 
3/4  SR  Betacam  SP  or  1".  Also  10%  disc,  for  all  duplication 
orders  over  $25. 

Rafik 

814  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10003 

Contact:  Sales  (212)  475-7884;  fax:  475-8411 

25%  discounts  on  used  cassettes  over  $100, 10%  on  single 

invoices  over  $100  for  video  services,  editing,  duplication, 

film-to-tape  transfers,  and  foreign  video  conversion. 

Soho  Audio 

376  Broome  St.,  New  York,  NY  10013;  contact:  Larry  Loewinger 
(212)  226-242;  fa*  966-7650;  sohoaud@mcimail.com 
10%  discount  on  all  daily  rentals.  Deeper  disounts  on  longer 
term  rentals. 

Sound  Dimensions  Editorial 

21  W.  44th  St.,  Rm.  500,  New  York,  NY  10036 
Contact:  Bernie  (212)  757-5147 
15%  discounts  on  transfers,  effects,  and  sound  studio  ser- 
vices-, foley  ADR,  narration,  mixing. 

Splash  Studios 

168  5th  Ave,  5th  fl.  North,  New  York,  NY  10010;  contact:  Peter 
Levin  (212)  271-8747;  fax:  271-8748;  BPLPR0D@A0L.com 
35%  on  hourly  editing  fees.  Services  include:  dialog  and  sound 
effects  editing  ADR  and  Foley  editing  and  recording  music 
editing  and  transfers.  This  discount  does  not  apply  to  media. 

Star  Tech 

152  W.  72nd  St.,  Ste.  2R,  New  York,  NY  10023 
Contact:  John  Hampton  (212)  362-5338;  fax:  724-2980 
Discount  on  paging  equipment  &  services,  all  sound  equi- 


ment,  modification  &  repair. 

Studio  Film  and  Tape 

630  9th  Ave.,  New  York,  NY  10036 

Contact:  Drew  (800)  444-9330;  fax:  (212)  586-2420 

5%  discount  on  film  stock  &  all  videotape  stock  available  in 

new  &  Ecotape. 

Terra  Firma  Media 

309  E.  4th  St.  #2A,  New  York,  NY  10009;  contact:  lleana 
Montalvo  (212)  477-0688;  fax:  477-0688;  lmontalvo@aol.com 
Provides  foreign  language  services  for  motion  pictures  & 
interactive  media.  10%  discount  on  translations,  voiceovers 
&  on  location  interpreters. 

Tiny  Lights,  Inc. 

286  Spring  St.  #404,  New  York,  NY  10013 

Contact:  Michael  Momm  (212)  691-3358;  fax:  691-3548; 

dance@tinylights.com 

Music  and  sound  design  studio  offering  15%  discount  on  all 

services.  Digidesign  protools,  Sony/lynx  video  lock  complete 

music  and  audio  post  packages.  Will  work  with  your  budget. 

Video  Decks  To  Go 

45  W.  85th  St.,  #4D,  New  York,  NY  10024 

Contact:  David  Fuhrer  (212)  362-1056;  DFUH@AOL.com 

10%  disc,  on  first  time  Beta-SP  deck  rentals  of  1  week  or  more. 

VideoActive  Productions 

353  W  48th  St,  2nd  fl..  New  York,  NY  10036;  contact:  Steven 
Garrin  (212)  541-6592;  fax:  541-8139;  Vworks@aol.com 
15-30%  discount  (depending  on  hrs,  length  of  booking)  on  all 
editing  &  facilities  Media  100XS,  After  EFX,  Boris  EFX, 
Photoshop,  Scanner,  Betacam  SR  3/4",  Hi8,  DV,  S-VHS,  Sonic 
Solutions  Digital  Audio,  recording  studio,  voiceover  casting. 

Virtual  Media 

12  E.  44th  Street,  2nd  Fl.  New  York,  NY  10017 
Contact:  Heather  Gibbons  (212)  490-9730;  fax:  818-0529 
Ask  about  our  special  discounts  for  AIVF  members. 
Products  include  the  full  line  of  Avid  editing  systems. 

TEXAS 

R.W.  Productions 

Contact:  Ken  Herbert  (713)  522-4701;  fax:  522-0426 
10-25%  disc,  off  standard  price  ofD-Vision  (offline),  Media- 
100  (on  line),  Beta  SP  camera  package,  16mm  Arri-BLs. 

Texcam 

3263  Brenard  Ave.,  Houston,  TX  77098 

(713)  524-2774;  fax:  524-2779;  texcam@iapc.net 

Up  to  15%  disc,  on  film  camera  pkgs  (16mm  &  35mm). 

VERMONT 

Edgewood  Motion  Picture  and  Video 

162  N.  Main  St.,  Rutland,  VT  05701;  contact:  David  Giancola 
(802)  773-0510;  pbeckwl968@aol.com 
25%  off  production  (Betacam  SP,  3/4",  ARRI  16mm  and 
35mm),  editing  (AVID  Media  Composer  1000,  Betacam  SP/ 
3/4"  on-line)  and  audio  mix  (digital  audio  facilities). 

WASHINGTON,  D.C. 

Yellow  Cat  Productions 

505  11th  Street  SE,  Washington,  D.C.  20003 

Contact:  Mary  Flannery  (202)  543-2221;  fax:  543-2287; 

yellowcat@yellowcat.com 

15%  off  of  a  full  day  video  shoot  with  a  2  person  crew;  15% 

off  any  Avid  editing  in  charming  townhouse  on  Capitol  Hill. 


Spin  Cycle  Post 

Proudly  congratulates  the 

following  1999  Sundance 

award-winning  films: 

Three  Seasons 

Grand  Jury  Prize 

Audience  Award 

Cinematography  Award 

Judy  Berlin 

Directing  Award 

Santitos 

Latin  American  Cinema 
Award 

Come  Unto  Me 

Honorable  Mention-Short 


Spin  Cycle  Post  is  a  full-service 
post-production  facility. 

1 2  West  27th  Street.  6th  Fl. 

New  York,  NY  10001 

T (212)  679-2720  ■  F (212)  679-2730 


Everything 
included. 

Avid  Media 

Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

can  afford. 


kitchen 


Y     N 


225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


July  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      63 


A 


!   S  S  D   C  ft  T  I  D  N       D  F      I 


■ 


E  P  E 


E  N  T      VI 


V 


0      AND       FILMMAKERS 


F 


Through  donations  ran^in?  from  $*  to  $  J  5,000,  our  community 
has  come  together  to  support  the  grassroots  initiative  of  FiVF's 
Millennium  Fund  campaign.  Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  contributors: 


Millennium  Fund 
Honorary  Committee: 

AIVF  DC  Salon 

Ralph  Arlytk,  Timed  Exposures 

Peter  Buck 

Hugo  Cassirer,  Felix  Films 

Martha  Coolidge 

Linda  &  Bob  Curtis, 

Jacob  Burns  Foundation,  Inc. 

Loni  Ding 

Jacqueline  Donnet 

Karen  Freedman  &  Roger  Weisberg 

David  Haas 

Henry  Hampton",  Blackside,  Inc. 

Nina  Henderson, 
BET  Movies/Starz!  3 

Home  Box  Office 

Nik  Ives 

Bill  Jersey,  The  Catticus  Corporation 

Deborah  Kozee, 

C  &  S  International  Insurance 

Leonard  Merrill  Kurz, 

Forest  Creatures  Entertainment 

Richard  Kylberg,  Communicom 

Tom  LeGoff 

Ruby  Lerner 

Helaine  &  Sidney  Lerner 

Rick  Linkloter, 

Detour  Film  Foundation 

Juan  Mandelbaum 

John  Bard  Manulis 

Diane  Markrow 

Jim  McKay,  C-Hundred  Film  Corp. 

Sheila  Nevins 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

Ovation 

David  &  Sandy  Picker 

REM/Athens,  LLC 

Barbara  Roberts 

James  Schamus,  Good  Machine 

Robert  L.  Seigel 

Miranda  Smith 

Michael  Stipe 

Ann  Tenenbaum 

Tower  Records/Videos/Books 

Liza  Vann  Smith 

Walterry  Insurance  Company 

Liz  Weiner, 

Washington  DC  Film  Society 

Marc  N.  Weiss  &  Nancy  Meyer 

Martin  Wills, 
TCI/District  Cablevision 

Robert  E.  Wise 

Susan  Wittenberg 

Lawrence  Zicklin, 
Jewish  Communal  Fund 

"deceased 


Additional  Donors: 

Anonymous 
Barbara  Abrash 
Richard  W.  Adams 
John  Allen 
Alfonso  Alvarez 
John  C.  Anderson 
Kristin  Angelique 
Steven  Ascher 
&  Jean  Jordan 

Corine  Asscher 

Caron  Atlas 

Ross  Babbit 

Lowrence  Borr  Weissman 

Cindy  Bashore 

Janet  Baus 

Lisa  Bellomo 

Michelle  Benjamin 

Ted  &  Asyo  Berger 

Alan  Berliner 

Regina  Berliner  &  Bob  Coleman 

Jonathan  Berman 

Nancy  Bickel 

Stephanie  Black 

Tessa  Blake  &  Jason  Lyon 

Doug  Block 

Susan  Bodine,  Esq. 

Steven  Bognar 

Garrison  Bolts 

Meyer  Braiterman 

Dono  Briscoe 

Barbaro  Brooks 

David  H.  Brown 

Donald  Burch 

Florence  Burke 

Jeff  Bush 

Michelle  Byrd 

George  C.  Stoney 

Pamela  Calvert 

David  Carnochan 

Rick  Carter 

Stephen  J.  Cassidy 

Richard  Chiaramonte 

Alva  &  Michael  Chocianowski 

Christine  Choy 

J.  Clements 

Ruth  Anne  Cohen 

Jem  Cohen 

Maxi  Cohen 

Karen  Cooper 

Norman  Cowie 

Iri  Cremak 

Keith  Crofford 

Chelsie  Crydon 

Eric  d'Arbeloff 

Devon  Damonte 

Laura  Davis 

Zeinabu  I.  Davis 

Mark  Day 

Jonathan  Dayton  &  Valerie  Faris 

Helen  De  Michiel 

Ralph  De  Stefono 


Shawn  Erik  Deutschman 

Paul  Devlin 

Arthur  Dong 

Jeffrey  Doornbos 

Eileen  Douglas 

Sandy  Dubowski 

Sally  Eberhardt 

Relah  Eckstein 

Aaron  Edison 

Bill  Einreinhofer 

Alice  Elliott 

Borry  &  Camila  Ellsworth 

Jon  Else 

Cassian  Elwes 

Robert  R.  Evans,  Jr. 

Chris  Farina 

Christine  Felton 

Larry  Fessenden 

Filmmaker's  Library,  Inc. 

Bonnie  Finnegan 

Kenneth  Fishel 

Holly  Fisher 

Judy  Fiskin 

Molly  Fitzmaurice 

Poul  Fitzmaurice 

&  Lisabeth  Shean 

William  Flemming 

Claudia  Fortucci 

Richard  J.  Fronk 

Frank  Fraftoroli 

Lil  Friedlander 

Peter  Friedman 

Andrew  S.  Garrison 

Rebecca  Gee 

Archibald  Gillies 

Patricia  Goudvis 

Clayton  Greene 

Scott  Griffin 

Francisca  Guerrero 

Baraboro  Hammer 

Leigh  Hanlon 

Laura  Harrison 

Hal  Hartley 

Elizabeth  Hawk 

Stephan  &  Terianne  Hawk 

Richard  &  Elaine  Hawk 

Jessica  Hawk-lppolito 

Lisa  Heeren 

Matthew  &  Katie  Heineman 

Lisa  Heller 

James  Herbert 

Richard  Hickman 

Kathy  High 

Jeffrey  Hirota 

Deborah  Hoffman 

Tracie  Holder 

Lynn  Hoist 

Ted  Hope 

John  Hoskyns-Abrahall 

Paul  Hrissikopoulos 

Immy  Humes 


Mil jan  llich 
Susan  Ivers 
Francis  James 
Joao  Jardim 
Vojtech  Jasny 
Mona  Jimenez 
Taylor  Johns 
Zuzana  Justman 
Ticia  Kane 
Sally  Ann  Kaplan 
John  Kavanaugh 
Anisa  Keith 
Susan  Kennedy 
Carole  Keone 
Dai  Sil  Kim-Gibson 
Michael  G.  Kindle 
Tom  Kingdon 
Barbara  E.  Kiss 
Valerie  Kontakos 
Barbara  Kopple 
Lucy  Kostelanetz 
Stephan  Krai 
Jan  Krawitz 
George  La  Voo 
Ruth  Anne  Landy 
Terry  Lawler 
Graham  C.  Leggat 
Nodia  Leonelli 
Elizabeth  Levison 
George  E.  Lewis 
Peter  Lewnes 
Brad  Lichtenstein 
Mark  Lipman 
Lawrence  Loewinger 
Virginia  Loring  Brooks 
Undra  Lott 
Pellissier  R.  Lowe 
William  &  Anastasia  S. 
David  W.  Lynch 
Edwin  Lynch 
Chorles  MocFarland 
David  Madson 
Jodi  Magee 
Michael  Magno 
Sandy  Mandelberger 
Luis  Matos 
Karen  McMillan 
Joonie  McCaw 
Betsy  McClone 
Ross  S.  McElwee 
Donna  McKay 
Thomas  McLoughlin 
Cara  Mertes 
Eric  &  Terry  Meyers-Gu 
Dara  Meyers-Kingsley 
&  Evan  Kingsley 
Vanessa  Middleton 
Fiona  Milburn 
Christopher  Miller 
Rich  Minnich 
Spencer  Moon 


Deanna  Morse 
Robb  Moss 
Kern  Roy  Neal 
Michel  Negroponte 
Elizabeth  Newman 
Scott  Noegel 
Christine  Norschese 
&  Benjamin  Carney 
John  O'Brien 
Jackie  Ochs 
Off  Shore  Pictures 
Open  City  Films 
Robin  Reidy  Oppenheim 
Myra  Paci 
Jang  Suh  Park 
HyeJung  Park 
Eloise  Payne 
Anthony  Peraticos 
Mimi  Pickering 
William  Poorman 
Propp  Productions 
George  Ratliff 
Peter  Reo 
Robert  Richter 
Patricio  Riquelme 
Roadster  Productions 
George  &  Karen  Roche 
Gerardo  Rodriguez 
Jennifer  Rolle 
Dovid  Rosen 
Henry  S.  Rosenthal 
Richard  Roughton 
Michael  Ruiz 
John  Russell 
Nancy  Lee  Russell 
Catherine  Saalfield 
Lynne  Sachs 
Lyman      Samuel  Sagenkahn 
Alicia  Sams 
Roy  Sander 
Ryan  E.  Saunders 
Patricia  Savino 
Jason  Schoeffer 
Robin  Schanzenbach 
Herbert  &  Anita  Schiller 
John  Schmidt 
John  Schwartz 
Nat  Segaloff 
Deborah  Shaffer 
Daniel  Sherman 
&  Lois  Cristarella 
Charles  W.  Sherwood  Jr. 
Derek  Shirae 
Patricia  Sides 
Pete  Sillen 
Gail  Silva 
Calvin  Skaggs 
John  Sloss 
Volerie  &  Jim  Smith 


lotty 


Kevin  Smith 

JaneSmulyan 

John  Snavely 

Kim  Snyder 

Vivian  Sobchack 

Somford  Entertainment 

Carlo  Sporanero 

Robert  Spencer 

Pauline  Spiegel 

Buddy  Squires 

James  Stark 

Melissa  Sterne 

Jon  A.  Stout 

Helen  Stritzler 

Dennis  R.  Summerhayes 

Renee  Tajima-Pena 

Orinne  Takagi 

Lauri  Rose  Tanner 

Tapestry  International 

Productions 

Janis  Taylor 

Nick  Taylor 

George  Thorn 

Karen  Thorsen 

&  Douglas  K.  Dempsey 

Thunderhead  Productions 

Sowande  Tichawonna 

Karl  Trappe 

Toni  Treadway  &  Bob  Brodsky 

Douglas Turnbaugh 

Mark  Tusk 

Upstream  Productions 

Andrea  Umlas 

Danny  Valdez 

David  Van  Taylor 

Anthony  Vavasis  &  LaTrice  Dixon 

Martha  Wallner 

David  &  Susan  C.  Watson 

Joni  Wehrli 

Jerry  Weinslock 

Barton  Weiss 

Yvonne  Welbon 

Cheryl  Jean  Westerman 

Ed  Williams 

Martha  Wilson 

Peter  Wirte 

Barbara  Wolf  &  Dagnel  Folger 

Michael  Wolfe 

Michael  Wolk 

Kirk  Wong 

Fred  Worden 

Chuck  Workman 

Timothy  Wright 

Pamela  Yates 

Kathy  Zak 

Lauren  Zalaznick 

Gei  Zantzinger 

Debro  S.  Zimmerman 

Dick  Zylstra 


■      TOTALLY  IMimilK 


N!      - 


Our  goal  is  to  raise  on  additional  560,000  over  the  third  and  final  year  of  the 
compoign  towards  a  revolving  cash  reserve  fund  that  will  help  insure  that  AIVF 
and  FIVF  survive  and  thrive  in  the  new  century.  Please  join  us  by  making  your 
fox-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF  today!  See  the  back  cover  for  more  details. 


ACN 


T 


/V4/4,1\IN«9> 


WRITE  -  SHOOT  -  DIRECT  -  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE 
TOTAL  IMMERSION  PROGRAMS  FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  LITTLE  OR  NO  PRIOR 

FILMMAKING  EXPERIENCE.  WORK  WITH  16MM  ARRIFLEX  CAMERAS  IN 
SMALL  CLASSES  DESIGNED  AND  TAUGHT  BY  AWARD-WINNING  INSTRUCTORS. 


SUMMER  WCCI\$HCP$  LCCATCD  AT 


NEW  YORK  CITY        PRINCETON  &  YALE  UNIVERSITY 

UCLA  CAMPUS  -  LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 

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SUMMER  WORKSHOPS  LOCATION  ONLY  -  FOUR  AND  SIX  WEEK. 


ADVANCED  DIRECTING  WORKSHOPS  ALSO  AVAILABLE 

NEW  WORKSHOPS  START  THE  FIRST  MONDAY  OF  EVERY  MONTH  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY  ALL  YEAR  ROUND 


All  workshops  are  solely  owned  and  operated  by  the  New  York  Film  Academy 


NEW  YCCr  ril_A4  ACADEMY 

100  EAST  17TH  STREET  NYC   10003  TEL:  212-674-4300  FAX:  212-477-1414 
WEB  PAGE:  www.nyfa.com  E-MAIL:  film@nyfa.com 


I 


11 


ASSOCIATION       OF      INDEPENDENT      VIDEO      AND       FILMMAKERS 


■■■■HHHi 


"Lon$  be 

my  firs 

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■fedtur?  film, 
gjidpni  Yiror? 
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to  create,  I'm  r. 

the  AlVf  cc 
fiJ/n  -jud  video 


Photo  Tom  LeGoff 


TOTALLY  INDEPEHDE 


■  r  ui  uesigi 

DfHT 


esign   Nik  Ives 


Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community. 


Name- 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 
in  the  amount  of: 


Address. 
City 


State  . 


Zip. 


Home  Phone  _ 


.Business  Phone. 


I /We  wish  to  be  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


J  $35 
J  $50 
J  SIDE 

I 


er 


J  $150 
J  $200 

|    $500  and  up 

Honorary 

Committee 

Member 


Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF.  3D4  Hudson  St..  Gth  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013.  For  more  information  call  (212)  807-1400,  ext.  223. 

The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization.  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible.  I 


AUGUST/SEPTEMBER  1999         A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film      www.aivf.org 


w 


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WHY  SHOOT  DIGIT 
DV  EDIT  SOFT 
PRODUi 
IFFM  P.. 


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■ 


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WHAT  DO 

ERROL  MORRIS 

JOHN  SAYLE 

CHRISTINE  VACHO 

&  GILL  HOLLAN 

HAVE  IN  COMMON 


IFC  PRODUCTION 


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Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
lindepenbent@aivf.orgl 

Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.orgl 

Intern:  Lisa  Vasta 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge,  Lissa  Gibbs. 

Mark  J.  Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Merles. 
Barbara  Bliss  Osborn.  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 
(212)807-1400x225: 
ldisplayads@aivf.orgl 


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Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  ta 
The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly,  304  Hudson  St,  6  ft.  NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  tbe  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FWF).  a  nonprofit  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
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Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  funds  from  the 
New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  National  Endowment  for  the 
Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  The  Independent  does 
not  constitute  an  endorsement  AIW/FTVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims  made  in 
an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor  Letters  will  be  edited 
for  length  All  contents  are  copynght  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film, 
Inc  Repnnts  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previous 
appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director;  Michelle  Coe,  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director,  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  director,  Eugene 
Hernandez,  webmaster;  Jessica  Perez,  administrative  director;  Suzy  Salamy,  informa- 
tion services  associate;  Liza  Donatelli.  Self-Distribution  Toolkit  coordinator.  Ebony 
Washington,  membership  intern;  Joseph  Kim.  programming  intern;  Christopher 
Riecken,  programming  intern;  Jennifer  Cieri.  programming  intern. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I.  Freedman.  Esq.,  Leavy.  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Lorn  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat 

Ruby  Lerner*.  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Linklater.  Cynthia  Lopez".  Diane  Markrow  (co- 

chair),  Jim  McKay  (secretary,  vice  president),  Robb  Moss  (co-chair).  Elizabeth  Peters 

(ex  officio),  Robert  Richter  (treasurer),  James  Schamus*.  Valerie  Soe.  Barton  Weiss 

(co-president). 

*  Flvf  Board  of  Directors  only. 


2     THE     INDEPENDENT     August/September    1999 


August/September   1999 

1BER  7  www.aivf.org 


Features 

33  How  Low  Can  You  Go? 

How  does  one  go  about  making  a  truly 
micro -budget  film?  The  hidependent 
talked  with  four  directors  to  get 
the  low  down. 
by  Mark  J.  Huisman 


36   Heaven  Sent: 
IFC  Productions 


IFC  Productions  was  formed  two  years 
ago;  now  the  fruits  of  their  labors  are 
coming  to  a  theater  near  you.  The 
Independent  talks  with  IFC's  Jonathan 
Sehring  and  Caroline  Kaplan  to  discuss 
their  goals,  past  and  present. 

by  Patricia  Thomson 


41   Viva  la  Revolution  DV! 

A  DV  producer's  answer  to  the 
ubiquitous  question,  "Should  I  shoot  in 
DV?"  Complete  with  technical  break- 
downs of  films  that  are  leading  the  DV 
parade. 

by  Esther  Robinson  and 
Lance  Weiler 


Upfront 


7  News 

Mayor  Giuliani's  clean-up  of  Times  Square  hears  unexpected  fruit. 
by  Lynn  Love 


11   Wired  Blue  Yonder 

®      ark's   subversions;    Home   Page    tries   e- commerce;    Boston's   first 
Cyberarts  Festival;  the  Canadian  Film  Centre's  new  habitat. 
by  Richard  Baimbridue;  Mark  London  Williams; 
Stephen  Brophy;  Jerry  White 

19  Festival  Circuit 

Getting  ready  for  the  Independent  Feature  Film  Market; 
getting  over  Cannes. 

by  Paul  Power;  Barbara  Scharres 


Departments 

26  Technology 

A  look  at  DV  editing  solutions 
EditDV  and  MotoDV  Studio. 
by  Robert  Goodman 


30  Legal 

just  what  is  a 
producer's  rep? 
by  Robert  L. 
Seigel 

32  On  View 

by  Paul  Power 


FAQ  &  Info 

46  Distributor  FAQ 

Veteran  distributor 
Cinema  Guild  re-enters 
the  theatrical  fray. 
by  Lissa  Gibbs 

48  Funder  FAQ 

The  Aperture  Film  Grant 
offer  big  funds  for  short 
films. 

by  Michelle  Coe 

50  Festivals 
57  Notices 
63  Classifieds 


@AIVF 

68   Events 
70   Salons 


26 


N 

*!/ 

r ' j— i 

gjrti ' "  **-•■-  ■•  .■■;•• 

COVER:  Errol  Morris  at  Auschwitz  during  the  making  his  latest  film,  Mr.  Death:  The  Rise  and 
Fall  of  Fred  A.  LeuchterJr.,  one  of  the  projects  supported  by  IFC  Productions. 
Photo  courtesy  Lion's  Gate  Films  Releasing. 

August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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A  COLLECTIVE  EFFORT 

To  the  editor, 

It  was  a  lively  discussion  we  had  at  Sundance, 
and  I  was  glad  to  see  it  was  the  June  cover  story 
["War  Stories:  Regret  to  Inform  and  Rabbit  in  the 
Moon"].  I  regret  that  we  didn't,  couldn't  know 
that  in  the  next  month  the  U.S.  would  again  he 
bombing  human  beings  living  their  lives  in  their 
own  country.  It  makes  me  curious  about  who 
will  fund — and  when — media  accounts  of  the 
"unofficial"  stories  behind  this  war  on  the  peo- 
ple of  Yugoslavia  and  behind  the  continuing 
war  on  the  people  of  Iraq.  From  my  30-year 
experience  of  looking  into  the  American  war  in 
Vietnam,  I  feel  strongly  that  wide-scale  indis- 
criminate killing  is  not  acceptable.  Period. 

In  your  article,  you  wrote  that  my  credits 
include  Rosie  the  Riveter  and  "her  own  Winter 
Soldier."  Winter  Soldier  was  the  first,  and  still  in 
ways  the  deepest  and  rawest,  filmmaking  expe- 
rience I  have  had.  But  it  was  definitely  not  my 
own.  It  was  by  a  group  of  New  York-based  film- 
makers (Winterfilm,  we  called  ourselves)  who 
opposed  the  war  in  Vietnam,  and  was  made 
about  and  with  Vietnam  Veterans  Against  the 
War  (VVAW)  and  documents  what  soldiers 
returning  from  Vietnam  were  saying  about  their 
own  experiences  in  the  war.  It  was  not  widely 
seen  in  its  day  because  the  U.S.  was  still  carry- 
ing on  the  war,  but  it  was  acclaimed  in  the 
Cannes  and  Berlin  Film  Festivals  and  shown  at 
the  Whitney  Museum  and  on  WNET  in  1972. 
Amos  Vogel  wrote  in  the  Village  Voice,  "It  is  a 
film  that  must  be  shown  in  prime  evening  time 
on  national  television  and  never  will  be."  I  am 
hopeful  that  it  will  be  revived  during  next  year's 
observance  of  the  25th  anniversary  of  the  end 
of  the  war  in  Vietnam,  maybe  even  proving 
Vogel  wrong!  Working  on  the  editing  of  Regret 
to  Inform  was,  for  me,  an  opportunity  to  look  at 
the  same  war  from  the  perspective  of  women. 

As  for  "my  own"  films:  I  was  the  prime 
mover  and  editor  of  You  Got  To  Move  (1985) 
and  Cancer  in  Two  Voices  (1993).  I  was  editor  of 
The  Life  and  Times  of  Rosie  the  Riveter  (1980)  and 
codirected  and  co-edited  Word  Is  Out  (1977). 

Thank  you  for  giving  the  filmmakers  of 
Regret  to  Inform  and  Rabbit  in  the  Moon  a  forum 
to  talk  about  women  and  war,  and  also  about 
women  and  film.  It  was,  for  me,  one  of  the 
highpoints  of  Sundance  this  year. 

Lucy  Massie  Phenix 
Oakville,  CA 


SHORT  SHRIFT 


To  the  editor, 


My  eye  was  caught  by  your  May  cover  ["PBS 
Goes  Digital"],  because  Bob  Cringely  was  the 
man  who  helped  bring  my  television  series  to 
PBS. 

Upon  reading  the  very  informative  articles 
regarding  PBS  going  digital  and  independent 
venues  on  PBS,  I  couldn't  help  but  be  taken  by 
the  fact  that  my  program,  SlwrtCuts,  was  not 
even  mentioned  in  Scott  Castle's  story  on 
acquisition  series.  ShortCuts  presents  award- 
winning  shorts  from  around  the  world  as  well  as 
selected  interviews  with  their  respective  direc- 
tors. ShortCuts  has  been  nationally  airing  on 
PBS  affiliates  (through  American  Program 
Service/American  Public  Television)  for  more 
than  a  year  now.  We  are  currently  in  produc- 
tion of  our  second  season,  which  is  proving  to 
be  more  ambitious,  including  more  award  win- 
ning shorts  than  ever  and  hosted  by  comic, 
filmmaker,  and  Late  Night  with  Conan  O'Brien 
regular  Louis  C.K.  I  am  one  of  the  original 
founders  of  the  Shooting  Gallery  and  have 
been  producing  the  program  for  over  thtee 
years  now.  Our  web  site  has  become  one  of  the 
most  popular  relating  to  short  film  (www.short- 
cuts.org). 

I  don't  understand  why  you  would  choose  to 
feature  The  Short  List,  which  is  produced  in 
California,  yet  pass  over  our  own,  NY-based 
ShortCuts. 


Lawrence  Russo 
New  York,  NY 


Scott  Castle  responds, 


As  stated  in  the  article's  intro,  the  list  of  shows 
was  not  absolute,  but  "a  sampling."  In  addition, 
since  we  are  national  magazine,  we  aimed  to 
provide  a  geographically  diverse  list  of  antholo- 
gy series  that  mediamakers  could  consider  as 
possible  outlets  for  their  work. 

Another  station  that  phoned  us  concerning 
their  omission  from  the  article  was  WYBE  in 
Philadelphia,  which  wanted  to  bring  attention 
to  Through  the  Lens,  broadcast  every  Tuesday  at 
10  p.m.  (www.wybe.pbs.org). 

We  are  pleased  there  are  additional  outlets 
eager  to  hear  from  independents.  A  more  com- 
plete list  will  be  available  through  PBS.  During 
a  recent  AIVF  Meet  and  Greet,  PBS  VP  of 
Programming  Donald  Thorns  informed  us  that 
PBS's  web  site  (www.pbs.org/independents)  will 
soon  offer  a  national  list  of  anthology  series. 


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August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       5 


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New  Forms  of 
Adult  Entertainment 

Indie  Shorts  Exposed  on  42nd  Street 


by   Lynn    Love 
Dolly  Parton  recounts  in  her 

autobiography  that  the  first  time 
she  stayed  in  New  York  in  the 
1970s  she  visited  Times  Square  for 
kicks.  While  there  she  had  to  pull 
a  gun  out  of  her  handbag  to  per- 
suade some  porn  patrons  to  move 
along;  the  Tennessee  lady  wasn't 
part  of  the  local  commerce. 

Although  I  relished  the  oppor- 
tunity to  don  my  biggest  platinum 
wig  and  super-Miracle  Bra  in  honor 
of  Dolly  for  my  visit  to  Show  World 
on  Eighth  Avenue  recently,  I 
decided  against  it  because  I  don't 
have  the  appropriate  weaponry  to 
complete  the  ensemble.  When  I 
arrived,  I  discovered  that  big  hair 
and  boobs  are  the  exception  rather 
than  the  rule  these  days.  At  Show 
World,  located  between  42nd  and 
43rd  Streets,  the  enticement  is  a 
blend  of  cheesy  Kung  Fu  flicks  in 
the  "sideshow"  theater  and  win- 
ning short  independent  films  pre- 
sented by  Firewater  Films  in  the 
former  "Triple  Treat  Lounge."  My 
Dolly  drag  would've  been  a  clear 
case  of  overkill  in  the  subdued 
atmosphere  of  the  current  Times  Square. 

However  mellowed  since  its  heyday,  Times 
Square  retains  its  taint  of  licentiousness. 
Courtney  Williams  and  Dana  Burnell,  co- 
founders  with  Christopher  Osborn  and  princi- 
ples of  Firewater  Films,  an  independent  short 
film  distribution  company,  have  capitalized  on 
the  allure  of  the  location.  Since  last  November 
they  have  collaborated  with  Show  World,  rent- 
ing space  for  their  weekly,  Thursday-to- 
Sunday-night  screening  series.  And  to  arrange 
this  gig,  it  seems  they  needed  minimal  persua- 
sive artillery.  Last  summer  New  York  City 
Mayor  Rudolph  Giuliani  started  enforcing  a 
zoning  policy  that  banned  live  strip  shows  and 


42nd  St.'s  Show  World  cleans  up  its  act  by  displaying  bodies  of  film  work. 


established  a  quota  system:  no  more  than  40 
percent  of  revenues  can  come  from  sales  of 
pornographic  material.  Since  Show  World  and 
other  porn  palaces  could  no  longer  permit  live 
dancing  and  remain  legitimate,  the  door  was 
open  for  enterprising  programmers  to  propose 
the  type  of  event  Firewater  Films  has  established. 
One  of  the  goals  of  Firewater  Films  is  to  pro- 
vide an  inexpensive,  year-round  location  for 
the  independent  film  community  and  a  debut 
platform  for  filmmakers  to  show  up  to  sell 
themselves  as  well  as  their  films.  They've 
remained  true  to  their  word;  there  is  no  charge 
for  submitting  work  for  consideration  in  the 
on-going  series  (compared  to  most  festivals) 


EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 


and  admission  for  a  night's  screening  is  only  $5. 
They  also  show  short  film  exclusively.  A  recent 
program  playfully  showcased  "Films  about 
Filmmaking."  Past  programs  have  included  the 
themes  "Fantasies  and  the  Supernatural"  and 
"Relating  to  Other  People:  Sex,  Community — 
Is  it  ever  easy?" 

In  addition  to  their  accessibility  and  pithy 
themes,  Firewater  shows  good  short  films.  As 
Burnell  and  Williams  explained,  they  use  three 
criteria  for  selecting  work:  high  production 
values,  a  recognizable  beginning,  middle,  and 
end  (even  if  it's  experimental  in  form) ,  and  an 
engaging  concept.  Burnell  adds,  "We  are  so 
excited  when  new  films  come  in  for  review. 
However,  it's  like  being  on  a  blind  date:  we  sit 
down  with  some  food,  start  screening,  and  we 
can  sense  almost  immediately  whether  the 
submission  will  be  great  or  disappointing." 

Firewater  Films  has  just  about  cornered  the 
local  theatrical  market  for  on-going  program- 
ming of  shorts  in  this  neighborhood,  although 
there  are  shorts  series  screened  in  a  number  of 
other  venues,  including  Anthology  Film 
Archives'  program  PS.  '99,  a  summer  series  at 
PS.  1  in  Queens  co-sponsored  by  the  Inde- 
pendent Feature  Project  and  Williamsburg- 
based  screening  group  Ocularis,  as  well  as  at 
the  Museum  of  Modern  Art,  the  Guggenheim 
Museum,  and  the  Millennium  Film  Workshop. 
As  an  enthusiast  of  the  short  film  format, 
Milton  Tabbot,  IFP  market  director,  is  impa- 
tient with  its  employment  as  a  Hollywood 
"calling  card."  "The  short  film  has  been  used 
as  a  calling  card  for  quite  a  long  time.  What  I 
find  dismaying  sometimes  is  that  while  stu- 
dents, who  have  traditionally  used  the  short 
film  format,  can  do  anything  they  want  while 
they're  still  in  school,  they  often  choose  to 
make  something  very  traditional.  I'd  love  to 
see  more  play  with  the  form,  and  'slower'  or  less 
narratively- driven  work." 

Firewater  Films  isn't  afraid  to  play  with 
forms:  where  once  there  were  peep  shows,  live 
dancers,  prostitutes,  and  transsexuals,  today 
there  are  independent  films.  Williams  and 
Burnell  have  provided  a  new  reason  for  the 
curious  to  venture  to  Times  Square. 

Submission  details:  send  a  VHS  of  your  film, 
plus  resume,  to  Firewater  Films,  Box  250100, 
New  York,  NY  10025-9991;  further  info:  (212) 
414-5419;  www.firewaterfilms.com 

Lynn  Love  is  a  writer  who  lives  in  New  York  City. 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


1999 


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Please  allow  2-4  weeks  for  delivery 


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Subversion,  Inc. 

Through  anonymous  videos,  art  actions,  and  and- corporate 
mutual  funds,  ®™ark  reaps  cultural  dividends. 


by   Richard    Baimbridge 

A  SECLUDED  COTTAGE  NEAR  A  SMALL  LAKE  IN 
upstate  New  York  isn't  the  place  you  might 
expect  to  find  memhers  of  the  renegade  art  col- 
lective ®  ark,  whose  mission  is  to  disrupt 
global  economics,  product  development,  and 
rampant  consumerism  by  causing  people  to 
stop  and  think.  This  is  more  Ted  Kaczynski 
country — a  hideout  where  terrorist  plots  are 
cooked  up  as  neighbors  blissfully  grill  trout  on 
outdoor  fires.  There  isn't  even  a  computer  here, 
or  a  television.  It's  got  Zapatista  written  all  over 
it,  and  it's  giving  me  the  creeps — that  is,  until 
I'm  handed  a  veggie  burger  and  informed  that 
this  is  a  corporate  retreat. 


"We're  reviewing  our  'dividends,'  "  explains 
Ray,  an  ®  ™  ark  senior  executive  who  has  been 
with  the  corporation  ever  since  he  was  fired 
from  his  job  as  a  computer  programmer  for 
inserting  homoerotic  content  into  a  children's 
video  game,  meant  to  contain  only  benign  vio- 
lence. Last  quarter's  returns  were  not  good, 
®™  ark's  CEO  says  with  disappointment.  The 
returns  to  which  he  refers  are  "cultural  divi- 
dends"— media  coverage  or  a  discernible 
change  in  people's  consciousness.  Ronald 
Reagan  had  Voodoo  Economics;  ®'s'ark  has 
Dada  Economics.  Either  way,  they  want  results. 

For  those  unfamiliar  with  ©"'ark,  a  brief 
corporate  history:  it  was  formed  in  1991  to  pro- 
vide artists  with  a  similar  shelter  that  business 
persons  enjoy  under  U.S.  corporate  law,  which 
affords,  among  other  things,   limited  liability 


and  relative  anonymity.  Through  its  website 
[www.RTmark.com]  the  company  offers  oppor- 
tunities for  investors  to  provide  funds  and  sug- 
gest projects,  while  art  activists  can  utilize 
those  funds  and  coordinate  operations  nation- 
ally and  internationally. 

Current  projects  include  $200  for  anyone 
who  will  legally  marry  a  corporation  (since,  as 
they  explain,  corporations  are  U.S.  citizens  by 
law)  and  get  media  coverage  of  the  ceremony. 
Another  offers  funds  for  anyone  who  creates 
alternative  subject  categories  for  Hallmark 
cards,  such  as  "feeling  existential"  or  "slept 
with  neighbor's  wife"  and  places  them  in  gro- 
cery stores.  Again,  results  must  be 
documented  for  the  investment  to  be 
considered  a  success. 

"An  [®'Mark]  mutual  fund  is 
analagous  to  a  financial  mutual 
fund,"  explains  ®™  ark's  CEO,  Frank 
(most  ®""ark  members  and  officers 
are  anonymous  for  legal  and  other 
reasons).  "We  see  projects  as  stocks, 
ready  to  make  cultural  capital."  The 
corporation  even  employs  experts 
from  a  given  field,  such  as  NPR  com- 
mentator Andrei  Codrescu,  head  of 
®  '"ark's  media  initiatives,  to  manage 
the  mutual  funds. 
Financial  support  is  provided  to  artists  for 
inspiration,  as  well  as  protection.  "It's  a  Golden 
Parachute,  if  you  will,"  says  Frank,  "tor  people 
who  are  taking  the  risk  of  losing  their  jobs  or 
being  sued." 

Naturally,  the  programmer  who  inserted 
homoerotica  into  a  computer  game  called 
Maxis  Cimcopter,  which  shipped  80,000  units 
before  the  "bug"  was  discovered,  lost  his  posi- 
tion. And  it's  not  just  the  corporate  business 
world  that  ®""ark  targets.  Untitled  $29.95,  for 
example,  takes  a  dig  at  the  artworld  and  the 
inflated  prices  some  video  art  is  being  sold  for. 
The  work  features  clips  from  limited  edition  art 
videos  by  Alex  Bag,  Matthew  Barney,  and  Lucy 
Gunning  with  an  amusing,  yet  highly  critical 
voiceover.  The  artists'  videos  sell  in  galleries  for 
up  to  $200,000  for  a  single  copy,  but  are  (ille- 


gally) available  from 
®IM  ark  for  $29.95  through 
their  website. 

"$29.95  is  a  perfect 
example  of  what  ®™  .irk 
was  designed  for,"  says  Frank.  "It's  a  case  where 
an  artist  had  a  video  that  she  wanted  to  dis- 
tribute, but  hadn't  been  able  to — and  it  also 
provided  her  with  the  protective  umbrella  of  a 
corporation." 

After  a  long  drive  from  the  cottage,  I  arrive 
at  the  ®™ark  headquarters.  This  is  the  central 
nervous  system  of  an  organization  that  is  pre- 
dominantly web-based.  Indeed,  most  activity 
and  communications  between  ®  IMark  members 
(who  can  be  found  everywhere  from  San 
Francisco,  New  York,  and  rural  Ohio,  to  Spain 
and  the  U.K.)  is  confined  to  the  Internet.  But 
it's  from  here  that  ®'Mark  both  maintains  its 
elaborate  website  and  produces  corporate  PR- 
style  videos  that  are  primarily  distributed  to  the 
media.  The  quality  of  animation  graphics  and 
video  production  indicates  that  someone  is 
putting  a  lot  of  time  and  effort  into  ®"'ark. 
And  for  good  reason. 

Beneath  the  absurdity  and  humor  of  seem- 
ingly juvenile  pranks  perpetrated  by  ®  u'ark  is  a 
serious  perspective  that  unveils  the  hypocrisy  of 
modern  society  by  making  fun  of  it.  "Take  the 
Three  Strikes  rule  as  an  example,"  says  Frank. 
"By  law,  if  you  commit  three  felonies,  you  go  to 
jail  for  life.  Yet  corporations,  which  have  the 
same  rights  as  individuals,  aren't  held  to  the 
same  standard.  How  many  corporations  today 
would  be  in  jail  if  they  were?  Union  Carbide 
kills  10,000  people  in  India,  and  they're  still  in 
business."  Thus  there  is  a  $2,000  reward  posted 
on  the  website  tor  the  first  court  that  will 
imprison  a  corporation  under  the  Three  Strikes 
rule,  and  a  $2,000  bonus  if  the  company  gets 
the  death  penalty. 

Then  there's  GWBush.com,  which  blends 
actual  Bush  quotes  with  ®"'ark  parody,  and  is 
convincing  enough  possibly  to  fool  someone 
who  stumbles  upon  it.  Headlines  declare  the 
presidential  candidate  supports  amnesty  for 
people  serving  time  for  drug  charges  who 
pledge  to  "grow  up"  by  the  year  2000.  It's  a 
clever  response  to  Bush's  statements  about  his 
own  drug  use  and  a  reminder  of  the  extent  to 
which  PR  spin  has  come  to  influence  politics. 
The  Bush  campaign  has  tried,  unsuccessfully  so 
far,  to  have  the  site  shut  down,  filing  a  com- 
plaint with  the  Federal  Election  Commission 
that  could  set  a  new  precedent  for  how  the  web 
is  regulated  in  election  issues. 

But  perhaps  nothing  beats  seeing  a  giant 
corporation  like  Taco  Bell  getting  all  puffed-up 


August/September    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       11 


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about  an  all-but-non-existent  group  calling 
itself  the  "Taco  Bell  Liberation  Army."  Taco 
Bell  sent  threatening  cease  and  desist  orders  to 
the  group,  which  held  small,  mostly  comical 
protests  outside  of  a  few  Taco  Bell  restaurants. 
"The  cease  and  desist  order  is  posted  on  our 
website,"  says  Frank.  "We're  trying  to  compile 
as  many  cease  and  desist  orders  as  possible  from 
our  members  and  display  them  prominently.  I 
mean,  here's  a  company  [Taco  Bell]  that  uses 


humor  in  its  own  commercials,  but  seems  to 
have  no  sense  of  humor  when  it's  the  other  way 
around." 

®  '"ark  will  be  one  of  the  featured  guests  at 
September's  Ars  Electronica  festival  in  Linz, 
Austria,  where  they  have  been  outspoken  crit- 
ics not  only  of  technology,  but  of  the  festival 
itself — not  to  mention  the  city  of  Linz,  Austria. 

Richard  Baimhndge  is  a  contributing  editor 
for  The  Independent. 


E-COMMERCE 

HOME   PAGE    TESTS    THE    WATERS 


by   Mark   London 
Williams 


"Why  is  it  so  much  stranger  to 
have  it  in  the  film?  [Maybe]  that  it's 
playing  out  over  and  over."  That's 
web  doyenne  Julie  Petersen  talking 
about  the  break-up  of  her  marriage, 
which  she  personally  chronicled  in 
one  medium — her  own  home 
page — and  which  was  reiterated  for 
the  broader  public  in  another:  Doug 
Block's  documentary  Home  Page, 
which  itself  has  travelled  backwards 
in  technological  time,  beginning  life 
on  the  Internet  and  winding  up  as 
moving  pictures  projected  on  a 
screen. 

Begun  in  the  mid-nineties  as  a 
way  to  for  Block  to  explore  his  own 
fascination  with  the  then  relatively 
new  and  usually  soul-baring  phe- 
nomenon of  personal  home  pages, 
Home  Page  chronicles  a  subculture 
that  appeared  to  be  appropriating 
new  technology  for  its  own  ends.  "If 
there's  any  mantra  I  had  while  doing 
this,"  Block  now  asserts,  "it's  'Trust 
the  web.'  " 

Block  did  so  from  beginning  to 
end — production  to  distribution.  His 
shoot  involved  following  a  hyper- 
linked  trail  of  flesh-and-blood  people 
crosscountry,    including    such    Net 
mavens  as  Justin  Hall,  of  "Links  to  the 
Underground"  fame  and  the  "star"  of  Home 
Page,    former   HotWired      managing   editor 
Petersen,    and    Suck.com    co-founder    Carl 


intimate  as  a  sexual  relation; 
'vibrs't,  shft^c  and  plnqupr: 
—  Ill  ireel  News 


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Indeed,  according  to  editor  Deborah 
Rosenberg,  whom  Block  credits  as  "co-writer" 
on  the  movie,  "the  process  was  that  Doug  actu- 
ally got  involved  in  the  web.  He  found  himself 
with  a  group  of  younger  people  who  had  an 
edge  [in]  a  universe  that  had  no  boundaries." 
And  yet,  she  continues,  while  "part  of  the  film 
exists  in  the  ether — characters  talking  about 
something  that  doesn't  exist — what  was  fasci- 
nating to  me  is  the  language  they  use  is  lan- 
guage our  parents  and  grandparents  used: 
about  community,  family,  et  cetera.  Some  of 
these  kids  were  more  comfortable,  and  could  be 
more  expressive,  with  that  distance." 

That  virtual  distance  helped  define  Home 
Page  for  Rosenberg  as  a  "21st  century  road  pic- 
ture," and  that  road  has  taken  the  project 
through  festivals  at  Sundance  and  Rotterdam, 
all  the  way  to  its  debut  on  HBO 
Signature  on  July  4.  Yet  true  to  its  poly- 
media  nature,  Home  Page  is  not  only 
availing  itself  of  the  oldest-known  film 
distribution  techniques,  but  also  exper- 
imenting with  the  very  latest.  Block 
has  booked  the  film  at  San  Francisco's 
Roxie  Theater,  where  that  company's 
releasing  arm  remains  open  to  the 
doc's  prospects  after  its  late  September 
run.  And  true  to  the  "21st  century" 
nature  of  his  theme,  Block  is  also  look- 
ing into  novel  methods  of  web  distrib- 
ution— not  involving  a  compressed, 
streamed  version  of  the  film,  but 
rather,  the  sale  of  videocassettes 
through  e- commerce. 

Esther  Robinson,  Block's  co-produc- 
er on  Home  Page,  observes  that  we  live 


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block 


HOME,  HOME  ON  THE  PAGE:  Doug  Block  takes 
his  film's  pioneering  spirit  to  heart  with 
e-commerce  plans  for  videos  of  Home  Page. 


Steadman.  All 
the  while 

Block         was 


posting  jour- 
nal entries  and  getting  reaction  on  his  own 
home  page  [www.  d-word.com],  which  in  turn 
affected  the  editing. 


"I  would  say  filmmakers  should 

be  looking  at  Broadcast.com  as 

a  distribution  partner  before 

they  look  at  Miramax." 

—  Doug  Block 


in  a  culture  of  attention  that  would  do 
Warhol  proud,  and  the  Net,  she  avers, 
allows  her  "to  target  and  reach  audi- 
ences,"    bringing     demographically-friendly 
attention  even  to  specialized  documentaries. 

She  and  Block  are  in  the  midst  of  finalizing 
deals  that  will  allow  viewers  to  buy  cassettes  off 
the  web,  not  merely  as  a  follow-up  to  theatrical 
release,  but  as  an  alternative  to  it.  At  press 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


tin!:.  Block  was  in  the  midst  of  negotiations  to 
allow  one  of  the  web's  higher-profile  "com- 
merce and  culture"  sites  to  represent  the  film 
exclusively  for  a  period  of  time — in  exchange, 
of  course,  for  some  promotion. 

For  Block,  this  latest  metamorphosis  into  the 
e- commerce   phase   of  the   Home   Page   story 


makes  perfect  sense:  "I  would  say  filmmakers 
should  be  looking  at  Broadcast.com  as  a  distri- 
bution partner  before  they  look  at  Miramax, 
that's  for  sure,"  he  asserts. 

Mark  London  Williams  [grizzledbear(a  bigfoot.com] 

covers  showbiz,  nevn  media  and  their  discontents  for 

Variety,  Industry  Standard,  and  other  publications, 

both  on  and  off-line. 


Head  Trip 

Bostons  first  Cyberarts  Festival  puts  mind  over  matter. 

by   Stephen    Brophy 

If  you  found  in  an  antique  store  some  of  the  objects  recently  on  display  at  Boston's 

Computer  Museum,  you  might  not  pay  them  much  mind.  Precise  representations  of  things  like 
skulls  and  engine  blocks  made  from  some  sort  of  epoxy,  they  might  make  you  wonder  in  passing 
what  kind  of  mold  produced  them  and  how  the 
seams  were  made  so  invisible.  But  when  you 
learn  they  were  designed  on  a  computer  and  cre- 
ated with  a  three-dimensional  copier,  they  begin 
to  look  very  different.  It's  a  little  like  watching 
one  of  the  Lumiere  kinetoscopes  in  1895  and 
imagining  2001. 

This  exhibit,  "Mind  into  Matter:  The  New 
Digital  Sculpture,"  was  part  of  the  wide-ranging 
Cyberarts  Festival  which  took  place  in  Boston, 
Cambridge,  and  beyond  on  May  1-15. 
Organized  by  the  endlessly  energetic  George 
Fifield,  the  festival  exhibited  works  in  most  of 
the  visual,  plastic,  and  performing  arts,  as  well 
as  several  symposia  in  which  artists,  technicians, 
academics,  and  business  people  discussed  the 
future  of  computer-generated  art.  In  all,  the  fes- 
tival included  more  than  90  installations  and 
events  at  65  locations  all  over  the  Massachu- 
setts Commonwealth,  from  Attleboro  to 
Williamstown. 

"We  started  the  festival  with  a  handful  of 
artists  and  arts  administrators  meeting  in  my 
backyard  on  a  summer  afternoon  over  two  years 
ago,"  Fifield  recalls.  "This  grew  into  a  volunteer 
steering  committee  of  over  100  people  who 
helped  to  create  web  projects,  curate  exhibits, 
and  generally  get  the  word  out.  We  had  artists 
working  with  software  engineers,  business  exec- 
utives, and  founders  of  high-tech  industries  to 
pull  this  all  together." 

"Cyberarts"  is  defined  in  one  of  the  many 
informative  festival  publications  as  a  term  that 
"encompasses  any  artistic  endeavor  in  which 
computer  technology  is  used  to  expand  the 
artistic  possibilities — that  is,  where  the  corn- 


Interactive  Computer  Art"  included  two  video 
installations  and  a  piece  involving  the  torture 
of  tomatoes,  all  of  which  depended  on  viewer 
participation.  Karl  Sims'  Galapagos  used  12 
computer  monitors  and  attached  foot-pads  to 
give  viewers  direct  experience  at  manipulating 
the  evolution  of  virtual  life  forms.  Participants 
chose  which  form  they  liked  best  and  stepped 
on  the  foot  pad  to  cause  all  the  other  forms  to 
take  on  characteristics  of  their  chosen  one. 
Repeating  this  procedure  created  some  truly 
marvelous  virtual  creatures. 

Jennifer  Hall  and  Marc  Locassio  imprisoned 
12  tomatoes  in  glass  jars,  where  they  were 
repeatedly  stabbed  by  sonar-driven  needles;  the 
sonar  was  activated  by  movements  of  museum 
visitors.  This  weird  blend  of  impersonal  tech- 
nology and  vulnerable  fruit  could  symbolize  our 
deepest  fears  for  our  own  futures  in  an  increas- 
ingly machine-mediated  world;  it's  a  small  leap 
from  watching  the  apparent  agony  of  these 
tomatoes  to  re-visualizing  the  human-powered 


puter  and  its  associated  software  are  an  element 
of  the  creative  process  in  the  same  way  that 
paint,  photographic  film,  musical  instruments, 
and  other  materials  have  always  been  used  to 
express  an  artist's  vision." 

Nick  Capasso  curated  one  of  the  festival's 
most  absorbing  exhibits  at  the  DeCordova 
Museum    in    Lincoln.    "Make    Your    Move: 


batteries  in  the  recent  cult  hit  The  Matrix. 

Chris  Dodge  blended  these  techniques  and 
concerns  in  a  third  work,  What  Will  Become  of 
These?  Also  using  a  bank  of  12  monitors,  Dodge 
turned  four  video  cameras  on  gallery  visitors, 
putting  their  images  through  some  interesting 
changes  which  could  be  further  manipulated  by 
the  visitors'  movements.  The  exhibit  was  a 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


reminder  that  people  in  public  spaces  all  too 
frequently  are  under  observation  by  similar 
devices,  and  it  also  hinted  at  the  socially  atom- 
izing effects  of  contemporary  culture. 

Video  images  constituted  or  contributed  to 
several  other  exhibits  and  performances — an 
appropriate  presence  in  the  state  where  Nam 
June  Paik  first  turned  video  into  art  more  than 
three  decades  ago  at  WGBH's  New  Television 
Workshop.  Screenings  happened  at  places  like 
MIT  and  the  Massachusetts  College  of  Art,  as 
well  as  the  ONI  Gallery,  where  the  winners  of 
this  year's  Not  Still  Art  Video  Festival  were  a 
big  hit.  The  Virtual  Beret  Project  (www.virtual- 
beret.org),  an  on-line  project  about  artists  and 
their  head  gear,  was  available  on  cable  access 
channels  in  several  Massachusetts  communi- 
ties. Video  pieces  were  also  combined  with 
electronic  music  in  performances  at  places 
including  the  Boston  Museum  of  Science  and 
the  ONI  Gallery. 

An  exhibit  at  MIT's  List  Art  Gallery  provid- 
ed a  little  perspective  on  all  this  digital  art  mak- 
ing, reminding  us  that  digital  thinking  is  not 
exactly  new.  "A  Permutational  Unfolding  by 
Eve  Andree  Larimee"  celebrated  the  invention 
in  1803  of  the  Jacquard  loom,  a  device  that 
used  a  binary  system  of  punched  cards  to 
encode  a  fabric  pattern.  The  exhibition  recreat- 
ed an  Empire  period  room  with  furnishings  that 
commented  on  the  significance  of  this  early 
proto-computer.  Larimee  designed  the  fabric 
for  the  draperies  and  upholstery,  then  had  them 
manufactured  on  a  contemporary  Jacquard 
loom  in  Pennsylvania.  She  included  in  her 
design  representations  of  Jacquard,  his  device, 
and  other  new  machines  of  the  period,  like  the 
guillotine. 

A  festival  devoted  to  computer-generated 
art  would  feel  incomplete  without  a  look  at  the 
amazing  work  blossoming  all  over  the  web.  The 
Cyberarts  Festival  was  the  catalyst  for  some 
new  web  art,  most  notably  the  "Faces  of 
Tomorrow"  web  site,  developed  by  festival 
coordinator  Sarah  Smiley  in  conjunction  with 
Cherie  Martin  of  the  Cambridge  Arts  Council. 
This  project  challenged  children  all  over  the 
world  to  create  computerized  self-portraits 
which  then  became  part  of  a  virtual  quilt  of 
portraits  viewable  at  the  site  (www.cyber- 
faces.org).  The  resource  guide  created  for  this 
project  is  also  one  of  the  best  reference  tools  for 
understanding  the  meanings  and  implications 
of  "cyberart." 

The  Cambridge  Arts  Council  also  provided  a 
site  for  a  combined  installation  and  website 
called  Refugee  Republic,  by  Ingo  Gunther 
(http://refugee.net).    In    the    piece,    Gunther 


argues  that  the  increasing  populations  dis- 
placed by  either  political  upheaval  or  natural 
disaster  might  band  together  in  virtual  space  to 
take  charge  of  their  own  destinies.  He  simulta- 
neously exposes  the  breadth,  depth,  and  mag- 
nitude of  the  contemporary  refugee  problem 
and  offers  some  potential  solutions. 

The  Cambridge  Public  Library  made  avail- 
able a  site  where  several  hypertext  novels  could 
be  perused  and  where  readers  could  contribute 
to  an  on-going  text.  And  at  Harvard 
University,  the  Busch-Reisinger  Museum  had 
an  interactive  CD-ROM  display  of  an  art  port- 
folio by  the  sixties  collective  Fluxus — one  of 
three  exhibitions  looking  at  past  art  through 
digital  means. 

While  some  are  leery  of  the  digital  revolu- 
tion's impact  on  art,  Henry  Jenkins,  founder 
and  director  of  MIT's  fledgling  graduate  pro- 
gram in  Comparative  Media  Studies,  has  a  san- 
guine view.  "Artists  have  always  looked  for 
inspiration  towards  the  emerging  technologies 
of  their  culture,  seeking  ways  to  enlarge  human 
sensory  perception.  Through  this  process,  they 
help  us  understand  the  full  potential  of  these 
new  media  and  grasp  how  they  are  changing 
our  perception  of  what  it  means  to  be  human. 
The  digital  revolution,  in  one  of  its  incarna- 
tions, represents  a  cultural  revolution  offering 
new  tools  for  creativity,  new  themes  to  explore, 
and  new  channels  of  distribution." 

Coming  off  the  phenomenal  success  of  the 
first  Cyberarts  Festival,  Fifield  is  ready  to  con- 
tinue the  effort.  "We  are  planning  for  the  next 
festival  in  the  year  2001  and  want  to  do  them 
every  other  year  after  that,"  he  promises.  "In 
the  meantime,  we  will  focus  on  developing  the 
web  sites  associated  with  the  festival,  like  'Faces 
of  Tomorrow,'  so  that  by  the  time  the  next  one 
rolls  around,  many  more  people  will  know  what 
'cyberarts'  is  all  about." 

Stephen  Brophy  (www.stephcnbrophy.org)  writes  on  film 

and  filmmakers  for  Bay  Windows  in  Boston  and  other 

gay/lesbian  and  arts  publications.  He  recently  graduated 

from  the  Harvard  Extension  School  after  1 1  years  as  an 

evening  student. 


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CREATURES  OF  H@BITAT 

The  Canadian  Film  Centres  media  lab. 
by    Jerry    White 


The  Canadian  Film  Centre's  motto  is 
"Training  the  next  generation  of  storytellers," 
but  it  has  recently  taken  an  interest  in  the  next 
generation  of  storytelling  media  as  well.  The 
centre  was  established  in  1988  by  Canadian- 
born  director  Norman  Jewison  (In  the  Heat  of 
the  Night)  with  the  goal  of  creating  a  viable 
group  of  Canadian  filmmakers  who  might  ease 
the  domination  of  local  screens  by  Hollywood 
product.  Some  of  the  center's  graduates  include 


The  work  of  h(g  bitat  echoes  those  nutty 
Soviets  in  more  ways  than  one,  however.  Like 
that  early  generation  of  silent  filmmakers,  the 
folks  at  h(i<  bitat  seem  to  consider  the  center  as 
something  of  a  laboratory,  while  h(«  bitat's  web 
pages  describe  it  as  "a  training,  research,  and 
development  facility  created  to  experiment 
with  new  ways  of  telling  stories  through  the  use 
of  digital  technology."  This  R&D  aspect  of  the 
project  is  coupled  with  a  sense  that  they  are  try- 


Bruce  McDonald  (Hard  Core  Logo),  Clement 
Virgo  (Rude),  and  Don  McKellar  (co-screen- 
writer of  The  Red  Violin  and  32  Short  Films  about 
Glenn  Gould) . 

In  1997,  the  center  launched  MediaLinx 
h(3  bitat,  a  project  devoted  to  integrating  new 
media  into  the  overall  work  of  the  center. 
"h@bitat  is  not  about  technology  training," 
their  press  release  reads,  "but  rather  about 
exploring  self-expression  using  the  unique  tools 
of  digital  media."  This  is  consistent  with  the 
center's  overall  position — more  like  a  conser- 
vatory than  a  technical  school.  Project  director 
Ana  Serrano  speculates  that  the  center  "may 
even  be  one  of  the  first  places  where  a  Battleship 
Potemkin  of  new  media  is  created."  Their  aspi- 
rations, apparently,  are  very  ambitious. 


ing  to  build  a  new  media  aesthetic  from  the 
ground  up.  "Currently  interactive  storytelling 
forms  are  in  their  amoebic  stage,"  Serrano  says. 
"We  have  yet  to  define  the  grammar  for  story- 
telling in  this  new  medium."  She  also  says  that 
the  center  wants  to  be  "one  of  the  few  training 
institutions  that  will  actively  shape  and  define 
this  grammar."  This  they  do  partially  though  a 
New  Media  Design  Program,  an  intense,  full- 
time,  four-month  workshop  that  seeks  to  equip 
people  with  basic  technical  knowledge,  develop 
their  creative  skills,  and  to  give  the  participants 
an  understanding  of  the  commercial  aspects  of 
new  media.  The  workshop's  next  deadline  is 
November  15  and,  in  a  new  departure,  is  open 
to  all  intemtional  students,  not  just  Canadian 
citizens. 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


Indeed,  like  the  programs  at  the 
center  overall,  an  idealism  about  cre- 
ative development  is  coupled  with  a 
sense  of  the  economic.  "Most  of  our 
residents  have  gone  on  to  either  start 
up  their  own  new  media  companies," 
says  Serrano,  "or  are  in  management 
roles  (interactive  producers,  project 
managers,  senior  consultants)  in  a 
variety  of  indus- 
tries, including 
advertising 
(Chiat-Day, 
McLaren 
McCann),  broad- 
cast (CBC,  City 
Interactive),  and 
consulting  firms 
(Alliance  for 
Converging 
Technologies,  X-Unlimited)."  With  a  seed 
grant  from  Bell  Canada  of  $500,000  Canadian, 
Serrano  notes  that  "We  also  get  tremendous 
support  from  the  technology  community  and 
have  close  partnerships  with  Apple,  Adobe, 
SGI/Alias  Wavefront,  and  Microsoft." 

One  of  the  oft-heard  criticisms  of  CFC  is 
that  it  is  too  focused  on  the  dream  of  becoming 
a   Hollywood   North,    an   aspiration   that   is 


MediaLinx  h@bitat's  project  director,  Ana  Serrano  (left) 
and  an  image  from  a  current  h@bitat  project,  esc. 


viewed  by  many  as  both  unrealistic  and  unde- 
sirable. But  h(abitat's  production  teams  are 
innovative  in  the  way  they  draw  upon  artists 
from  many  disciplines,  and  Serrano  seems 
proud  that  they  "span  the  gamut  from  perfor- 
mance artists,  radio  producers,  interactive  mar- 
keters, writers,  graphic  designers,  painters,  and 
programmers."  h(a  bitat,  clearly  focused  on 
projects  that  push  the  conventions  of  new 
media  design,  also  has  an  economic  mandate, 
trying  to  find  a  place  for  Canadian  talent  in  the 
world  of  big-time,  and  too  often  American- 


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controlled,  image  creation. 

h(5  bitat's  first  projects,  entitled  Fear  and 
Name,  will  be  the  public's  first  chance  to  see 
the  results  of  this  attempt  to  merge  the  mis- 
sions of  a  film  training  center  with  the  concerns 
of  new  media.  "What  these  projects  are  trying 
to  do  is  figure  out  how  to  fuse  the  notion  of 
time -based  narratives  with  the  notion  of  inter- 
activity," Serrano  says.  "These  projects  are  try- 
ing to  answer  the  question  of  how  do  you  build 
a  'system'  that  allows  the  user  to  interact  with- 
out interrupting  the  narrative  flow."  These  pro- 
jects debuted  in  Toronto  on  July  12,  in  an  event 
that  allowed  people  to  manipulate  various 
characters  at  the  same  time  that  they  became 
part  of  a  fully  realized  narrative  environment. 
This  balance  between  telling  a  good  story  and 
creating  a  vivid  sensual  experience  is  a  tough 
balance,  not  at  all  unlike  the  center's  larger  bal- 
ancing act  between  the  commercial  and  the 
independent. 

The  Canadian  Film  Centre  is  located  at 

Windfields,  2489  Bayview  Avenue,  North  York, 

Ontario,    Canada    M2L     1A8.     MediaLinx 

h@bitat:    (416)    449-9151;    pkoidis@cdnfilm 

centre.com;  www.cdnfilmcentre.com 

Jerry  While  [gswhite@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca]  is  a  doctoral 

student  in  Comparative  Literature  at  the  University  of 

Alberta,  where  he  also  leaches  Film  Studies. 


1-HeA 


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August/September   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      17 


HE     GENUINE 
FROM      JERSEY      TO      Y<      U 


I        |L     J 


YORK 

HOR  AGE 


PALO      ALTO 
BOSTON 


CHI 
AMHERST      • 


•      WASHINGTON, 


WICHITA 


TY      •      ATLANTA       •      SAVANNAH      •      NORMAN 


TESVILLE 


NEWARK 


TRENTON 


TA       •      SIOUX 

RICHMOND      • 

PROVIDENCE 


NEW    BRUNSWICK      •      ITHACA      •      PITTSBURGH       •      LANSING 


NNINGTON 


H  A  RTFOR 


SPRINGS     •     CLEVELAND     •     PHILADELPHIA 


the  winners 


SYRACUSE         •         SARATOGA 
ILADELPHIA  Jv 


1  KEEP  MY  EYES  PEELED  Anne  Killelea  •  HUMAN  REMAINS  Jay  Rosenblatt  •  LINGER  Gordon 
hou  •  LECHE  Naomi  Uman  •  ONE  SELF  :  FISH/GIRL  Emily  Hubley  •  TRUTH  Bernard  Roddy 

•  ALMANAC  John  Scott  •  A  SHORT  WAIT  BETWEEN  TRAINS  Rick  Wilkinson  •  LE  PETOMAN, 
FIN-DE-SIECLE  FARTISTE  Igor  Vamos  •  HEADDRESS  Scott  Clark,  •  5  DREAMS  Luke  Jaeger  • 
FADE  OUT  Tony  Buba  •  CONFLUENCE  Van  McElwee  •  JACOB  Mary  Beth  Reed  •  OBSERV- 
ER/OBSERVED by  Takahiko  limura  •  OUT  AT  WORK  Kelly  Anderson  and  Tami  Gold  •  99 
THREADWAXING  Margaret  Luce  Brown  •  THE  BOARDWALK  Abraham  Ravett  •  REPETITION 
REPETITION  Julia  Tell  •  OUR  LADIES  OF  ATLANTIC  CITY  Melany  Kahn  •  HOW  THE  MIRACLE 
OF  MASTURBATION  SAVED  ME  FROM  BECOMING  A  TEENAGE  SPACE  ALIEN  Dulcie  Clarkson 

•  BIG  TIME  OPERATOR  David  Schmidlapp  •  AUNT  MAGG  AND  ME  Ellen  Walters  •  SOME  OF 
THE  KING'S  MEN  Robert  Jaye  and  Walt  Hoylman  •  MILLENNIUM  BUG  Lee  Lanier  •  TROU- 
BLE IN  THE  IMAGE  Pat  O'Neill  •  WE  ARE  GOING  HOME  Jennifer  Reeves  •  GLASS  Leighton 
Pierce  •  IF  I  CAN'T  DO  IT  Walter  Brock  •  BETWEEN  THE  LINES  Sophia  Constantinou  •  REV 
Seoungho  Cho  •  MULTIPLE  BARBIE  Joe  Gibbons  •  HOW  TO  BE  A  GOOD  WIFE  Joan  Nidzyn  • 
PEPINO,  MANGO,  NANCE  Bonn  Roy  and  Gillian  Goslinga  •  MIRACLE  GROW  Vincent  Grenier 

•  ALONE  -  LIFE  WASTES  ANDY  HARDY  Martin  Arnold  •  EGYPT  (AGYPTEN)  Kathrin  Resetarit 

•  RAW  IMAGES  FROM  THE  OPTIC  CROSS  Karl  Nussbaum  •  THE  TOURIST  Maria  Venuto 
SOME  GROUND  TO  STAND  ON  Joyce  Warshow  •  DRIFTING  Marc  Beneria  •  O  NIGHT  WIT 
OUT  OBJECTS  Jeanne  Finley  and  John  Muse  •  DOG  PEOPLE  Bradley  Jarvis,  Mark  DiFrusi 
and  Meng  Johnson  •   LURE  Sandra  Gibson  •  1967  Marylou  Tibaldo-Bongiorno  •   TURKU 

"AFIK  Jeff  Sher  •  CHANCEMAN  S  BROTHERS  AND  SISTERS  Rita  Heller  and  Vera  Aro 
■Y  CYBRACEROS  Alex  Rivera  •  SPARKS  Werner  Bargsten 


FESTIVAL  OPERATES  FROM  THE  NEW  JERSEY  CITY  UNIVERSITY  DEPARTMENT  OF  ME 

SIR        -  It* 

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Cast  Off  Your  Costumes 

How  to  Get  the  Most  Mileage  out  of  the 
Independent  Feature  Film  Market 

by   Paul   Power 


My  desk  is  festooned  with  the 

fruits  of  two  previous  Independent 
Feature  Film  Markets:  a  cupful  of 
pens,  buttons,  a  mousepad,  a  key  ring. 
And  that's  not  counting  the  baseball 
caps  and  t-shirts  that  are  given  out  by 
filmmakers  each  September  to  pro- 
mote their  work. 

Navigating  the  IFFM  can  be  bewil- 
dering for  newcomers.  But  the  most 
important  fact  a  filmmaker  must  realize  is  that 
the  film's  the  thing,  and  that  no  amount  of  free- 
bies  or  promo  devices  will  make  your  work 
more  attractive  to  your  target  audience:  buyers 
and  programmers  who  might  consider  fitting  it 
into  their  viewing  schedule. 

Yet  there  are  things  a  filmmaker  can  do  to 
make  the  most  of  the  IFFM.  Thorough  prepara- 
tion is  key,  according  to  Michelle  Byrd,  executive 
director  of  Independent  Feature  Project  (which 
organizes  the  IFFM)  and  IFFM  market  director 
Milton  Tabbot.  They  are  at  pains  to  stress  that 
filmmakers  should  come  with  an  advance  plan  of 
attack  and  not  leave  strategizing  to  the  last 
minute,  throwing  together  a  scattershot  cam- 
paign while  standing  at  the  registration  desk. 

Before  You  Set  Out 

While  it  sounds  elementary,  a  feature  appli- 
cant's first  and  most  important  decision  is 
which  category  to  enter:   completed   film  or 


you. 


work-in-progress.  If  you  think 
you're  really  not  going  to  have 
the  film  ready,  aim  for  the  work- 
in-progress  section.  "There  are  a 
number  of  people  who  slip  up  in 
that  area  every  year,"  says  Byrd, 
"so  you've  got  to  step  back  and 
be  realistic."  "We  have  a  little 
bit  of  room  for  maneuver,"  adds 
Tabbot  of  those  who  change 
their  minds  after  deadline  day, 
"but  not  a  lot." 

Tabbot  urges  applicants  to  pay  attention  to 
the  basics:  Fill  out  the  application  form  proper- 
ly and  submit  the  requested  materials.  "We  get 
people  who  walk  in  off  the  street  on  deadline 
day  and  start  filling  out  the  application  in  the 
office,  when  a  lot  more  material  is  actually 
required."  The  detailed  application  form 
[www.ifp.org/docs.cfm/Locales/East/ 
Film_Market/applications]  requires  applicants 
to  submit  filmographies,  biographical  informa- 


tion, and  the  financial  status  of  the  film  (budget, 
how  much  money  has  been  raised,  where  that 
money  came  from,  and  what  the  producer  is 
looking  for  in  terms  of  additional  finance  and 
production  monies).  "It's  simple,  but  it's  needed 
for  them  to  be  seriously  considered,"  says  Tabott. 

Byrd  believes  that  synopses  are  often  an 
afterthought  written  up  at  deadline  time.  As 
these  may  be  the  only  shot  a  filmmaker  has  to 
entice  buyers  to  their  screening,  it's  vital  to 
make  the  best  case  for  your  film  in  the  most 
attractive  and  concise  terms.  "Superfluous  lan- 
guage should  be  avoided,"  says  Byrd,  citing 
excessive  use  of  adjectives  or  "self-congratula- 
tory statements." 

Be  sure  to  fill  in  all  relevant  details — market 
personnel  find  themselves  supplementing  the 
information  if  they  feel  a  filmmaker  has  sold 
themselves  short  (such  as  omitting  an  interest- 
ing producer,  credit,  or  award).  "You  need  to 
divorce  yourself  from  the  creative  making  of 
the  project,"  continues  Byrd.  "You  need  to  put 
on  a  new  creative  cap  if  you're  trying  to  interest 
someone  who  doesn't  know  anything  about  you 
or  this  piece  of  work;  you  need  to  ask,  'how  do 
you  position  it  and  how  do  you  sell  it?'  " 

"The  key  selling  point  is  the  synopsis,"  agrees 
Tabbot.  "The  other  key  point — and  we  hear  this 
on  panels  all  the  time — is  'are  there  stills?'  "  Ah, 
poor  quality — or  non-existent — photos:  the 
bane  of  this  managing  editor's  existence  and 
even  more  of  a  nightmare  for  a  distributor  or 
sales  agent  who  may  pick  your  work  up  from  the 
market.  Having  an  interesting  or  attractive  set 
of  stills  (one  of  which  will  appear  in  the  market 


"Follow  up  any  leads  with  a  personal- 
ized letter — no  generic  letters,  which 
can  be  spotted  a  mile  off.  In  this  way, 
you  can  start  a  dialogue  with  interest- 
ed parties,  because  even  if  they  didn't 
like  your  project,  maybe  they  liked 


— IFP's  Michelle  Byrd 

program,  don't  forget),  taken  by  a  professional 
photographer  or  one  who  has  worked  on  film 
sets  before,  may  be  a  crucial  element  in  the  con- 
sideration of  your  project  by  a  buyer. 

A  vital  resource  for  attendees  is  the  market 
directory,  which  all  successful  applicants 
receive  when  they're  notified  in  July.  The  direc- 
tory contains  details  of  company  reps  who 
attended  the  previous  year's  market  (85-90%  of 
whom  return  the  following  year,  says  Tabbot). 
A  review  of  this  will  indicate  which  companies 


August/September   1999    T  H  E    I  N  0  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T       19 


and  individuals  are  the  best  to  approach  with 
your  project.  It  is  at  this  stage  that  you  should 
make  preliminary  contact  with  industry  folk; 
don't  leave  it  until  late  August  when,  with 
material  from  Toronto  and  IFFM  starting  to 
swamp  their  desks,  your  brief  introductory  note 
will  get  lost.  It's  also  important  to  let  Film 
Finders  [www.filmfinders.com]  know  about 
your  project  (Film  Finders  is  a  tracking  service 
for  features). 

This  year's  more  streamlined  IFFM  will  fea- 
ture a  number  of  new  developments  that  have 
been  implemented  in  response  to  requests  from 
filmmakers  and  buyers,  including: 

•  halving  the  number  of  feature  screenings  to  50; 

•  a  showcase  for  10  feature-length  works-in- 
progress  (in  addition  to  a  larger  number  of  20- 
30-minute  pitches); 

•  a  reduction  in  the  shorts  submission  fee  to 
encourage  a  greater  number  of  submissions; 

•  concentration  of  all  screenings  at  one  venue 
only:  the  Angelika. 

An  additional  change  is  the  request  for  two 
VHS  cassettes  for  the  videotape  library.  "The 
reality  is  there  are  a  lot  of  people  who,  just 
because  of  the  quantity  of  films  they're  looking 
at,  won't  go  at  a  specific  time  to  the  Angelika 
and  look  at  the  print,"  says  Byrd.  "But  they 
might  take  20  cassettes  and  look  at  them  over 
the  course  of  a  couple  of  hours  and  then,  based 
on  whether  they're  interested  in  the  cassette, 
go  walk  over  and  see  what  looks  like  a  good 
film.  It's  a  lost  opportunity  not  to  put  the  tape 
in  the  library." 

Finally,  before  sending  off  introductory  notes 
to  buyers,  do  a  bit  of  research  on  more  than  the 
obvious  big-name  companies.  Most  distributors 
have  web  sites  and  a  quick  look  at  their  catalog 
will  inform  you  if  you're  on  the  right  track  or 
not;  Miramax,  for  instance,  does  not  buy  docs. 

Negotiating  the  Melee 

Byrd  is  emphatic  in  her  dismissal  of  costumed 
individuals  handing  out  promotional  material 
or  freebies  to  raise  the  profile  of  the  film: 
"Gimmicks  in  general  don't  work,  period." 
More  subtle,  less  in-your-face  marketing  can 
work,  however,  with  Byrd  citing  a  large  team 
from  Joe  Carnahan's  Blood,  Guts,  Bullets  and 


20    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


AND  WHILE  YOU'RE  AT  THE  IFFM... 

•  Stop  by  the  AIVF  booth  on  Sept.  21  and  23; 
Drop  by  our  office  for  an  open  house  on  Sunday,  Sept. 

20.  4-6  p.m.  and  Thursday,  Sept.  23,  5-8  p.m. 

•  Attend  our  Meet  &  Greet  with  distribution  company 

Turbulent  Arts  on  Tuesday.  Sept.  21, 7-9  p.m. 

•  Come  to  our  mixer  on  Sept.  22,  7-9  p.m. 

■!VR  304  Hudson  St.  (corner  of  Spring  St.),  6th  fl. 


Octane  who  were  identifiable  in  t-shirts  bearing 
the  film's  title  and,  when  the  film  sparked  off 
interest  at  the  '97  market,  were  easy  to  track 
down.  If  filmmakers  are  planning  to  raise  the 
profile  of  their  film  above  the  ordinary,  it  can 
pay  to  have  a  simple  t-shirt  or  baseball  cap  dis- 
playing the  film's  title. 

Some  items  that  even  12  months  ago  might 
have  smacked  of  gimmickry  now  are  very  real 
assets.  A  palm-sized  mini  DV  player  (used  by 
Vince  Offer,  director  of  The  Underground 
Comedy  Movie  last  year)  can  show  more  than 
the  15  minutes  of  your  feature  that  a  buyer  may 
have  sat  through.  Another  new  development 
worth  considering  is  establishing  a  Web  pres- 
ence for  your  film,  which  can  range  from  home 
page  basics — addresses,  bios,  contact  info 
which  you  can  set  up  for  free  with  companies 
such  as  Excite  and  Yahoo! — to  more  elaborate 
set-ups  where  clips  from  the  film  can  be  viewed 
and  photos  downloaded.  A  web  site  can  also  be 
an  important  tool  for  filmmakers  who  are  gath- 
ering addresses  for  an  email  list. 

Guerrilla  leafletting  is  one  area  in  which  the 
market  is  clamping  down  this  year,  although 
Tabbot  is  at  pains  to  stress  that  the  market  isn't 
preventing  filmmakers  from  passing  out  leaflets; 
it's  just  that  they  can't  do  mass  leafletting  of 


mailboxes.  "We're  not  going  to  open  every 
piece  of  correspondence  and  read  it,"  he  says, 
"but  as  long  as  it's  targeted  in  a  note,  on  a  card 
to  someone  specific,  we'll  accept  it." 

"Everything  we're  trying  to  do  this  year  is 
about  reducing  filmmaker  anxiety,"  Byrd  con- 
tinues. "When  there  is  that  opportunity  to  go 
wild  a  little  bit,"  such  as  spending  a  small  tor- 
tune  at  Kinko's  to  get  flyers  printed  up  and 
blanketing  all  mailboxes,  "people  will  do  that. 
By  making  you  think  before  you  have  access, 
we're  hoping  that  people  won't  have  that  same 
kind  of  anxiety." 

It's  also  important  to  come  to  the  very  first 
day  of  the  market,  register  in  the  morning,  read 
your  new  industry  directory,  and  plan  your  daily 
strategy  to  ensure  you're  going  to  get  to  the 
individuals  you  earmarked  back  in  July.  A 
structured  daily  schedule  is  an  asset  for  film- 
makers too,  according  to  Byrd,  so  that  those 
both  attending  and  working  at  the  market 
know  generally  where  you  can  be  found. 

Panels  can  be  a  haphazard  way  to  get  access 
to  buyers,  and  you  must  offer  them  more  than 
a  vague  invitation  to  a  screening.  If  you  have 
had  preliminary  contact  with  a  buyer's  associ- 
ate, let  them  know  it,  says  Byrd,  and  tell  them, 
"  'So-and-so  from  your  company  expressed  a  lot 


of  interest  in  this  project,  and  I  just  wanted  to 
come  over  and  meet  you',  which  actually  winds 
up  being  meaningful."  A  swift  transaction  of 
business  cards  or  a  postcard  with  your  screening 
time  and  contact  info  (make  sure  you  include 
New  York  contact  details)  is  the  best  you  can 
hope  tor  from  such  an  encounter. 

Post  Market 

Once  the  market  concludes,  Byrd  suggests  cre- 
ating a  database  from  business  cards  obtained 
and  recording  data  from  screening  reports. 
Follow  up  any  leads  with  a  personalized  letter — 
no  generic  letters,  which  can  be  spotted  a  mile 
off,  says  Byrd — and  in  this  way  start  a  dialogue 
with  interested  parties,  because  even  if  individ- 
uals didn't  like  your  project,  maybe  they  liked 
you.  Anyone  who  expressed  serious  interest  in 
looking  at  your  script  or  film  should  have  it 
within  a  month  of  the  market,  at  the  latest. 
And  if  something  significant  occurs  with  your 
project — e.g.,  completion  of  principal  photog- 
raphy, a  major  part  of  funding  falls  into  place, 
acceptance  into  a  festival,  a  festival  prize — let 
those  interested  parties  know.  You  never 
know — it  might  be  the  final  element  that'll  get 
them  on  board  your  project. 

Paul  Power  is  numaging  editor  of  The  Independent. 


M 


ISLAND  MEDIA  INTERNATIONAL 
212*252*3522 

AVID 

Media  Composers 


AVR77 

3D-DVE  effects 

92  GIGS  storage 

Protools  sound  mix 
Transfers  /  Duplication 
Camera  Pkgs  /  Animation 
Graphics  /  AVID  Classes 


Wi/  * 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


o^-- 


•JS  /- 


S 


Catch  Us  If  You  Cannes 

The  World's  Largest  Film  Festival  Jumps 
on  the  Digital  Bandwagon 

by   Barbara   Scharres 


The  52nd  Cannes  International  Film 
Festival  featured  a  focus  on  technology  that 
seemed  to  begin  with  the  gadgetry  at  every 
attendee's  fingertips.  The  mid-screening  ring- 
ing of  ubiquitous  cell  phones,  which  once  pro- 
voked outrage,  is  now 
so  common  as  to  elicit 
only  a  few  half-hearted 
and  futile  hisses,  even 
when  the  offending 
instrument  tootles  "Waltzing 
Matilda"  in  grating  chip  music. 

In  the  fast-moving,  status- 
conscious  milieu  of  Cannes,  the 
must-have  electronic  item  this 
year  was  a  Palm  Pilot,  preferably 
with  auxiliary  mini-keyboard 
and  modem.  One  New  York 
critic,  aiming  his  at  the  festival's 
opening  film  The  Barber  of 
Siberia,  which  in  its  own  way 
was  about  encroaching  technol- 
ogy, proudly  demonstrated  the 
optional  "Suck  Meter"  which 
can  be  downloaded  from  the 
Internet.  The  fun  proliferated 
when  festival  journalists  were 
offered  the  new  Palm  V  entic- 
ingly loaded  with  festival  sched- 
ules, film  credits,  and  phone 
numbers,  at  40%  off  the  U.S. 
price.  One  couple  joked  that 
their  Cannes  communications  were  limited  to 
beaming  each  other  information  on  their  Palm 
Pilots  across  the  bedroom. 

When  it  came  to  the  fundamental  matter  of 
what  was  on  the  screen,  the  festival  signaled  its 
awareness  of  a  technological  revolution  with  a 
new  title  trailer  which  opened  with  the  expla- 
nation, "Now  the  festival  is  willing  to  follow 
and  support  the  evolution  and  aesthetic 
changes  taking  place  in  cinema's  images." 
Retaining  the  "Le  Carnaval  des  Animaux" 
music  by  Saint-Saens  from  the  old  trailer,  the 
new  one  featured  2D  and  3D  computer-gener- 
ated imagery.  Created  by  a  student  under  the 
tutelage   of  French   special  effects   supervisor 


Christian  Guillon,  the  trailer  showed  off  a  digi- 
tal bag  of  tricks,  but  failed  to  capture  the 
haunting  quality  of  aspiration  to  the  Palme 
d'Or  that  its  predecessor  had  conveyed  so  well 
by  means  of  elementary  animation.  But  in  fact 
the  trailer's  gap  between  technique  and  mean- 
Inside  MITIC  at  the  Offshore  SA  booth,  a  postproduction  house. 


the  Industry's  Future"  and  "The  Convergence 
of  Entertainment  and  Technology,"  comparison 
screenings  of  digitally  produced  work  with 
35mm  transfers,  and  the  presentation  "The 
Revolution  in  Filmmaking"  by  Peter  Broderick 
of  Next  Wave  Films,  a  company  of  the 
Independent  Film  Channel. 

At  the  demonstration  "Film  or  Digital:  How 
to  Choose,"  featuring  comparison  clips  shot  by 
cinematographers  John  Alonzo,  Richard  Riley, 
and  Elizabeth  Ziegler,  among  others,  audience 
member,  critic  Roger  Ebert  voiced  his  caution 
that  electronic  transmission  of  films  may  even- 
tually destroy  cinema  as  we  know  it.  Later,  in 
an  email  exchange  with  The  Independent,  Ebert 
elaborated:  "We  stand  at  a  dangerous  cross- 
roads. Enormous  profits  can  be  made 
outfitting  the  nation  for  video  projec- 
tion in  theaters,  but  the  process  may  lit- 
erally destroy  what  we  go  to  the  movies 
for.  People  will  not  get  what  they  go  to 
the  movies  to  get,  and  will  not  even 
know  why,  but  the  compelling  desire  to 
go  to  the  movies  will  gradually  fade 
away." 

Recommending  Jerry  Mander's  book 
Four  Arguments  for  the  Elimination  of 
Television,  Ebert  detailed  several  con- 
cerns so  much  on  his  mind  that  he 
brought  them  up  again  while  chairing 
the  American  filmmakers  panel  in  the 
Variety  pavilion  a  few  days  later.  He 
says,  "Viewing  films  puts  the  mind  in  an 
alpha   state.   Viewing  projected   video 


"We  stand  at  a  dangerous  crossroads.  Enormous  profits  can  be  made 

outfitting  the  nation  for  video  projection  in  theaters,  but  the  process  may 

literally  destroy  what  we  go  to  the  movies  for.  People  will  not  get  what  they  go 

to  the  movies  to  get,  and  will  not  even  know  why,  but  the  compelling  desire  to 

go  to  the  movies  will  gradually  fade  away."   -Roger  Ebert 


ing  capsulated  the  state  of  things  at  Cannes  this 
year  with  regard  to  new  technologies. 

The  festival's  official  showcase  for  new  tech- 
nologies came  in  the  form  of  the  sidebar 
mounted  by  MITIC,  or  Marche  International 
des  Techniques  et  de  l'lnnovation  du  Cinema,  a 
technical  function  of  the  Cannes  market  now 
in  its  second  year.  Citing  the  success  of  Thomas 
Vinterberg's  The  Celebration  and  the  electronic 
screenings  of  the  Star  Wars  prequel  among 
other  developments,  MITIC  executive  director 
Jerome  Paillard  introduced  an  exhibition  space 
on  the  ground  floor  of  the  Palais  and  1 1  days 
packed  with  events:  technical  demonstrations, 
panels  including  "Digital  Cinema:   Projecting 


puts  it  in  a  beta  state.  The  first  is  akin  to  rever- 
ie, the  second  to  hypnosis.  A  few  of  the  results 
of  the  difference:  1)  we  remember  movies  bet- 
ter than  television;  2)  we  are  able  to  watch 
television  for  much  longer  periods  of  time, 
because  our  consciousness  is  not  fully  engaged; 
3)  film  is  actually  there  on  the  screen  24  times 
a  second,  while  video  is  never  actually  there, 
but  is  always  in  the  process  of  becoming." 

"Becoming"  was  a  good  byword  for  the  cre- 
ative side  of  MITIC,  for  the  digitally  generated 
work  on  exhibition  failed  to  live  up  to  expecta- 
tions. World  premieres  included  Lovers,  by 
Jean-Marc  Barr,  which  had  been  awarded  its 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September  1999 


Dogma  certification  only  days  before  the 
screening.  Neophyte  French  filmmaker  Barr 
(best  known  as  the  actor  from  The  Big  Blue)  was 
inspired  by  last  year's  Cannes  premieres  of  The 
Celebration  and  Lars  von  Trier's  The  Idiots,  and 
made  Lowers  in  seven 
months,  start  to  finish. 
The  film  is  more  notable 
for  being  shot  with  a  Sony 
900  digital  camera  set  on 
auto-focus  and  for  Barr's 
snaring  of  award-winning 
French  actress  Elodie 
Bouchez  for  a  starring  role,  than  for  its  banal 
story  of  young  love  in  Paris.  The  audience  obvi- 
ously thought  so  too,  and  after  scrutinizing  the 
film  for  technical  quality,  most  ankled  at  a  high 
rate  of  speed. 

There  were  greater  hopes  for  the  world  pre- 
miere of  the  short  La  Cambrure  (The  Curvature) 
by  esteemed  French  director  Eric  Rohmer, 
which  comprised  the  finale  of  Peter  Broderick's 
lecture  and  screening  of  shorts  and  clips.  "At 
the  age  of  79,  Rohmer's  gone  digital,"  exulted 
Broderick.  The  teasingly  erotic  but  characteris- 
tically dialogue -heavy  film  was  introduced  by 
director  of  photography  Dianne  Baratier,  who 
explained  that  the  short  was  a  trial  run  for  the 
technology  prior  to  Rohmer's  embarking  on  a 
feature-length  digital  video  project.  She  noted 
that  Rohmer  doesn't  think  of  himself  as  work- 
ing in  video,  but  as  utilizing  video  to  make  a 
film  intended  to  be  exhibited  in  a  35mm  format. 

Broderick,  who  has  seemingly  become  the 
foremost  international  advocate  for  digital  pro- 
duction, put  together  a  presentation  for  Cannes 
that  was  a  variation  on  those  screened  earlier 
this  year  in  New  York,  Los  Angeles,  and  other 
cities,  as  well  as  at  Sundance  and  the 
Rotterdam  International  Film  Festival.  The 
program  included  clips  from  Shucking  the  Curve, 
Windhorse,  The  Cruise,  The  Last  Broadcast,  and 
The  Saltmen  of  Tibet.  Broderick  says,  "A  year  ago 
there  was  a  turning  point  and  that  was  at 
Cannes  with  the  coming  of  The  Celebration  and 
The  Idiots.  I  love  the  idea  of  going  back  a  year 
later  with  new  things  that  have  been  done  in 
the  intervening  year.  A  year  from  now,  there 
will  be  so  much  more  in  terms  of  [work  by]  both 
experienced  filmmakers  and  new  filmmakers.  I 
believe  there  will  be  digital  films  in  the  festival 
itself,  not  just  in  the  market,  but  probably  in  all 
sections,  because  so  many  filmmakers  are 
choosing  to  work  this  way."  Among  filmmakers 
currently  making  new  features  in  digital  video, 
Broderick  cites  Harmony  Korine,  Jonathan 
Nossiter,  Tom  Noonan,  Arturo  Ripstein,  Wim 


Wenders,  and  of  course  Lars  von  Trier. 

Broderick  is  hopeful  that  festivals  will  very 
shortly  be  equipped  for  digital  video  projection. 
"Some  gatekeepers  are  terrified  about  drowning 
in  a  sea  of  digital  mediocrity,"  he  admits.  "My 


Once  again  the  criticism  erupted  that 

the  Cannes  festival  expends  less  time  and  effort 

researching  its  American  cinema  selections 

than  it  does  Australian,  for  instance. 


ae — the  ranking  of  angels,  plenary  indulgences 
and  such —  it  would  appear  to  be  at  least  as 
likely  to  baffle  those  without  a  serious  working 
knowledge  of  Catholic  belief.  With  humor  but 
no  trace  of  flippancy,  Smith  cracked  at  the  press 
conference:  "The  Vatican  contacted 
me  and  asked  me  to  make  a  recruit- 
ment film."  He  noted,  "Theology  was 
always  a  favorite  topic  of  mine." 

Spurned  by  Brits  and  Europeans, 
Dogma  was  hailed  by  the  American 
press  as  the  strongest  American  film 


Silent  Bob  (director  Kevin  Smith,  I)  &  Jay  (Jason  Mewes)  contemplate  God  and  country  in  Dogma,  one  of  the 
few  American  stand-outs  of  Cannes. 


feeling  is  that  nobody  would  ever  say  too  many 
poems  are  being  written  or  too  many  paintings 
are  being  painted.  So  people  can  make  as  many 
movies  as  they  want  and  it's  the  problem  of  the 
gatekeepers  to  try  to  deal  with  it  ...  I  love  the 
idea  that  power  is  shifting  away  from  financiers 
to  filmmakers." 

Although  the  Dogma  school  of  filmmaking 
bombed  this  time  around  at  Cannes,  dogma  of 
another  sort  was  creating  a  sensation.  Much 
anticipated  for  its  supposedly  controversial  sub- 
ject matter,  Kevin  Smith's  Dogma  debuted  first 
at  the  festival's  hardest-to-get-into  press 
screening,  and  then  at  a  midnight  special 
screening  out  of  competition.  Part  metaphysical 
road  movie  and  part  Mal/rats-meets-Late  Night 
Catechism,  Dogma  has  two  fallen  angels  who 
were  banished  to  Wisconsin  for  eternity  after 
being  thwarted  by  a  disillusioned  abortion  clin- 
ic counselor  as  they  attempt  to  exploit  a  loop- 
hole in  Catholic  dogma  to  return  to  heaven. 
The  film's  potential  to  offend  religious  conserv- 
atives is  not  its  only  liability,  for  with  a  plot 
revolving  around  hard-core  Catholic  minuti- 


at  Cannes,  leading  many  to  ask  why  it  was  not 
in  competition.  During  the  festival,  rumor  had 
it  that  Miramax  had  sought  to  keep  Dogma 
from  the  scrutiny  of  competition,  although  the 
New  York  Times  eventually  reported  just  the 
opposite — that  Harvey  Weinstein  had  fought 
for  competition  status,  which  was  denied  by  fes- 
tival director  Gilles  Jacob.  In  any  case,  among 
American  films  in  the  varied  sections  of  the 
official  selection  there  were  big,  revered  names 
to  choose  from,  such  as  Spike  Lee,  Jim 
Jarmusch,  David  Lynch,  John  Sayles,  and  Tim 
Robbins,  but  the  films,  each  one  problematic  in 
its  own  way,  found  little  widespread  favor.  Once 
again  the  criticism  erupted  that  the  Cannes  fes- 
tival expends  less  time  and  effort  researching  its 
American  cinema  selections  than  it  does 
Australian,  for  instance. 

In  competition,  Lynch's  The  Straight  Story, 
sentimental  and  replete  with  folksy  wisdom, 
lacked  bite,  while  Jarmusch's  Ghost  Dog:  The 
Way  of  the  Samurai  capitalized  on  cameraman 
Robby  Miiller's  acute  eye  for  American  urban 
settings  and  Forrest  Whitaker's  thoughtful  per- 
formance, but  lacked  a  real  story.  Sayles's  Limbo 


August/September  1999   T  H  E    I  N  D  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T      23 


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came  off  as  more  strident  and  stiff  than  earlier 
films,  and  Robbins's  Cradle  Will  Rock,  with  its 
characterizations  of  figures  including  Orson 
Welles,  John  Houseman,  Diego  Rivera,  Frieda 
Kahlo,  and  Nelson  Rockefeller,  began  to  seem 
like  a  too -schematic  allegory  for  the  present 
day  persecution  of  the  National  Endowment 
for  the  Arts. 

The  "A  Certain  Regard"  section  of  the  festi- 
val presented  only  two  American  films,  and 
those  at  opposite  ends  of  the  budgetary  and 
release  spectrum:  David  Mamet's  The  Winslovu 
Boy,  and  Eric  Mendelsohn's  Judy  Berlin.  Spike 
Lee's  Summer  of  Sam  was  found  in  the 
Director's  Fortnight,  the  section  of  the  festival 
that  had  once  springboarded  him  to  interna- 
tional fame.  Lee's  film  was  joined  by  Alex 
Winter's  Fever,  Anjelica  Huston's  Agnes 
Browne,  Daniel  Myrick's  and  Eduardo 
Sanchez's  The  Blair  Witch  Project,  and  Sofia 
Coppola's  The  Virgin  Suicides. 

Ultimately  no  American  films  received 
recognition  by  the  jury,  headed  by  Canadian 
David  Cronenberg  and  including  Americans 
Jeff  Goldblum  and  Holly  Hunter,  not  that  there 
were  significant  protests  on  that  score.  In  fact, 
no  English-language  films  received  awards  at 
all,  except  for  the  Canadian  short  W\en  the  Day 
Breaks,  by  Wendy  Tilby  and  Amanda  Forbis. 
Pedro  Almodovar's  quirkily  entertaining  All 
About  My  Mother  was  the  runaway  favorite 
among  festival-goers  of  every  nation,  and  his 
loss  of  the  Palme  to  the  realistic  and  grittily 
despairing  Belgian  film  Rosetta  by  Luc  and  Jean- 
Pierre  Dardenne  was  greeted  by  the  kind  of 
raucous  festival  rage  that  is  peculiar  to  Cannes. 
Even  the  film's  plucky  actress  Emilie 
Dequenne,  who  accepted  the  Best  Actress 
award  (a  tie  with  Severine  Caneele  of 
Humanity)  with  tears  streaming  down  her 
young  face,  was  booed  upon  ascending  the 
stage. 

True  to  the  French  man-on-the-street  pas- 
sion for  cinema,  the  jury's  unpopular  decisions 
dominated  radio  talk  shows  and  were  discussed 
on  newspaper  front  pages  in  France  for  days 
afterwards.  Among  the  hordes  of  younger  film- 
makers, many  of  them  Americans,  who  had 
flocked  to  the  seminars  and  demonstrations  of 
MITIC,  there  are  probably  dozens  even  now 
imagining  the  future  Cannes  triumph  of  their 
digital  features — darkhorse  films  that  will  come 
out  of  nowhere  to  capture  the  Palme  d'Or. 

Barbara  Scharres  [bscharres(a  artic.edu]  is  director  of 

the  Film  Center  at  the  School  of  the 

Art  Institute  of  Chicago. 


24    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


of  the  20th  IFFM  from  the  Independent  Feature  Project! 


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D 


DV  EDITING  ON  THE  DESKTOP 


Digital  Origins  Edit  DV  and  MotoDV  Studio 

by   Robert   M.    Goodman 


Digital  video,  in  the  guise  of  the  inexpen- 
sive  DV  format,  is  changing  the  landscape  of 
independent  filmmaking.  The  barriers  are  dis- 
appearing because  you  can  now  shoot  for  near- 
ly nothing;  the  final  frontier  is  inexpensive 
postproduction. 

This  article  compares  two  DV-only  editing 
solutions  which  cost  less  than  $1,000:  EditDV 
(VI. 5  Mac/Vl.O  Win)  and  MotoDV  Studio 
V2.0  (Win/NT/Mac).  A  system  with  adequate 
power  and  memory  and  with  50GB  of  storage 
(about  230  minutes  of  DV  video)  should  cost 
less  than  $4,000. 

Both  editing  software  programs  were  created 
by  Digital  Origin,  though  MotoDV  was  written 
as  a  plug-in  for  Premiere  (the  package  even 
includes  a  copy  of  Premiere  V5.1).  We  tested 
EditDV  VI. 5  on  a  233MHz  G3,  running  OS 
8.0  with  96MB  RAM,  and  27GB  of  storage. 
(EditDV  for  Windows  was  introduced  shortly 
after  this  article  was  written.  The  features  are 
not  currently  identical,  so  check  before  you 
buy).  MotoDV  Studio  V2.0  was  tested  on  a 
Pentium  II  450MHz,  running  Windows  98  with 
128MB  RAM  and  a  13GB  IDE  hard  drive. 

The  minimum  requirements  to  run  EditDV 
on  a  Mac  are  32MB  of  memory  and  OS  8.0  or 
later.  For  Windows,  a  200MHz  Pentium  with 
128MB  of  memory  and  16-bit  graphics  capabil- 
ity is  the  minimum.  There  must  be  an  open  PCI 
slot  tor  Digital  Origin's  Fire  Wire  adapter  unless 
you  use  a  G3  with  Fire  Wire  built  in. 

WHAT  YOU  GET 

EditDV  is  available  with  or  without  a  Fire  Wire 
adapter.  MotoDV  Studio  includes  the  adapter, 
Fire  Wire  cable,  Adobe  Premiere  V5.1,  and 
Photoshop  LE.  In  addition,  you  get  Digital 
Origin's  three  software  plug-ins:  MotoDV 
Capture,  for  manual  and  batch  capture; 
MotoDV  Device  Control,  tor  keyboard  and 
mouse  control  of  DV  cameras  and  decks;  and 
MotoDV  Playback,  for  full  resolution  playback 
of  the  timeline  over  the  Fire  Wire  connection. 

INSTALLATION 

Installation  is  painless.  However,  you  must  turn 
off  every  non-essential  extension  on  the  Mac  or 


EditDV  crashes  the  system.  Instructions  are  in 
the  EditDV  manual.  If  you're  using  Premiere, 
instructions  about  optimizing  the  MacOS  or 
Windows  are  available  on  Adobe's  web  site.  I 
highly  recommend  reading  those  instructions; 
you'll  encounter  fewer  problems. 

Unfortunately,  neither  Adobe  nor  Digital 
Origin  mentions  this  in  their  manuals. 

EDITDV  INTERFACE 

EditDV  looks  and  feels  like  Avid's  MCXpress. 
There's  a  window  for  the  source  and  record 
viewer,  a  timeline,  and  open  bins.  If  you've  edit- 
ed on  an  Avid,  you'll  feel  comfortable  with  this. 
EditDV  has  about  80%  of  the  functionality  of 
MCXpress  for  a  fraction  of  the  cost. 

The  monitor  window  is  split  into  a  source 
and  program  monitor.  Mouse  buttons  for  con- 
trolling the  source  and  record  sides  are 
arranged  underneath  each  monitor. 
There's  a  patch  matrix  for  track  control.  I 
When  you  work  with  transitions,  titles, 
and  effects,  the  FX  monitor  replaces  the 
program  monitor. 

The  timeline  is  termed  "sequencer"  in 
EditDV.  There  is  no  limit  on  video  tracks; 
audio  has  a  20-track  limit.  The  video, 
audio,  video  program,  and  audio  program 
tracks  are  arranged  in  that  order  from  top 
to  bottom.  Nested  underneath  the  video 
and  audio  tracks  are  the  FX 
tracks   used   for   titles,   color 
adjustments,       and       other 
effects.  Track  patching  buttons, 
which   appear   to   the   left  of  the 


The  powerful  monitor 
window,  timeline,  and 
equalizer  components  of 
MotoDV  for  Premiere. 


track,  are  used  to  activate  tracks  for  rendering 
or  viewing.  The  edit  control  buttons  run  across 
the  top.  A  graphic  representation  of  the  entire 
timeline,  which  Digital  Origins  calls  a 
"skyview,"  appears  in  the  upper  right-hand  cor- 
ner. Only  one  video  track  can  be  active  or 
played  at  a  time.  Transitions  are  added  by  drag- 
ging and  dropping  them  over  adjacent  clips  on 
a  track.  When  you  add  a  transition,  EditDV 
automatically  builds  an  A/B  checkerboard  and 
positions  the  transition  effect  on  a  separate 
track  between  the  two  clips. 

The  keyboard  commands  are  not  mnemonic 
and  seem  arbitrary.  However,  their  placement  is 
not  illogical.  It's  tough  to  figure  out  without    S 
using  the  supplied  keycap  labels.  The  mouse    < 
button  icons,  on  the  other  hand,  are  clear  and    £ 
easy  to  decipher.  EditDV  has  one  potential  key-    8 


Adobe  Premiere  5.0 


26     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


hoard  command  problem:  the  Period  key  is 
used  for  erase.  Command  +  the  Period  key  is  a 
commonly  used  Mac  convention  for  escape.  If 
you  aren't  careful  to  hold  the  Command  key 
down,  you  could  inadvertently  erase  a  portion 
of  your  timeline  instead  of  escaping.  And  as 
there's  only  one  level  of  undo  in  EditDV, 
inattention  can  be  disastrous. 

MOTODV  STUDIO/PREMIERE  INTERFACE 

Premiere  V5.0  was  revamped  to  conform  to  the 
conventions  of  nonlinear  editing.  Three  win- 
dows are  open  on  the  desktop:  a  large  window 
with  a  source  viewer  and  a  program  viewer 
(mouse  buttons  for  controlling  source  and 
record  functions  appear  underneath);  a  project 
or  library  window  containing  clips  or  clips  and 
bins;  and  a  timeline  window.  This  version  uses 
the  correct  frame  rate  to  keep  audio  in  sync  for 
programs  as  long  as  three  hours. 

Premiere's  timeline  can  have  up  to  99  audio 
and  99  video  tracks.  Tracks  can  be  named  and 
hidden  from  view.  New  video  tracks  stack 
above  existing  tracks.  Premiere  also  uses 
checkerboard  editing.  Each  video  track  has  an 
A  and  B  track  separated  by  a  transition  track 
and  can  be  expanded  or  collapsed.  Transitions 
are  placed  manually.  Controls  for  monitoring, 
hiding,  and  expanding  tracks  are  at  the  far  left. 
Track  size  is  adjustable.  Premiere's  navigator 
feature  is  similar  to  EditDV's  "skyview". 

Adobe  has  reduced  the  clutter  and  improved 
the  keyboard  shortcuts,  but  there's  still  room 
for  improvement.  Premiere's  interface  is  not  as 
elegant  as  EditDV's.  For  example,  the  mark  in 
and  mark  out  keys  are  mnemonic  (I  and  O  on 
the  keyboard,  respectively).  The  "clear  in"  (D) 
and  "clear  out"  (F)  keys  make  less  sense.  Why 
not  use  Shift  +  the  I  key  or  Shift  +  O.7 
Premiere  remains  a  mixed  bag  of  the  good  and 
the  odd. 

CAPTURE  &  LOGGING 

There's  no  "capture"  in  DV  editing.  You  simply 
transfer  digital  files  from  DV  tape  to  the  hard 
drive.  Digitizing  and  compressing  video  into  a 
digital  format  occurs  during  recording.  The 
advantage  of  DV  editing  is  that  there's  no  gen- 
eration loss.  The  disadvantage  is  there's  no  way 
to  manage  drive  space  (an  hour  of  DV  video 
requires  13GB  of  space)  other  than  limiting  the 
footage  stored  on  the  drive.  Clips  cannot 
exceed  the  file  size  limitation  (2GB)  of  the  Mac 
or  Windows  operating  systems — about  nine 
minutes  of  video. 

There  are  differences  between  EditDV  and 
MotoDV  Studio,  even  though  both  use  the 


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August/September  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


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same  core  module  for  logging  and  capture.  Both 
offer  full  deck  control  with  easy-to-use  key- 
board or  mouse  commands.  In  EditDV's  logger, 
you  can  select  the  bin  to  capture  to,  mark  ins 
and  outs,  enter  reel  names,  clip  names,  and 
comments.  It  automatically  increments  the  clip 
name.  Clip  handle  length,  pre -roll  time,  and 
preview  quality  can  be  set. 

Information  can  be  saved  for  batch  capture 
in  a  bin  or  captured  immediately.  One  of 
EditDV's  outstanding  features  is  the  abili- 
ty to  modify  log  information  prior  to  batch 
capture.  It's  a  capability  that  should  be 
included  in  all  professional  editing  soft- 
ware but  isn't.  EditDV  allows  the  ins,  outs, 
track  selection,  clip  name,  or  comments  to 
be  modified.  (However,  there's  a  bug  in 
this  feature  that  can  cause  the  program  to 
crash;  Digital  Origin  is  fixing  it.) 

MotoDV  deck  control  in  Premiere  is 
similar   to   EditDV.    However,   logging   in 
Premiere    is    primitive.    Premiere    doesn't 
increment   scene    numbers.   The   in   and   out 
points  must  be  set  for  each  clip;  Premiere  does- 
n't automatically  insert  the  previous  clip's  out 
point  as  the  new  clip's  in  point.  The  batch  dig- 
itize feature  does  work  without  error. 

Clips  in  an  EditDV  bin  can  be  displayed  as 
pictures  or  as  text  list.  Any  column  can  be  sort- 
ed though  only  in  ascending  order.  There  are 
fields  for  clip  name,  ins,  outs,  duration,  tracks, 
and  comments.  A  status  field  indicates  whether 
a  clip  is  on-  or  offline.  Subclips  use  a  smaller 
icon  and  are  easily  identified.  Premiere  stores 
clips  in  libraries  (for  use  with  multiple  projects) 
or  in  bins  associated  with  a  specific  project. 
Clips  in  a  Premiere  bin  can  be  displayed  in  an 
icon  view  (picture,  text  underneath),  thumb- 
nail view  (picture,  text  to  the  right),  or  list  view 
(text  only).  Up  to  four  user-definable  fields  can 
be  added.  The  fields  are  sortable,  in  ascending 
or  descending  order,  and  the  list  view  can  be 
printed.  Bins  can  be  created,  copied,  renamed, 
or  deleted,  and  clips  moved  or  copied  from  bin 
to  bin  in  either  program. 

EDITING 

Both  programs  use  the  drag  and  drop  approach 
to  editing.  Clips  can  be  dropped  on  the  timeline 
directly  from  a  bin  or  by  marking  an  in  and  out 
in  the  source  window  and  dragging  the  clip  to 
the  timeline.  Both  will  do  three  point  and  fit  to 
fill  (four  point)  editing.  Both  have  two  editing 
modes.  In  EditDV,  "erase"  mode  inserts  black 
and  maintains  the  program  length  and  "elimi- 
nate" mode  changes  the  program  length.  In 
Premiere,  clips  can  be  "inserted"  changing  the 


program  length  or  "overlayed,"  overwriting  the 
footage  at  the  edit  point.  Removing  a  clip  in 
Premiere  is  either  a  "lift,"  leaving  a  black  hole, 
or  an  "extract,"  rippling  the  timeline.  EditDV 
has  just  one  level  of  undo.  Premiere  has  up  to 
32. 

In  Premiere,  clips  can  be  trimmed  on  the 
timeline,  source  viewer,  or  in  a  trim  window. 
The  trim  window  is  designed  for  video.  It  dis- 


f 


in 


Ui'h  filh 

m  ,    -_  .1  fish 

(tnd«rtd 
tt«boJt 

Jtti«<Jock 


EB 


1 


An  EditDV  demo  project  and  (inset)  the  EditDV  twin 
monitors  with  control  panels. 


plays  the  outgoing  tail  and  incoming  head. 
There's  no  way  to  do  a  split  edit  trim.  To  trim  J 
or  L  cuts,  you  must  go  to  the  timeline,  unlock 
the  audio,  and  then  trim  each  track.  There's  no 
loop  preview  or  preview  duration  setting.  In 
contrast,  EditDV's  trim  window  makes  trim- 
ming J  and  L  cuts  easy;  the  tracks  are  selec- 
table. It  also  has  a  duration  setting  for  previews. 

Both  programs  can  lock  or  unlock  the  audio 
to  the  video.  EditDV  can  display  or  hide  the 
sync  information.  Sync  appears  on  the  audio 
track  as  plus  or  minus  frames  relative  to  the 
video  track.  In  either  program,  moving  audio 
back  into  sync  with  video  was  easy.  Both  pro- 
grams will  display  waveforms  when  the  audio 
tracks  are  expanded  and  use  rubber  banding. 

Premiere's  approach  is  to  assign  a  new  tool 
to  every  mode.  Hence,  there's  a  rolling  edit 
tool,  which  overwrites  clips  to  maintain  the 
program's  duration  and  a  ripple  edit  tool,  which 
inserts  clips  and  changes  the  program's  dura- 
tion. A  slip  edit  tool  shifts  the  in  and  out  points 
on  a  single  clip,  and  a  slide  edit  tool  preserves 
clip  and  program  duration  by  changing  the  out 
point  of  the  preceding  clip  and  the  in  point  of 
the  following  clip.  These  selections  are  nested 
underneath  the  edit  tool  button.  EditDV 
accomplishes  the  same  tasks  with  fewer  but- 
tons. 


28    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


EFFECTS,  FILTERS,  TITLES  &  TRANSITIONS 

Premiere  is  the  clear  winner  in  total  number  of 
effects,  filters,  and  transitions.  Nearly  all  are 
keyframeahle.  Adobe's  plug-in  architecture 
adds  even  more  flexibility.  Dozens  of  plug-ins — 
from  FilmFX  V2.0,  an  outstanding  film  look 
plug-in,  to  Ultimatte,  the  industry  standard  for 
blue-screen  compositing — are  available.  Any 
Photoshop  plug-in  works.  Premiere's  DVE,  key- 
ing, and  titling  features  were  impressive.  You 
can  animate  stills  or  video  using  motion  paths, 
create  traveling  mattes,  alpha  channels,  chro- 
ma and  luma  keys,  and  roll  or  crawl  titles. 

EditDV  offers  fewer  transitions  and  effects 
but  more  than  enough  to  satisfy  most  needs. 
All  are  keyframeable.  Unlimited  effects  tracks 
can  be  added  to  the  video  or  audio  tracks. 
EditDV  has  a  low  resolution  preview  function 
to  check  animations  and  static  effects  and  a 
snapshot  feature  that  renders  a  single  frame  at 
full  resolution.  EditDV's  DVE,  keying,  and 
titling  features  were  also  impressive  even  with- 
out every  bell  and  whistle. 

SUMMARY 

EditDV  is  pretty  amazing.  It  offers  professional 
editing  features  well  beyond  the  basics,  includ- 
ing split  edits,  split  edit  trim,  fit  to  fill,  motion 
effects,  color  effects,  DVE,  keying,  and  EDL 
support.  The  limitations  are  a  single  level  of 
undo  and  fewer  transitions  and  effects.  [Price: 
$899  (Windows);  $899  (Mac;  extra  $100  for 
Fire  Wire  card)] 

MotoDV  Studio  is  a  bargain  if  Premiere  fits 
your  needs.  [Price:  $899  (MotoDV);  $895 
(Premiere)]  For  four  dollars  more  than  Adobe, 
Digital  Origin  also  throws  in  a  Fire  Wire  adapter 
and  cable,  and  its  DV  editing  plug-ins. 
Premiere  offers  a  very  broad  feature  set  and 
industry  standard  plug-ins.  Its  limitations  are 
difficulty  of  split  edit  trimming  and  a  program 
that's  more  difficult  to  learn  and  slower  to  use. 
Finally,  render  times  were  glacial  on  both  our 
test  systems,  even  for  simple  dissolves.  And 
every  effect,  title,  or  transition  must  be  ren- 
dered. You  should  also  consider  your  storage 
needs  and  develop  a  plan  that  works  for  your 
projects.  It  is  possible  to  turn  out  quality  pro- 
grams using  either  EditDV  or  MotoDV  Studio. 
If  you  have  money  in  your  budget,  the  solution 
may  be  to  do  the  offline  on  a  desktop  and  fin- 
ish elsewhere. 

Robert  Goodman  [goodman(a  histories.com],  an  award- 
winning  writer  and  Emmy-nomnuited  director,  based  in 
Philadelphia,  recently  completed  Going  Digital,  a  short 
{or  festival  distribution,  and  is  currently  coproducing 
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August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


Producer's  Reps 

What  to  know  before  putting  your  film  in  their  hands. 


by  Robert  L.   Seigel 


Until  recently,  the  term  producer's  repre- 
sentative  or  "rep"  brought  to  mind  the  name  of 
indie  stalwart  John  Pierson.  In  his  book  Spike, 
Mike,  Slackers  and  Dykes,  Pierson  recounts  the 
story  behind  the  deals  he  negotiated  on  behalf 
of  the  producers  of  such  noted  films  as  She's 
Gotta  Have  It,  Slacker,  Clerks,  and  the  super- 
bowl  of  deals  for  documentaries,  Warner 
Brothers'  reported  $3  million  acquisition  of 
Roger  &  Me. 

However,  as  the  home  video  boom  began  to 
mature  throughout  the  eighties  and  many  inde- 
pendent theatrical  distributors  collapsed, 
Pierson  turned  his  attentions  to  his  IFC  pro- 
gram Split  Screen.  For  a  time,  nobody  seemed  to 
be  out  there  representing  filmmakers  to  distrib- 
utors and  foreign  sales  agents. 

But  judging  from  recent  festivals,  it's  appar- 
ent the  void  is  not  only  filled,  but  overbrim- 
ming with  talent  agencies,  publicists,  other  pro- 
ducers and,  of  course,  attorneys,  all  claiming  to 
act  as  a  producer's  rep.  So,  since  all  of  these 
people  can  do  the  job,  just  what  does  a  produc- 
er's representative  actually  do? 

WHAT  IS  A  PRODUCER'S  REP? 

The  primary  task  tor  a  rep  is  to  sell  to  the  sell- 
ers by  securing  a  distribution  deal.  Such  deals 
generally  fall  into  two  categories:  worldwide 
rights  in  a  film,  or  separate  deals  in  which  a 
domestic  distributor  acquires  the  U.S.  or  North 
American  rights  with  one  company,  and  a  sep- 
arate arrangement  in  which  a  foreign  sales 
agent  acquires  the  rights  for  the  rest  of  the 
world.  The  foreign  sales  agent  then  enters  into 
licensing  agreements  with  foreign  distributors 
and  such  end  users  as  home  video  companies 
and  television  services  within  a  given  territory. 
On  occasion  a  rep  will  even  act  as  a  foreign 
sales  agent  and  license  the  rights  on  a  territory- 
by-territory  basis. 

A  good  rep  will  establish  a  plan  by  which  dis- 
tributors and  sales  agents  can  be  exposed  to  the 
film.  In  order  for  a  filmmaker  to  maximize  the 
effectiveness  of  any  relationship  with  a  rep,  the 


filmmaker  should  be  aware  of  the  importance  of 
such  film  festivals  as  Sundance,  Toronto, 
Rotterdam,  Berlin,  South  by  Southwest, 
Seattle,  the  Hamptons,  Los  Angeles 
Independent  Film  Festival,  Venice,  and  Cannes. 
These  festivals  are  launching  pads  from  which  a 
rep  can  hopefully  introduce  a  film  to  receptive 
distributors  and  sales  agents. 

A  rep  will  also  generally  plot  a  film's  sales 
strategy  which,  in  some  cases,  may  be  to  forego 
the  festival  route  and  schedule  a  film's  screen- 
ing in  New  York  and/or  Los  Angeles,  to  which 
distributors  and  sales  agents  are  invited.  Given 
the  current  glut  of  films  and  screenings  in  these 
cities  and  the  absence  of  such  elements  as  name 
talent  in  many  of  these  films,  the  festival  route 
is  the  preferred  one  for  most  indies  to  create 
some  "buzz". 

THE  LITTLE  BLACK  BOOK 

One  of  the  key  tasks  for  a  producer's  rep  is  to 
cajole  the  acquisitions  staff  from  these  distribu- 
tors and  sales  companies  to  attend  a  film's 
screening.  The  filmmaker  should  explore  the 
extent  of  a  rep's  contacts  within  the  film  com- 
munity (i.e.,  who  does  the  rep  know  and/or 
with  whom  does  a  rep  have  a  relationship  at 
given  compa- 
nies) 
lists 
also 


These 
should 
include 

contacts  at  the 
important 
domestic     and 


Although  a  nebulous-sounding  job,  a 

good  rep  combines  the  promotional 

skills  of  a  publicist,  the  deal-making 

ability  of  a  lawyer,  and  the 

marketing  skills  of  a  salesperson. 


international 
festivals,   since 

acquisitions  executives  attend  certain  high  pro- 
file ones,  and  the  choice  of  attending  one  festi- 
val may  prevent  a  film  from  entering  another 
festival  under  its  rules. 

In  selecting  a  producer's  rep,  a  filmmaker 
faces  a  number  of  choices:  Do  you  choose  the 
rep  with  the  significant  track  record  or  the  one 
who  has  a  lesser  track  record  but  perhaps 
greater  passion  and  understanding  of  the  film 
itself  and  its  marketability.'  Do  you  go  with  the 
rep  who  is  working  with  several  films  at  once  or 
the  one  who  may  be  representing  only  one  or 


two  films  and,  therefore,  can  devote  more  time 
and  energy  to  your  work?  Was  the  rep  interest- 
ed in  the  film  even  before  it  was  invited  to  a  key 
festival?  (One  producer's  rep  is  known  to  have 
said  to  a  filmmaker,  "Give  me  a  call  if  you  get 
into  Sundance.") 

So  just  what  services  does  a  producer's  rep 
provide?  Although  a  nebulous-sounding  job,  a 
good  rep  combines  the  promotional  skills  of  a 
publicist,  the  deal-making  ability  of  a  lawyer, 
and  the  marketing  skills  of  a  salesperson. 
However,  reps  often  work  with  the  filmmaker 
in  engaging  the  services  of  a  publicist  for  a  peri- 
od of  time  or  for  particular  festivals  to  promote 
the  film  to  the  media.  Reps  also  assess  a  film's 
assets  and  liabilities  regarding  which  distribu- 
tors and  sales  agents  to  approach  and  when.  A 
producer's  rep  will  discuss  and  evaluate  the 
possible  and  actual  offers  presented  by  a  dis- 
tributor or  sales  company,  as  well  as  the 
strengths  and  weaknesses  of  that  company.  The 
filmmaker  and  producer's  rep  will  examine 
actual  offers  and  evaluate  such  factors  as  the 
size  of  a  company's  advance,  its  distribution  fee, 
the  expenses  the  company  will  pay  for  itself  or 
pay  as  a  recoupable  expense,  its  release  com- 
mitment (if  any)  of  how  the  film  will  be  distrib- 
uted, the  minimum  marketing  commitment 
(termed  prints  and  advertising  or  'P&A'),  and 
perhaps,  most  importantly,  the  company's  'take' 
on  the  film:  Does  the  company  understand  the 
film  and  its  potential  audience,  and  how  would 
it  attract  such  an  audience? 

While  there  are  several  fine  reps  who  are  not 
attorneys  or  do  not  have  a  legal  background, 
attorneys  who  serve  as  producer's  rep  will  pro- 
vide legal  services 
beyond  the  negotia- 
tion of  major  'deal 
points'  with  a  com- 
pany. They'll  thor- 
oughly review  the 
agreement,  includ- 
ing its  list  of  items 
which  the  filmmak- 
er must  deliver.  Such  delivery  elements  include 
the  film's  'chain-of-title'  or  ownership  records 
and  copies  of  certain  production  contracts, 
such  as  agreements  with  talent,  and  crew,  and 
especially  documentation  in  the  area  of  music. 
If  a  producer's  rep  is  an  attorney,  then  the 
filmmaker  must  address  the  issue  of  whether 
there  will  be  separate  compensation  for  legal 
services  and  rep  work,  or  will  compensation 
include  both,  often  overlapping,  services.  Will 
the  attorney  fold  the  legal  compensation  into 
an  advance  against  the  producer's  rep  compen- 


30    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


sation?  Legal  services  can  be  charged  on  an 
hourly  basis  (which  often  can  be  cost  prohibi- 
tive), a  flat  fee  paid  in  advance,  or  when  and  if 
the  film  is  licensed  to  a  distributor  and/or  a 
sales  company,  since  the  deferred  fee  will  come 


Filmmakers  should  be  wary  of  producer's  reps 

who  make  promises  or,  even  worse,  guarantees. 

Above  all,  there  must  be  communication  between 

the  rep  and  filmmaker  on  a  periodic  basis, 

indicating  who  has  been  contacted,  the  status 

of  that,  and  the  next  step  in  placing  the  film  into 
the  marketplace. 


deal  after  the  rep  is  no  longer  involved  with  the 
film?  One  possible  solution  is  to  offer  a  one-  to 
three-month  grace  period  after  the  term 
expires  or  the  agreement  is  terminated,  during 
which  the  rep  either  can  continue  to  work  on 
the  deal  or  receive  the 


$5,500,000 
FOR  FILMMAKERS 


from  the  monies  a  filmmaker  receives  from  such 
deals.  Attorneys'  commissions  for  legal  services 
are  approximately  5%  of  the  monies  derived 
from  a  deal,  while  a  rep's  fee  can  range  any- 
where from  5-10%.  (Attorneys  who  also  work 
as  reps  generally  will  seek  commissions  in  the  5- 
10%  range.)  However,  the  filmmaker  and  the 
producer's  rep  must  decide  whether  such  remu- 
neration is  based  on  monies  paid  by  a  company 
or  monies  actually  received  by  the  filmmaker. 
This  is  an  important  distinction,  since  a  com- 
pany's advance  can  be  decreased  if  that  compa- 
ny has  to  spend  money  creating  delivery  ele- 
ments. Reps  may  argue  that  a  filmmaker's 
inability  to  create  those  elements  is  the  film- 
maker's responsibility  and  should  not  diminish 
the  rep's  commission. 

Other  key  issues  that  must  be  addressed  in  a 
(preferably  written)  agreement  include  the 
agreement's  terms.  Producer's  rep  agreements 
can  have  terms  that  range  from  the  course  of 
one  or  more  festivals  through  several  months  or 
a  year  from  when  the  agreement  is  signed  or  a 
festival  begins.  The  negotiable  'term'  provision 
can  be  a  doubled-edged  sword,  as  the  rep  may 
want  a  sufficient  amount  of  time  to  locate  dis- 
tributors and  sales  agents  and  to  negotiate 
deals,  which  can  take  weeks  or  even  months. 
(Some  distributors  and  sales  agents  may  post- 
pone any  decision  regarding  a  film  until  it  has 
been  screened  at  a  certain  festival  or  has  had 
the  opportunity  to  play  at  several  festivals  to 
see  how  it  plays  with  different  audiences.)  A 
filmmaker,  on  the  other  hand,  realizes  that  if 
there  is  no  deal  after  a  film  has  played  the 
international  festival  circuit,  a  new  crop  of  films 
will  join  the  festival  circuit  and  her  film  may  be 
perceived  as  'old  news.' 

If  a  rep's  services  are  terminated  or  the 
agreement's  term  has  expired,  what  happens  if 
a  distributor  or  a  sales  agent  who  has  been  in 
negotiations  with  the  rep  wants  to  enter  into  a 


commission  even 

though  he  or  she  is  no 
longer  representing  the 
film. 

The  last  major  point 
for  a  filmmaker  and  a 
producer's  rep  to  dis- 
cuss is  expenses. 
Producer's  reps  can 
incur  expenses  such  as 
mailing,  messengers,  creating  additional  press 
kits,  telephone/  fax  charges,  and  travel.  The 
rep  agreement  should  acknowledge  who 
assumes  which  expenses  and  under  what  cir- 
cumstances such  expenses  are  reimbursable 
by  the  rep.  Is  there  an  expense  cap  per 
expense  or  for  all  expenses  incurred  by  a  rep? 
If  a  rep  is  going  to  attend  a  festival  or  a  mar- 
ket (e.g.,  Cannes,  AFM,  MIFED)  with  more 
than  one  project,  how  are  expenses  to  be  allo- 
cated? Several  reps  request  a  one-time  or 
periodic  retainer — some  reasonable,  others 
not — against  such  expenses,  some  of  which 
are  not  even  considered  advances  against 
future  monies  from  a  deal  that  a  rep  may 
negotiate. 

Filmmakers  should  be  wary  of  producer's 
reps  who  make  promises  or,  even  worse,  guar- 
antees. Above  all,  there  must  be  communica- 
tion between  the  rep  and  filmmaker,  either  ver- 
bal or  in  writing,  on  a  periodic  basis,  indicating 
who  has  been  contacted,  the  status  of  such  sub- 
mission or  review,  and  the  next  step  in  placing 
the  film  into  the  marketplace. 

Producers  can  approach  reps — and  vice 
versa — at  any  point  during  the  filmmaking 
process,  although  most  reps  generally  want  to 
see  the  film  at  the  rough  cut  stage  at  the  earli- 
est. Producers  often  want  to  hook  up  with  reps 
prior  to  events  such  as  the  Independent 
Feature  Film  Market,  while  others  may  use 
such  a  venue  to  find  a  rep. 

Finally,  it  has  been  my  experience  working 
with,  as,  and  for  a  producer's  rep  that  commu- 
nication and  a  clear  understanding  of  expec- 
tations often  makes  the  difference  between  an 
acrimonious  finger-pointing  relationship  and  a 
potentially  profitable  and  harmonious  one. 

Robert  L.  Seigel  {Rhentlaw(5jaolcom]  is  a 

contributing  editor  to  The  Independent,  as  well  as  a 

New  York  entertainment  attorney  and  a  principal  in  the 

Cinema  Film  Consulting  firm. 


Directors '  Depot 


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Our  Grads  will  soon  have  access 

to  "THE  BIZ,"  a  $5.5  M  resource 

center  for  Producers,  Writers, 

Directors,  Actors  &  Executives. 

Home  of  Independent  Filmmaking 


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with  Dov  S-S  Simens 

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Write,  Shoot,  Market 
and  Distribute  your 
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San  Francisco:  Oct  9-10:  Charlotte:  Oct  16-17 


HFI,  P0  Box  481252,  LA,  CA  90048 


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http://www.csins.com 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       31 


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DIGITAL  AUDIO  POST 
212-271-8747 

DIALOG,  FX  EDITING, 

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In  today's  independent  film  market,  there's  no 

TIME  FOR  SLOW  BUILDS.  WlTH  THIS  IN   MIND,   "On 

View"  offers  shameless  plugs  for  current 
releases  and  national  broadcasts  of  indepen- 
dent films  &  videos  in  the  hope  that  you'll  sup- 
PORT THEM.  WHO  KNOWS MAYBE  they'll  DO  THE 

SAME  FOR  YOU  SOMEDAY. 


Rosie  Ouly  23,  New  Yorker).  Belgian  director 
Patrice  Toye's  debut  features  an  amazing  performance 
from  Aranka  Coppens  as  13-year-old  Rosie,  whose 
fantasies  travel  beyond  their  childish  boundaries  into 
a  darker,  nastier  world  where  her  dreams  collide  with 
the  realities  of  her  mother's  existence. 

The  Acid  House  (Aug.  6,  Zeitgeist).  Paul 
McGuigan's  trilogy  is  a  manic  and  often  hilarious 
descent  into  the  seamy  underbelly  of  working  class 
Scotland,  pulsating  with  the  chemical  power,  music 
and  rawness  that  fueled  the  three  original  short  sto- 
ries of  screenwriter  Irvine  Welsh  (Trainspotting) .  No 
tarn  o'  shanters,  kilts  or  highland  flings  here:  The  Acid 
House  is  the  genuine  article  and  the  dog's  bollocks. 

Illuminata  (Aug.  6,  Artisan).  Director  John 
Turturro  plays  a  turn-of-the-century  playwright  try- 
ing in  vain  to  get  his  work  staged,  until  circumstances 
and  personalities  conspire  to  present  him  with  the 
ultimate  opportunity.  Great  cast  includes  Ben 
Gaiarro,  Susan  Sarandon,  and  Christopher  Walken, 
who  steals  the  show  as  the  debauched  critic  Bevalaqua. 

Twin  Falls,  Idaho  (Aug.  6,  Sony  Pictures 
Classics).  The  fate  of  Siamese  twins  (played  by  direc- 
tor Michael  Polish  &  his  twin  brother)  is  recounted 
in  a  moving  and  gently  told  tale  set  in  a  small  town, 
where  they  are  befriended  by  a  call  girl  (Michele 
Hicks) — the  only  person  ever  to  understand  their  plight. 

On  the  Ropes  (Aug.  18,  Winstar  Films).  Rare  is 
the  film  that  uncovers  the  bravery  and  chicanery 
comprising  the  twin  fists  of  boxing.  Nanette  Burstein 
and  Brett  Morgen's  doc  follows  the  path  of  three  box- 
ers from  New  York's  Bed-Stuy  gym  over  the  course  of 
18  months,  charting  the  successes,  hardships,  and 
disaster  stories  that  unfold  in  and  outside  the  ring. 

Splendor  (Sept.  10,  Samuel  Goldwyn).  Gregg 
Araki's  love  triangle  starring  Matt  Keeslar,  Johnathon 
Schaech,  and  Kathleen  Robertson  is  a  screwball  com- 
edy that  harkens  back  to  that  genre's  heyday:  Punk 
drummer,  rock  critic,  and  actress  meet  in  a  mad 
melee  of  mirth! 

Sugar  Town  (Sept.  17,  USA  Films).  Allison 
Anders'  take  on  LA's  music  scene — full  of  have- 
beens,  wannabes,  and  go-getters — isn't  portrayed  as 
the  place  to  make  beautiful  music,  but  the  director 
infuses  the  intermingled  lives  of  musicians  John 
Taylor,  Gary  Kemp,  Michael  Des  Barres,  and  John 
Doe,  with  caustic  wit  and  world-weary  cynicism. 

5  Wives,  3  Secretaries  and  Me  (Oct.  1,  Castle 
Hill  Productions).  When  Tessa  Blake  went  to 
Houston  in  1994  to  receive  a  million-dollar  trust 
fund  from  her  oil  magnate  father,  she  decided  to 


spend  the  next  three  years  unearthing  the  realities 
and  mvths  that  surrounded  her  family,  father,  and  his 
Texas  Exes.  With  insight,  tenderness,  and  a  lot  of 
humor,  Blake  discovers  that  the  riches  and  excesses  of 
her  family  mirror  a  lot  of  the  Lone  Star  state's  traits. 


Lenny  Bruce:  Swear  to  Tell  the  Truth  (Aug.  9, 
HBO).  Robert  Weide's  fine  doc  is  a  long  overdue  bio 
of  the  manic  and  mercurial  talent  of  stand-up  comic 
Bruce.  Robert  de  Niro  narrates  the  rise  and  (self-) 
destruction  of  the  talented  performer,  while  early 
home  movies,  interviews,  and  rare  TV  appearances 
reveal  a  comic  genius  who  was  years  ahead  of  his  time. 

Super  Chief  (Aug.  12,  HBO  Signature).  Nick 
Kurzon's  portrait  of  Minnesota  Ojibwa  tribal  chair- 
man Darrell  "Chip"  Wadena  is  of  a  corrupt  but 
intriguing  Indian  chief,  with  his  eyes  firmly  on  the 
power  and  the  wealth  that  goes  with  reservation  casi- 
nos. This  riveting  doc  follows  the  tribal  election  that 
challenges  his  iron  grip. 

An  American  Love  Story  (Sept.  12-16.  PBS). 
With  the  same  scope  that  An  American  Family  cov- 
ered 25  years  ago,  Jennifer  Fox's  long-form  documen- 
tary, filmed  over  18  months,  follows  the  ups  and 
downs  of  a  Queens,  NY  interracial  couple  and  their 
family  as  they  recount  their  struggle  with  themselves 
as  well  as  society's  tainted  perception  of  them.  Not  to 

be  missed. 

i 

The  Border  (Sept.  23  &  24,  PBS).  A  bold  new  ! 
program  shows  that  there's  more  to  the  Mexican/U.S 
border  area  than  the  lazily  portrayed  stereotypes  of 
drugs,  poverty,  and  migration.  Producers  of  the  doc's 
six  segments — Paul  Espinosa,  Hector  Galan,  Hector 
Gonzalez,  and  Matthew  Sneddon — show  economic 
and  cultural  aspects  of  the  region  as  disparate  as  land 
wars  and  a  state-of-the-art  production  facility. 

Cornerstone    (Sept.,   HBO).   Stephen   Ives   and    i 

Michael  Kantor's  enthralling  documentary  follows  a    • 

national  tour  of  The  Winter's  Tale  by  a  group  of  ama-    | 

teur  actors  whose  foibles  and  successes  are  chronicled    i 

over  a  testing  summer  in  1991 . 

—  Paul  Power 


32    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


LOOK,  MA,  NO  PROPS!  Writer/director  Todd  Edwards  (center)  flanked  by  the  cast  of  his  film  Chillicothe. 


& 


e^Umoi%. 


how  Iqw  on  you  go? 


ith  the  indie  landscape  hav- 
ing shitted  almost  entirely  to 
slick,  conglomerate  produc- 
tions, the  arduous  tasks  inher- 
ent in  making  a  truly  low-budget 
film  (defined  here  as  costing 
under  one  million  dollars)  are 
constantly  overlooked.  At 
Sundance,  The  Independent  sat 
down  with  the  directors  of  four  projects — Jim  Fall  (Trick),  Suki  Stetson 
Hawley  and  Michael  Galinsky  (Radiation),  Todd  Edwards  (Chillicothe), 
and  Roger  Summerhayes  {Langmuir's  World) — to  get  the  skinny  from 
the  little -monied  set. 

Chillicothe  follows  a  unrepentantly  single  man  as  his  male  buddies, 
mysteriously  (or  perhaps  not  so  mysteriously)  partner  up  with  the 
women  of  their  dreams,  causing  him  to  take  a  painful  but  much  need- 
ed look  at  his  own  unrealized  dreams.  Langrnuir's  World  is  a  bio-doc 
about  the  life  of  the  filmmaker's  grandfather,  Dr.  Irving  Langmuir,  a 
Nobel  Prize-winning  scientist  who  invented,  among  other  things,  the 
tungsten  light  bulb  and  the  sonar  used  to  track  submarines.  Radiation 
tracks  the  travails  of  a  music  promoter  trying  to  pull  off  a  tour  of  a  rock 
band  around  Spain,  with  all  the  inherent  difficulties  that  task  implies. 
Trick  is  a  tenderly  funny  film  about  two  gay  boys — one  bookishly  shy 
musical  theater  composer  and  a  strapping  go-go  dancer — who  meet 
one  evening  and  spend  the  entire  night  trying  to,  well,  trick. 


by   Mark  J . 

HUISMAN 


What  were  your  budgets,  and  did  final  costs  put  you  over?  Tell  the  truth. 

Jim  Fall:  Tncfe's  budget  was  $450,000.  Shockingly,  we  only  went  a  little 
over  by  the  time  post  was  done,  with  the  total  at  just  under  $500,000. 
Todd  Edwards:  Our  budget  on  Chillicothe  was  just  under  a  million.  We 
spent  a  little  more  than  $900,000. 
Suki  Stetson  Hawley:  Radiation  cost  under  a  million. 

Can  you  be  more  specific? 

Michael  Galinsky:  We'd  prefer  to  leave  it  at  that. 

Roger  Summerhayes:  The  total  budget  for  Langmuir's  World,  to  date,  has 
been  $125,000.  (A  collective  gasp.)  And  I  consider  that  to  be  over  bud- 
get, because  I  had  some  problems  I  didn't  expect,  especially  in  post. 

How  could  you  spend  almost  nothing  and  end  up  with  a  lucid,  well-paced,  visu- 
ally beautiful,  completely  engrossing  feature? 

Summerhayes:  Largely  because  I  own  the  archival  footage,  which  was  my 
grandfather's,  I  didn't  have  to  pay  for  sixty  hours  of  16mm  black-and- 
white  film. 

That's  a  big  start,  but  what  about  the  rest?  You  have  on-camera  interviews.  You 
had  to  spend  money  for  that  footage,  at  least  for  traveling,  stock,  and  process- 
ing. How  did  you  pay  for  that? 

Summerhayes:  I'm  a  teacher.  And  the  way  I  financed  my  film  was  by 

writing  fellowship  proposals  that  justified  the  project's  educational 
value,  which  it  does  have.  I  got  foundation  money  that  I  used  to  make 
the  film. 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


What  was  everyone's  most  arduous  production  experience,  given  your  limited 
resources,  and  how  did  you  get  around  it? 

Edwards:  We  didn't  have  the  whole  budget  when  we  started,  which 
made  it  really  difficult  to  plan  how  to  spend  the  money  we  did  have. 
Stetson  Hawley:  We  were  constantly  battling  the  problem  of  having  to 
get  multiple  shots  in  the  same  location  but  not  having  a  complete  light 
set  to  move  around. 

What  was  the  biggest  budget  blow-out? 

Edwards:  Set-ups  and  locations.  We  had  seventy  locations.  We'd  be  in 
one  place  for  three  days  and  the  next  day  alone  be  in  five  different 
ones.  We'd  get  to  work  in  the  morning  and  have  seventy  scheduled 
set-ups. 

With  the  exception  of  Roger,  your  films  have  large, 
crowd  scenes,  which  are  often  considered  death  by 
producers  and  ADs.  Were  they  problematic? 

Fall:  Trick  was  my  first  feature,  and  I  underes- 
timated how  many  extras  one  needs  for  a  club 
scene.  We  went  out  to  the  gay  community 
assuming  we'd  have  all  these  eager  partici- 
pants and  ended  up  with  twenty-five.  So  we 
just  shoved  them  around  the  same  room  and 
used  a  long  lens.  It  looks  really  crowded  in 
those  clubs  and  you  have  no  idea  how  empty 
it  really  was. 

Edwards:  We  had  the  opposite  problem.  This 
tiny  little  space  and  two  hundred  people.  On 
screen  it  looks  like  a  warehouse. 
Fall:  It's  amazing  what  a  Steadicam  can  do. 
You  just  navigate  around  everyone. 
Edwards:  Well,  we  didn't  have  a  Steadicam. 
We  had  a  dolly.  And  we  ran  the  tracks  ran 
right  down  the  middle  of  the  room  because  we 
were  worried  about  the  room  looking  too  small.  It's  kind  of  sick,  but 
even  when  the  dolly  ran  over  people  during  takes,  it  just  looks  like 
they're  dancing.  But  it  was  a  little  disappointing,  because  we  didn't 
capture  how  many  people  were  actually  there. 

Galinsky:  Our  club  scenes  were  broken  up.  We  shot  in  an  actual  club, 
while  the  band  in  the  film  actually  performed.  We  did  wide  shots 
before  the  cast  and  principal  actors  showed  up.  Then  when  the  actors 
showed  up,  we  shot  the  characters  against  the  crowd. 

What  was  your  biggest  budget-saving  device? 

SummerhayeS:  I  had  total  control  over  everything.  Everything.  Nothing 
could  have  made  it  easier.  I  didn't  have  to  ask  permission  from  any- 
body about  anything. 

Fall:  How  nice  for  you.  (Laughter  from  the  rest.) 

Edwards:  Having  a  great  group  of  producers  who  were  really  smart 
about  scheduling  really  saved  me.  The  shoot  totaled  thirty-six  days, 
but  they  broke  it  up  into  pieces  over  a  four-month  period. 
Fall:  Four  months?  How  did  you  manage  not  to  screw  up  continuity? 
Edwards:  Well,  we  didn't,  at  least  not  always.  But  for  the  most  part,  the 
shoot  was  broken  down  like  the  cast  roster  in  a  breakdown.  We 
grouped  characters  and  scenes,  and  that  was  the  basis  of  the  plan.  And 
I  storyboarded  most  of  the  movie.  I'd  spend  four  hours  on  a  "money 
shot"  and  cram  nineteen  set-ups  into  three  hours. 


Suki  and  Michael  actually  planned  their  entire  film  around  a  money-saving  idea 
that's  really  unique. 

Galinsky:  We  had  some  people  in  Spain  who  wanted  to  show  Half 

Cocked,  our  first  film.  And  as  long  as  we  were  going,  why  not  make  a 

movie? 

Stetson  Hawley:  We  showed  Half  Cocked  in  a  traveling  film  festival  and 

made  the  film  as  we  went  around  with  the  band.  We  didn't  want  to 

have  to  bring  any  large  amount  of  equipment  to  Europe,  so  we  just 

decided  to  piggyback  on  the  band's  equipment  and  whatever  we  found 

in  a  club. 

Galinsky:  We'd  use  a  club  for  a  festival  screening  during  the  day  and  film 

the  people  at  that  screening,  which  we  used  as  establishing  crowd  shots 


To  shoot  Radiation,  directors  Suki  Stetson 
Hawley  and  Michael  Galinsky  plopped  two  fic- 
tional characters  down  in  the  middle  of  the 
real-world  club  and  art  scene  in  Spain. 


Despite  the  presence  of  known  actress  Tori 

Spelling  (I),  Jim  Fall's  Trick  managed  to 

stay  under  a  total  of  $500,000. 


for  the  nightclub  scenes  in  the  new  film.  We'd  finish  at  around  3  a.m. 
and  head  back  to  the  hotel. 

How  did  you  deal  with  logistics — permits,  equipment,  for  example — three  thou- 
sand miles  away  and  not  get  screwed?  Or  screw  up  yourself? 

Stetson  Hawley:  We  researched  all  the  permits  before  we  went  over.  And 
we  had  a  local  person  who  was  our  contact  help  us  with  logistics. 

So  that  person  told  you  what  the  situation  was  and  you  dealt  through  them?  That 
seem  equally  complicated. 

Stetson  Hawley:  Well,  truthfully?  We  didn't  deal  with  those  situations. 
Galinsky:  Because  we  were  shooting  inside  clubs,  many  of  those  rules 
were  simply  inapplicable. 

Many  of  you  mixed  styles,  from  highly  choreographed  shots  to  street-set  verite. 

Edwards:  I  wanted  to  make  sure  the  world  of  Chillicothe  felt  real.  But  I 
didn't  want  it  to  feel  improvised  at  all.  So  I  storyboarded  the  whole 
film,  beginning  to  end.  But  you  still  get  so  pressed  for  time  that  you're 
driving  around  stealing  shots,  and  you  have  no  clue  whether  or  not  you 
can  use  them. 

You  seem  to  be  implying  there  are  few  true  substitutes  for  money  and  time  in 
sufficient  quantities,  at  least  to  create  visual  reality.  Was  that  everyone's  expe- 
rience? 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


Edwards:  Well,  in  some  respects,  yes.  But  I  also  tried  to  address  them 
ahead  of  time  by  writing  in  a  way  where  those  surroundings  were  a  part 
of  the  film,  from  the  characters'  apartments  to  their  places  of  work  and 
the  recreational  spots,  he  that  a  restaurant  or  park. 
Fall:  We  had  the  same  concern.  I  had  these  postcard-style  shots,  actors 
walking  down  a  street  or  passing  some  familiar  New  York  location.  We 
did  them  largely  MOS  and,  once  we  got  the  flow  going,  they  went  very 
quickly.  They  turned  out  to  be  a  really  economic  way  of  creating  Trick's 
particular  reality. 

Edwards:  The  funny  thing  about  low-budget  filmmaking  is  that  you're 
running  around  with  this  camera  that's  worth  a  quarter  of  a  million 
dollars,  getting  footage  just  like  you  do  for  some  little  Super  8  short. 
You  finally  get  to  use  this  nice,  big  piece  of  35mm  equipment,  but  you 

end  up  making  the  movie 
the  very  same  way  you 
did  before! 

Galinsky:  But  here's  the 
low-budget  part  that  can 
really  hurt  you.  We  stole 
an  entire  scene  once.  At 
the  side  of  the  road  when 
this  old  man  came  up  to 
us  and  started  talking  in 
Spanish.  We  shot  it 
quickly,  and  in  transla- 
tion, he  is  actually  talking 
about  the  theme  ot  the 
movie.  But  because  it 
wasn't  a  planned  part  of 
the  shoot,  our  gaffer  had 
a  fit  and  threatened  to 
shut  down  the  set. 

Stetson  Hawley:  He  kept 
shouting  about  the  six- 
hour  rule  and  we  were 

like  "Six  hours?  What's  that?"  Generally,  those  rules  are  very,  very 

important  and  we  believe  in  them.  But  there  are  times  when  things  just 

come  to  you.  You  can't  walk  away  from  events  that  will  make  your  film 

better. 

Edwards:  It's  difficult  when  you're  the  director  and  you  just  want  to 

shoot  around  the  clock. 

Stetson  Hawley:  But  you  can  do  that  because  you're  the  director.  You 

have  that  energy. 

Roger,  you've  been  awfully  quiet. 

SummerhayeS:  My  challenges  weren't  people  or  situation  challenges. 
They  were  format  challenges.  I  had  16mm  film,  my  interviews  were 
shot  in  Hi8  or  Beta.  One  interview  was  so  old  it  was  shot  in  VHS. 
Then  I  had  to  blend  all  those  formats  into  something  that  didn't  pop 
off  the  screen  like  jump  cuts. 

But  surely  there  were  some  people  challenges,  with  the  interviews  themselves, 
perhaps? 

SummerhayeS:  Well,  yes.  There  is  the  problem  all  documentarians  face 
of  trust,  of  getting  people  to  talk  to  you.  But  after  people  really  came 
to  understand  that  I  was  the  biological  family  of  my  grandfather,  who 
was  a  part  of  their  professional  family,  that  largely  melted  away.  At  the 
end  of  my  talk  with  Kurt  Vonnegut  [who  based  Slaughterhouse  Five  in 


Filmmaker  Roger  Summerhayes  relied  on  archival 
footage  from  his  family's  archives  for  Langmuir's 
World,  a  study  of  industrial  scientist  Irving  Langmuir 


part  on  Langmuir],  we  were  winding  down  and  he  said,  "I  should  say 
something  in  sort  of  summary."  He  just  knew  what  I  needed.  And  as  I 
sat  there,  he  gave  me  the  end  of  my  film. 

Fall:  We  had  one  big  close  call  involving  the  sole  big-number  shot  in  my 
entire  film,  a  crane  shot  above  7th  Avenue.  It  was  very  early  in  the 
morning  and  we  were  running  late.  This  insane  cop  moonlighting  for 
some  security  firm  shows  up  and  she  wants  to  shut  us  down.  There  was 
no  way  we  could  afford  to  get  this  crane  again,  but  she  just  didn't  care. 
That's  the  scary  thing  about  shooting  in  New  York:  You  can  have  all 
your  permits  lined  up  and  do  everything  right,  until  the  one  moment 
when  something  goes  wrong.  Then  all  these  people  are  just  looking  for 
a  reason,  any  reason  at  all,  to  pull  your  plug. 

Did  you  get  the  shot,  Jim? 

Fall:  We  did.  When  she  confronted  me  and  the  producer,  we  just  sort 
of  walked  away,  trying  to  pretend  that  wasn't  our  crane,  it  belonged  to 
somebody  else.  I  think  I  started  crying  or  something  dramatic,  and  she 
started  shouting,  'I  don't  care!  You've  got  to  get  out  of  here!'  And  while 
she  was  yelling  and  I  was  crying,  my  DP  and  the  AD  got  the  shot.  And 
we  all  waved  her  goodbye. 

Galinsky:  There  was  nothing  that  easy  for  us.  The  whole  shoot  was 
extremely  difficult. 

Stetson  Hawley:  We  had  made  a  very  low-budget  feature  before  this 
[Half-Cocked]  which  is  also  about  rock  bands.  We  didn't  really  know 
what  we  were  doing,  nobody  else  knew  what  they  were  doing,  but  it  all 
got  done. 

Galinsky:  We  had  a  schoolteacher  who  was  our  producer  and  she  was  great. 
Stetson  Hawley:  But  at  the  time,  we  didn't  realize  how  dependent  the 
success  of  that  shoot  was  on  her,  on  that  producer.  Without  that,  we 
really  ended  up  in  the  basement  sometimes.  Our  biggest  problem  was 
lack  of  sleep. 

Stetson  Hawley:  The  culmination  of  our  constant  string  of  disasters  hap- 
pened in  Barcelona.  We  were  told  we'd  have  this  club  to  use  for  two 
days.  And  we  get  to  the  club  and  the  manager  says,  "You  only  have  it 
for  half  the  day  and  you  have  to  pay  me." 

Galinsky:  He  wanted  $800  dollars  for  seven  hours.  We  were  supposed  to 
have  forty-eight  hours  for  free,  but  we  didn't  have  a  choice. 
Edwards:  Well,  I  can't  tell  my  biggest  disaster  story  without  getting  a  lit- 
tle personal,  but  what  the  hell.  The  character  I  play  in  my  movie  is  a 
real  whiner  because  he's  trying  to  get  over  his  old  girlfriend.  There's  a 
sequence  in  which  he  struggles  to  turn  his  life  around  and  in  one  scene 
he's  staying  at  his  parents.  We'd  been  shooting  non-stop  and  the  night 
before  I'm  supposed  to  shoot  a  scene  in  which  the  character's  ex-girl- 
friend shows  up,  my  real  girlfriend  decides  to  call  me  from  L.A.  at  3 
a.m.  and  breaks  up  with  me.  In  four  hours  I  had  to  be  on  the  set  and 
play  this  guy  who  runs  into  his  ex-girlfriend.  Most  of  the  footage  we 
shot  that  day  just  didn't  work — my  character  comes  across  as  com- 
pletely unbelievable.  My  sister  was  one  of  my  actors  and  that  family 
stuff  was  her  only  scene,  but  I  cut  it  all  out,  I  hated  my  work  so  much. 
SummerhayeS:  We  had  a  near  disaster  with  one  of  our  video  cameras, 
which  wouldn't  play  back  after  we  had  already  taped  a  particularly  cru- 
cial interview  with  someone  who  was  only  available  that  day.  The 
viewfinder  worked  fine,  but  when  playback  was  engaged,  the  viewtind- 
er  went  blank.  It  turned  out  that  the  playback  mechanism,  which  was 
separate  mechanically  from  the  actual  viewfinder,  was  not  working.  We 
had  the  interview  on  tape. 

CONTINUED  ON  P  71 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       35 


">^mt 


WITH  THREE  FEATURES  DEBUTING  THIS  FALL,  IFC  PRODUCTIONS  SHOWS  ITSELF  TO  BE  A  SIGNIFICANT 
UP-AND-COMER  IN  THE  FILM  FINANCING  BUSINESS.  AND  WITH  ITS  HANDS-OFF  APPROACH,  THE 
CABLECASTER  IS  WINNING  THE  LOYALTY  OF  EVEN  THE  STAUNCHEST  INDIE  PRODUCERS. 


IFC's  first  foray  into 
funding:  Gray's 
Anatomy. 

Inset:  IFC  Production 
capos  Caroline  Kaplan 
and  Jonathan  Sehring. 


"We're   not   altruistic,"   says 

Jonathan  Sehring,  IFC  Films  president, 

"although   somebody  said   at  Cannes, 

'Oh,  you  guys  are  the  one  patron  saint  now  of  financing  independent 

films,  because  there's  not  a  lot  of  equity  out  there  without  strings 

attached.'  Well,  we  have  strings,  if  you  want  to  call  them  strings,  but 

they're  supposed  to  be  as  filmmaker  friendly  as  possible." 

Though  too  raucous  to  be  saintly  (let's  remember,  they  put  their 
money  on  Divine  Trash),  the  Independent  Film  Channel  has  become  a 
bright  shining  star  in  the  firmament  since  launching  IFC  Films  in 
March  1997.  This  was  an  ambitious  move  for  a  cable  company,  for  it 
was  not  about  creating  TV  movies,  but  financing  dramatic  features 
specifically  for  the  theatrical  market. 

IFC  Films  comprises  two  parts:  IFC  Productions,  intended  to  cofi- 
nance  or  fully  fund  three  to  five  projects  per  year  in  the  $l-$4  million 
range,  and  Next  Wave  Films,  set  up  to  provide  finishing  funds  and 
other  assistance  to  three  to  six  low-budget  features  per  year.  While 
Next  Wave  targets  up-and-coming  filmmakers  [see  The  Independent, 
July  1997  and  June  1999],  IFC  Productions  was  designed  to  work  with 
established  directors,  like  those  on  its  board  of  advisors — Steven 
Soderbergh,  Tim  Robbins,  the  Coen  brothers,  Jim  Jarmusch,  Spike 
Lee,  and  Jodie  Foster,  among  others.  Since  last  year,  IFC  Productions 
has  expanded  its  mandate  to  include  first-timers  who  have  seasoned 
producers  attached. 

So  far,  IFC  Productions  has  kept  pace  with  its  ambitions.  Its  slate 
includes  one  film  released  (John  Sayles'  Men  with  Guns);  three  debut- 
ing this  fall  (Errol  Morris'  Mr.  Death:  The  Rise  and  Fall  of  Fred  A. 
Leuchter,  ]r.,  Tom  Gilroy's  Spring  Forward;  and  Kim  Peirce's  Boys  Don't 
Cry);  two  that  began  production  in  June  (Happy  Accidents,  by  Brad 
Anderson;  and  Girl  Fight,  by  John  Sayles  protege  Karyn  Kusama);  and 
two  new  projects  to  be  announced  later  this  year.  (There  was  one  more 
film  on  their  slate,  Victor  Nunez's  The  Professor's  Wife,  but  that  recent- 
ly lost  a  key  financier  and  has  been  put  on  hold,  though  IFC  intends 
to  stick  with  the  project.) 


by   Patricia   Thomson 


When  IFC  commits,  it  does  so  whole- 
heartedly. This  means  they'll  often  buy 
a  director's  earlier  work,  if  they  haven't 
already.  ("It  makes  a  lot  of  sense  programming-wise,  and  there's  pro- 
motion and  good  will  with  the  filmmaker,"  says  Sehring.)  But  their 
commitment  doesn't  fence  people  in.  In  other  words,  no  multi-picture 
contracts.  "We're  not  obligating  people  to  do  their  next  projects  for 
us,"  explains  Sehring.  "But  hopefully  their  experience  will  be  such  that 
they'll  come  back.  Maybe  that's  a  bit  naive  on  our  part,  but  we're  real- 
ly trying  to  make  it  as  friendly  an  environment  as  possible." 

In  June,  Sehring  and  Caroline  Kaplan,  vice  president  of  film  and 
program  development  for  IFC  Films,  sat  down  with  The  Independent  to 
discuss  IFC  Production's  goals  and  track  record,  and  flesh  out  some 
details  on  their  finished  films. 

What  was  IFC's  impetus  for  financing  movies  for  the  theatrical  market?  And  how 
did  you  justify  that  to  your  bosses? 

Sehring:  It's  funny,  our  bosses  came  to  us  and  told  us  that's  what  they 
wanted.  I'd  been  the  head  of  Bravo/IFC  programming  and  Caroline 
was  head  of  development.  In  starting  to  do  original  programming  for 
IFC,  we'd  done  a  project  with  Tim  Robbins  and  Adam  Simon  on  Sam 
Fuller,  The  Typewriter,  the  Rifle,  and  the  Movie  Camera.  It  received  a  lot 
of  critical  acclaim  and  enjoyed  success  in  terms  of  festivals.  Then  we 
had  the  Spalding  Gray  project,  Gray's  Anatomy,  sitting  at  the  compa- 
ny; it  was  not  intended  for  theatrical  release  when  we  got  involved. 
Caroline  is  good  friends  with  Steven  Soderbergh  and  mentioned  that 
we  were  developing  this  project  with  Spalding  and  couldn't  find  a 
director.  Steven  said,  "Oh,  I'd  love  to  direct."  Based  on  the  success  of 
Gray's  Anatomy,  which  was  picked  up  by  Fox  Lorber  for  theatrical,  the 
company  came  to  us  and  said,  "Boy,  you  guys  know  what  you're  doing; 
we  want  you  to  be  in  the  feature  film  production  business."  A  lot  of 
projects  were  coming  our  way  from  our  advisory  board,  and  it  just 
seemed  like  the  logical  next  step  was  to  begin  to  finance  films. 


36     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


What  rights  does  IFC  seek? 

Sehring:  The  way  we  set  the  company  up  is  not  unlike  American 
Playhouse  in  terms  of  the  spirit,  but  it's  a  bit  different.  We're  not  in  the 
business  to  make  films  for  television.  So  we  differ  from  what  Showtime 
does  or  HBO  does  or  really  any  other  cable  television  network  that's 
investing  in  films.  We're  making  these  films  for  the  theatrical  market- 
place. What  we're  looking  for  in  exchange  for  our  investment  is:  we 
have  an  equity  position  in  the  pictures;  we  also  receive  the  first  post 
pay-television  window;  and  then,  after  the  initial  distribution  agree- 
ments expire,  the  exploitation  rights  revert  to  IFC  Films. 

Our  company  is  interested  in  content.  And  rather  than  let  some- 
body else  control  library  rights,  our  company  is  interested  in  building  a 
film  library.  We  want  to  build  the  biggest  and  best  film  library  in  the 
world.  Some  of  that  we  are  supplementing  through  acquisitions,  some 
of  that  is  through  production;  we've  talked  about  entering  the  distrib- 
ution business  and  may  do  that  as  well. 

What  do  filmmakers  get  with  you  two  on  board  as  executive  producers?  What's 
your  level  of  involvement? 

Kaplan:  During  production,  we  don't  get  too  involved.  We  just  let  the 
filmmakers  know  we're  here;  we  provide  a  safe  haven.  In  post,  we're 
involved  in  the  screening  process  and  in  helping  strategize  [festivals 
and  distribution] . 

Sehring:  We've  never  asked  to  have  creative  input;  we've  been  asked,  on 
almost  every  picture.  We  have  asked  for  another  draft  of  a  script  and 
given  comments  before  we've  commit- 
ted to  a  script,  but  we've  never  said, 
'Change  this  and  change  that.'  The  one 
thing  I  will  say  is  that  Caroline  provides 
more  emotional  support  to  the  filmmak- 
ers and  producers  than  she  would  prob- 
ably like  to  admit. 


needed  finishing  money  for  Divine  Trash.  We  looked  at  it,  and  it  was 
very  tough.  Pink  Flamingos  is  tough  for  the  network,  and  Divine  Trash 
had  every  outtake  that  John  Waters  likes  to  refer  to  as  his  "money 
shots."  So  to  be  able  to  put  that  on  the  network  was,  you  know  .... 
But  we  supported  Steve  and  gave  him  money  to  finish  that.  On  top  of 
that,  we  also  gave  him  money  to  do  an  entire  retrospective  of  John's 
work,  called  Bad  Taste.  All  that  was  an  outgrowth  of  Split  Screen. 

What's  the  synergy  with  the  larger  Cablevision  system? 

Sehring:  This  is  the  reason  why  Miramax  and  others  at  one  time  looked 
to  buy  us.  Between  Bravo  and  IFC,  we  have  so  many  key  demograph- 
ics in  terms  of  movie-goers.  And  our  parent  company  owns  the 
Clearview  theater  chain  in  the  New  York  area:  Clearview  is  in  the  sub- 
urbs of  New  Jersey,  Long  Island,  and  Connecticut  and  controls  proba- 
bly every  screen  that  plays  arthouse  films.  In  Manhattan,  they  control 
those  theaters  that  Loews  had  divested  themselves  of  [including  the 
Zeigfeld,  Beekman,  Waverly,  Metro,  and  Chelsea  theaters,  among  oth- 
ers]. They  plan  to  create  an  arthouse  track.  And  Clearview  has  com- 
mitted [to  IFC's  productions];  they  want  to  show  every  single  picture 
we  finance.  With  Cablevision's  presence  in  the  New  York  market  in  so 
many  different  ways,  we  have  many  options  to  launch  and  promote  a 
picture  in  this  market. 

There's  an  appetite  in  our  company  to  make  sure  we  are  covering  all 
areas,  from  traditional  finishing  fund,  to  feature  film  financing,  to  dig- 
ital film.  Clearview  is  going  to  be  putting  digital  projectors  in  their  the- 
aters. And  we're  launching  a  new  digital  strand  on  broadband. 


The  way  we  set  the  company  up  is  not  unlike  American  Playhouse  in  terms 
of  the  spirit,  but  it's  a  bit  different.  We're  not  in  the  business  to  make  films 
for  television . . .  We're  making  these  films  for  the  theatrical  marketplace. 

— IFC's  Jonathan  Sehring 


What's  the  synergy  between  IFC  Productions, 
IFC,  and  Bravo? 

Sehring:  IFC  Productions  projects  will  air  both  on  IFC  [20  million 
homes  reached]  and  IFC  Fridays  on  Bravo  [39  million]. 
Kaplan:  We  do  electronic  press  kits — short  and  long.  [Producer] 
Michael  Solomon  went  to  Chiapas,  Mexico,  with  John  Sayles,  to 
Auschwitz  with  Errol  Morris,  and  to  New  Jersey  with  Tom  Gilroy 
shooting  material  for  the  EPKs.  They'll  run  on  IFC,  Bravo,  and  the 
appropriate  sister  networks,  so  we  have  an  unbelievable  amount  of  dis- 
tribution in  the  aggregate  sum.  [Parent  company  Cablevision  also  owns 
American  Movie  Classics,  Romance  Classics,  MSG  Network,  and 
World  Cinema,  among  others.] 

For  instance,  the  Men  with  Guns  EPK  aired  during  its  theatrical 
release.  When  the  film  finally  airs  on  IFC/Bravo,  we'll  have  this  great 
footage  of  John  directing  his  actors.  Also,  Bravo  is  in  Latin  America  as 
well,  and  the  lead  actor,  Federico  Luppi,  is  an  enormous  star  in 
Argentina  and  throughout  Latin  America.  That  footage  is  really  valu- 
able to  us,  just  to  create  additional  material  for  our  networks  down 
there. 

Sehring:  There's  also  cross  promotion  through  our  monthly  series  At  the 
Angelika.  And  we  talk  with  John  Pierson  [producer  of  IFC's  Split  Screen 
series].  Pierson  aired  a  segment  from  Divine  Trash  [Steve  Yaeger's  doc- 
umentary on  John  Water's  Pink  Flamingos]  and  encouraged  Caroline  to 
meet  with  Steve  during  the  Independent  Feature  Film  Market.  Steve 


Cablevision's  appetite  for  film  financing  is  huge.  When  he  saw  Men 
with  Guns,  [Cablevision  founder  and  chair]  Chuck  Dolan  said  to  me, 
"Why  aren't  we  doing  30  a  year?"  The  projected  number  of  features 
was  originally  based  on  the  amount  of  money  the  company  was  giving 
us.  They  have  [since]  given  us  more  money  and  said  if  there  are  other 
projects  you  want  to  do,  do  them.  I  think  it's  all  going  to  be  based  on 
the  quality  of  the  projects  that  come  our  way. 

Are  you  open  to  people  sending  scripts? 

Sehring:  It  depends  who's  sending  it.  If  it  is  a  first-time  filmmaker,  it's 
got  to  be  a  great  script  with  a  good  cast  attached  and  a  good  producer. 
We'll  probably  do  only  one  to  two  projects  like  that  a  year. 
Kaplan:  We're  looking  for  established  directors  (someone  who  has  made 
at  least  two  films  that  have  played  the  festival  circuit  or  gotten  a 
telease)  or  seasoned  producers.  I'd  prefer  queries  to  come  in  the  form 
of  a  fax,  saying  what  the  film  is,  who's  the  producer,  who's  the  director, 
any  attachments,  a  general  synopsis,  how  far  along  it  is,  and  what's  the 
budget.  And  then  we'll  request  a  script. 

Contact: 

Caroline  Kaplan,  Bravo  Networks,  111  Stewart  Avenue,  Bethpage, 
New  York  11714;  fax:  (516)  803-4506. 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       37 


John  Sayles'  Men  with  Guns 

IFC's  credit: 

"A  presentation  of  the  Independent  Film  Channel  and  the  Anarchists 
Convention." 

Prior  relationship: 

"We'd  shown  a  lot  of  John's  movies  over  time,"  says  Sehring.  "And  I 
love  to  tell  the  story  that  I  first  spotted  my  wife  when  I  was  in  conver- 
sation with  John  1 5  years  ago  at  the  Cannes  film  festival,  when  he  was 


there  with  Brother  from  Another  Planet.  It  was  only  fitting  that  John's 
was  the  first  film  we  were  financing." 

Stage  at  which  IFC  entered  the  picture: 

"[Producer]  Maggie  [Renzi]  and  John  were  at  Cannes  with  Lone  Star," 
Sehring  recalls.  "They  also  had  a  script  for  Men  with  Guns.  We  had 
talked  to  [Sayles'  attorney]  John  Sloss  and  told  him  we  wanted  to  be 
in  this  business.  The  first  thing  he  mentioned  was  Kevin  Smith  and 
Chasing  Amy,  but  he  said  Harvey  [ Weinstein]  has  an  option  on  it.  This 
next  one  was  Men  with  Guns,"  Sayles'  parable  about  a  Latin  American 
doctor's  journey  into  the  jungle  and  political  awareness. 

Why  this  film? 

Sayles'  11th  film  posed  some  challenges  to  financiers:  it  was  to  be  in 
Spanish  with  subtitles,  it  had  no  U.S.  stars,  and  its  story  addressed 
political  atrocities  in  Central  America.  But  from  the  IFC's  perspective, 
it  was  "a  home  run,"  says  Kaplan.  "There  was  no  better  person  to 
launch  an  independent  film  financing  company  with  than  John 
Sayles."  The  project  was  a  clear  demonstration  of  the  division's  blue- 
print: "Working  with  established  filmmakers  who  want  to  do  personal 
projects  they've  had  difficulty  finding  funding  for,  or  may  not  have  the 
creative  control  that  they  liked,"  according  to  Sehring.  He  adds,  "One 
of  the  reasons  for  getting  into  this  business  was  to  build  a  long-term 
asset  for  our  parent  company  in  the  film  library.  And  that's  why  we 
were  investing  in  established  directors  initially.  The  feeling  was,  15 
years  down  the  road,  a  John  Sayles  film  will  still  be  of  value." 


Amount  invested  by  IFC: 

IFC's  $500,000  was  the  first  money  in.  "The  picture's  budget  grew," 
says  Sehring.  "Originally  we  were  told  they  could  do  it  for  a  million, 
and  we  put  up  half  the  money.  The  million  eventually  got  closer  to  2.5 
million."  Ultimately,  two  other  financiers  came  aboard:  Jody  Patton's 
Clear  Sky  Productions  and  Lou  Gonda,  a  wealthy  businessman  who 
leases  planes  to  the  airline  companies.  Says  Sehring,  "What  was  nice  is, 
[Sayles  and  Renzi]  stuck  with  us  when  they  had  other  billionaires  who 
said,  'We're  going  to  fund  the  whole  thing.'  Maggie  came  back  and  said, 
'You  guys  were  here  before  anybody  else  expressed  interest.'  And  they 
fought  to  keep  us  in  the  film."  Says  Renzi,  "Jonathan's  inter- 
est and  loyalty  from  the  beginning  won  our  loyalty." 

Experience  working  with  IFC: 

"We  don't  work  with  any  investors  who  have  any  strings  cre- 
atively, because  John  won't,  and  I  don't  like  having  any  inter- 
ference with  the  business  part  of  it,"  Renzi  states.  "Jonathan 
Sehring  completely  understands  and  respects  that  part  of  it. 
The  second  part  of  it  is,  I  like  him.  He's  a  man  of  integrity,  and 
he  doesn't  get  involved  in  the  industry  to  improve  his  status." 
Renzi  also  appreciates  Bravo/IFC's  capacity  not  just  to  air  a 
film,  but  to  throw  additional  support  behind  it  and  publicize  it 
on  a  range  of  cable  channels.  "We're  not  only  getting  money, 
clean  and  simple,  but  this  whole  fully-functioning  entertain- 
ment institution.  It's  not  a  studio,"  she  says,  "but  we  get 
Jonathan  and  Caroline,  and  their  relationships  in  the  enter- 
tainment community  and  the  cable  community.  They  know 
what  an  EPK  is,  they  know  how  to  put  it  together.  The  poten- 
tial with  amateur  investors  is  that  they  can  be  troublesome; 
what  you  don't  ever  get  from  them  is  many  years  of  experience 
in  the  making  and  selling  of  movies.  That's  the  great  thing 
about  getting  involved  with  professionals." 
Renzi  was  happy  enough  with  IFC  to  go  back  to  them  after  she 
got  involved  with  the  boxing  movie  Girl  Fight,  both  as  a  producer  (with 
Sarah  Green  and  Martha  Griffin)  and  an  investor.  Halfway  through  its 
four-week  shoot,  Renzi  was  expecting  a  visit  from  IFC's  EPK  crew  the 
next  day.  "That's  another  great  thing;  on  low-budget  movies,  you  don't 
normally  have  EPKs.  It's  a  good  idea.  I  mean,  television  is  full  of  noth- 
ing but  entertainment  junk,  so  we  might  as  well  have  our  junk  there, 
like  anybody  else,"  Renzi  says  with  a  laugh. 

Current  status  of  film: 

Sony  Pictures  Classics  picked  up  the  film,  and  Men  with  Guns 
played  in  festivals  and  theatrically  in  1997-98.  SPC  is  negoti- 
ating a  pay-TV  sale;  IFC/Bravo  will  subsequently  air  the  film. 


Errol  Morris'  Mr.  Death:  The  Rise  and 
Fall  of  Fred  A.  Leuchter,  ]r. 

IFC's  credit: 

"A  presentation  of  the  Independent  Film  Channel"  and  exec- 
utive producer  credits  for  Sehring  and  Kaplan. 

Prior  relationship: 

"There  was  no  prior  relationship  with  Errol,"  says  Sehring. 
"We've  been  long-time  fans  and  have  shown  all  of  his  early  pic- 
tures; Bravo  was  the  first  television  network  to  show  Gates  of 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


Heaven  and  Vernon,  Florida." 

Stage  at  which  IFC  entered  the  picture: 

"Mr.  Death  dates  back  to  the  footage  for  Fast,  Cheap,  and  Out  of 
Control,"  recalls  publicist  Reid  Rosefelt.  "The  first  interview  on 
[Errol's]  Interrotron  was  with  Fred  Leuchter,"  an  execution  specialist 
who,  after  examining  the  concentration  camps,  testified  that  the 
Holocaust  never  happened.  "But  Errol  decided  that  putting  Fred  in 
with  the  other  three  guys  would  really  not  work  and  set  the  footage 
aside.  Later,  he  put  together  some  of  that  footage,  showed  it  to  people, 
and  started  thinking  about  what  shape  a  feature  about  Fred  might 
take." 

"Which  is  when  we  saw  it,"  Kaplan  continues,  "before  he  went  to 
Auschwitz,  before  he  did  the  additional  interviews  with  the  other  char- 
acters, and  before  subsequent  interviews  with  Fred." 

Why  this  film? 

"We  spent  this  really  amazing  day  with  Errol  and  looked  at  some  of  the 
initial  Fred  footage — and  were  totally  in  love  with  Errol  and  with  what 
this  film  could  be,"  says  Kaplan.  "Of  all  his  films,  this  is  really  an  unbe- 
lievable achievement.  Not  just  emotionally  and  spiritually  and  cine- 
matically;  it's  mind-blowing.  I  don't  think  we  thought  'documentary;'  I 
think  we  thought  'Errol'  and  'vision.'  " 

Notes  Sehring,  "In  terms  of  investing  in  documentaries  for  theatri- 
cal release,  there  are  very  few  people  for  whom  we  would  actually  make 
that  leap.  But  Errol  is  in  a  class  by  himself." 

Amount  invested  by  IFC: 

"I'd  say  we  were  90  percent  of  the  funding  and  100  percent  of  the  sup- 
port," says  Sehring.  The  UK's  Channel  Four  kicked  in  the  remainder 
of  the  cash. 

Experience  working  with  IFC: 

"It's  been  great  and  I  really  hope  we  stick  to  our  idea 
of  a  long-term  relationship,  because  they're  definite- 
ly about  developing  a  more  family  environment," 
says  Mr.  Death  coproducer  David  Collins.  "It's  busi- 
ness, but  it's  business  with  a  heart.  They're  not 
pulling  your  chain." 

The   deal,   Collins   explains,   "was   based  on  an 
investment  in  Errol.  There's  obviously  some  sort  of 


IN  THE  HOT  SEAT:  Fred  Leuchter  reclines  in  one  of  his  creations  in 
Errol  Morris's  Mr.  Death:  The  Rise  and  Fall  of  Fred  A.  Leuchter  Jr. 


recoupment  of  negative  costs,  and  then  a  split  that's  very  fair  and  col- 
laborative among  the  financing  entity  and  the  production  entity." 

In  terms  of  the  creative  team's  relationship  with  executive  produc- 
ers Kaplan  and  Sehring,  Collins  says  they  were  expected  to  "call  them, 
keep  them  abreast  of  where  we  were,  how  things  were  going,  if  we 
anticipated  an  overage,  or  need  some  additional  time,  because  Errol's 
films  obviously  don't  just  use  a  script  where  you  hire  some  actors  and 
just  do  it.  It's  a  lot  of  phone  calls,  research,  getting  people  to  feel  com- 
fortable enough  to  come  into  his  world.  So  that  aspect  of  IFC  was 
extremely  supportive  to  us.  Especially  when  he  did  hit  some  time 
delays,  they  weren't  breathing  down  our  necks,  saying,  'Just  get  it  in 
here!'  It  was  more  about,  'Hey,  alright,  what  can  we  do,  how  can  we 
help  you  out?' 

"During  postproduction,"  Collins  continues,  "they  were  very  inte- 
gral. Errol  is  very  collaborative  during  the  editorial  process,  once  he  has 
all  his  pieces  together.  So  we  had  these  rough-cut  sessions  where  we'd 
look  and  then  just  discuss  for  hours  on  end — where  we  were  going  with 
it,  what  needed  to  happen.  They  were  very  pivotal  in  that.  The  feed- 
back was  excellent.  They  were  looking  at  broad  marketability  of  the 
project  as  much  as  we  were." 

Current  status  of  film: 

North  American  rights  were  acquired  by  Lions  Gate  Films  Releasing. 
The  film  will  debut  theatrically  later  this  year,  after  playing  the  fall  fes- 
tivals. 


Tom  Gilroy's  Spring  Forward 

IFC's  credit: 

"A  presentation 
of  the  Indepen- 
dent Film 
Channel"  and 
executive  pro- 
ducer credits 
for  Sehring 
and  Kaplan. 

Prior  relation- 
ship: 

None.  Tom 
Gilroy  is  an 
actor  who 
had  previ- 
ously direct- 
ed one  short  (Touch  Base,  with  Lili  Taylor). 
Kaplan  says  she  initially  saw  Gilroy's  script  for  Spring  Forward  through 
a  mutual  friend.  "He  kept  going  on  about  Tom  this,  Tom  that,  and  sent 
me  the  script.  It  turned  out  that  we  also  got  a  call  from  Good  Machine 
at  that  time."  Good  Machine  was  then  trying  to  develop  the  project 
with  a  slightly  higher  budget  than  the  final  figure  (approximately  $2.5 
million,  according  to  Entertainment  Weekly). 

Stage  at  which  IFC  entered  the  picture: 

During  production.  Spring  Forward  is  about  an  odd-duck  friendship 
between  a  retiring  Recreational  Parks  worker  and  a  new  recruit.  It  is 
structured  in  four  parts,  filmed  sequentially  over  four  seasons.  Spring 
had  been  shot  and  Gilroy  was  in  the  middle  of  summer — and  running 

August/September   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


in 


<\ 


Dept.  partners  in  Tom  Gilroy  s  jp™« 


out  of  money — when  the  deal  became  official.  As  Sehring  recalls,  they 
wrote  the  check  before  the  final  contract  was  signed.  "We  have  a  lot 
of  faith  in  the  people  we're  working  with,  on  every  front." 

Why  this  film? 

"They  showed  us  the  spring  section,"  Sehring  says.  "We  loved  it  and 
just  said,  'Fine,  we'll  do  it.'  "  Kaplan  adds,  "This  is  an  example  of  a 
script  that  we  really,  really  loved.  When  we  heard  [the  project]  was 
back  on  track,  we  met  with  Tom.  He  had  put  together  a  a  really  ter- 
rific team  [of  producers]  including  Jim  McKay,  Gill  Holland,  and  Paul 
Mezey,  and  he  had  a  wonderful  cast,  including  Ned  Beatty  and  Liev 
Schreiber.  We  believed  in  the  vision  of  the  film.  The  idea  was,  Tom's 
such  a  talent  that  it  would  be  nice  to  get  in  with  him  now,  while  we 


Amount  invested  by  IFC: 

"Around  65  percent,"  according  to  Sehring. 

Experience  working  with  IFC 

"They  were  totally  hands  off,"  says  coproducer  Gill  Holland.  "The 
script  was  done,  so  there  were  no  script  comments  to  be  made.  We 
showed  them  the  film  really  close  to  picture  lock,  and  they  made  some 
suggestions.  It  was  so  friendly." 

Prior  to  IFC's  entry,  Spring  Forward  was  having  trouble  finding 
acceptable  financing.  "Nobody  would  bond  us,  because  it's  shot  over 
12  months,"  Holland  recalls.  "For  an  institutional  investor,  that  was  a 
huge  financial  risk.  The  other  people  we  were  talking  to  were  private 
investors  who  were  asking  for  more  outlandish  things,"  like  final  cut  or 
acting  as  sales  rep  without  prior  experience. 

What's  more,  IFC  brought  out  their  check- 
book more  than  once.  "We  ended  up  having  to 
shoot  in  Buffalo,  because  we  had  to  have  snow. 
We  said,  'This  is  our  window  tor  our  talent,  and  it's 
going  to  cost  about  $23,000  more.'  And  there  was 
no  problem,"  says  Holland.  "But  it's  not  just  the 
money;    it    really   was    the    intangibles.    We    love 
Jonathan  and  Caroline,  totally  trust  them,  and  feel 
supported  by  them.  And  for  crew  morale,  it  was 
great  that  there  was  this  guy  doing  a  whole  docu- 
mentary, and  everybody  got  interviewed.  So  it  was 
tun." 

Status  of  film: 

Spring  Forward  was  scheduled  to  be  finished  by  July 
and  ready  for  the  fall  festival  circuit.  At  the  time  of 
this  interview,  no  distributor  was  attached. 

Kimberly  Peirce's  Boys  Don't  Cry 

IFC's  credit: 

"A  presentation  of  the  Independent  Film  Channel"  and 
executive  producer  credits  for  Sehring  and  Kaplan. 

Prior  relationship: 

"We  know  Christine  [Vachon,  the  co-executive  produc- 
er]," says  Kaplan,  "and  had  talked  about  a  couple  of  pro- 
jects with  her." 

Stage  at  which  IFC  entered  the  picture: 

After  some  initial  shooting.  "We  thought  the  concept  for  this  film  was 


so  unbelievably  compelling,"  says  Kaplan  of  this  dramatic  rendering  of 
Teena  Brandon's  life,  the  Nebraska  woman  who  passed  as  a  man  and 
was  murdered  in  a  hate  crime  when  her  secret  was  discovered.  "We  had 
gotten  together  with  Christine,  Eva  [Kolodner  of  Killer  Films],  and 
Kim  Peirce,  had  several  conversations,  and  were  very  interested.  Kim 
was  then  still  writing  and  rewriting.  We  were  waiting.  Then  in  the 
meantime,  they  found  another  avenue  to  finance  their  movie,  but  it 
didn't  quite  happen.  We  again  were  in  a  position  where  we  got  to  see 
some  stuff  and  finally  read  the  final  draft  of  the  script,  and  it  was  real- 
ly superb." 

Why  this  film? 

"They  showed  us  footage,"  Sehring  says,  and  Kaplan  continues,  "We 
almost  passed  out."  Sehring:  "They  wanted  to  show  us  a  half  an  hour, 
and  after,  like,  two  minutes  we're  saying,  'Okay,  we'll  write  the  check.' 
And  they're  like,  'No,  watch  everything.'  I  said,  'We'll  watch  every- 
thing.' Then,  when  we  were  done,  I  said,  'Cut  a  check  for,  like,  a  mil- 
lion dollars.'  We  didn't  have  a  contract.  But  they  needed  the  money 
right  away." 

Amount  invested  by  IFC: 

60  to  65  percent,  or  a  little  over  $1  million,  according  to  IFC. 

Experience  working  with  IFC: 

"The  great  thing  about  working  with  them,"  says  Kolodner,  "is  they  are 
terrifically  supportive,  but  don't  expect  to  be  so  directly  involved  that 
you  feel  like  the  film  has  a  heavy  weight  around  its  neck."  Kolodner 

says  they  sat  in  on  a  few — 
but  not  all — of  the  work-in- 
progress  screenings. 
"They'd      prepare      some 
notes  after  each  screening, 
and  we've  enjoyed  having 
their     input,     but     they 
haven't  been  overbearing 
about  it  at  all.  So  often 
there's   a   cacophony   of 
voices  from  people  who 
want  to  have  input.  As 
much  as  their  comments 
have  been  very  helpful, 
they      haven't      been 
aggressive  about  press- 
ing them  on  us.  It's  a 
pretty  good  set-up." 

Status  of  film: 

After  showing  a  20- 
minute  trailer  during 
Sundance,       world- 
wide rights  were  sold 
to   Fox   Searchlight 
for      $5      million. 
According  to  Killer 
Films,  they're  aim- 
ing to  complete  the  film  in  time  for  the 
fall  festivals. 


Patricia  Tlv 


is  editor  in  chief  of  The  Independent. 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


A 


Revolution! 


WORLDWIDE,  FILMMAKERS  ARE 
ASKING,  "SHOULD  I  SHOOT  IN 
DIGITAL     VIDEO?" 
A  GLOBETROTTING  DV 
PRODUCER  REPLIES. 


by  Esther  Robinson 

Almost  overnight,  digital  technology  has  landed  firmly  in  the 
hands  of  the  indie  film  community.  Thousands  of  us  who  had  previously 
been  working  in  isolation  have  found  we  have  something  in  common:  we 
are  part  ot  the  digital  revolution. 

To  be  honest,  I  never  particularly  wanted  to  be  part  of  a  revolution.  In 
turning  to  digital  technology,  I  was  just  trying  to  answer  some  nagging  ques- 
tions that  most  filmmakers  face:  how  do  we  make  and  distribute  films  less 
expensively? 

Last  year,  while  trying  to  address  these  questions,  I  teamed  up  with 
Lance  Weiler  and  Stefan  Avalos,  makers  of  The  Last  Broadcast.  These  two 
had  already  answered  my  first  question,  having  made  their  mini-DV  feature 
for  under  $900.  Now  they  wanted  to  have  a  theatrical  release  while  avoid- 
ing a  costly  film  transfer.  After  researching  many  different  options,  we 
released  the  the  film  by  satellite.  We  created  a  unique  sponsorship  model, 
bringing  in  technology  partners  like  Cyberstar,  a  division  of  Loral,  to  han- 
dle the  satellite-to-PC  link,  Digital  Projection,  Inc.  to  handle  the  digital 
projection,  and  the  Independent  Film  Channel  to  release  the  movie 
through  their  broadband  network  and  assist  with  promotion.  Finally  we 
beamed  the  film  22,000  miles  into  the  sky  and  back  down  to  five  arthouse 
theaters  nationally.  Obviously,  this  glosses  over  the  frequent  moments  of 
extreme  terror — when  we  worried  about  funding,  about  the  technology 
crashing,  about  whether  audiences  would  come — but  at  its  most  basic,  this 
process  was  simply  a  series  of  choices  that  made  sense  for  this  movie. 

As  a  result  of  this  experience,  we've  appeared  on  dozens  of  panels  about 
digital  filmmaking  over  the  past  year — in  the  U.S.,  Canada,  Brazil, 
England,  France,  Holland,  Ireland,  Singapore,  and  more.  Everywhere  we 
go,  we  hear  the  same  questions  from  filmmakers.  They  usually  boil  down  to 
this:  "Does  shooting  digital  make  sense  for  my  project?"  I'm  always  com- 
pelled to  say,  "1  don't  know;  does  it?"  Then  there's,  "Once  I  make  this  pro- 
ject digitally,  how  do  I  release  it?"  But  there  is  no  easy  answer  to  either 
question,  since  each  project  is  so  highly  individual.  What  I  can  say  is  that 
there  are  essentially  three  main  reasons  people  are  shooting  digitally — and 
hundreds  of  sub-reasons.  So  consider  the  following  when  confronting  the 
questions:  "To  shoot  or  not  shoot  digitally?"  (answers  1-3)  and  "How  can  I 
release  my  film  digitally?"  (answer  4). 

1.  Mobility  and  unobtrusiveness  of  the  equipment. 

This  is  a  strong  motivator  for  documentarians  and  narrative  filmmakers 
alike.  Documentary  makers  like  Michel  Negroponte  and  Bennett  Miller 
often  say  their  ability  to  remain  both  mobile  and  unobtrusive  allows  their 
subjects  to  feel  at  ease  and  them  to  have  a  minimal  impact  on  the  sur- 


rounding environment,  which  is  key  to  a  good  doc.  However,  there  are  also 
compelling  reasons  to  consider  DV  if  you're  shooting  a  narrative.  With  The 
Last  Broadcast,  Lance  and  Stefan  used  all  non-actors  (this  is  also  true  of  the 
work  of  Rob  Nilsson)  and  found  the  smaller  camera  was  less  imposing  and 
allowed  a  more  natural  performance.  Todd  Verow  (Frisk,  Shucking  the 
Curve)  was  able  to  capture  an  impressive  spontaneity  by  shooting  his  drama 
like  a  doc,  using  improv  from  both  the  actors  and  the  camera.  For  Paul 
Wagner's  Windhorse,  a  dramatic  feature  shot  in  Tibet,  the  camera  needed 
to  be  unobtrusive  because  the  Chinese  government  would  never  have 
allowed  the  filming  of  a  narrative  with  such  a  specific  political  agenda. 

2.  Video  complements  the  aesthetic  vision  for  your  film. 

Documentaries  have  a  long  tradition  of  a  grittier  video  look;  however,  with 
the  advent  of  reality-based  programming,  this  "video  vocabulary"  is  grow- 
ing increasingly  prevelant  in  all  arenas.  For  films  that  want  to  adopt  or  uti- 
lize this  vocabulary  (like  The  Last  Broadcast,  Shucking  the  Curve,  or 
Celebration),  the  combination  of  DV's  docu-drama-mentary  feel  with  a 
narrative  structure  can  be  very  potent. 

3.  You  don't  have  enough  money  to  shoot  on  film. 

This  is  the  reason  that  brings  most  people  to  consider  DV.  But  lack  of  cash 
should  not  make  digital  a  foregone  conclusion.  It's  important  to  consider 
all  the  ramifications  and  to  make  sure  the  look  of  your  film  won't  be  over- 
ly compromised.  For  example,  audiences  will  have  an  easier  time  accepting 
a  video  look  for  a  romantic  comedy  set  in  the  1980s  than  a  period  drama 
set  in  the  1890s. 

4.  Ability  to  be  non-traditional  with  your  release  strategy. 

Making  a  digital  film  gives  you  two  release  possibilities.  The  first  is  to  trans- 
fer the  digital  movie  to  film  and  go  the  traditional  route.  The  second  is 
more  difficult  but  can  be  equally  rewarding — you  can  keep  your  film  digi- 
tal and  try  other  opportunities.  These  days  more  and  more  film  festivals  are 
screening  digital  works,  and  on-line  opportunities  abound.  However,  most 
of  the  opportunities  your  film  will  have  will  be  made  by  you.  When  we 
released  the  film  by  satellite,  we  organized  the  entire  thing  and  brought  in 
all  the  necessary  equipment — not  a  feat  for  the  taint  hearted!  However,  in 
addition  to  our  profitable  five-city  release,  we've  had  successful  releases  on 
ifctv.com  and  over  broadband  networks  in  England  and  Singapore.  While 
this  requires  research  and  chutzpah,  it  also  allows  you  a  lot  of  control  over 
the  fate  of  your  film  and  the  possibility  of  helping  to  define  new  modes  of 
distribution — an  asset  to  all  filmmakers. 

All  in  all,  DV  is  not  a  stand-in  for  film;  it's  a  different  medium  and  should 
be  treated  as  such.  Learn  all  you  can  about  shooting  digitally  and  dealing 
with  DV  sound.  Get  a  good,  reliable,  and  experienced  DP  or  at  least  some- 
one willing  to  do  the  research  to  make  up  for  lack  of  experience.  Also,  if 
you  are  thinking  about  transfering  to  film,  you  should  get  in  touch  with  the 
transfer  house  in  advance  of  shooting.  They  can  give  you  useful  tips  for  max- 
imizing your  image  quality  while  on  location,  saving  you  extra  work  or  a 
compromised  film  once  you  return. 

Finally,  the  main  thing  to  remember  is  that  digital  video  is  only  tech- 
nology. It  will  not  change  the  world  or  wipe  out  the  many  hurdles  inde- 
pendent filmmakers  face.  It  won't  enable  you  to  tell  a  better  story,  have  a 
strong  cinematic  vision,  or  make  a  movie  someone  would  want  to  buy. 
What  it  can  offer  is  a  chance  to  lessen  your  economic  risk  and  give  you 
more  tools  to  invent  new  models  of  production  and  distribution.  We've 
only  seen  the  beginning  of  what's  possible  using  digital  technology.  The  rest 
is  up  to  you. 

Esther  Robinson  is  a  producer  who  specializes  in  convergence  projects  tlxat  com- 
bine traditional  production  and  delivery  with  new  technology  ideas  and  solu- 
tions. She  is  also  the  program  director  jor  media  and  performance  arts  at  the 
newly  founded  Creative  Capital  Foundation. 

The  overview  that  follows  was  compiled  by  Lance  Weiler  for  a  "digital  shoot-out"  pre- 
sentation during  the  Sundance  Film  Festival.  As  it  makes  clear,  filmmakers  are  mixing 
and  matching  a  wide  variety  of  options — in  their  choice  of  cameras,  transfer  meth- 
ods, and  final  format.  For  a  DV  resource  list,  see  www.nextwavefilms.com 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


Thomas  Bo  Larsen  in  Thomas  Vinterberg's 
digital  delight  Celebration. 


V^il-,  JUL  "i  M**Jr\  I 


(1998),  105  min,  color 

Director:  Thomas  Vinterberg  [www.dogma95.dk] 
Original  Format:  Mini  DV  (PAL) 
Transferred  to:  35mm 

Synopsis:  The  story  of  a  family  celebration  which  explores  the  explosions  that  occur 
when  family  tensions  reach  critical  mass. 

Camera  used:  Sony  PC  7  (palm-sized  mini  DV  camera;  predecessor  to  the  PC10 
and  PCD. 

Sound:  Mixed  to  2-track  DAT  on  location.  A  timecode  slate  with  the  DAT  recorder  as 
master  was  used.  Sound  was  synchronized  to  picture  on  Digital  Beta. 
Mastered  to:  Digital  Beta 

Transfer  House:  Lukkien  Digital  Film  Facilities,  PO.  Box  466,  6710  BL  EDE,  The 

Netherlands;  contact:  Marco  Fredriksen;  tel:  Oil  31  318  622103;  fax:  Oil  31  318 

638041;  marco@lukkien.com 

Process:  Proprietary  Film  Recorders.  Can  transfer  to  16mm  and  35mm  negative  in 

many  different  aspect  ratios;  1.66, 1.85,  and  even  2.35  anamorphic.  But  these  can 

be  customized  as  well. 

Formats:  Can  transfer  from  PAL,  Digital  Beta,  Dl,  DVC  Pro,  Beta  SR  and  DV 

Sound:  Preferably  on  DAT  44.1  or  48  khz. 

Do  they  do  tests:  Yes,  length  of  one  minute  or  1500  frames. 

Cost  of  a  test:  Contact  for  quotes. 

Rates:  Contact  for  quotes. 

What's  included  in  the  price:  Transfer,  negative  costs,  and  first  rush  print;  audio 

not  included. 

Lukkien  recommends:  "The  loss  in  quality  after  the  NTSC-PAL  conversion  is  con- 


siderable. We  always  have  to  correct  the  shift  in  color  balance  and 
in  most  if  not  all  cases  we  have  to  merge  the  separate  video  fields 
into  single  frames.  We  recommend  shooting  in  PAL." 

The  Guise 

(1998),  75  min.,  B&W 

Director:  Bennett  Miller  [www.thecruise.com] 

Original  format:  Mini  DV 

Transferred  to:  35mm 

Synopsis:  "Witty  and  profound  portrait  of  Timothy  'Speed'  Levitch, 
a  Manhattan  double-decker  tour  guide  who  cruises  through  life, 
thriving  on  chaos  and  waxing  hilarious  bits  of  history  and  philoso- 
phy to  unsuspecting  people  from  all  around  the  world." 
—  Anthony  Kaufman,  IndieWire 

Camera  used:  Sony  VX  1000 

Sound:  Used  a  split  XLR  adapter  that  enabled  the  camera  to 

record  two  separate  balanced  signals  from  professional  mics:  a 

wireless  lav  that  the  subject  wore  at  all  times,  and  a  shotgun  that 

was  mounted  on  the  camera.  Rode  the  levels  on  the  adaptor  box. 

There  was  no  sound  person. 

Posted  with:  Avid  offline  and  linear  online. 

Mastered  to:  Beta  SP 

Transfer  House.-  Sony  Pictures  HD  Center,  10202  W.  Washington 
Blvd.,  Capra  209,  Culver  City,  CA  90232;  contact:  Don  Miskowich 
or  Michael  Schwartz;  (310)  244-7433;  fax:  244-3014; 
michael_schwartz@spe.sony.com; 


42    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


www.spe.sony.com/Pictures/Hidef/sphweb.htm 

Process:  Electron  Beam  Recorder  (EBR)  of  HD  master  to  35mm  fine  grain  positive 
stock.  Can  transfer  to:  35mm  @  1:85,  2:35. 
Formats:  Transfer  from  most  formats. 
Sound:  Call  for  details. 
Do  they  do  tests:  Yes;  contact  for  more  info. 
Cost  of  a  test:  Call  or  email  for  quotes. 

Rates:  Over  48  min.:  $585/min  for  electronic  beam  recorder  (EBR)  services  only 
What's  included  in  the  price:  Transfer  and  NTSC  up  conversion  (electronically 
interpolating  the  720x480  standard  definition  into  an  HD  1920x1035  signal),  film 
stock,  and  some  lab  costs. 

Recommends:  Transfer  house  has  detailed  material  on  shooting  tape  for  film  trans- 
fers, which  can  be  requested  along  with  info  package. 


homepage 


Director:  Doug  Block  [www.d-word.com] 
Original  format:  Hi8 
Transferred  to:  16mm 

Synopsis:  Documentary  filmmaker  Doug  Block's  fascination  with  the  tell-all  world  of 

web  diarists  triggers  a  revealing  and  unexpectedly  personal  look  at  relationships  in 

the  cyber  era. 

Cameras  used:  Sony  VX3,  Hi  8 

Sound:  Sennheisser  ME63  on  camera  to  external  input,  split  audio  going  to  lavalier 

on  Block,  so  when  questions  needed  to  be  heard,  they  could  be. 

Special  note:  The  filmmaker  said  this  was  a  pain  in  the  butt. 


Posted  with:  At  first  a  JVC  VHS  linear  sys- 
tem (10  years  old!);  eventually  with  a  Media 
100  XS  online  system. 
Mastered  to:  Beta  SP 

Transfer  House:  Film  Craft,  23815 

Industrial  Park  Drive,  Farmington  Hills,  Ml 

48335;  contact:  Dominic  Troia;  (248)  474- 

3900;  fax:  474-1577. 

Process:  Teledyne-CTR3  Tri-optical  Tele  Film 

Recorder. 

Can  transfer  to:  16mm  @  1:33  and  35mm 

@  1:33  or  1:85. 

Formats:  They  can  transfer  from  Beta  SP, 

Digital  Beta,  and  1". 

Sound:  Do  all  adjustments  prior  to  transfer, 

such  as  sound  levels  and  fidelity. 

Do  they  do  tests?  Yes. 

Cost  of  a  test:  Call  for  quotes. 

Rates:  For  a  one-light  composite:  16mm: 

$105/min.;  35mm:  $240/min. 

What's  included  in  the  price:  Sound  and 

print.  Film  Craft  holds  the  negatives,  but  if  you'd  like  to  purchase  negative  or  sound 

tracks,  add  $.40/ft  each  for  16mm  and  $ . 7 0/ft  each  for  35mm. 

Film  Craft  recommends:  Maximizing  video  camera  resolution.  Properly  setting  back 

focus.  Good  lighting  is  especially  important.  Use  higher  resolution  formats.  Dominic 

feels  that  transfers  from  Beta  SP  look  more  filmic  than  from  a  Digital  Beta  source. 

Consider  a  tape-to-film  test  before  final  mastering. 


ast  Broadcast 


(1998),  87  min.,  color/b&w 

Directors :  Stefan  Avalos  and  Lance  Weiler  [www.tebweb.com/lastbroadcast] 
Original  format:  Mini  DV.  Hi8,  8mm  video,  VHS,  direct  to  drive,  and  a  tiny  amount 
of  16mm. 


A  scene  from  The  Last  Broadcast. 


Transferred  to:  MPEG  2  (transferred  at  9  mbps  constant  bit  rate). 

Synopsis:  A  smart  whodunit  that  details  a  filmmaker's  search  for  the  killer  of  three 
television  personalities  murdered  in  a  remote  forest  during  a  live  broadcast.  Hours 
of  seemingly  revealing  videotape  and  Internet  logs  obscure  the  truth  more  than 
reveal  it.  "Reality  Television"  itself  becomes  a  character,  revealing  that  we  live  in  a 
world  in  which  seeing  should  never  be  believing. 

Cameras  used:  Sony  VX  1000,  JVC  GRDV1,  Canon  LI  (Hi8),  Olympus  (8mm  video), 

Tyco  Videocam,  Bolex  Rex  5  (16mm). 

Sound:  Recorded  directly  to  the  camera.  In  the  case  of  the  VX  1000,  this  provided 

for  good  stereo,  digital  sound. 

Posted  with:  PC  platform;  Adobe  Premiere  4.2,  Photoshop,  After  Effects,  Sonic 

Foundry  Sound  Forge,  Truespace  3.  The  hardware  used  for  the  online  was  the  DPS 

Perception. 

Mastered  to:  Beta  SP  and  Digital  Beta. 

Transfer  House:  Pacific  Video  Resources,  2331  3rd  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107; 

contact:  Tony  Ruffo;  (415)  864-5679;  fax:  864-2059;  mpeg@pvr.com  or  ruffo@ 

pvr.com;  www.pvr.com. 

Process:  Serial  digital  pathway.  Proprietary  real-time  preprocessing  with  Optivase 

MPEG  2  Encoder. 

Can  transfer  to:  MPEG  2  up  to  12  mbps. 

Formats:  Transfer  from  Digital  Beta,  Beta  SP,  01. 

Sound:  Real  time  processed  through  the  encoder  hardware. 

Do  they  do  tests:  Yes. 

Cost  of  a  test:  $300  set  up  and  $75/min. 

Rates:  $300  set  up  and  $75/min.  for  30  min.;  call  for  price  break  after  that. 

What's  included  in  the  price:  Multiplex  MPEG  2  transport  or  program  streams 

(includes  audio  and  video  in  sync). 

Filmmakers  recommend:  Be  aware  that  encoding  artifacts  can  occur  when  trying 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


to  encode  scenes  that  are  not  MPEG-friendly.  Well-lit 
scenes  will  encode  better  than  dark  scenes.  Random 
motion  such  as  static,  explosions,  or  waves  tend  not 
to  encode  as  well  as  static  or  slow-moving  images. 
White  flashes  and  rapid  single-frame  edits  will  not 
make  for  the  best  encoded  stream. 


Three  boxing  hopefuls  fight 
challenges  in  and  out  of  the 
ring  in  On  the  Ropes. 


I 


(1999),  90  min.,  color 

Director:  Nanette  Burstein  and  Brett  Morgen 
Original  format:  Beta  SP  and  Hi8  (NTSC) 
Transferred  to:  35mm  from  a  PAL  source 

Synopsis:  Gripping  documentary  that  explores  the 
lives  and  ambitions  of  three  rising  boxers  in  a 
Brooklyn  neighborhood  gym. 

Cameras  used:  Sony  Beta  SP  537  and  a  Sony  VX3 

Hi8. 

Sound:  "We  almost  always  had  a  boom  mic  and  two 

electrosonic  wireless  mics  going  into  a  mixer.  On 

occasion  we  would  just  use  a  boom.  The  mic  we 

boomed  was  extremely  directional  because  the  gym 

had  a  lot  of  echo." 

Posted  with:  Off-lined  on  an  Avid.  On-lined  at 

Broadway  Video  and  sound  mixed  our  film  Dolby  SR  at  Soundtracks  in  NYC. 

Mastered  to:  Digital  Beta  Component. 

Transfer  House:  Swiss  Effects,  Thurgauerstrasse  40,  CH-8050  Zurich;  teh  Oil  41 1 
307  10  10;  fax:  Oil  41  1  307 10  19;  swisseffects@access.ch;  contact:  Jerry 
Poynton,  New  York  (212)  727-3695;  jeromepoynton@juno.com. 
Process:  CRT-based  system,  designed  by  Swiss  Effects,  from  2K  images  (interpolat- 
ed from  video  resolution)  to  fine  grain  16mm,  S-16mm  or  35mm  negative  stock. 
Can  transfer  to:  16mm,  S-16mm,  and  35mm  @  1:85, 1:66. 
Formats:  Transfer  from  most  formats. 
Sound:  Call  or  email  for  details. 


Do  they  do  tests:  Yes;  1-2  min.  test  transfer  (16mm/S-16mm/35mm  rush  print). 
Cost  of  a  test:  $460  (If  corresponding  transfer  will  be  longer  than  40  min.,  the  $460 
will  be  credited). 

Rates:  16mm/S-16mm  60  min.:  $17,226.50;  90  min.:  $22,842.50. 
35mm:  60  min.:  $25,205.80;  90  min  $35,784.80. 
What's  included  in  the  price.-  Transfer  NTSC  to  PAL,  tape  to  film  transfer,  devel- 
oped negative,  shipment  costs.  (1st  print,  call  for  price.) 
Swiss  Effects  recommends:  Detailed  material  on  shooting  tape  for  film  transfers 
and  detailed  quotes  can  be  requested. 


(1999),  115  min.,  color/b&w. 

Director:  Jem  Cohen  and  Fugazi 

Original  format:  16mm,  super  8,  Hi8,  VHS,  3/4",  Beta  SP 

Transferred  to:  Beta  SP 

Synopsis:  A  collaboration  between  filmmaker  Jem  Cohen  and  the  band  Fugazi,  the 
project  covers  the  10-year  period  from  the  band's  inception  in  1987.  Like  Cohen's 
previous  work  (and  the  band's  music),  Instrument  sits  in  the  gray  area  between 
readily  identifiable  genres.  Far  from  a  traditional  documentary,  the  project  is  a 
musical  document:  a  multi-faceted  portrait  of  musicians  at  work.  Mixing  sync-sound 
16mm,  super  8,  video,  and  a  wide  range  of  archival  formats,  the  piece  includes  con- 
cert footage,  studio  sessions,  practice,  touring,  interviews,  and  portraits  of  audience 
members  from  around  the  country. 

Cameras  used:  16mm  (Gizmo,  Arri  SR,  Bolex  Rex  5),  super  8  (Canon  1014,  Elmo 

c56,  many  more),  Hi8  (Canon  LI  and  Palm  camcorder),  VHS,  3/4",  Beta  SP  (archival 

footage). 

Sound:  Many  different  approaches,  from  direct  camera  mics  to  shotgun  mics. 

Posted  with:  Avid  AVR  77. 

Mastered  to:  D2. 

Cohen  recommends:  "Editing  digitally  on  the  Avid  gave  me  tremendous  control.  We 
had  sources  that  ranged  from  3/4"  and  VHS  to  16mm  transfers  on  Betacam.  We 
had  hundreds  of  different  source  tapes  and  formats,  each  with  a  different  look  and 
quality  level;  in  addition,  the  film  ended  up  having  over  1,000  edits.  This  combina- 
tion would  have  made  a  traditional  on-line  tape  edit  very  costly.  By  going  to 
Tapehouse  (212-213-1353)  and  using  their  SDI  (serial  digital  interface)  Avid  with  a 
timebase  corrector  (DPS  465),  we  had  a  level  of  control  that  made  a  big  difference 
in  time  and  thus  cost.  If  you  have  a  project  with  many  different  sources  and  quality 
levels,  I'd  highly  recommend  going  this  route." 

Jem  Cohen  will  be  speaking  and  screening  clips  at  an  AIVF  "Up  Close"  event 
on  August  5.  For  more  info,  see  AIVF  Events  (pg.  58). 


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The  Cinema  Guild  staff  (clockwise  from  left)  Philip  Hobel,  Gary  Crowdus, 
Michael  Tuckman,  and  Marlene  Graham. 


THE  CINEMA  GUILD 

BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway  (Ste.  506),  New  York,  NY  10019-5904;  (212)  246-5522;  fax: 
246-5525;  TheCinemaG@aol.com;  www.cinemaguild.com;  acquisitions  contact:  Gary 
Crowdus,  general  manager. 

Good  working  relationships  with  our 
producers  is  our  most  important  con- 
sideration. 

What  would  people  be  most  sur- 
prised to  learn  about  The  Cinema 
Guild? 

That  we  have  extensive  television  sales 
experience,  both  in  the  U.S.  and  abroad. 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collec- 
tion? 

Close  to  600. 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distrib- 
ute? 

Our  collection  is  a  mix  ot  feature- 
length,  medium-length  and  short  films, 
produced  by  filmmakers  from  all  over 
the  world,  in  fiction,  documentary,  and  animation  formats. 

Films  and  filmmakers  you  distribute: 

Paul  Devlin's  SlamNation,  St.  Clair  Bourne's  John  Henrik 
Clarke:  A  Great  and  Mighty  Walk,  John  Fisher's  How  I 
Spent  My  Summer  Vacation,  Lauren  Malkasian's  In  the 
Bag,  Shereen  Jerrett's  Kid  Nerd,  Nate  Thomas'  East  of 
Hope  Street,  Saul  Landau's  The  Sixth  Sun:  Mayan 
Uprising  in  Chiapas,  Igor  Vamos'  Le  Petomane:  Fin-de- 
Siecle  Fartiste,  Greta  Schiller's  The  Man  Who  Drove  with 
Mandela,  Gordon  Eriksen  and  Heather  Johnston's  Lena's 
Dreams,  and  Amie  Williams'  Stripped  and  Teased:  Tales 
from  Las  Vegas  Women. 

Is  The  Cinema  Guild  also  involved  in  co-production  or 
co-financing  of  works? 

Not  at  the  present  time. 

Is  there  such  a  thing  as  "a  Cinema  Guild  film"? 

Not  really. 

Best  known  title  in  your  collection: 

Depends  on  whom  you  talk  to.  Educators  might  be  famil- 
iar with  titles  like  America  and  Lewis  Hme  or  The  Primal 
Mind,   while  theatrical   bookers  will   be  aware  of 


What  is  The  Cinema  Guild? 

We  are  a  well-established  (in  business  over  25  years) 
"full-service"  distributor  of  motion  pictures  in  all  mar- 
kets— theatrical,  nontheatrical,  television,  and  home 
video — and  are  thereby  able  to  oversee  the  release  of  a 
film  and  maximize  its  commercial  potential  throughout  its 
entire  distribution  career. 

Who  is  The  Cinema  Guild? 

Philip  and  Mary-Ann  Hobel,  chairpersons;  Gary  Crowdus, 
general  manager;  Michael  Tuckman,  feature  film  distrib- 
ution coordinator;  Marlene  Graham,  sales  director. 

Total  number  of  employees: 

We  are  eight  basic  members  of  a  "lean  and  mean"  distri- 
bution machine. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  The  Cinema  Guild  come  into 
being? 

It  was  founded  in  1972  by  filmmakers  Philip  and  Mary- 
Ann  Hobel  for  the  express  purpose  of  distributing  motion 
pictures  produced  by  independent  filmmakers  and  to  pro- 
vide economically  efficient  and  conscientious  exploitation 
of  their  films. 

Philosophy  behind  The  Cinema  Guild: 


SlamNation  or  A  Tribute  to  Orson  Welles-,  home  video 
retailers  will  know  How  I  Spent  My  Summer  Vacation  or 
The  Golden  Age  of  Salsa,  and  TV  buyers  will  know  series 
like  The  Fabulous  Sixties  or  features  like  Kennedys  Don't 
Cry. 

What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  films  you  do? 

Our  acquisition  criteria  are:  it  must  be  a  well-made  film 
that  our  staff  likes;  there  should  be  an  identifiable  mar- 
ket or  audience  for  the  film,  even  though  it  may  be  a  very 
small  "niche"  or  special-interest  market;  and  we  must 
be  convinced  that  the  Cinema  Guild  is  the  right  distribu- 
tor for  the  film. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

Identify  the  film's  primary  and  secondary  audiences, 
whatever  the  market,  and  do  our  best,  in  as  cost-effec- 
tive a  manner  as  possible,  to  get  the  film  to  those  audi- 
ences. 

Where  do  your  titles  generally  show? 

Our  feature  film  releases  are  exhibited  in  North  American 
35mm  and  16mm  theaters,  as  well  as  cinematheques, 
art  museums,  and  campus  film  societies.  Our  nonthe- 
atncal/educational  titles  are  distributed  to  colleges,  uni- 
versities, schools,  public  libraries  and,  depending  on  the 
subject  of  the  title,  a  range  of  other  nontheatrical  venues, 
such  as  community  organizations,  trade  unions,  etc. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles  and  how  should  film- 
makers approach  you  for  consideration? 

We  go  to  the  Independent  Feature  Film  Market  every  year, 
attend  film  festivals  and  browse  festival  programs,  scour 
trade  publications,  search  the  Internet,  and  the  like.  Our 
most  important  means  of  acquisitions,  however,  is  rec- 
ommendations or  referrals  from  other  filmmakers.  We 
are  always  glad  to  hear  from  filmmakers  seeking  distri- 
bution. Phone  us,  write  us,  fax  us,  or,  since  we're  only  on 
the  fifth  floor,  holler  up  from  the  street  in  front  of  the  Ed 
Sullivan  Theater  at  1697  Broadway! 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  collec- 
tion: 

We  never  ask  our  producers  what  their  films  cost. 

Biggest  change  at  The  Cinema  Guild  in  recent  years: 

Our  re-entry,  after  several  years  hiatus,  into  the  theatri- 
cal distribution  of  feature  films. 

Most  important  issue  facing  The  Cinema  Guild  today: 

Keeping  pace,  organizationally  speaking,  with  the 
demand  for  our  services. 


46    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September  1999 


Where  will  The  Cinema  Guild  be  10  years  from  now? 

Probably  in  better  offices. 

You  knew  The  Cinema  Guild  had  made  it  as  a  compa- 
ny when . . . 

some  of  our  films  received  Academy  Award  nominations. 

Best  distribution  experience  you've  had  lately: 

Getting  theatrical  playdates  on  the  one-hour  video  docu- 
mentary Le  Petomane,  which  profiles  the  little-known, 
French,  turn-of-the-century  master  flatulator,  Joseph 
Pujol.  We  were  blown  away  by  this! 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  you'd  be . . . 

trying  to  figure  out  how  to  get  involved  in  film  distribution. 

Other  distributors  you  admire  and  why: 

Miramax,  for  the  quality  of  their  acquisitions  and  their 


marketing  savvy. 

The  difference  between  Cinema  Guild  and  other  dis- 
tributors of  independent  films  is . . . 

the  emphasis  we  place  on  working  closely  with  filmmak- 
ers on  the  release  of  their  films. 

One  bit  of  advice  to  independent  filmmakers: 

Please  don't  approach  us  with  formulaic  genre  films. 

Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 

Art  Jones'  Going  Nomad,  a  quirky,  offbeat  comedy  about 
New  York's  "Asphalt  Nomads,"  starring  Damian  Young; 
Neil  Grieve's  Stuart  Bliss,  an  end-of-the  millennium 
paranoid  conspiracy  comedy/  drama  starring  Michael 
Zelniker;  Nate  Thomas'  East  of  Hope  Street,  starring  Jade 
Herrera  as  a  young  Latina  caught  up  in  L.A.'s  juvenile 
welfare  system;  Gordon  Eriksen  and  Heather  Johnston's 


Lena's  Dreams,  starring  Marlene  Forte  as  a  Latina 
actress  struggling  against  type-casting. 

The  future  of  independent  film  distribution  in  this 
country  is  one  which . . . 

given  the  increasing  homogenization  of  our  film  culture, 
will  be  even  more  responsible  for  fulfilling  the  needs  of  an 
increasing  number  of  viewers  seeking  films  from  truly 
innovative  and  provocative  filmmakers. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  monthly  column  conducted  by  fax  question- 
naire that  profiles  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent 
film  and  video.  To  suggest  profile  subjects,  contact:  Lissa  Gibbs, 
c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl.  New  York,  NY  10013, 
or  drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink.net 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


THE  APERTURE  FILM  GRANT 


BY 


ICHELLE    COE 


Aperture,  1040  North  Fairfax  Avenue,  #230  Los  Angeles,  CA  90046;  (310)  772-8294;  Leslie 
Nia  Lewis,  president/director 


When  and  why  did  the  Aperture  Film  Grant  come  into 
being? 

I  [Lewis]  was  raising  money  to  shoot  my  own  short  film, 
and  I  thought  that  doing  so  under  a  nonprofit  umbrella 
would  make  the  process  easier.  This  did  not  turn  out  to  be 
the  case,  but  a  friend,  Eric  Taras,  suggested  that  a  non- 


How  many  media  awards  are  given  out  each  year? 

One  grant  is  awarded  to  a  documentary  or  narrative  sub- 
mission. 

What  is  the  average  size  of  a  grant?  Are  the  same 
amounts  given  year  after  year  or  does  that  depend  on 
your  resources? 


profit  would  be  a  good  vehicle  for  raising  money  for  other 
people  and  creating  a  permanent  corporation. 

The  driving  philosophy  behind  Aperture  is . . . 

To  promote  creativity,  diversity,  and  excellence  in  short 
film. 

What  percentage  of  your  overall  funding  goes  towards 
film  or  video  projects? 

One  hundred  percent. 


We  award  $10,000  each  year. 

What's  the  ratio  of  applicants  to  recipients? 

On  average  it's  400  to  one. 


What  are  the  restrictions  on  applicants'  qualifica- 
tions (e.g.,  ethnicity,  geography,  medium)? 

The  grant  is  open  to  U.S.  residents  over  the  age  of  21. 
Narrative  applicants  are  required  to  shoot  16mm,  while 
documentary  applicants  may  shoot  16mm  or  video.  - 


Budgets  for  either  cannot  exceed  $20,000. 

Does  Aperture  fund  projects  at  various  stages  of 
production  (e.g.,  script ,  development,  production, 
distribution,  etc.)?  What  is  the  time  frame  within 
which  the  funds  must  be  used? 

We  finance  projects  from  pre-production  through  post- 
production.  We  do  not  provide  finishing  funds.  Our  fund- 
ing must  be  used  within  six  months  of  our  awarding  the 
grant. 

Mow  many  artists  have  you  funded  since  your  incep- 
tion? 

We  have  supported  three  filmmakers  since  inception: 
Cinque  Northern  (Still  Waters);  Josh  Marston  (Bus  to 
Queens)-,  and  Tracy  Seretean 
(Big  Mama).  Those  films  (two 
narratives  and  one  documen- 
tary) have  gone  on  to  many 
festivals,  with  the  documentary 
(Big  Mama)  ending  up  a  final- 
ist for  ITVS  funding  to  be 
expanded  into  long-form  doc. 

Do  you  offer  your  winning 
filmmakers  any  additional 
support  on  their  projects 
either  in  the  production  or 
distribution  phases? 
At  the  moment,  the  only  addi- 
tional support  we  can  afford  to 
offer  is  emotional!  But 
Eastman  Kodak  offers  $1,000 
in  products  and  also  hosts  and 
promotes  Aperture's  annual 
screening  at  their  campus  in 
Hollywood. 

Explain  your  funding  cycle 
and  deadlines. 

This  year's  deadline  for  narra- 
tive screenplays  and  documen- 
tary proposals  is  September 
30th.  By  November  30th  we 
will  inform  all  applicants  of  the 
finalists.  The  Aperture  Finalists 
are  required  to  submit  tapes  of 
prior  work,  the  budget,  the  pro- 
posed shooting  schedule, 
resumes  for  the  director  and 
the  cinematographer,  a  cast 
and  crew  list,  and  our  completed  questionnaire.  We  will 
announce  our  year  2000  Aperture  winner  by  March  1. 

Who  are  your  program  officers  or  administrators? 

Leslie  Nia  Lewis,  president  and  director;  Eric  Taras, 
treasurer  and  director;  Glenn  Farr,  vice  president  and 
director;  and  Leslie  Rabb,  secretary  and  director. 

Who  makes  the  awards  decisions?  Can  you  name 
any  panelists  from  prior  years? 


48    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September  1999 


Decisions  are  made  by  the  Board  of  Directors.  We  consult 
the  Board  of  Advisors  (comprised  of  Joe  Berlinger,  Charles 
Burnett,  Angela  De  Joseph,  Frank  Chindamo,  Jim 
Jarmusch,  John  Sayles,  Bruce  Sinofsky,  Jesse 
Weathington,  and  Glenn  Farr)  on  finalists  and  winners. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  in  putting 
forth  a  strong  application? 

Follow  instructions.  Submit  entries  in  standard  screen- 
play format  and  do  not  exceed  the  page  limit  (which  for  us 
is  30  pages,  max.).  For  documentaries,  convey  your  pro- 
ject visually  and  stylistically  as  well  as  in  terms  of  theme. 

What  is  the  most  common  mistake  applicants  make? 

No  matter  how  brilliant  your  submission  is,  if  you  can't 
get  it  from  pre-production  through  post  for  $20,000  or 
less,  we  cannot  award  you  the  grant.  A  lot  of  projects 
have  come  through  based  on  costly  or  unobtainable 
music  or  stock  footage,  or  which  have  a  large  number  of 
actors  and  locations.  We  encourage  creativity  and  origi- 
nality— just  be  aware  of  what  you  can  and  cannot  do  for 
$20,000. 

Briefly,  what  is  your  perspective  on  the  lifespan  of  the 
short  film  in  the  independent  film  market  today?  Why 
should  filmmakers  continue  to  make  shorts? 

I  don't  think  "should"  is  the  right  word.  Some  filmmakers 
will  make  shorts  because  they  love  them  and  they  excel 
in  the  form.  In  this  country,  it  is  a  hard  form  to  finance. 
Filmmakers,  producers,  and  distributors  have  to  seek 
every  possible  venue:  on  flights,  on  cable  and  public  tele- 
vision, on  the  Internet,  and  maybe  even  preceding  fea- 
tures like  in  the  old  days.  And  there  are  smart  distributors 
like  Big  Film  Shorts  [www.bigfilmshorts.com]  who  are 
packaging  and  selling  shorts  anthologies  on  video. 

Short  films  are  rediscovered  and  reviewed  as  tastes 
and  fashions  change.  I  just  met  the  actress  who  starred 
in  the  world's  highest  grossing  short  film,  Hardware  Wars, 
which  is  now  being  sold,  rented,  and  viewed  again 
because  of  The  Phantom  Menace.  The  life  of  a  short  film 
could  definitely  be  lengthened  by  good  marketing. 

What  would  people  most  be  surprised  to  learn  about 
Aperture  and/or  its  founders? 

How  much  work  it  is.  And  that  I'm  still  raising  money  to 
shoot  my  own  short  film! 

Other  foundations  or  grantmaking  organizations  you 
admire. 

Film  Arts  Foundation,  the  Paul  Robeson  Fund,  ROM. 

Famous  last  words: 

Persist  if  you  love  it.  Never  quit. 

Funder  FAQ  is  a  monthly  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
that  profiles  a  wide  range  of  film  and  video  funders.  To  suggest 
profile  subjects,  contact:  Michelle  Coe,  c/o  The  Independent, 
304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10013,  or  drop  an  email  to 
michelle@aivf.org 

Michelle  Coe  is  AlVF's  program  and 
information  services  director. 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION,  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

•3s  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  "*■ 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41sr  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems(o)concentric.net 


Judge  us 
By  The 


We   Kieie 


Smithsonian  Institution 

The  film  collection  from  the  great  cultural 
institution's  Office  of  Telecommunications. 


KlLLIAM 

The  world's  premier  collection  of  early  motion 
pictures,  silent  features,  and  shorts:  1896-1940. 


Hearst  Historical, 

One  of  the  premier  historical  collections 
doting  back  to  the  turn  of  the  centurv. 


Andrew  Conti 
tel:  (212)  653-1558 
fax:  (21 2)  799-9258 


HOT 


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WPIX  TV  1 1 

Footage  from  NY's  best  news  station,  from  1948  to  the  present, 
of  iackie  0,  Yankees,  Studio  54  8,  more! 


Rick  DeCroix 
tel:  (21 2)  799-1978 
fax:(212)  712-9297 


email:  clips@filmclip.com 


THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  CONTEMPORARY  &  ARCHIVAL  STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 


August/September  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


Q^ 


/^i 


i) 


by   Scott   Castle 

LISTINGS  DO  NOT  CONSTITUTE  AN  ENDORSEMENT.  WE 
RECOMMEND  THAT  YOU  CONTACT  THE  FESTIVAL 
DIRECTLY  BEFORE  SENDING  CASSETTES,  AS  DETAILS 
MAY  CHANGE  AFTER  THE  MAGAZINE  GOES  TO  PRESS. 
DEADLINE:  1ST  OF  THE  MONTH  TWO  MONTHS  PRIOR  TO 
COVER  DATE  (SEPT.  1  FOR  NOV.  ISSUE).  INCLUDE  FESTI- 
VAL DATES,  CATEGORIES,  PRIZES,  ENTRY  FEES,  DEAD- 
LINES, FORMATS  &  CONTACT  INFO.  SEND  TO: 
FESTIVALS@AIVF.ORG 


Domestic 

american  indian  film  festival.  nov  11-19,  ca. 

Deadline:  Aug.  12. 24th  annual  test  is  accepting  works  by 
or  about  Native  Peoples  of  the  U.S.  &  Canada  that  were 
produced  in  '98-'99.  Cats:  doc  feature,  doc  short,  com- 
mercial feature,  live  short  subject,  animated  short  sub- 
ject, public  service,  music  video  &  industrial.  Entries  must 
incL  completed  entry  form,  signed  regulation  agreement 
form  &  a  screening  cassette.  Entry  fee:  $50.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  Beta  SP,  3/4".  Preview  on  VHS.  For  entry 
forms  &  more  info  contact:  AIFF,  Michael  Smith,  director, 
333  Valencia  St.,  Ste.  322,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103; 
(415)  554-0525;  fax:  554-0542;  indianfilm@aifisf.com; 
www.aifisf.com 

CINE  COMPETITION,  DC,  Deadline:  Aug.  15.  The  Golden 
Eagle  Film  &  Video  Competition  is  presented  by  CINE,  a 
40-year-old  nonprofit  organization.  Competition  is  open  to 
professional  &  non-pro  film-  &  videomakers,  producers, 
sponsors,  distributors,  directors  &  screenwriters. 
Numerous  categories.  Entry  fees:  $125  &  up.  Contact: 
CINE,  1001  Connecticut  Ave.  Ste.  #625,  Washington,  DC. 
20036;  (202)  785-1136;  fax:  785-4114;  cinel@ 
erols.com;  www.cine.org 

CINEQUEST:  THE  ANNUAL  SAN  JOSE  FILM  FESTIVAL 

Feb.  24-March  5.  CA.  Deadline:  Oct.  29.  Founded  1990, 
"Maverick  Filmmaking"  is  annual  theme  of  Cinequest. 
which  showcases  "an  eclectic  mix  of  indie  films  demon- 
strating the  qualities  of  the  maverick:  individuality,  inno- 
vation, intelligence."  Competitive  for  features,  docs  & 
shorts.  Special  sections  incL:  Digital  &  High-Tech,  Latino, 
After  Hours,  Gay  &  Lesbian  &  Local  Showcase.  Features  & 
shorts  of  artistic,  social  or  stylistic  merit  eligible.  Publicity 
materials  due  30  days  after  receipt  of  confirmation;  prints  due 
by  Feb.  14.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee: 
$25.  Contact:  Cinequest.  Mike  Rabehl,  Box  720040,  San  Jose, 
CA  95172;  (408)  995-6305;  fax:  995-5713;  sjfilmfest® 
aol.com;  www.cinequest.org 

CINEVEGAS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Dec.  6-11,.  NV. 
Deadline:  Sept.  30.  Fest  now  accepting  short  film  submissions 
in  cats:  narrative,  doc,  animation.  40  min.  &  under. 
Competition  &  awards.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  tape  trans- 
ferred to  film  &  video.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  Fee:  $50  (pro); 
$25  (student  w/  copy  of  I.D.).  Contact:  Amy  Carrelli,  Polo  Plaza, 
Ste.  204,  3745  Las  Vegas  Blvd.,  Las  Vegas,  NV  89109;  (702) 
477-7530;  fax:  477-7533;  cinevegas@aol.com;  www.  cineve- 
gas.com 


EARTH  VISION  '99:  ENVIRONMENTAL  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FES- 
TIVAL, Nov.  6-8,  CA.  Deadline:  Sept.  15.  Fest  honors  the  work 
of  mediamakers  who  are  working  on  behalf  of  the  earth.  Cats 
incl. :  Forests,  Farming,  Soils,  Pollution,  Global  Warming,  Water 
Quality,  Watersheds,  Oceans,  Endangered  Species,  Habitats, 
Environment  &  Social  Justice.  Awards:  Hand-blown  art  glass 
made  from  recycled  materials.  Entry  fee:  $35.  Formats  &  pre- 
view: VHS  &  S-VHS.  Contact:  Community  TV  of  Santa  Cruz 
County,  816  Pacific  Ave.,  Santa  Cruz,  CA  95060;  (831)  425- 
8848  x.  317;  EarthVis@cruzio.com 

FLAGSTAFF  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  &  VIDEO  FESTIVAL/ 
WORLDFEST  FLAGSTAFF,  Nov  5-14,  AZ.  Deadline:  Sept  1. 


GIRLS'  NIGHT  OUT 

Begun  in  1981  as  an  outlet  for  the  overlooked 
works  of  female  mediamakers,  Women  in  the 
Director's  Chair  still  strives  to  harness  the 
power  ot  film  &  video  as  a  conduit  for  both  plea- 
sure and  social  change.  This  touring  festival  has 
grown  exponentially  in  length  and  scope  over  the 
last  few  years.  Last  year's  fest  featured  113 
works,  most  of  them  short  films  &  videos,  from 
15  countries.  It  also  grew  to  10  days  of  program- 
ming at  10  venues  strewn  throughout  the  city. 
While  showcasing  the  work  of  Chicago  locals  is 
still  the  crux  of  the  fest,  WIDC  proudly  includes 
work  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth.  WIDC 
prizes  content  over  production  values,  looking  for 
films  that  chal- 
lenge and  spur 
dialogue. 
See  listing. 


Founded  in 
1993,  this 
sister  fest 
t  o 

WorldFest-Houston  mcls  about  40  premieres  of  new  American 
ind  &  foreign  films  &  expanded  juried  competition  in  numerous 
cats,  incl.  features,  shorts,  docs,  interactive  media,  student 
films,  exp,  TV  production,  TV  commercials,  music  videos, 
screenplays.  Awards:  Remi  Gold  Grand  Award  for  Best  Entry  in 
each  of  major  cats;  Gold  Special  Jury  Award  &  Gold,  Silver, 
Bronze  &  Finalist  Awards  for  Best  Entry  in  Sub-cat.  Student 
films  compete  for  $2,500  cash  award  for  best  entry  &  $500 
award  in  each  sub-cat.  Screenplay  &  film  script  entries  com- 
pete for  Gold,  Silver,  Bronze  &  Finalist  awards,  incl.  a  $2,500 
cash  option  for  winner  &  $100,000  writer's  fee  on  production. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview:  VHS  1/2",  U-matic  3/4", 
NTSC  &  PAL.  Note:  Features  must  be  independent.  Entry  fee: 
$45-$90.  Contact:  Entry  director,  Worldfest  Flagstaff,  Box 


56566,  Houston.  TX  77256;  (713)  965-9955;  fax:  965- 
9960;  worldfest@aol.com;  www.vannevar.com/world- 
fest 

FORT  LAUDERDALE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL  & 
MARKET,  Oct.  20-Nov.  14,  FL.  Deadline:  Sept.  1;  Sept.  3 
(script);  Sept.  30  (early  student);  Oct  11  (student  final). 
14th  annual  fest  showcasing  indie  films,  begins  w/  mini 
tests  around  FL  followed  by  main  event  in  Ft.  Lauderdale. 
Over  100  films  in  fest,  from  35  countries,  w/  over  60,000 
in  attendance.  Awards  incl.:  Critic's  Award,  Jury  Award  & 
People's  Choice  Award.  Features  considered  for  Director, 
Actor,  Actress,  Golden  Palm  Award  &  Audience  Award. 
Special  Jury  prizes  awarded.  Since  1989,  fest  has  hon- 
ored outstanding  student  films  in  Nat' I  Student 
Competition  in  cats  of  student  narrative  (25-50  min.), 
short  narrative  (under  25  min.),  doc,  animation  &  music 
video.  All  winners  receive  cash  prizes,  plaque  &  product 
grant  from  Kodak,  Program  also  incl.  galas  &  parties, 
breakfast  roundtables,  tributes  &  seminars.  Formats: 
16mm,  35mm,  70mm,  IMAX  (pro  narratives);  Beta, 
16mm  &  35mm  (docs);  VHS,  16mm,  35mm  (student). 
Entry  fee:  $40  (features  &  docs);  $30  (shorts);  $35 
(student);  $35  (script).  Contact:  Bonnie  Adams,  FLIFF, 
1402  Las  Olas  Blvd.,  Ft.  Lauderdale,  FL  33301;  (954) 
760-9898;  fax:  760-9099;  Brofilm@aol.com; 
www.ftlaudfilmfest.com 

HOLLYWOOD  BLACK  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  24-28.  CA. 
Deadlines:  Aug.  31  (early);  Sept.  30  (final).  Goal  of  the 
fest  is  to  "provide  a  dynamic  forum  to  showcase  the 
work  of  Black  filmmakers."  Cats:  features,  shorts,  docs, 
animation  &  student  films.  Fest  also  incl.  Storyteller 
Competition  for  screenwriters  &  invitational  program  for 
out-of-competition  theatrical 
premireres.  Entry  fees:  $25 
(early);  $35  (final).  Materials 
will  not  be  returned  unless 
accompanied  by  request  & 
SASE  w/  proper  postage.  Entry 
form  avail,  on  web  site. 
Contact:  HBFF,  1620  Centinela 
Ave.,  Ste.  204.  Inglewood,  CA 
90302;  (310)  348-3942;  fax: 
348-3949;  info  @hbff.org; 
www.hbff.org 

i  IFFCON  2000,  Jan  14-16,  CA. 

Jj      J        \  Deadline:  Oct.  15,  Conference 

is  N.  America's  "premiere  film 
financing  forum,"  featuring 
roundtables,  private  meetings  &  receptions.  Contact: 
IFFCON,  EBS  Prod.,  360  Ritch  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94107;  (415)  281-9777;  info@iffcon.com;  www.iff- 
con.com 

LAKE  ARROWHEAD  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

Oct.  1-3,  CA.  Deadline:  Sept.  1.  Fest  features  small, 
eclectic,  quality  mt'l  films  to  celebrate  the  true  spirit  of 
independent  filmmaking  regardless  of  budget  or  subject 
matter.  Cats:  shorts,  features,  docs  &  animation. 
Awards:  The  Independent  Vision  Award  to  best  feature, 
short  &  doc;  plus  the  Inspiration  Award.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Beta  &  video.  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC).  Entry  fee: 
$25.  Contact:  LAIFF,  General  Delivery,  Lake  Arrowhead, 
CA  92342;  (909)  659-7733;  filmfestival  @pe.met; 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


www.arrowheadfilmfest.com 

MOBIUS  ADVERTISING  AWARDS,  Early  Feb.,  IL.  Deadline:  Oct 
1.  Open  to  TV,  cinema,  in-flight,  cable  &  radio  commercials, 
print  &  package  design  produced,  screened  or  aired  national- 
ly/regionally/locally after  Oct.  1  of  preceding  yr.  Newly  produced 
ads  as  well  as  previously  produced,  still  appearing  or  reintro- 
duced also  eligible.  Cats  incl.:  automotive,  children's  products, 
clothing,  commercial  products,  food  &  beverages,  home  care  & 
maintenance  products,  home  furnishings,  personal  products, 
personal  articles  &  gift  items,  pet  products,  pharmaceutical, 
recreation,  services,  misc.  Technique/specialty  cats:  animation 
(computer,  non-computer),  copywriting,  direction,  art  direction, 
editing,  humor,  illustration,  music  (adaptation,  original),  overall 
production,  photo,  product  demo,  set  design,  special  effects, 
talent.  Special  Year  2000  Mobius  Statuettes  awarded.  Formats 
accepted.-  3/4",  U-Matic.  Entry  fee:  $135;  $200  (campaign  of 
3).  J.W.  Anderson,  chair,  U.S.  Festivals  Association,  841  N. 
Addison  Ave.,  Elmhurst,  IL  60126;  mobiusinfo@mobius- 
awards.com;  www.mobius  awards.com 

NEW  YORK  INTERNATIONAL  CHILDREN'S  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

Feb  4-13,  NY.  Deadline:  Oct  1. 50  new  works,  shorts  &  features, 
screen  to  est.  audience  of  8,000-10,000  children  ages  3-16, 
parents,  filmmakers  &  media  execs.  Plus  workshops,  panels  & 
presentation.  Accepting  passionate,  creative  work  that  doesn't 
speak  down  to  children.  Will  consider  difficult,  controversial 
subject  matter.  Young  people  are  sophisticated,  please  submit 
films  w/  substance.  Cats:  features,  shorts,  docs,  animation, 
narrative  &  experimental.  Awards  incl.:  the  "Otter"  sculpture  & 
production  prizes.  Foreign  lang  films  must  be  subtitled  in 
English.  Works  must  be  completed  no  earlier  than  July  1, 1997. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta  SR  3/4".  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC, 
PAL,  Secam).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Eric  Bechman,  NYICFF,  532 
LaGuardia  PI.  #329,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212)  674-4165; 
fax:  674-5692;  ebeinc@inch.com;  www.gkids.com 

OHIO  INDEPENDENT  FILM  FESTIVAL  &  MARKET,  Nov.  2-7, 
OH.  Deadlines:  Aug.  1  (early);  Sept.  1  (final).  Fest  strives  to  be 
the  leading  organization  in  Ohio  dedicated  to  freedom  of 
expression  through  the  art  of  independent  media,  by  encourag- 
ing emerging  media  artists  &  by  providing  a  consistent,  rep- 
utable venue  for  media  work  the  public  may  not  otherwise  see. 
All  genres  accepted.  Awards:  All  films  selected  for  the  OIFF  & 
Market  are  eligible  for  our  Off-Hollywood  Oscarz  awards,  worth 
almost  $2,000.  Formats:  16mm,  super  8  &  VHS  (NTSC).  Entry 
fees  early:  $15  (under  15  min.),  $20  (15  min.  &  over)/  final: 
$30  (under  15  min.),  $40  (15  min.  &  over).  Contact:  OIFFM, 
Annetta  Marion  &  Bernadette  Gillota,  Co-Directors,  2258  West 
10th  St.,  #5,  Cleveland,  OH  44113;  (216)  781-1755; 
OhiolndieFilmFest@juno.com;  www.  rinestock.com/flickfest; 
www.ohiofilms.com 

ONION  CITY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Sept.,  IL.  Deadline:  Aug.  19.  13th 
year  of  int'l  competition  for  filmic  endeavors  that  explore  vital 
&  diverse  forms  of  experimental  cinema.  Fest  celebrates  excel- 
lence in  all  genres  of  experimental  film.  Each  work  judged  sole- 
ly on  its  own  merits.  Awards  incl.  cash  &  in-kind  awards.  Films 
must  have  been  completed  after  Jan  1,  1997.  Formats:  super 
16, 16mm  &  35  mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  Prints  must  be  avail,  by 
Sept.  1  for  critical  viewing  &  the  awarding  process.  Entry  fee: 
$30;  $25  (student/members/  past  entrants).  Contact:  Johnny 
White,  fest  dir.;  ocff@hotmail.com 

PAN  AFRICAN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  10-20,  CA.  Deadline:  Oct. 
30.  Founded  in  1992,  the  largest  festival  of  independent  & 


industry  black  films  in  the  U.S.  Over  75  productions  show- 
cased. Audience  in  excess  of  20,000.  Competitive  &  showcase. 
Fest  presents  features,  shorts  &  docs  from  US,  Africa, 
Caribbean,  Latin  America,  Europe,  S.  Pacific  &  Canada.  Films 
must  be  made  by/or  about  people  of  African  descent.  Special 
programs  incl.:  Film  Forums,  Children's  Fest  &  StudentFest. 
Fest  held  at  Magic  Johnson  Theatres.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
3/4",  1/2".  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Ayuko  Babu,  exec,  dir.,  PAFF, 
Box  2418,  Beverly  Hills,  CA  90213;  (323)  295-1706;  fax:  295- 
1952;  lapaff@aol.com;  www.PAFF.org 

PRIZED  PIECES  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  AND  VIDEO  COMPETI- 
TION, Oct  24.,  OH.  Deadlines:  Aug.  27;  Sept.  3  (late).  18th 
annual  media  event  recognizes,  honors  &  showcases  most 
recent  positive,  non-stereotypical  black  film/video  productions 
that  address  issues  &  concerns  of  people  of  African  descent 
universally.  Awards  in  following  cats:  biographies,  experimen- 
tal, feature,  multimedia,  short,  local,  performance,  TV  doc,  TV 
narrative,  and  youth.  Special  cats:  best  independent  in  the 
competition  receives  $1,500  cash  award,  Oscar  Micheaux 
Award  (which  honors  African  American  media  professionals 
"whose  works  &  spirit  most  closely  embody  those  of  Micheaux: 
dedication,  creativity,  competence,  persistence  &  strength  of 
character")  receives  $1,500  &  Best  Student  Film/Videomaker 
receives  $1,000.  Cash  awards  for  1st  place  winners  ($1,000); 
plaques  of  recognition  for  1st  through  3rd;  certificates  for  spe- 
cial merit.  Entries  must  have  been  produced  in  preceding  year, 
int'l  entries  must  have  been  produced  in  preceeding  2  yrs. 
Formats:  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  U-matiC;  NTSC  for  int'l  entries. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  add  $25  for  late  deadline;  $35 
(students);  $60  (indie  producers);  $80  (all  other 
producers/distributors).  Applications  avail,  on  web  site. 
Contact:  Louis  Wright,  Dir.  of  Entrepreneurial  Activities 
Coordinator,  PPIFVC,  761  Oak  St,  Ste.  A,  Columbus,  OH  43205; 
(614)  229-4399;  fax:  299-3498;  www.blackstarcom.org 

SAN    FRANCISCO    INDEPENDENT    FILM    FESTIVAL    (SF 

IndieFest),  Dec.  9-12,  CA.  Deadline:  Sept.  1.  2nd  annual  fest 
seeks  feature-length  film  &  video  &  short  animation.  First 
IndieFest  presented  17  features  &  was  attended  by  over  3,000 
filmgoers.  All  films  in  this  year's  festival  will  compete  for 
Audience  Awards  for  best  feature  &  best  animated  short  &  for 
a  prize  (new  this  year)  which  will  be  awarded  to  the  IndieFest 
Staff  Favorite.  For  entry  form  contact:  SF  IndieFest,  530 
Divisidero  St.,  #183,  San  Francisco,  CA  94117,  (415)  929- 
5038;  jtpasty@sirius.com;  www.i.am/indie 

SAN  FRANCISCO  INTERNATIONAL  ASIAN  AMERICAN  FILM 
AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  March  9-16,  CA.  Deadline:  Oct.  1. 
Founded  in  1982,  fest  has  grown  to  be  one  of  largest  &  most 
prominent  showcases  for  works  from  Asian  America  &  Asia, 
offering  unique  mix  of  features,  for  total  of  70-80  works.  Fest  is 
"lively  venue  for  filmmakers,  industry  &  Asian  communities" 
worldwide  &  is  also  ideal  for  launching  West  Coast  theatrical 
run.  Extensive  local  coverage  by  media,  industry  press.  Also 
special  events,  panels,  installations,  galas.  Fest  sponsored  by 
Natl  Asian  American  Telecommunications  Assoc.  (NAATA),  a 
resource  center  for  exhibition,  funding,  production,  distribution 
&  broadcast  of  Asian  American,  Asian-Pacific,  American  & 
Asian  works.  Cats:  feature,  experimental,  short,  doc,  mixed 
genre.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  NTSC  video  formats  Beta,  3/4". 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $20.  Contact:  Brian  Lau,  exhibition 
dir.,  NAATA/SAIAAFF,  346  9th  St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA 
94103;  (415)  863-0814;  fax:  863-7428;  festival@naata- 
net.org;  www.naatanet.org/  festival 


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SHORTS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  8-11,  NY 
Deadline:  Sept.  15.  Fest  held  in  Manhattan  at  Sony  Theaters 
Lincoln  Square;  winning  films  will  tour  Loews  theaters 
nationwide.  Now  in  3rd  yr,  fest  aims  "to  put  shorts  back  on 
the  map"  &  boasts  advisory  board  incl.  the  Coen  bros., 
Susan  Seidelman,  Taylor  Hackford,  Ang  Lee  &  Annette 
Insdorf.  Cats:  animation,  comedy,  doc,  drama,  experimental 
&  student.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  Length: 
40  min.  or  less.  Films  must  have  been  completed  after  June 
1998.  Grand  prize  of  $2,000  to  winning  director  in  each  cat. 
Entry  fee:  $25.  Contact:  Lisa  Walborsky,  205  East  22nd  St., 
Ste.  5G,  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  686-8189;  fax:  288- 
4078;  lwalborsky@msn.com;  www.shorts.org 

SUNDANCE  FILM  FESTIVAL.  Jan.,  UT.  Early  submissions 
deadline  (features):  Aug.  6  (notification  in  late  Sept.).  Dead- 
line (shorts):  Oct.l.  Deadline  (features):  Oct.  8.  Founded  in 
1985  to  "recognize  independent  filmmaking  in  all  of  its 
diversity,"  Sundance  is  premiere  U.S.  competitive  showcase 
for  new  ind.  films.  Many  important  works  have  premiered  at 
fest  &  launched  theatrical  lives.  Showcase  for  domestic  & 
itrt'l  films,  incl.  competition  of  new  American  ind.  feature 
films,  non-competitive  program  of  both  new  American  ind. 
&  foreign  feature  films  &  shorts.  Dramatic  &  doc  entries 
must  have  51%  U.S.  financing  &  be  completed  no  earlier 
than  Oct.  of  preceding  2  yrs.  Running  time  no  less  than  70 
mm.  (drama);  50  min.  for  doc.  For  competition,  entries  may 
not  open  theatrically  before  Feb.  1  of  yr  of  fest  in  more  than 
3  N.  American  markets  or  be  broadcast  nat'ly.  Competition 
entries  may  not  play  in  any  domestic  film  fest  prior  to 
Sundance.  Films  may  play  in  up  to  2  foreign  tests.  Films 
produced,  financed  or  initiated  by  major  motion  picture  stu- 
dio not  eligible  for  comp.:  however,  any  film  conforming  to 
above  guidelines  &  produced,  financed  or  initiated  by  indie 
division  of  studio,  or  purchased  by  studio  after  completion, 
is  eligible.  Foreign  feature  films  (less  than  51%  U.S. 
financed)  not  eligible  for  comp..  but  may  be  submitted  for 
consideration  for  fest  screening  &  must  be  subtitled  in 
English.  One  rep  of  each  comp.  film  will  be  invited  to  attend 
as  test's  guest.  Ind  Feature  Film  Competition  awards  Grand 
Prize,  Cinematography  Award  &  Audience  Award  (popular 
ballot.)  Other  awards:  in  dramatic  cat,  Screenwriters  Award; 
in  doc  cat.  Freedom  of  Expression  Award.  Films  selected  for 
comp.  become  eligible  for  inclusion  in  Sundance  Int'l  Show. 
American  films  selected  in  short  film  cat  eligible  for  special 
award.  Other  special  programs  have  incl.  Latin  American 
section  &  World  Cinema.  About  200  works  selected  for  each 
fest  &  large  audience  of  75,000  incls  major  distributors, 
programmers,  journalists,  critics  &  agents.  Int'l  press  cov- 
erage quite  extensive.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $20-$50. 
Submission  address:  John  Cooper,  Assoc.  Dir  Programming, 
225  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  8th  fl„  Santa  Monica,  CA  90401; 
La_info@sundance.org;  www.sundance.org 

WOMEN  IN  THE  DIRECTOR'S  CHAIR  INTERNATIONAL 
FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  March,  IL.  Deadline:  Sept.  15. 
19th  annual  fest  is  largest  &  longest  running  women's  film 


&  video  event  in  U.S.  Accepting  entries  made  by  women  & 
girls  of  all  ages.  All  genres,  all  running  times  &  all  subject 
matters  accepted.  In  addition  to  fest  in  March,  some 
works  will  be  incl.  in  year-long  nat'l  tour  &  participants  in 
tour  receive  stipend  based  on  number  of  screenings. 
Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  3/4",  VHS.  Preview  on  VHS 
(NTSC).  Entry  fee:  $30;  $20  (for  WIDC  members).  Contact: 
WIDC,  941 W.  Lawrence  Ave.,  Ste.  500,  Chicago,  IL  60640; 
(773)  907-0610;  fax;  907-0381;  widc@widc.org; 
www.widc.org 

Foreign 

$100  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  18-21,  Canada.  Deadline: 
Sept.  30.  8th  annual  fest  encourages  new  &  experienced 
filmmakers  to  make  "shoot  from  the  hip"  exp  shorts.  Cash 
awards:  CDN  $500-$1000.  Formats:  super  8  &  16mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entries  outside  Canada  should  label 
packages:  "Cultural  Purposes.  No  Commercial  Value." 
Contact:  Calgary  Society  of  Ind.  Filmmakers,  Box  23177 
Connaught  P.O.,  Calgary,  Alberta,  T2S  3B1,  Canada;  (403) 
205-4747;  fax:  237-5838;  info@cadvision.com; 
www.csif.org 

AMIENS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov  5-14, 
France.  Deadline:  Sept.  6.  Competitive  showcase  focuses 
on  films  exploring  cultural  identity,  minority  groups  &  eth- 
nic issues  w/  emphasis  on  little-known  cinema  &  multi- 
cultural film  from  throughout  the  world.  Features,  shorts, 
fiction  or  doc  films  that  address  or  identify  a  people  or  eth- 
nic minority,  racism,  or  issues  of  representation  &  differ- 
ences eligible.  In  competition,  entries  must  have  been 
completed  btwn  Sept.  of  previous  yr  &  Oct.  of  yr  of  edition 
&  be  unshown  in  France.  Awards:  Grand  Prix  to  best  fic- 
tion feature,  50,000  FF  (approx.  $7,925),  to  promote 
French  distribution  of  the  Grand  Prix.  Jury  award,  First 
Feature  Award;  Grand  Prix  to  best  short.  In  past  yrs,  fest 
has  presented  retros,  panoramas  &  tributes  to  cinemas  of 
Africa,  Caribbean,  Latin  America,  Native  America,  African 
America  &  Asia.  Each  yr  fest  pays  tribute  to  a  director  &  a 
country.  Programs  this  yr.:  Retospectives:  American  cine- 
ma in  70s,  Edgar  Neville  (Spain),  cinema  of  Morocco; 
Tributes  to  directors:  Alexis  Damianos  (Greece),  Samba 
Felix  N'Diaye  (Senegal),  Delmer  Daves  (U.S.).  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  Beta  (for  docs).  No  entry  fee.  Contact: 
Jean-Pierre  Garcia,  managing  dir,  AIFF,  MCA,  Place  Leon 
Gontier,  80000  Amiens,  France;  Oil  33  3  22  71  35  70; 
fax:  33  3  22  92  53  04;  amiensfilmfestival@burotec.fr 

AUTRANS  INTERNATIONAL  MOUNTAIN  AND  ADVENTURE 
FILM  FESTIVAL,  Dec.  8-12.  France.  Deadline:  Sept  30. 
16th  annual  competitive  fest,  open  to  professional  &  non- 
professional filmmakers,  looks  for  films  that  "contribute 
positively  to  knowledge  on  the  one  hand  of  the  snow  &  ice 
world  &  the  other  to  developing  &  exalting  human 
resources  in  adventure  &  evasion."  Entries  may  incl.  snow 


GOING  TO  MARKET?  TO  A  FESTIVAL?  PLANNING  A  SCREENING? 

AIVF  members  can  purchase  AlVF's  mailing  list  to  target  filmmakers,  programmers,  and  industry  reps., 
either  nationally  or  in  a  specific  geographic  area.  Contact  LaTrice  Dixon  at  (212)  807-1400  x.  236. 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


&  ice  films,  sporting  &  sports  teaching  films,  social  life  &  eth- 
nology films,  adventure  &  exploration  films  &  expedition  doc 
films.  Entries  should  have  been  completed  in  previous  4  yrs. 
Awards:  Grand  Prix  d'Autrans  (50.000FF  ($7,925)  for  fiction, 
10,000FF  ($1,585)  for  doc)  &  to  best  sporting  or  sports  teach- 
ing film,  social  life  &  technology  film,  adventure  &  exploration 
film,  expedition  doc,  snow  &  ice  film  &  young  director.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  Beta/Beta-SP  (not  NTSC).  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  Chiocca  Mirreille,  gen'l  sec,  AIMAFF,  Aventure, 
Evasion,  Centre  Sportif  Nordique,  38880  Autrans  (Vercors), 
France;  Oil  33  4  76  95  30  70;  fax:  33  4  76  95  38  63. 

BANFF  MOUNTAIN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  5-7,  Canada. 
Deadline:  Sept.  10  (receipt  of  entry  form);  Sept.  17  (receipt  of 
film).  Now  in  24th  yr,  fest  is  juried  int'l  film  competition  which 
seeks  out  best  films  &  videos  on  mountains  &  their  spirit  of 
adventure.  Entries  compete  in  6  cats:  Grand  Prize  ($4,000), 
Best  Film  on  Climbing  ($2,000),  Best  Film  on  Mountain  Sports 
($2,000),  Best  Film  on  Mountain  Environment  ($2,000), 
People's  Choice  Award  ($2,000),  Best  Film  on  Mountain  Culture 
($2,000)  (all  $  amounts  Canadian).  Winning  films  become  part 
of  int'l  tour,  for  which  producers  are  paid  fee.  Entries  can  be 
any  duration,  either  narrative  or  story  form,  animated  or  exp  art 
form.  Fest  situated  in  heart  of  the  Canadian  Rockies  &  has 
become  one  of  largest  of  its  kind  in  world,  attracting  audiences 
of  over  6,000.  Also  features  int'l  guest  speakers,  adventure 
trade  fair,  mountain  craft  sale,  climbing  wall  &  seminars  on 
mountain  subjects.  Formats  accepted:  35mm,  16mm,  Digital 
Betacam  (SP  or  NTSC),  U-matic  (NTSC,  PAL,  Secam).  Entry  fee: 
$50  CND/$35  USD.  Contact:  Jodi  McDonald,  BMFR  The  Banff 


Centre,  Box  1020,  Stn.  38,  Banff,  Alberta,  Canada  TOL  0C0; 
(403)  762-6441;  fax:  762-6277;  CMC@BanffCentre.AB.CA; 
www.banffcentre.ab.ca/CMC/ 

BRNO  SIXTEEN,  Oct.  13-17,  Czech  Republic.  Deadline:  late 
Aug.,  early  Sept.  Founded  in  1959,  fest  is  annual  int'l  compe- 
tition for  noncommercial  features  &  videos,  running  time  up  to 
30  min.  (exceptions  are  possible).  Entries  must  not  have  been 
produced  commercially  &  for  commercial  use;  amateurs, 
freelance  artists  &  film  school  students  eligible  for  competi- 
tion. Advertising,  political  &  animated  films  not  eligible. 
Awards:  Golden,  Silver  &  Bronze  Medals;  special  awards  for 
individual  creative  components;  financial  or  material  prizes, 
incl.  award  of  10,000  CAK  ($282)  for  "well  conceived  &  well- 
filmed  story."  Entries  must  have  been  completed  in  previous 
3  yrs  &  not  submitted  to  previous  editions.  Fest  will  pay  for  4 
days  of  accommodation  for  1  person  from  each  film.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  super  8,  VHS,  S-VHS.  Entry  fee 
$20,  payable  only  after  notification  of  acceptance.  Contact 
Sarka  Tryhukova,  Brno  16,  Brnenska  Sestnactka,  Kulturni  a 
informacn?  centrum  mesta  Brna,  Radnicka  4,  658  78  Brno, 
Czech  Republic;  Oil  42  05  4221  6139  or  (6142);  fax:  42  05 
4221  4625. 

CLERMONT-FERRAND  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTI- 
VAL, Feb.  4-12,  France.  Deadline:  Oct.  20.  Fest  is  "important 
stop  in  int'l  short  film  fest  circuit."  Over  50  countries  repre- 
sented. Major  int'l  competition  provides  spectacular  view  of 
worldwide  cinematographic  creation,  screening  over  70  films. 
Fest  also  boasts  huge  audiences  of  over  122,000,  making  it 


one  of  France's  largest  tests.  Awards:  Grand  Prix,  20,000FF 
($3,170)  to  director  &  Vercingtorix  award;  additional  dona- 
tions &  prizes  may  be  awarded.  Entries  must  be  under  40 
mm.  &  completed  after  Jan.  1  of  preceding  yr.  French  subti- 
tling strongly  advised  for  selected  prods.  Directors  invited  to 
fest  for  8  days;  hotel  accomm.  &  food  allowance  paid,  plus 
500FF  toward  travel.  Fest  also  hosts  short  film  market,  which 
has  large  catalog  listing  over  2,000  prods  &  providing  good 
overview  of  int'l  short  film  prodn.  Numerous  buyers  have  par- 
ticipated over  the  yrs,  incl.  SBS,  Canal +  ,  ZDF,  BBC,  YLE,  La 
Sept-Arte,  France  2,  many  TV  distributors  &  festival  program- 
mers; 1 ,500  professionals  view  works  in  market  &  utilize  cat- 
alog. 25  video  units  avail,  to  buyers  for  viewing  approx  2,000 
tapes  of  shorts.  26  stands  &  special  programs.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Roger  Gonin,  festival 
diector,  26  Rue  des  Jacobins,  63000  Clermont-Ferrand, 
France;  Oil  33  4  73  91  65  73;  fax:  33  4  73  92  11  93; 
info@clermont-filmfest.com;  www.    clermontfilmfest.com 

FLICKERFEST  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Jan. 
2-9,  Australia.  Deadline:  Oct.  1.  9th  annual  event  is 
Australia's  premiere  int'l  short  film  festival,  touring  nat'ly 
after  initial  run.  Fest  open  to  any  film  under  30  min.  Films 
must  have  been  completed  w/in  2  years  of  entry  deadline. 
Fest  gives  awards  for  fiction,  docs  &  animation.  Formats: 
16mm  &  35mm  (plus  Beta  SP-PAL  for  docs).  Preview  on  VHS 
(PAL).  Entry  fee:  $25  AUD/$17  USD.  Contact:  Flickerfest, 
1/21  Gould  St.,  Bondi  Beach  NSW  2026,  Sydney,  Australia; 
Oil  61  2  9365  6877;  fax:  61  2  9365  6899; 
Flickerfest@Bigpond.com;  www.flickerfest.com.au 


THE  AIVF  SELF-DISTRIBUTION  TOOLKIT 
IS  NOW  AVAILABLE! 


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$20  AIVF  members; 
$30  non-members 

plus  $6  shipping  &  handling  (domestic) 

For  international  orders,  please  fax  or 
email  for  shipping  rates  and  options. 

to       order: 

by  mail:  send  check,  money  order,  or 

Visa  or  MasterCard  info  to: 

AIVF,  Book  Orders,  304  Hudson  St., 

6th  (1.,  New  York,  NY  10013. 

by  fax:  (212)  463-8519  (credit  card  only) 

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info(5  aivf.org 


THE  AIVF  SELF-DISTRIBUTION  TOOLKIT 

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successful  self-distribution  models  with  special  emphasis  on 
theatrical  and  educational  distribution  for  features,  docu- 
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include:  Arthur  Dong  {Licensed  to  Kill),  Sande  Zeig  of  Artistic 
License,  filmmaker  &  founder  of  the  Austin  Film  Society 
Rick  Linklater,  underground  filmmaker  Danny  Plotnick,  Kay 
Shaw  (Sankofa;  Follow  Me  Home),  theater  owner  Greg 
Laemmle,  Jay  Craven  (Where  the  Rivers  Flow  North),  publicists 
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http://uts.  cc.  utexas.  edu/ -writers/ 


THE        UNIVERSITY        OF        TEXAS        AT        AUSTIN 


GIJON  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL  FOR  YOUNG  PEO- 
PLE, Nov.  19-26.  Spain.  Deadline:  Sept.  20th.  Member  of 
FIAPF  &  European  Coordination  of  Film  Festivals. 
Celebrates  37th.  anniv.  in  '99.  Fest  presents  latest  tenden- 
cies of  young  cinema  worldwide.  Films  shown  are  daring, 
innovative  &  young.  Sections:  Official  is  competitive  for  long 
&  short  films  produced  after  Jan.l  of  preceding  year  &  has 
non-competitive  sections.  Informative  section  incl.  cycles, 
retrospectives  &  tributes.  Also  special  screenings  &  other 
film-related  events  of  interest  for  young  audience.  Awards: 
Int'l  Jury  Prizes  incl.  Best  Film,  2  million  pesetas  (approx 
$12,500);  Best  Short  Film  half  million  pesetas  ($3,125). 
Young  Jury  50  people  aged  17  to  26;  prizes  incl.  Best  Film, 
1  million  pesetas  ($6,250);  Best  Short  Film,  half  million 
pesetas.  Int'l  Jury  awards  also  prizes  for  Best  Director, 
Actor,  Actress,  Art  Direction,  Script  &  "Special  Prize  of  the 
Jury."  Contact:  Jose  Luis  Cienfuegos,  director,  Paseo  de 
Begona,  24  Box  76  33205  Gijon  Asturias,  Spain;  Oil  34  98 
534  37  39;  fax:  34  98  535  41  52;  festcme@las.es 

INTERNATIONAL  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FESTIVAL  AMS- 
TERDAM (IDFA)  &  COFINANACING  FORUM,  Nov.  24-Dec. 
2,  Netherlands.  Deadlines:  Aug.  25  (festival);  Sept.  17 
(Forum).  Now  one  of  most  important  tests  on  int'l  doc  cir- 
cuit, a  location  for  meeting  colleagues,  indie  producers,  film 
buyers  &  possible  financiers.  Program  sections  incl: 
Competition  Program  (shows  approx.  25  films);  Reflecting 
Images  (info  program  designed  to  stimulate  discussion  on 
new  doc  trends);  First  Appearance  (1st  or  2nd  doc  by  film- 
maker); Highlights  of  the  Lowlands;  retros;  thematic  pro- 
grams; video  program;  workshops,  seminars  &  debates. 
FORUM  is  Europe's  largest  gathering  of  TV  comissioning 
editors  &  independent  doc  producers  w/  the  aim  of  stimu- 
lating co-finanacing  &  co-production  of  new  docs.  Awards 
inch  Joris  Ivens  Award  for  best  doc  film,  25,000  NLG 
(approx.  $11,800);  Silver  Wolf  for  best  doc  video,  10,000 
NLG  ($4,720);  Audience  Award  (10,000  NLG).  Films  in 
comp  may  be  any  length,  in  35mm  or  16mm  (entries  shot 
on  video  must  be  transferred  to  film),  completed  after  Aug. 
1  of  preceding  yr  &  not  screened  or  broadcast  in 
Netherlands  prior  to  fest.  Video  Program  accepts  docs  of 
any  length  which  are  shot  on  film  or  video,  but  finished  on 
video  &  completed  after  Aug.  1  of  preceding  yr.  Formats 
accepted:  35mm,  16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Fleur 
Knopperts,  office  mgr,  IDFA,  Fest  Office,  Kleine- 
Gartmanplantsoen  10,  1017  RR  Amsterdam,  Netherlands; 
011 31 20  627  33  29;  fax:  31 20  638  53  88;  info@idfa.nl; 
www.idfa.nl 

INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL  ROTTERDAM,  Jan  26- 

Feb  6.  Netherlands.  Deadlines:  Sept.  1  (Hubert  Bals  Fund); 
Oct.  1  (shorts,  CineMart),  Nov.  1  (features).  29th  annual 
fest  combines  adventurous  cinema  w/  more  conventional 


TRUST  US! 

For  up-to-date  and  reliable  festival  list- 
ings, turn  to  AIVF  and  The 
Independent.  Unlike  other  festival  list- 
ings, we  contact  each  festival  prior  to 
publication  for  an  update  and  don't  rely 
on  second-hand  info.  Also  watch  for 
our  searchable  festival  database  on 
www.aivf.org 


54    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


films  of  quality  &  focus  on  innovative  &  new  talent.  Rotterdam 
enjoys  one  of  the  largest  audiences  (300,000)  in  the  world. 
1999  festival  had  more  than  200  features,  both  fiction  &  doc, 
plus  250  shorts,  videos,  installations,  CD-ROMs  &  website. 
Competition  incl.  VPRO  Tiger  Award  Competition  for  1st  &  2nd 
features  from  new,  emerging  filmmaking  talents,  receiving 
their  premiere  screening  in  Rotterdam.  Each  of  three  awards 
accompanied  by  10,000  Euros  ($10,000)  in  cash,  as  well  as  a 
guaranteed  theatrical  distribution  in  The  Netherlands  &  broad- 
casting commitment  from  Dutch  public  broadcaster  VPRO. 
CineMart,  world's  first  market  for  works-in-progress,  invites  a 
select  number  of  directors  &  producers  to  present  latest  pro- 
jects to  potential  co-producers,  TV  stations,  distributors, 
financiers,  sales  agents  &  funding  bodies.  The  five-day  event 
has  grown  into  a  very  effective  instrument  that  brings  togeth- 
er money  &  ideas.  The  Hubert  Bals  Fund  is  managed  by  the 
IFFR  &  is  designed  to  help  realize  dreams  of  innovative  &  tal- 
ented filmmakers  from  developing  countries,  to  bring  their 
plans  for  remarkable  or  urgent  feature  films  &  creative  docs 
one  step  closer  to  fulfilment.  Application  form  avail,  from  the 
web  site.  Contact:  IFFR,  Box  21696, 3001  AR  Rotterdam,  The 
Netherlands;  Oil  31  10  890  90  90;  fax.:  31  10  890  90  91; 
tiger@iffrotterdam.nl;  www.iffrotterdam.nl 

INTERNATIONAL  FRENCH  FILM  FESTIVAL  TUBINGEN/ 
STUTTGART,  Nov.  10-17,  Germany.  Deadline:  Aug.  31.  16th 
annual  fest  features  films  from  French-speaking  countries  and 
incl.  competition,  premieres,  tributes,  retrospectives  &  focus 
panel  topics.  Cats:  fiction,  doc,  feature  film,  short  film. 
Formats:  16mm,  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  Andrea  Bauer  c/o  Filmtage  Tubingen,  Osterbergstr.  9, 
D-72074 Tubingen,  Germany ;  Oil  49  7071  56  96  52;  fax:  49 
7071 56  96  96;  Filmtage.Tuebingen@t-online.de;  www.  city- 
infonetz.de/filmtage/index.html 

MONTREAL  INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  FILMS  AND 
VIDEOS  ON  ART,  March  14-19,  Canada.  Deadline:  Oct.  10.  In 
its  18th  edition,  fest  is  competitive  for  productions  related  to 
arts:  painting,  sculpture,  architecture,  design,  crafts,  fashion, 
decorative  arts,  museology,  restoration,  photography,  cinema 
(profiles  of  directors,  actors,  film  shoots,  special  effects,  films), 
literature,  dance,  music,  theater  &  opera.  The  festival  is  not 
designed  for  experimental  films  or  videos  but  for  productions  on 
art-related  subjects.  Features  &  shorts  accepted.  Sections: 
Crossroads  (competition),  Trajectories  (panorama  of  recent 
films  &  videos),  Focus  (tribute  to  noted  producers,  filmmakers, 
distributors),  Reflections  (films  &  videos  by  artists),  Artificial 
Paradise  (films  &  videos  related  to  cinema  as  an  art  form), 
Time  Recaptured  (archival  films,  late  artists,  anniversaries). 
Entries  in  competition  must  have  been  completed  in  3  years 
preceding  the  festival.  No  date  restrictions  on  other  sections. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4".  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  U.S. 
$25;  Canada  &  other  countries:  $35  CDN.  Contact:  Rene  Rozon, 
640  St-Paul  W.  #406,  Montreal,  Quebec  H3C  1L9,  Canada; 
(514)  874-1637;  fax:  874-9929;  fifa@maniacom.com; 
www.maniacom.com  /fifa.html 

THESSALONIKI  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  12-21, 
Greece.  Deadline:  Oct.  1.  Now  in  its  40th  year,  fest  of  new 
trends  in  world  cinema  is  also  Balkans'  primary  showcase  for 
work  of  young  &  emerging  filmmakers,  as  well  as  top  film  fest 
in  region.  Fest  keen  to  target  new  generation  of  filmmakers  as 
well  as  showcasing  innovative  indie  films  from  around  world. 
Sections  incl.  Int'l  Competition  for  1st  or  2nd  features; 


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Panorama  of  Greek  Films;  Retros  (Ken  Loach  &  Jean-Daniel 
Pollet  honored  in  1998);  New  Horizons,  organized  by  veteran 
fest  programmer  Dimitri  Eipides,  is  int'l  showcase  of  new 
trends  in  independent  film.  Info  section  &  number  of  special 
events,  galas,  etc.  Top  awards  incl.  Golden  Alexander 
12,500,000  drs  (approx.  $40,000)  &  Silver  Alexander 
7,500,000  drs  (approx.  $24,000).  All  participating  films  should 
be  nat'l  premieres.  Films  in  competition  should  have  been  pre- 
viously shown  in  as  few  as  possible  int'l  tests.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact;  TFF.  40  Paparigopoulou 
St.,  114  73  Athens,  Greece;  Oil  30  1  645-3669;  fax:  30 1 644- 
8143;  info@filmfestival.gr;  www. 

filmfestival.gr 

T0RELL0  MOUNTAIN  &  ADVENTURE  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov., 
Spam.  Deadline:  Late  Sept.  Torello's  fest  themes  incl.  all 
aspects  of  mountains;  mountaineering  (alpinism,  climbing, 
expeditions,  excursions),  mountain  sports  (speleology,  ski, 
sports  climbing,  parachuting,  canoeing-rafting,  adventure), 
mountain  environment  (nature  protection,  flora,  fauna,  ethnol- 
ogy). Entries  must  have  been  produced  in  previous  3  yrs. 
Awards:  Grand  Prize  "Vila  de  Torello."  Edelweiss  of  gold  & 
500,000  ptas  (approx.  $3,125)  for  best  film;  Prize  Fundacio  "la 
Caixa,"  Edelweiss  of  silver  &  200,000  ptas  ($1,250)  for  best 
mountaineering  film;  Edelweiss  of  silver  &  200,000  ptas  each 
for  best  mountain  sports  film,  best  film  of  mountain  environ- 
ment; Jury  Prize.  Special  prizes  given  for  best  photography  & 
script.  Formats;  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  Beta.  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  Joan  Salarich,  festival  director,  Festival  Internacional 
de  Cinema  de  Muntanya,  Anselm  Clave  5,  Box  19,  08570 
Torello,  Spain;  Oil  34  93  859  28  99;  fax:  34  93  859  30  00;  cm- 
emun@ctv.es;  www.ctv.es/users/cinemun 

TORINO  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Nov.  19-27,  Italy.  Deadline;  Aug.  31 
(shorts),  Sept.  30  (features).  17th  annual  fest  is  excellent  com- 
petitive showcase  for  new  directors  &  filmmaking  trends.  Held 
in  northern  Italy's  Piedmont  region.  Sections;  int'l  competition 
for  feature  films  (35mm  &  16mm  Italian  premieres  completed 
after  Oct.  1, 1998);  int'l  short  film  competition  (up  to  30  min.); 
noncompetitive  section  (features  &  docs);  important  premieres 
&  works  by  jury  members.  Italian  Space  competition  (35mm, 
16mm  &  videos)  accepts  works  by  Italian  directors.  Turin  Space 
accepts  films  &  video  by  directors  born  or  living  in  Piedmont 
region.  Fest  also  features  retros.  Fest  does  not  accept  in  com- 
petition any  films  already  shown  in  competition  at  Cannes, 
Berlin,  Locarno,  or  any  Italian  tests.  Awards;  int'l  feature  films 
competition:  1st  prize  30  million  lire  (approx.  $16,110);  2  spe- 
cial jury  awards  of  lOmillion  lire  each  ($5,370);  int'l  short  films 
competition:  1st  Prize,  5  million  lire  ($2,685);  two  Special  Jury 
Awards  of  2  million  lire  each  ($1,075);  Italian  Space 
Competition:  Fiction  section:  1st  Prize  10  million  lire  in  techni- 
cal services  &  film,  2nd  prize  2  million  lire;  Non-fiction  section: 
1st  prize  5  million  lire  in  services,  2nd  prize  2  million  lire;  Turin 
Space  Competition:  1st  Prize  5  million  lire  in  technical  services; 
2nd  Prize  1  million  lire  ($537).  Local  &  foreign  auds  approach 
56,000,  w/  25  nations  represented  &  over  250  journalists 
accredited.  About  300  films  shown.  Formats;  35mm,  16mm.  For 
appl,  call:  011  390  11  562  3309;  fax  390  11  562  9796; 
info@torinofilmfest.org;  www.torinofilmfest.org 

'        AIVF  BY  EMAIL!        N 

Add  your  name  to  our  address  book  by 
contacting:  members@aivf.org 


56    THE    INDEPENDENT     August /September   1999 


; 


JiSJi'jU 


'£J 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  listed 
free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  current, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months  prior  to 
cover  date  (e.g.,  sept.  1  for  nov.  issue).  complete 
contact  info  (name,  address  &  phone)  must 
accompany  all  notices.  send  to:  independent 
notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th  fl,  ny,  ny  10013. 
we  try  to  be  as  current  as  possible,  but  double- 
check  before  submitting  tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

FILM  IN  ARIZONA  SCREENWRITING  COMPETITION  3rd  annu- 
al event  introduces  new  material  that  can  be  filmed  regionally 
to  entertainment  industry.  Winning  screenwriter  receives  pro- 
fessional script  notes,  introductory  meetings  w/  agents  & 
development  reps.  Contact:  Linda  Peterson  Warren,  Arizona 
Film  Commission,  3800  North  Central  Ave.,  Bldg.  D,  Phoenix,  AZ 
85012;  (602)  280-1460  or  (800)  523-6695. 

F.O.C.U.S.  2ND  ANNUAL  CALL  FOR  SCREENPLAYS:  The 

F.O.C.U.S.  Institute  of  Film  is  a  unique  nonprofit  organization 
that  produces  mainstream,  low-budget  films  where  proceeds 
from  the  releases  are  directed  toward  scholarship  funds  for 
underprivileged  foster  children.  The  screenplay  submission 
program  is  a  critical  source  of  funding  for  our  organization  & 
enables  us  to  support  many  disadvantaged  youngsters 
throughout  the  nation.  Deadline:  Sept.  1999;  (310)  649-5629; 
472-1481;  www.focusinstituteoffilm.com 

ORIGINAL  MOVIE  SCENE  CONTEST:  You're  invited  to  craft  a 
sensational  movie  scene  (1,500-2,000  words)  in  which  La 
Grande  Dame  Champagne  is  the  star.  The  winning  scene  will  be 
posted  on  clicquot.com  &  the  grand  prize  is  "An  Academy 
Award  Weekend  for  Two."  Send  your  double-spaced,  typed, 
original  scene  to  Vanity  Fair  Promotion  Dept,  350  Madison 
Ave.,  New  York,  NY  10017,  Attn:  La  Grande  Dame  Contest. 

SUNDANCE  CHANNEL  NYC  SHORT  FILM  CONTEST:  Win  a 

chance  to  see  your  short  film  (10  min.  or  less)  on  the  small 
screen  (Sundance  Channel  )  and  the  big  (one  month  at  the 
Screening  Room  in  NYC).  Plus,  get  a  year's  supply  of  Joe  Boxer 
Undershortsl  IF  you're  a  legal  resident  of  the  State  of  New  York 
and  are  18  years  of  age  or  older,  send  a  VHS  NTSC  copy  of  your 
original  short  film  (also  make  it  available  in  16mm),  along  with 
a  signed  affidavit,  waiver  &  entry  form,  before  August  8.  See 
www.sundancechannel.com  for  rules,  entry  form  &  more 
details.  Mail  entries  to:  Sundance  Channel  NYC  Short  Film 
Contest,  c/o  Sundance  Channel,  1633  Broadway,  16th  fl.,  New 
York,  NY  10019.  (Winner  notified  by  mail  on  or  about  October 
11.) 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature  films 
&  shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  the  supervision  of  an  expe- 
rienced feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple  Avid 
Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  features  & 


four  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  the  end  of  1999.  Principal 
photography  &  transfer  must  be  completed  on  feature-length 
film  (70+  min.)  or  short  (under  70  mm.).  Can  be  doc,  narra- 
tive, or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC  director, 
(503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

BAY  AREA  VIDEO  COALITION  offers  workshops  &  seminars  in 
areas  of  video  &  multimedia  production  &  postproduction.  For 
list,  contact  BAVC:  (415)  558-2126;  www.bavc.org 

JOIN  STORY  WEB:  Internet  workshop  for  stories  to  be  impro- 
vised on  video.  We  need  scenarios  for  high  schools,  corpora- 
tions &  the  city  of  Springfield,  MA.  Work  w/  David  Shepard, 
inventor  of  Group  Creativity  the  first  professional  (nonprofit) 
theater  of  improv.;  flecher@crocker.com 


material  that  gets  at  the  heart  of  the  issue.  Program  aspires  to 
represent  differing  points  of  view  from  multiple  voices.  Content 
should  be  appropriate  for  late  Sunday  morning  slot,  which 
encourages  an  open-minded  sensibility.  Send  a  letter  w/  your 
ideas,  resume  &  sample  tapes  to:  Susan  Morris,  exec,  produc- 
er, WNYC,  1  Centre  St.,  30th  fl,  New  York,  NY  10007.  (No  phone 
calls  please.) 

BIT  SCREEN  premiers  original  short  films,  videos  &  multimedia 
works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  Looking  for  original 
films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  &  screen  ratio  for  the  Internet; 
films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  bandwidth  limitations. 
Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium?  For  submission 
guidelines  check  out:  www.TheBitScreen.com 


Films  •  Tapes  Wanted 

A  TV/HOME  VIDEO  production  company  is  seeking 
original  short  films  (preferably  10  min.  or  less)  for 
broadcast  on  a  new  cable  comedy  series  &  inclusion  in 
an  upcoming  video  anthology  collection.  Please  send 
films  in  VHS  or  S-VHS  format  to:  Salt  City  Productions/ 
Big  City  TV,  Box  5515,  Syracuse,  NY  13320; 
SCVP@aol.com 

AIR  YOUR  SHORTS:  new  public  access  cable  show 
seeks  short  films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No 
pay,  just  satisfaction  &  publicity  of  having  films  aired. 
Sean  (949)  531-7623;  www.shortfilmz.com 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  is  accepting  entries  for  its 
on-going  program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for 
Independent  Film  Exhibition 
&  Beyond.  Send  submis- 
sions on  1/2"  VHS  tape. 
Feature-length  independent 
film,  doc  &  new  media  pro- 
jects wanted.  1800  N. 
Highland,  Ste.  717,  L.A.,  CA 
90028.  For  more  info,  call 
(323)  466-FILM. 

ANOMALOUS  VIDEO  THE- 
ATER seeks  works  of  60 
min.  or  less  for  unorthodox 
local  access  TV  showcase 
in  experimental,  abstract  & 
doc  categories.  Those  fea- 
turing unusual  or  unique 
points  of  view  especially 
encouraged.  Formats:  VHS 
&  S-VHS  only.  Must  have  originated  on  some  video  for- 
mat. Submission  implies  consent  to  broadcast.  Send 
sufficient  SASE  for  return.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact: 
Anomalous  Video  Theater,  1335  Huron  River  Dr.#19, 
Ypsilanti,  Ml  4197. 

ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions. 
All  media  incl.  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL  60622 
or  call  (312)  733-2787;  www.icsp.net/arc 

INDEPENDENT  RADIO  PRODUCERS  sought  to  work  on  a  new 
weekly  one-hour  public  radio  program  on  arts  &  culture  to  be 
launched  in  late  autumn  1999.  Interested  in  unconventional 


PEEK-A-BOO 

Manhattan's  Video  Lounge  is  kicking  off 
its  fall  series  on  September  16  with 
Videokonk!  003.  This  is  the  third  in  its 
series  of  experimental  video  and  anima- 
tion programs.  This  bi-weekly  film  series 
at  the  Knitting  Factory's  Alterknit  Theatre 
will  also  feature  a  Women  Make  Movies 
work-in-progress  screening  on  September 
30.  It  is  also  hosting  "Voyeurism,"  an 
outdoor  screening  with  live  musical 
accompaniment  in  Brooklyn  in  Sep- 
tember. The 
film  Night- 
watch  (pic- 
tured at  left) 
screens  as  part 
of  the  Voyerism 
series.  Video 
Lounge's  series 
will  run  on 
alternate 
Thursdays 
through  Dec  1. 
Video  Lounge 
is  a  nonprofit 
focused  on 
emerging  videomakers  in  the  fields  of 
animation,  experimental,  and  documen- 
tary video.  Information  on  all  events  can 
be  accessed  at  videolounge.org. 


BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS:  Now  in  its  4th  year,  accepts 
video,  film,  computer-art  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
monthly  screening  program  called  "Independent  Exposure." 
Artists  will  be  paid  honorarium.  Looking  for  experimental,  erot- 
ic, dramatic,  animation,  underground  works,  but  will  review 
anything  for  a  possible  screening.  Submit  a  VHS  (or  S-VHS) 
clearly  labeled  w/  name,  title,  length,  phone  number  along  w/ 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       57 


Q±J^rjSSZi-BA^i) 


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any  support  materials,  incl.  photos.  Incl.  $5  entry  fee  which  will 
be  returned  if  your  work  is  not  selected,  SASE  if  you  wish 
work(s)  to  be  returned.  Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair 
Productions,  2318  Second  Ave.,  #313-A,  Seattle,  WA,  98121. 
Info/details:  (206)  568-6051;  joel@speakeasy.org; 
www.blackchair.com 

BOWERY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  film/video  works  for 
monthly  screening  at  Dixon  Place.  Looking  for  literate/artistic 
narratives  &  experimental  work.  Occasional  documentaries  & 
longer  works  will  be  screened.  Not  looking  for  "calling  card" 
shorts;  please  send  us  your  more  adventurous  work.  Deadline: 
on-going.  Contact;  Send  VHS  preview  tape  w/  SASE  to  Bowery 
Video  Lounge,  c/o  Detour  Film  Video,  151  First  Av.  #9,  New 
York,  NY  10003;  (212)  228-1914;  fax:  228-1914;  Info: 
david@detournyc.com 

CABLE  SHOWCASE  SEEKS  PRODUCTIONS  Send  1/2"  or  3/4" 
tapes  to:  Bob  Neuman,  Program  Director,  Carren  Koubek, 
Network,  8103  Sandy  Spring  Road,  Laurel,  Maryland  20707. 
Tapes  cannot  be  returned. 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  European  films  on  video  for 
language  project,  preferably  w/out  subtitles.  Limited  rights  only. 
Contact:  Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO  81612;  (970) 
925-2805;  fax:  925-9880;  BNardone@soapris.net 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  w/  up  to  350  industry 
attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up  &  com- 
ing filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams,  Doboy's  Dozens, 
1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA  90028;  (323) 
293-6544;  doboydozen@aol.com 

DOCUMENTAL:  doc  &  exp.  bimonthly  film  video  series  at  LA's 
historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of  any 
length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S-VHS, 
&  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough  or  Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@  drex- 
el.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

EL  RIO  OUTDOOR  CINEMA  is  accepting  submissions  of  inde- 
pendent film  in  all  genres  for  monthly  outdoor  screenings. 
Small  artist's  fee  paid.  Send  VHS  preview  dub  of  16mm  print, 
press  kit  &  photos.  Proposals  for  multimedia  events  also 
accepted.  Deadline:  On-going.  Contact:  El  Rio  Outdoor  Cinema, 
Attn:  Kim  Hawkins,  72  Montell  St.,  Oakland,  CA  94611:  eln- 
ocinek@yahoo.com;  www.elriocine.com 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  THE  99/00  EXHIBITION 
SEASON.  All  media  considered  incl.  2-D,  3-D,  performance, 
video,  &  computer  art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable 
documentation,  SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman  132, 
Central  Michigan  University,  ML  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  worldwide 
audience7  Seeking  shorts  &  features  of  all  genres.  Contact: 
info@filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  is  accepting  shorts  &  works-in-progress 
seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial  resources  for 
CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invited  audience  of 
industry  professionals.  All  productions  should  be  digital. 


Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino,  (212) 
97 1-5846;  www.finishingpictures.com 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for 
public/commercial  TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to 
Floating  Image  Productions,  PO  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica,  CA 
90406  (incl.  SASE  for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www.art- 
net.net/~floatingimage 

IN  THE  COMPANY  OF  WOMEN:  Public  access  TV  show  fea- 
turing the  works  of  women  filmmakers.  All  lengths  welcome. 
Send  VHS  copy,  filmmaker's  bio,  &  a  SASE  to:  In  the 
Company  of  Women,  139  E  89th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11236. 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  w/  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  &  distribution  within 
underground  community.  DIY  exp.  &  activist  work  encour- 
aged. Send  VHS,  SASE  to:  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  dmwF92@hamp.hampshire.edu 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  sea- 
sons. Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  admin- 
istrative fee  to:  New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W.  15th  St.,  New 
York,  NY  10011;  (212)  807-0126.  newyorkfilmbuffs.com 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  a  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audi- 
ence. Works  longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  the 
regular  group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show 
works  on  16mm  w/  optical  track.  Send  films,  together  w/ 
completed  entry  form  (download  from  web  site)  to:  Short 
Film  Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space, 
70  N.  6th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713; 
ocularis@billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  ongoing 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  &  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  &  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact:  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286;  kensherman@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE  is  a  roving,  spontaneous  screening 
series  &  distributor  of  experimental  video.  Based  in  Portland 
&  a  project  of  the  Rodeo  Film  Company,  Peripheral  Produce 
seeks  to  promote  experimental,  abstract,  &  media-subver- 
sive work.  Formats:  16mm,  VHS,  super  8.  Entry  fee:  $5. 
Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce,  c/o  Rodeo 
Film  Co..  Box  40835,  Portland,  OR  97240;  perph@jps.net; 
www.jps.net/perph 

RO.V ,  PBS's  award  winning  showcase  of  independent,  non- 
fiction  film,  seeks  submissions  for  its  next  season.  All  styles 
&  lengths  of  independent  nonfiction  films  welcome. 
Unfinished  work  at  fine-cut  stage  may  be  eligible  for  com- 
pletion funds.  Deadline:  July  31,  2000;  (212)  989-2041  x. 
318;  www.pbs.org/pov 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks 
public  access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian,  bi,  drag, 
trans  subjects,  for  inclusion  in  an  academic  press  book  on 
queer  community  programming.  All  program  genres  are  wel- 


58    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


come.  Incl.  info  about  your  program's  history  &  distribution. 
Send  VHS  tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Asst.  Professor,  Comm. 
Dept,  Florida  Atlantic  Univ.,  777  Glades  Rd.,  Boca  Raton,  FL 
33431;  (561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu 

ROGUE  VALLEY  COMMUNITY  TELEVISION  seeks  video  shows. 
VHS  &  S-VHS  OK,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl.  sufficient 
SASE.  Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi  Aufderheide, 
Southern  Oregon  Univ.,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou  Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR 
97520;  (541)  552-6898. 


The  Independent  Television 

Service  is  offering  a  new  ini- 
tiative called  DV  99,  which 
funds  new  television  produc- 
tions or  works-in-progress  shot  on  small  format 
DV— DVCam,  DVCPro,  and  MiniDV— and  edited 
digitally.  They're  accepting  proposals  for  single 
shows  in  any  genre  and  offering  up  to  $125,000 
for  one-hour  programs.  Deadline:  Oct.  15.  ITVS 
is  also  holding  an  open  call  for  innovative  pro- 
grams that  will  attract  new  audiences  to  public 
TV  &  expand  civic  participation  by  bringing  new 
voices  into  the  public  dis- 
course. Deadline:  Sept.  15. 
Email  your  mailing  address  to: 
itvs@itvs.org  to  receive  guid- 
lines  &  application  for  both 
opportunities.  Contact:  ITVS,  51 
Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San 


Francisco,  CA  94107;  (415) 


THE  SHORT  LIST  is  looking 

for  new  films  for  its  2000- 
2001  line-up.  To  submit 
short  films  from  under  1 
min.to  19  min.  long,  obtain 
an  application  form  & 
guidelines  by  sending  a 
SASE  to  The  Production 
Center,  PSFA-325,  San 
Diego  State  University, 
5500  Campanile  Drive,  San 
Diego,  CA  92182-4561; 
Shortlist  @mail. sdsu.edu 

SHORT  TV:  A  new  NYC 
cable  show  (not  public 
access)  directed  to  show  & 
promote  Short  Films;  seek- 
ing submissions.  For  more 
info  call:  Short  TV,  (212) 
226-6258. 

SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST 

The  Net's  first  on-going 
film  festival  seeks  short 
noncommercial  indepen- 
dent films  &  videos.  Web 
users  can  vote  for  their  fav 

shorts  in  each  of  six  cats;  animation,  doc,  experimental,  less 
than  a  min.,  narrative,  made  for  the  Net.  New  films  are  added 
each  month  &  there  are  new  winners  every  min.  The  fest  never 
ends.  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  music. 
Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  site):  Carla  Cole,  The  Sync, 
4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD  20740;  info@the- 
sync.com 

TAG-TV  is  accepting  short  films,  videos  &  animations  to  air  on 
the  Internet.  Check  out  www.tag-tv.com  for  more  info. 

UNDERGROUNDFILM.COM  is  creating  a  sophisticated  web 
space  that  will  help  filmmakers  find  work,  improve  their  skills 
&  connect  w/  collaborators,  investors  &  new  audiences.  We  are 
now  working  on  acquiring  experimental  film  libraries  so  that 
today's  emerging  filmmakers  can  see  other  generations' 
visions  of  film  &  look  beyond..  Must  be  QuickTime  process. 
(212)  206-1995;  www.undergroundfilm.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  exposing 
innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  ind.  works  in  all  genres. 
Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send  submissions 
to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTY  3141  Chestnut  St.  Bldg.  9B  Rm.  406, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  fax:  895-1054. 
dutv@.drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  animation,  experimental  or  doc 
videos  for  on-going  series  at  the  Knitting  Factory.  Send  VHS  tape 
w/  brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220,  New  York,  NY 


10013;  info@videolounge.org;  www.videolounge.org 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  w/  audience  feedback.  Accepting 
VHS/S-VHS,  15  min.  max.  SASE  to:  Box  1042,  Nantucket,  MA 
02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment.  Send 
VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  w/  description  name,  phone,  &  SASE  to: 
Videospace,  General 

Submissions,    9    Myrtle    St., 
Jamaica  Plain,  MA  02130. 


/ 


RSVP  to  ITVS 


WXXI:  Public  Television's  The 
Screening  Room  wants  short 
films/videos,  animation,  art 
films  &  longer-length  documen- 
taries for  possible  screenings  on 
weekly  primetime  series.  Topics 
are  your  choice,  but  should  be 
suitable  for  viewing  by  a  general 
television  audience.  Submit 
entries  on  VHS.  If  chosen,  a 
broadcast  quality  version  will  be 
required.  Contact:  (716)258- 
0244;  kmeyers@  wxxi.org 


ZOOM  During  the 
70s,  ZOOM  was  a 
unique  kids-only  TV 
series  on  PBS,  featur- 
ing kids'  plays, 
poems,  jokes,  films, 
games  &  more.  ZOOM 
is  back  &  we  are 
actively  seeking  films, 
animations  &  videos 
made  by  kids  (some 
adult  supervision  okay)  for  the  series.  Every  kid  who  sends 
something  will  receive  a  free  newsletter  filled  w/  fun  activities 
from  the  show  &  you  might  see  your  film  on  TV.  Length:  up  to 
3  min.  Format:  3/4",  VHS,  Hi8,  super-8, 16mm,  Beta.  Age:  7- 
16.  Subjects  should  be  age  appropriate.  Contact:  Marcy 
Gardner,  WGBH/ZOOM,  125  Western  Ave,  Boston,  MA  02134; 
(617)  492-2777  x3883;  marcy_gardner  @wgbh.org 

Publications 

6th  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FINANCING  CONFERENCE  tran- 
scripts are  now  avail.  Topics  discussed  by  int'l  financiers, 
commissioning  editors  &  producers  include:  "Pitch  Perfect: 
How  to  Sell  Your  Idea"  &  "Fiction  &  Non-Fiction  for  Television." 
Send  $46  to  IFFCON;  360  Ritch  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107; 
(415)281-9777. 

GUIDE  TO  TAX  EXEMPTIONS  FOR  FILMS  SHOT  IN  NY  STATE 

is  avail,  for  producers  who  want  clear  instructions  on  how  to 
claim  the  numerous  tax  exemptions  avail,  in  NY  state  for  film, 
TV  &  commercial  production.  Put  together  by  the  Empire  State 
Development  Corp.  &  the  NY  State  Dept.  of  Taxation  &  Finance, 
the  51-pg  reference  guide  can  be  obtained  by  contacting  NY 
State  Governor's  Office  or  the  Tax  Office.  NY  State  Governor's 
Office  for  Motion  Picture  &  TV  Development,  633  3rd  Ave., 
33rd  fl„  New  York,  NY  10017-6706;  (212)  803-2330;  fax: 
803-2369;  www.empire.state.ny.us/mptv.htm 


AVID  rental 

large  rooms 

with  a  view 

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AVID  1000/AVR77 
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As  long-time 

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our  goal  is  to  help 

other  independent 

^producers  and  editors  >? 

Our  rates  are 
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V 


DIVA  Edit 
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AUDKWIDKO 
POST  PRODUCTION 


A 

VoiceWorks® 
Sound  Studios 
212-541-6592 

Media  100  XS  System 

After  Effects /Boris  Effects 
Scanner /Photoshop 

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Voice  Over  Casting 
Voice  Over  Recording 
Reasonable  Rates!!! 


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New  York,  New  York  10036 

FAX:  212-541-8139 
K- Mail:  vworks(f' uol.com 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


: 


Jvi'i^ 


© 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


North  Carolina 
School  of  the  Arts 

Interviews  are  scheduled  on  campus.  For  more  information,  write:  Admissions, 

North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St.,  Winston-Salem,  NC  27127-2188, 

or  telephone  (336)  770-3291,  or  visit  us  online:  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  L  niversity  ol  North  Carolina 


TIME  LhN  E 

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On  -Line/Off  -Line 

Resources  •  Funds 

APERTURE,  a  nonprofit  Corp.,  awards  the  3rd  Annual  $10,000 
Aperture  Short  Film  Grant  to  one  first-time  filmmaker  for  1999. 
Deadline:  Sept.  30.  For  info  applications  print  from  www.short- 
filmgrant.org,  or  send  a  SASE  to:  Aperture,  12335  Santa  Monica 
Blvd.,  Ste.  #174,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90025,  or  call  (310)  772- 
8294 

ARTISTS'  FELLOWSHIPS  PROGRAM,  sponsored  by  Illinois  Arts 
Council,  offers  non-matching  fellowships  of  $5,000  &  $10,000 
&  finalist  awards  of  $500  to  Illinois  artists  of  exceptional  talent 
in  recognition  of  outstanding  work  &  commitment  to  the  arts. 
Awards  based  on  quality  of  submitted  work  &  evolving  profes- 
sional career.  Not  a  project-related  grants.  All  categories 
reviewed  annually.  Deadline:  Sept.  1.  Contact:  Illinois  Arts 
Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500,  Chicago,  IL  60601; 
(312)  814-6750;  toll-free  in  Illinois  (800)  237-6994; 
info@arts.state.il. us 

BAVC  OPENS  JOB  RESOURCE  CENTER:  Funded  by  the  San 
Francisco  Mayor's  Office  of  Community  Development,  the  Job 
Resource  Center  provides  S.F  residents  w/  free  access  to  info 
&  resources  pertaining  to  video  &  new  media  industries. 
Internet  access  avail,  for  online  job  searches,  as  well  as  indus- 
try publications,  career  development  books  &  job/internship 
listings.  Open  Mon.-Fn.  12-6  p.m.  BAVC,  2727  Mariposa  St., 
2nd  fl„  San  Francisco,  CA  94110;  (415)  861-3282; 
www.bavc/org 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690;  www.afion- 
line.org 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  programs 
for  film-  &  mediamakers.  Contact:  California  Arts  Council,  1300 
I  St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916)  322-6555;  (800) 
201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@cwo.com; 
www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.:  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
organization  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is 
planning  to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  & 
is  looking  for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  light- 
ing &  editing  equipment  in  good  working  order.  Donations  of 
equipment  are  gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact: 
Dan  Blanchfield,  Exec.  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  CAPITAL:  Newly  established  artists'  foundation, 
committed  to  supporting  individual  artists  is  accepting  appls. 
Download  from  creative-capital.org;  for  more  info,  call  (212) 
598-9900  or  see  the  April  Funder  FAQ  in  The  Independent. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  interfor- 
mat  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.  creative  projects.  Doc,  politi- 
cal, propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  are  not 
eligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done  in 
combination  w/  S-8,  Hi8,  audio,  performance,  photography, 
artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  includes  Amiga,  special  effects,  A&B 
roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  Send  SASE  for  guidelines  to:  The 
Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  New  York,  NY  10014;  (212) 
924-4893. 

FREE  INTERNET  LISTING  &  EMAIL  ADDRESS  for  all  actors 
technicians  &  organizations.  On-line  artists'  co-op  offers  free 


60    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September  1999 


listing  in  their  Directory  &  Searchable  Database,  free  email 
address  (can  even  be  forwarded  by  fax  or  letter),  free  use  of 
Bulletin  Board.  SASE  to  Jim  Lawter,  37  Greenwich  Ave.  #  1-6, 
Stamford,  CT  06902;  www.8xl0glossy.com 

JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION  provides 
partial  support  to  selected  doc  series  &  films  intended  for  nat'l 
or  int'l  broadcast  &  focusing  on  an  issue  within  one  of 
Foundation's  two  major  programs  (Human  &  Community 
Development;  Global  Security  &  Sustainability).  Send  prelimi- 
nary 2-  to  3-page  letter  to:  Alice  Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine  T. 
MacArthur  Foundation,  140  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Ste.  1100, 
Chicago,  IL  60603-5285;  (312)  726-8000;  4answers 
@macfdn.org;  www.macfdn.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  founda- 
tion, or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need  non- 
profit fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape  restoration 
must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara  Meyers-Kingsley, 
(212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

MEDIA  ACTION  GRANTS  offered  by  Media  Alliance  provides 
organizations  w/  up  to  $1,000  for  conferences,  workshops  & 
events  designed  to  strengthen  upstate  media  arts  communities 
&  networking  at  a  state-wide  level.  Events  should  take  place 
between  Jan.  1-  June  30, 2000.  Grant  not  intended  to  duplicate 
funds  from  other  sources,  particularly  NYSCA.  Deadline:  Nov.  9. 
Contact:  Media  Alliance  c/o  WNET,  450  West  33rd  St.,  New 
York,  NY  10001;  (212)  560-2919;  fax:  560-1314  (Attn:  Media 
Alliance);  mediaactiongrant@hotmail.com;  www.mediaal- 
liance.org 

NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES  Division  of 
Public  Programs  provides  grants  for  the  planning,  scripting,  & 
production  of  film,  television,  &  digital  media  projects  that 
address  humanities  themes.  Application  deadlines:  Nov.  2 
(planning  grants  only);  Feb.  1  (planning,  scripting,  &  production 
grants).  Preliminary  draft  proposals  for  staff  comment  should 
be  submitted  as  soon  as  possible,  but  no  later  than  six  weeks 
prior  to  the  deadline.  Applications  may  also  be  downloaded 
from  the  NEH  web  site  www.neh.fed.us/ 
html/guideline/pubprog.html;  or  call  (202)  606-8267;  pub- 
licpgms@neh.gov 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  Independent  Film  Channel, 
offers  finishing  funds  &  other  vital  support  to  emerging  film- 
makers. Focus  is  on  English  language  feature  films  that  will  be 
released  theatrically.  Contact:  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St., 
Ste.  E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  fax:  399- 
3455;  launch@nextwavefilms.com 

OPEN  DOOR  COMPLETION  FUND:  Natl  Asian  American 
Telecommunications  Association  (NAATA)  offers  completion 
funding  for  projects  in  final  stages  of  postproduction,  w/ 
awards  averaging  $40,000.  Works  should  present  fresh  & 
provocative  takes  on  contemporary  Asian  American  &  Asian 
issues,  have  strong  potential  for  public  TV  &  be  of  standard  TV 
lengths  (i.e.,  1  hr,  etc.).  Contact:  NAATA  Media  Fund,  346  Ninth 
St.,  2nd  fl.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94103;  (415)  863-0814;  fax: 
863-7428;  mediafund@naatanet.org;  naatanet.org 

OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  equipment 
program  offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system 
for  first  serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or  nar- 
rative form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered. 
Provides  camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  deadline, 


Finding  Stock  Footage 


from  hundreds  of  sources 
with  a  single  short  phone  call 


DeWITT  STERN  GROUP,  Inc. 

CELEBRATING 
100  YEARS  ! 

ENTERTAINMENT  &  MEDIA 
INSURANCE 

420  Lexington  Ave.  New  York,  NY 
Tel:  212-867-3550  Fax:  212-983-6483 


ENERGY 


FIL 


LIBRARY 


L. 800. IMAGERY  |  canadal. 800. 361. 3456 
www.digital-energy.com|   Fuel  lor  Thought. 


Carol  A.  Bressi  Cilona 

Senior  Vice  President 

212-297-1468 

Jennifer  Brown 
Assistant  Vice  President 

212-297-1445 


Documentary  Makers: 
Video  Animation  Stand 

3    CCD   CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  Price  In  New  York 

CONTACT:    PETER    CASCONE 

419  Park  Avenue  South     new  York,  NY  10016 
TEL:   212-689-7678  FAX:   212-689-7544 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       61 


Q±J  ZJ?J.*lZt-2±£i) 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212)  889-1775 


non-linear  editing 

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video  gear 

audio  gear 

cell  phones 

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We're  a  one-stop  shop,  offering  state-of-the-art 

Camcorders,  cranes,  dollies,  lighting  units  $  accessories, 

Dubbing  to  popular  formats  and  a  Discreet  Logic  online/offline 

Edit  Suite  with  compositing,  painting  $  uncompressed  images. 


118  West  22nd  Street    New  York  City   1001  1 
(212)  243-8800     fax  691-6961 


NEW  DAY  FILMS  is  the  premiere  distrib- 
ution cooperative  for  social  issue  media. 
Owned  and  run  by  its  members,  New 
Day  Films  has  successfully  distributed 
documentary  film  and  video  for  twenty- 
five  years. 

Call  415.332.7172 

Seeking  energetic 
independent  makers 
of  social  issue 
documentaries  for 
new  membership. 

http://www.newday.com 

. 

but  allow  10  week  min.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana  Meaux, 
Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle,  WA  98134; 
(206)  467-8666;  fa*  467-9165;  MWitcher  @oppenheimer- 
camera.com 

PACIFIC  PIONEER  FUND  offered  by  Film  Arts  Foundation  to  doc 
filmmakers  living  in  California,  Oregon  &  Washington.  Limited  to 
organizations  certified  as  public  charities,  which  control  selec- 
tion of  individual  recipients  &  supervise  their  projects.  Grants 
range  from  $l,000-$8,000  w/  approx.  $75,000  awarded  annu- 
ally. For  proposal  summary  sheet,  send  SASE  to:  Film  Arts 
Foundation,  346  Ninth  St.,  2nd  fl„  San  Francisco,  CA  94103,  or 
call:  (415)  454-1133. 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides  16mm 
camera  pkgs.  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any  genre,  incl. 
student  thesis  films.  Send  SASE  to:  Kelly  Simpson,  New 
Filmmaker  Program,  Panavision,  6219  DeSoto  Ave.,  Woodland 
Hills,  CA  91367. 

PEN  WRITER'S  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDITORS 
W/  AIDS.  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants  given  each 
year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers,  incl.  screenwrit- 
ers, facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emergency  funds  are  not 
intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or  professional  develop- 
ment. Contact:  PEN  American  Center,  568  Broadway,  New  York, 
NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SHORT-TERM  ARTISTS'  RESIDENCY  PROGRAM  sponsored  by 
Illinois  Arts  Council  provides  funding  for  Illinois  nonprofit  orga- 
nizations to  work  w/  professional  artists  from  Illinois  to  develop 
&  implement  residency  programs  that  bring  arts  activities  into 
their  community.  Each  residency  can  range  from  5  to  30  hrs. 
The  IAC  will  support  50%  of  the  artist's  fee  (up  to  $1,000  plus 
travel;  the  local  sponsor  must  provide  remaining  50%  plus 
other  expenses.  Applications  must  be  received  at  least  8  weeks 
prior  to  residency  starting  date.  IAC  encourages  artists  to  seek 
sponsors  &  initiate  programs.  Call  for  availability  of  funds.  IAC, 
100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10-500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814- 
6750;  fax:  814-1471;  info@arts.state.il.us 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  mt'l  doc  films  &  videos 
on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  freedom  of 
expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project  categories 
considered  for  initial  seed  funds  (grants  up  to  $15,000),  pro- 
jects in  production  or  post  (average  grant  $25,000,  but  max. 
$50,000).  Highly  competitive.  For  info.:  Soros  Documentary 
Fund,  Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th  St.,  NY,  NY  10019; 
(212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  narra- 
tive, doc  &  expenmental/animation/murtimedia.  Deadline:  Jan. 
1, 2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on  grants). 


M&m 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates,  articles, 

FAQ.s  &  news  on  AIVFs  website,  along  with 

bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons,  and 

databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


(  r*  '  ■  -V-^l-^i'  "!•  ?J  t  3i  r  jc-j  j 


CONTACT:  [scott@aivf.org]  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 

month,  2  months  prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.  sept.  1 
for  nov.  issue).  classifieds  of  up  to  240  charac- 
ters (incl.  spaces  &  punctuation)  cost  $25/issue 
for  aivf  members,  $35  for  nonmembers;  240-480 
characters  cost  $45/issue  for  aivf  members,  $65 
for  nonmembers.;  480-720  characters  cost 
$60/issue  for  aivf  members,  $90  for  nonmem- 
bers. include  valid  member  id#.  ads  exceeding 
requested  length  will  be  edited.  all  copy 
should  be  typed  and  accompanied  by  a  check  or 
money  order  payable  to:  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  to  pay  by  credit  card,  include: 
card  type  (visa/mc);  card  number;  name  on  card; 
expiration  date;  billing  address  &  daytime 
phone.  ads  running  5+  times  receive  a  $5  dis- 
count per  issue. 

Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

16MM  BEAULIEU  FOR  HIRE  with  or  without  DR  Reasonable 
rates  (212)  924-2450. 

1999  MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK:  The  essential  resource  for 
making  independent  film,  video  &  new  media.  Completely  up- 
to-date  for  1999,  the  Handbook  includes  listings  of  film  festi- 
vals, distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition  venues, 
media  arts  funders,  film  and  video  schools,  broadcast  venues 
&  other  resources.  Contact:  Bay  Area  Video  Coalition,  2727 
Mariposa  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110;  (415)  861-3282;  fax: 
861-3282;  bavc@bavc.org 

AVID  MC 1000  PCI  SYSTEM  FOR  RENT:  Complete  system  with 
AVR's  3,  12,  70,  75,  77,  Betacam  deck,  Mixer,  36  GB,  8:8:8 
audio,  3  DVE  Alladin  Pinnacle  (optional).  Low  rates  for  long- 
term  rentals.  Contact:  (202)  363-9454  or  email: 
silverpro@erols.com 

CHEAPEST  AVIDS  in  New  York  City.  Off-line  and  on-line. 
Special  prices  for  long-term  rentals  and  AIVF  members. 
Experienced  editors  also  available.  Call  Jonathan  at  (212)  462- 
4515. 

FOR  RENT  AVID  XPRESS  V2  (9600  Power  Mac/155MB  RAM) 
54  GB  HD/AVR  75/3  monitors  incl.  20"  Hi-Res  mon.;  3/4"  Sony 
VO  9850  SR  Beta  SP  or  VHS  decks/Adobe 
Photoshop/AfterFX/scanner/printer/modem/phone.  Columbus 
Circle,  24  hr  access:  Day/Night/Long-term  rates  available. 
Also,  furnished  production  offices  monthly  or  long  term.  Call 
Ms.  Arthur  (212)  246-7221;  LGRE63458@  aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in  your 
space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable  Chelsea 
location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400,  Beta  deck,  36GB  storage. 
Free  cappucino.  Call  (212)  579-4294 

FOR  RENT:  SONY  3-CHIP  DIGITAL  CAMERA  (DCR-VX1000). 
Also  available:  mike,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both 
short  &  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  SALE:  ARRI 16BL,  crystal,  zoom  control,  battery  belt,  12- 
120  blimped  lens,  steel  case  $5,500.  Also:  Arri  16M,  takes  BL 
mags,  var.  &  const,  spd  motors,  batt,  3  lenses,  case,  $3,250. 
Also:  lights,  Arri  BL  Acess.  Call  for  list  (212)  490-0355. 

LIGHT  &  EQUIPMENT  RENTAL.  Mole,  Arri,  Lowell— complete 
light  &  grip  pkgs  &  kits  for  the  low-budget  filmmaker.  Our  prices 


will  help  you  get  it  in  the  can!  Guerillaquip  (212)  252-2485; 
gorillaquip@smartweb.net;  www.smartweb.net/ 

gorillaquip 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  &  great 
service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226-2429; 
sohoaudio@earthlink.net 

SOUND  CREW  &  EQUIPMENT  FOR  RENT:  Need  a  reliable 
sound  recorder  &  boom  operator  for  high  quality  recordings  w/ 
modern  equipment?  We  have  qualified  staff,  Sony  DAT 
recorders,  Nagras  &  Sennheiser  mics.  Competitive  rates. 
Reductions  for  low  budgets.  Laterna  equipment  (718)  965- 
3885. 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I  deliver! 
All  types/best  prices:  Beta-SP  deck  (Sony  UVW-1800) 
$150/day,  $450/week.  S-VHS  offline  edit  system  $350/week. 
Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $200/day.  Lights,  mics  &  mixers. 
David  (212)  362-1056. 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Representing  outstand- 
ing video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disabilities  &  related 
issues.  Our  films  win  Oscars,  Emmys,  Duponts,  Freddies  & 
more.  Join  us!.  Fanlight  Productions:  (800)  937-4113; 
www.fanlight.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of  out- 
standing videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join  our  col- 
lection of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging,  nursing, 
psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5  Powderhouse 
Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963;  www.aquarius- 
productions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing  inde- 
pendent products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  programming  of 
all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets.  Contact: 
(212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

DISTRIBUTION  COMPANY,  going  to  MIPCOM  in  Cannes,  needs 
feature  films,  family  programming,  foreign  language  films, 
including  French  and  German,  for  worldwide  distribution.  All 
films  we  distribute  are  online  for  thousands  of  stations  and 
buyers  to  see.  Send  VHS  to:  Saltine  Pictures,  200  E.  23rd  St., 
3rd  floor,  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  252-9323;  fax:  696-4857; 
jonstonehill@ntr.net 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR?  Consider  the 
University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  successful  mar- 
keting expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510)  643-2788; 
www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribution. 
Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk 
Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99-YOUTH  x  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distrib, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassettes  or  discs  for  evaluation  to:  The 
Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Suite  506,  NY,  NY  10019;  (212) 
246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com  Ask  for  our  Distribution 
Services  brochure. 


VERY  FUNNY  SHORTS  wanted  for  distribution.  Outstanding 
short  comedies  only.  Must  be  high  quality  and  all  rights  must 
be  cleared.  City  Lights,  100  Airport  Executive  Park,  Ste.  105, 
Nanuet,  NY  10954. 

Freelance 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/cinematographer.  Complete  stu- 
dio truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib  crane, 
lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the  low-bud- 
get feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent  fea- 
tures. Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video,  the 
works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to  collab- 
orate in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862;  circa@inter- 
port.net 

ACADEMY,  EMMY  NOMINATED  producer/director/writer/editor. 
Hoop  Dreams.  20  years  expertise,  all  areas,  fundraisingto  dis- 
tribution: features,  docs,  theatrical,  broadcast/cable.  Work  1 
hr-1  yr.  Contact  only  if  something  paid  in  cash.  (415)  381- 
3430;  Fmfilm@aol.com 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide  music 
for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo:  (781)  932- 
4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172;  Andrew 
D158@aol.com 

ASPIRING  CINEMATOGRAPHER;  Experienced  lighting  techni- 
cian looking  for  films.  Strong  lighting  background:  Copland,  U- 
Turn,  Ice  Storm,  Sopranos,  Out-of-Towners,  Analyze  This, 
dockers.  Owner  16SR.  Call  for  reel.  Tim  Healy.  (201)  217- 
1719. 

BETA  SP  &  DVCAM  Videographer  with  both  cameras,  lights, 
monitors,  mics  &  wireless.  Very  portable,  light  weight  &  I'm 
fast.  Experience  includes:  documentaries,  industrials, 
fundraisers  &  fashion.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334- 
3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand  held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SR  cool 
sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel.  Yitzhak 
Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT:  Director  of  Photography  w/  15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton,  HMIs, 
Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at  tel/fax: 
(212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com  Credits:  Tromeo  and  Juliet, 
The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire-,  www.dp-bren- 
danflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs.  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  location 
package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects.  Michael 
(212)691-1311 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       63 


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Introduction  to  Media  Composer, 
Tips  and  Techniques,  and  Media 
Composer  Effects. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts  is  an 
Avid  Authorized  Education  Center 
serving  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
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www.16x9dtv.com 


ShOOt  for  the  Future 

16 '9  DTV  is  our  business 

RSntSI    digital  cameras  /  lights  /  sound 
toll  on-line /off-line  non-linear 

UK  &  UT6W      35  features  /  documentaries  ... 
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Discount.  Benefits  &  Co-prod.  Opportunities  for  our  H-VHON  members     Call  for  details  212  334  4778 


CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  productivity 
to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/  Std.16  Aaton  XJR 
Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass 
©concentric. net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Highly  collaborative,  committed,  will 
work  w/you  to  find  the  right  style  for  your  film  (narrative  or  doc). 
Unique  credits.  Love  to  travel.  Eileen  S.  (718)  349-3078;  film- 
grrl@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  &  lighting,  looking  forward  to 
working  w/  collaborative  directors  on:  narratives,  exp,  docs, 
PS.A.s,  music  videos.  Steven  Gladstone  (718)  625-0556  for 
new  reel;  VEENOTPH@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mmpkgw/  video  tap  & 
more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Am  16SR  package  &  35IIC,  w/  over  15 
years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experimental. 
Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo  (212)  774- 
4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195. 

COMPOSER:  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  World 
renowned  composer/performer/director  expert  in  world/ethnic 
&  modern  music  styles  to  distinguish  &  enrich  your  film.  Broad 
contacts  among  great  ethnic  musicians.  Dir.  Woody  Guthrie — 
Pastures  of  Plenty  touring  int'l.  Cred.  incl.  Ryl  Shakespr 
Co/Nat'l  Geo/Nik.  Makes  great  stir  fry.  Call  for  CD  incl.  Copland 
Award-winning  symphony  based  on  Hebraic  theme.  Bill 
Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658-9748; 
vanaverc@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively  score 
your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style.  Extensive  cred- 
its include  nationally  released  features,  TV  dramas,  documen- 
taries, animation,  on  networks,  MTV,  Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA 
in  composition;  full  digital  studio-,  affordable.  Demo  reel  avail- 
able. Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721-3218  or  email 
Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance  your 
project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity.  Full  ser- 
vice digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/initial  consulta- 
tion/rough sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubensteim  (212)  242-2691; 
joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  MFA  (NYU/Tisch)  and  extensive  experience  with 
theater,  dance  &  Sundance  filmmakers.  Will  work  with  any  bud- 
get in  styles  ranging  from  classical  to  drum  &  bass  to  African- 
Hungarian  jazz.  Low  budget  services  include  digital  studio  & 
live  cello.  Contact  Raul  Rothblatt  (212)  254-0155; 
deblatt@mterport.net 

COMPOSER:  Miriam  Cutler  loves  to  collaborate  with  filmmak- 
ers— features,  docs,  animation,  even  circus.  Highlights:  1997 
Sundance  award-winner  Licensed  To  Kill,  1998  Peabody  win- 
ner The  Castro,  1999  Sundance  doc  Death:  A  Love  Story,  1999 
POV  Secret  Life  of  Ernesto  Gomez  Gomez  and  much  more. 
(323)  664-1807;  mircut@pacificnet.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobnen@bellatlantic.net 


64    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


THE   ASSOCIATION   OF   INDEPENDEN 
VIDEO   AND    FILMMAKERS 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated  and  fiercely  independent 
video  and  filmmakers.  AIVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
an  educational  501(c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
increased  public  appreciation  of 
independent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
<§■  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  ATVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  letting  you  know 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 

MhiiiBUBJiLiBJj} 

J  FILMS,  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
membership  provides  you  with  a 
gear's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
"hought-provoking  features,  news, 
ind  regular  columns  on  business, 
echnical  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
estival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
under    profiles,    funding    deadlines, 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education.  Business  and  non-profit 
members  receive  discounts  on 
advertising  and  special  mention  in 
each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  ATVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  long-distance  service, 
and  other  production  necessities. 
Members  also  receive  discounts 
purchases  of  on  the  AIVF  mailing  list 
and  classified  ads  in  The  Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  wwwaivf.org. 
Members   are   entitled  to   exclusive 


on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  publish  informational  resources 
on  international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered,  at 
discount  prices  to  members.  With  over 
600  volumes,  our  office  library  houses 
information  on  everything  from 
preproduction  to  sample  contracts. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities  across 
the  country.  These  member-run, 
member-organized  salons  provide  a 
unique  opportunity  for  members  and 
non-members  alike  to  network, 
exhibit,  and  advocate  for  independent 
media  in  their  local  area.  To  find  the 
salon  nearest  you  check  the  back 
pages  of  The  Independent,  the  AIVF 
website,  or  call  the  office  for  the  one 
nearest  you.  If  you're  interested  in 
starting  a  salon  in  your  area,  ask  for 
our  startup  kit! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 


INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts 

•  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events 

•  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for 
board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 
subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both 

BUSINESS  8c  INDUSTRY/NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  each  issue  of  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES     Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr.  □  $100/2  yrs. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr.  □  $150/2  yrs. 

Student  □  $35/1  yr.  □  $60/2  yrs. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Business  &■  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization        □  $100/1  yr.  

UBRARY/UNIy^RSTTY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 


Name 


MAEJNfi  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

□  Canada  -  add  $15 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


*  Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  501(cX3). 


Organization 

Address 

City 

State             ZIP 
Weekday  teL 

Country 
fax 

Email 

\ 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF* 

(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 

Or  please  bill  my      D  Visa      Q  Mastercard 

Acct# 

Exp.  date:        /       / 

Signature 


Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  ft  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  £07-1400  x236,  by  fax  (212)  463- 
5519,  or  via  our  website  wwwaivf.org.  Your  first  issue  of  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  4-6  weeks. 


COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to  tech- 
no— you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance,  Absolut. 
Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiappetta  (718) 
383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@  el.net 

COMPOSERS-PRODUCERS  for  film,  TV,  video,  all  media. 
Award-winning  original  music,  rock,  orchestral,  techno,  jazz. 
No  project  too  large  too  small.  Free  VHS  demo.  Info;  1-800- 
349-SOUND;  juliajohn@soundmechanix.com 

DIGITAL  VIDEO;  D.P  w/  Sony  VX1000  digital  camera,  Pro  Sound 
&  accessories.  Exp.  in  features,  docs,  dance  &  theatre.  Mac  G3 
Firewire  editing  available.  John  Newell  (212)  677-6652. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO:  Videographer/D.P  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  docu- 
mentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth:  (718)  218-8065;  365892® 
newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking  for 
interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  commercials 
in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton  Super  16  pkg 
&  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255;  (917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  features, 
shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  commercials, 
industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S-16  pkg  avail. 
Abe:  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.:  Features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn:  (718)  930-7969. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Am-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to  trav- 
el. Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914)  439- 
5459;  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave:  (718)  230-1207;  page:  (917)  953- 
1117. 

DP/EDITOR:  Avid  (AVR  77),  Sony  D-30  Beta  SP  or  Aaton  XTR 
package.  Sound  &  lights.  Edit  suite  w/  city  view.  Speak  French, 
Spanish,  Farsi.  Commercial,  doc  &  feature  credits.  Andre: 
(212)  367-3730;  (917)  873-7953. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  334-4778 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle  rates. 

DV  NONLINEAR  EDITOR:  If  you  shoot  on  DV,  you  should  edit  on 
DV!  Editor,  20  years  experience:  documentaries,  trailers,  com- 
mercials, industrials.  $30/hour  on  my  DV-NLE  system.  Can  edit 
on  your  Avid,  too.  Craig:  (718)  797-0045. 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE:  experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 
available  to  work  on  interesting  and  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs,  shorts, 
features).  Call  Kevin:  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR;  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212)  352-4476. 


EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/ 18  years  expe- 
rience in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  projects. 
Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952-0848; 
Ruvn@aol.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID  SYMPHONY  (9000XL):  I  am  an  experienced 
video  editor,  willing  to  work  with  an  independent  filmmaker,  free 
of  charge,  to  gain  experience  in  film.  My  Avid  has  complete  24 
fps  capability.  Please  contact  Charlene  at  (561)  744-6704  if 
interested  (Jupiter,  Florida). 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at  rea- 
sonable rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec,  at 
NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equipment; 
16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212)  995- 
0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS,  MTV, 
Feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films,  offers 
advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films.  Reasonable 
rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

GRANTWRITER/FUNDRAISER  Extensive  exp.  w/  indie  media 
projects.  Successful  proposals  to  NEA,  NEH,  ITVS,  NYSCA, 
NYCH  &  many  foundations,  excellent  mt'l  co-prod  contacts. 
Fast  writer,  reasonable  rates.  W.  Bershen,  (212)  598-0224; 
wb22@pipeline.com 

INDIE  PRODUCTION  COMPANY  offers  full  scale  production 
management  for  shorts,  features  &  docs.  Experienced  line  pro- 
ducer will  prepare  breakdowns,  schedule  &  budget  with  Movie 
Magic.  Beta  SP  camera  package  to  rent  at  budget  conscious 
rates  with  versatile  videographer  available.  For  more  informa- 
tion, call  bluestocking  films  (212)  505-6676  &  ask  for  Lisette. 

INNOVATIVE  EDITOR  w/  Avid  available  for  challenging  projects. 
Experienced  in  fiction  features,  commercials,  music  video  & 
documentary.  Reel  available.  Rodney  (718)  246-8235. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  interna- 
tional network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Beirut,  El  Salvador, 
Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising.  Equipment 
maintained  by  Sony.  (212)  727-7270;  fax:  727-7736. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/time  code  Nagra 
&  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  projects. 
Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  cell:  (917)  319- 
3365;  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

MUSIC  MUSIC  MUSIC!  We  have  it!  Original  music  &  scoring. 
Stock  available  for  temps.  Digital  sound  design  too.  Free  VHS 
demo.  Info:  (800)  349-S0UND;  juliajohn@sound 
mechanix.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin:  (212)  228-4254. 

STEADICAM;  Videographer  creating  dolly-like  movements 
w/out  heavy,  cumbersome  dolly  equip.  Able  to  strike  lines  w/ 
graceful  curves.  Avail  for  all  applications.  Vic  Blandburg  (703) 
941-4497;      Box      2254,      Merrifield,      VA      22116; 


AVIDS  TOGO 


Luna  delivers. 


% 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


WI!f.liMM:M 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      65 


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Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  15  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project. 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support. 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


ProTooIs  24  Mix  Plus 

ADR,  Voice  Over 

Foley  Recording 

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212.473.3040 


632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


Context  Studios 

Film  &  Video  Services 


LOW  COST 


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film-to-video 

transfer 

•  double  system 

•  time  coded  transfers 

precise  drop  frame  sync  for  computer  editing 
and  original  picture  matchback 

•  mag  track  recording 

PLUS: 

•  non-linear  editing 

•  1 6  track  digital  recording  studio 

•  film  and  video  screening 

•  theater  with  lights,  sound  system,  multiple 
camera  video  recording  and  live  switching 

•  10,000  Sf  Of  Space  for  rehearsal, 
shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  Studios   •  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009  •  (212)  505-2702 


Digital  /  Analog 

Film,  Video  &  Web  Production 

Post-Production  Specialists 

After  Effects  /  Motion  Graphics 

ixperienced  in  feature  length 
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VISUAL  MUSIC/PURE  AUDIO  DALI,  Exp.,  eclectic  composer 
avail  for  collaboration.  Techno-orchestral,  hip-hop 
collages/ambient  sound  design.  Billy  Atwell  at  foreHEAD  pro- 
ductions (212)  576-TUNE.  Jeunet/Caro;  Lynch;  S.  Shepard 
types  pref.  Animation! 

VOICE-OVER  PROFESSIONAL  Up  and  coming  voice-over  actor 
providing  an  excellent  voice  for:  film,  audio/video  narration, 
radio,  and  television.  Let  my  voice  bring  your  production  to  life! 
Contact  Joi  for  a  demo:  (917)  878-7375;  VoicesJoy@aol.com 


Opportunities  •  Gigs 

FILM  PRODUCER  SOUGHT  to  coordinate  script  development, 
editing  and  film  production  for  feature  films  with  evangelical 
Christian  content  and  focus.  Additional  responsibilities  include 
international  marketing,  fundraising,  Advisory  Board  leader- 
ship, and  training  activities.  Requires  bachelor's  degree  in  Fine 
Arts  or  related  field  plus  three  years  experience  as  Film 
Producer  or  in  Video  Production.  $30,000  pa.  8am-5pm.  Must 
have  legal  authority  to  work  in  the  U.S.  Send  resume  to  Iowa 
Workforce  Center,  215  Keo  Way,  Des  Moines,  Iowa  50309- 
1727.  Job  Order  No:  1100879.  Employer  paid  advertisement. 

NY  BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  talented  Production 
Manager,  Producers,  APs,  PAs,  camera  crews,  sound 
recordists  &  interns  for  travel/doc  series.  Send  resumes  & 
reels:  307  7th  Ave.,  Ste.  1607,  NY  NY  10001;  or  fax:  (212) 
647-0940. 

PROGRAMMING  COORDINATOR,  AUSTIN  FILM  SOCIETY: 

Shape  program  for  respected,  active  film  society.  Includes 
logistical  support  for  screenings.  $8  per  hour  +  benefits. 
Closing  date  8/15/99.  Send  letter,  resume  to:  Search,  AFS, 
3109  N.IH  35,  Austin,  TX  78722. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam  video 
experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news  maga- 
zine clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at  (212) 
505-1911. 


Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE:  Experienced  line  producer  will 
prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  &  detailed 
budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  MC,  Visa,  Amex.  Indie  rates 
negotiable.  Mark:  (212)  340-1243. 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  for  major  studios,  indies, 
and  private  clients.  Full  analysis,  commercial  assessment. 
Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays:  (212)  567-8820  (M-F  9-6). 
Actfour4@aol.com;  http://members.aol.com/Actfour4/ 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
m-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 


Visit  the  classifieds  on-line  at 
www.aivf.org/the_independent 


66    THE    INDEPENDENT     August  September   1999 


Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High  Quality" 
optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical  Sound  Chicago, 
Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL  60610;  (312)  943- 
1771,  or  eves;  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture  & 
tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post  ser- 
vices: picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecodmg  (,015/ft)  Call  Tom: 
(201)807-0155. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (212)  982-7658 


AVID  EDITOR:  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  rez.  Beta  SR  DAT,  extra  drives,  Pro-tools 
editing  &  mixing,  and  your  Avid  or  mine.  Fast  and  easy  to  get 
along  with.  Credit  cards  accepted.  Drina:  (212)  561-0829. 

AVID  MEDIA  COMPOSER  SUITE:  Online/Offline,  AVR  77,  Beta 
SR  3D  RealTime  Graphics,  Intraframe,  888  Digidesign  Audio 
Interface,  Digitizing  Video  Slave  Driver,  professional  recording 
studio  monitors,  2  20"  viewing  monitors,  SMPTE  viewing  mon- 
itors, DAT  recorder,  16  channel  mixer,  ProTools,  After  Effects, 
Photoshop,  Illustrator.  350  MHz/128  MB  G3.  Creative,  skilled 
staff  editors  or  use  your  own.  Spacious,  charming  environment. 
24  hr  access.  Best  rates  in  NYC.  Ph/fax:  (718)  802-9874. 

BOSTON  MEDIA  100  for  rent.  Indie  rates:  $20/hr!  Top  of  the  line 
system;  broadcast  quality;  32  gigs;  Beta  SP  deck;  tech  support. 
Office  w/  24  hr  access,  full  kitchen  &  beautiful  garden.  Award- 
winning  editors.  Astrea  Films:  (617)  266-2418. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal  only. 
Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or  Betacam  SR 
We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by-scene  only.  Correct 
frame  rates.  Forappt.  call  (978)  948-7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully-equipped 
studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major  agencies 
(Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden  Group)  & 
accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers,  Arm  & 
Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media  100XR 
(300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner,  DAT, 


PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater.  com;  (800) 
807-4142. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software.  Huge 
storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS,  Hi-8  . . 
.  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech  support, 
talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212)  431-9299. 

MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  &  3/4" 
suites,  Hi-8  video,  super-8  film,  audio  &  photo  services.  Call 
Bill  Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2.  Lots 
of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates,  free 
coffee.  (718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpost  video.com 


Find  information,  advocacy  updates,  articles, 

F.A-Q.s  &  news  on  AIVF's  website,  along  with 

bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons,  and 

databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


RANCH 


— 1 

CREATIVE    AUDIO 
jPOST    PRODUCTION 

^x 

sound        music 

editing             , 
sound 

mixing       design 

2    1    2    •    9    6    6    •    3    1    4    1 
59  FRANKLIN  ST.     NYC   10013 

August/September   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      67 


■',■■ 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office:  304 
Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam)  6th  tl.,  in 
New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.);  C,  E 
(Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 

AIVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registration 
and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline  with 
Visa  or  Mastercard  info  or  mail  a  check  or  money 
order.  (Please  note:  your  cl\eck  must  be  received  one 
week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve  your  seat.  Seats  are 
sold  on  a  first-come  first-served  basis.) 

The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-14C0  x.  3C1  for  the  latest  information. 

August  Events 

UP  CLOSE:  CONVERSATIONS  WITH  FILMMAKERS 
PRESENTS:  JEM  COHEN 
co-sponsored  by  IndieWTRE 

When:  Thursday,  Aug.  5,  7-10  p.m. 
Where:  The  Lighthouse  (111  E.  59th  St.  at  Lex- 
ington Ave.,  NYC) 

Cost:  $10  AIVF  members;  $12  general  public 
To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 
Pre-paid  RSVP  encouraged,  as  these  events  sell  out 
quickly. 

Jem  Cohen  will  show  a  selection  of  shorts  and 
excerpts  from  his  15  years  as  a  filmmaker,  including 
previously  unseen  16mm  works-in-progress.  Jem 
will  be  interviewed  by  writer/director  Chris  Munch 
(Color  of  a  Brisk  &  Leaping  Day)  on  his  artistic 
and  philosophical  approaches  to  past  &  current 

projects,  and  on 
his  career  as  a 
media  artist. 
Selections  will  in- 
clude excerpts 
from  older  pro- 
jects such  as  just 
Hold  Still  and 
Buried  in  Light  as  well  as  rarely  shown  music  pieces 
including  Lucky  Three  (a  portrait  of  singer/song- 
writer Elliott  Smith)  and  the  director's  unreleased 
cuts  of  videos  for  R.E.M.  and  Jonathan  Richman. 
New  16mm  work  will  cover  terrain  ranging  from 
the  dogs  of  Sicily,  to  the  end  of  42nd  St.,  to  strip 
malls  of  L.A.,  South  Carolina,  and  Rotterdam. 


MEET  AND  GREET: 

THE  CINEMA 
GUILD 

When:  Thursday,  Aug. 
12,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  office 
Cost:  Free  AIVF  mem- 
bers/$10  general  pub- 


L        iSfcljH 

l  E^ 

Vldcn                       '       ~^ 
and  Fill. i                      "^ 
Catalog 

^^T« 

fc£ 

To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 
Please  RSVP 

The  Cinema  Guild  is  one  of  America's  leading  dis- 
tributors of  films  and  videos.  For  more  than  20 
years,  The  Cinema  Guild  has  distributed  both  doc- 
umentary and  fiction  films  (narrative  features  and 
shorts),  offering  producers  full  service  distribution 
in  all  markets,  including  educational,  nontheatri- 
cal,  theatrical,  television,  cable,  satellite,  and  home 
video.  They  distribute  scores  of  award-winning 
films  and  videos,  representing  the  work  of  many  of 
the  leading  producers  in  the  world,  including  such 
prestigious  organizations  as  American  Film 
Institute,  British  Broadcasting  Corporation, 
National  Film  Board  of  Canada,  and  the  United 
Nations.  Cinema  Guild  films  include  Slam  Nation, 
Lena's  Dreams,  and  Going  Nomad,  among  many  oth- 
ers. See  article  page  46. 


r 


BEST  SHORT  DOCUMENTARY 
OSCAR  CATEGORY  RESTORED! 


A 


Through  intense  advocacy  efforts  on  the  part  of 
AIVF  members,  the  majority  of  board  members 
at  the  Motion  Picture  Academy  of  Arts  and 
Sciences  voted  in  June  by  secret  ballot  to 
restore  the  Academy's  Short  Documentary 
Category  (deadline:  Oct.  31;  call  the  Academy 
for  an  appl.  at  (310)  247-3000).  This  success 
was  the  result  of  an  energetic  multi-pronged 
attack  by  independent  media  artists  across  the 
country.  AIVF  s  board,  led  by  Lee  Lew  Lee,  and 
IDA  board  member  Joan  Sekler  (AIVF  member 
since  1995)  were  instrumental  in  raising  aware- 
ness of  this  issue  to  our  national  membership. 
The  AMPAS  board  received  a  flurry  of  email  in 
support  of  the  category  from  AIVF  members. 
Good  job! 
Please  send  your  email  addresses  to 
members@aivf.org,  so  you  too  can  make 
ft  a  difference!      —  LaTnce  A.  Dixon         J 


September 
Events 

NEW    SERIES! 

MEET  YOUR  MAKER: 

DOUG  BLOCK 

When:  Tuesday,  Sept.  14 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  $10  (AIVF  members  only) 

To  register/hear  more  details:   RSVP  required. 

Space  limited  to  30. 

(212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Meet  Your  Maker  is  a  series  of  peer  workshops 
allowing  filmmakers  to  share  resources  and 
learn  from  one  another's  approaches  to  film- 
and  videomaking.  The  featured  artist  will  share 
her/his  business  and  creative  strategies  in  com- 
pleting a  specific  project  from  development 
through  exhibition.  Topics  will  include: 
fundraising,  grantwriting,  budgeting,  schedul- 
ing, shooting,  postproduction,  and  distribution 
approaches  and  alternatives,  all  within  the  con- 
straints of  a  small  budget. 

Doug  Block  is  a  documentary  filmmaker  whose 
credits  include:  The  Heck  With  Hollywood! 
(dir/prod/camera),  Silverlake  Life  (co-prod), 
Jupiter's  Wife  (co-prod),  and  Home  Page 
(dir/prod/camera).  His  films  have  all  been  dis- 
tributed theatrically,  been  broadcast  interna- 
tionally and,  among  them,  won  a  Peabody, 
Emmy,  and  top  prizes  at  leading  international 
film  festivals,  including  Sundance  and  Berlin. 

MEMBER  BENEFITS  UPDATES 

•  CINEMA  VILLAGE  (NEW  YORK) 

Any  and  all  shows:  $6.50  with  membership  card. 
(22  East  12th  St.  near  University  Place) 

•  OK  TV,  INC.  (NEW  YORK) 

10%  on  all  services,  incl.  transfers,  effects,  and 
editing.  Call  Rob  Blumer,  (212)  564-9929 

•  CINEP0ST  (ATLANTA) 

20%  on  neg  film  processing  and  film-to-video 
transfers.  Call  Myron  Lenenski,  (404)  320- 1171. 


68     THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


AIVF   AT   THE    IFFM 


THE  AIVF  BOOTH 

When:  Sept.  17-24 

Where:  Angelika  Film  Center,  New  York  City 
For   more    info,    on    the    IFFM,    contact    the 
Independent  Feature  Project:  (212)  465-8200 
ext.  218;  www.ifp.org 

AIVF  will  again  have  a  presence  at  the  1999 
Independent  Feature  Film  Market  (Sept.  17- 
24)-  Look  for  staff  on  panels  and  pick  up  our 
latest  flyers  and  newest  publications  at  the 
AIVF  table  on  Sept.  21  and  23! 

AIVF  FILMMAKER  OPEN  HOUSE 

When:  Monday,  Sept.  20,  4-6  p.m. 
Thursday,  Sept.  23,  5-8  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  Office 
Cost:  Free  to  all.  No  RSVP  necessary 

Here's  a  chance  for  members  to  utilize  the 
AIVF  Resource  Library,  meet  staff,  and  chat 
with  fellow  filmmakers.  Those  who  aren't  cur- 
rently AIVF  members,  here's  your  chance  to 
see  why  it's  definitely  worth  becoming  one! 
Bring  your  own  beverages  and/or  snacks  ! 

MEET  &  GREET 

FESTIVAL  PROGRAMMER  LINEUP 

VC-Tien:  Monday,  Sept.  20,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10/general  public 

To  register [hear  more  details:  RSVP  required.  (212) 

807-1400  x301.  Space  is  limited. 

Meet  festival  programmers   who  celebrate  the  art 

and  expression  of  independent   video  and   film 

rather    than    the    commercial   aspects.    Line-up 

includes:  the  Taos  Talking  Pictures  Festival,  the 

Claremont-Ferrand    Short    Film    Festival,    the 

Chicago   Underground    Film   Festival,    and   the 


Human  Rights  Watch  Festival.  Find  out  what 
kinds  of  projects  they  seek,  and  how  they  contin- 
ue to  champion  original  visions. 

MEET  &  GREET: 

TURBULENT  ARTS 

Ivlien:  Tuesday,  Sept.  21,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members;  $10/general  public 

To  register/hear  more  details:  RSVP  required.   (212) 

807-1400  x.  301.   Space  is  limited. 

Turbulent  Arts  is  an  inter- 
national film  production, 
distribution  &  sales  compa- 
ny based  in  San  Francisco. 
Turbulent  Arts  develops  specialized  projects  with 
writers,  directors  and  documentarians  in  all  stages 
of  development  and  production.  The  company 
also  works  with  finished  films,  either  by  acquiring 
all  world  rights,  or  by  functioning  as  a  producers 
representative.  Theatrical  releases  include:  Lihes, 
Never  Met  Picasso,  Bye  Efye,  Fauci's  Persuasion, 
Menmaniacs:  The  Legacy  of  Leather,  and  Paulina. 

SOCIAL  EVENT: 

AIVF  MARKET  MADNESS  MIXER 

When:  Wednesday,  Sept.  22,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office;  Cost:  Free  to  all 

To  register/hear  more  details:     RSVP:   (212)  807- 

1400  x301.  Or  just  show  up. 

Nothing  to  wear  to  the  Gotham  Awards?  Then 
slip  on  your  loafers  and  come  on  down  to  AIVF  ! 
Meet  peer  filmmakers  from  around  the  country  in 
this  low-key  get  together  away  from  the  high 
intensity  market.  Check  out  the  Filmmaker  Re- 
source Library,  show  work  to  friends,  or  simply 
invite  them  to  your  market  screening.  Some  beer 
and  beverages  provided;  bring  your  own  snacks 
and  good  cheer! 


AIVF  ENCOURAGES  YOU  TO  FREQUENT  OUR  CO-SPONSORED  PROGRAMS: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

Co-Sponsored  by  AIVF,  Angelika  Entertainment  Corporation  &  the  New  York  Underground  Film 
Festival)  Every  Wednesday,  with  Shorts  at  7pm,  Features  at  8pm  at  Anthology  Film  Archives  (2nd 
Ave.  at  2nd  St.)  A  year-round  festival,  the  program  is  administered  by  filmmakers  for  filmmakers.  To  sub- 
mit your  feature  or  short,  call  (212)  410-9404- 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT  screenplay  reading  and  short  film  series 

Tuesdays  at  8,  Beginning  mid-Sept,  at  Nuyorican  Poets  Cafe.  Contact  Fifth  Night  for  season  launch 
date:  (212)  529-9329.  This  weekly  series  has  presented  over  150  readings,  with  nearly  30  scripts  in  produc- 
tion or  already  produced.  Screenings  of  short  films  precede  readings.  The  Fifth  Night  provides  an  inspiring  envi- 
ronment for  screenwriters,  producers,  actors,  agents,  and  financiers  to  network  and  create  community. 

FILM  BYTES 

Live  every  Monday,  8  p.m.  at  www.filmbytes.com:  Internet  TV  for  the  independently  minded! 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 

Component  Editing 
Transfers,  Window  Dubs 

45/hr    340/day    175/night 


1 123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 

212-228-4254 


CALL  FOR  AIVF  NOMINATIONS 

It's  time  to  think  about  nominations  for  the 
AIVF  board  of  directors!  Board  members  are 
elected  to  a  3-year  term;  the  board  gathers  4 
times  per  year  for  weekend  meetings  (AIVF 
pays  travel  costs).  We  have  an  active  board; 
members  must  be  prepared  to  set  aside  time  to 
fulfill  board  responsibilities,  which  include: 

•  Attendance  at  all  board  meetings  and  partic- 
ipation by  email  &.  conference  calls  in  interim; 

•  Preparation  for  meetings  by  reading  advance 
materials; 

•  Active  participation  in  one  of  more  commit- 
tees as  determined  by  the  organization's  needs 
and  as  requested  by  board  chair  or  executive 
director; 

•  General  support  of  executive  board  and  staff; 

•  Commitment  to  the  organization's  efforts 
towards  financial  stability. 

Board  nominations  must  be  made  by  current 
AIVF  members  in  good  standing;  you  may 
nominate  yourself.  Board  members  must  be  at 
least  19  years  old.  To  make  a  nomination,  email 
or  fax  the  name,  address,  and  telephone  num- 
ber of  the  nominee  and  nominator  to  the  atten- 
tion of  Jessica  Perez.  We  cannot  accept  nomi- 
nations over  the  phone.  The  nomination  peri- 
od ends  Sept.  17,  1999. 

AIVF  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  ft.,  NY,  NY  10013; 
fax:  (212)  463-8519;  jessica(5  aivf.org 


August/September   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      69 


(^^) 


THE 


A  not-for-profit  media  arts 
organization  providing  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  for  artists 
&  independent  producers  at 
drastically  discounted  rates. 
—  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
A  Journal  of  Media  Arts  and 
Communication.  — 


•  Interformat  Online  Edit  $  85/hr 

•  Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr 

•  Digi  Beta  to  D2  Edit  $120/hr 

•  Duplication  &  Conversions  Inquire 

Contact     us     for     other     services, 
prices  and  access  information. 


POB  184,  New  York,  NY  10012 
Email:  maria@standby.org 
Phone:  (212)  219-0951 
Fax:  (212)  219-0563 
www.standby.org 


FILM  VIDEO  ARTS 


The  Stomping  Ground  for 
Independent  Giants! 

since  1968 


Courses 
Camera  Rentals 

Avid  1000 

Digital  Studio 

Video  Edit  Suites 

Flatbeds 

Dubs  &  Transfers 

Affordable  Rates 


212.673.9361 

817    Broadway    NYC 


1  he  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  independents, 
share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the  AIVF  com- 
munity across  the  country.  Be  sure  to  contact  your 
local  Salon  Leader  to  confirm  date,  time,  and  loca- 
tion of  the  next  meeting! 

New  AIVF  Salons  starting  soon: 

Providence,  RI  •   Charleston,  NC 

See  the  Salons  section  at  www.aivf.org 

for  further  information. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  First  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30  pm 
Where:  Borders  Books  6k  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin,  (518)  489-2083; 
mike(«  videosforchange.com 

Austin,  TX: 

Contact:  Rebecca  Millner  at 
rlmillner(«  hotmail.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  7:00  pm 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets 

off  of  Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  mark(«  imagefv.org;  genin- 

fo(5  imagefv.org 

Birmingham,  AL: 

Contact:  Pat  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories(y  mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

Contact:  Fred  Simon,  (508)  528-7279; 

FSimon(«  aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month, 

6:30-8:45  pm 

Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 

68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolini,  (843)  805-6841; 

filmsalon(5  aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

Contact:  Annetta  Marion  and  Bernadette  Gillota 
(216)  781-1755;  AnnettaLMC"  aol.com, 
OhioIndieFilmFestft' juno.com 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  Third  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999; 
bart("  videofest.org 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice  Center, 

1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445; 

programming^'  tstv.org  or  Diane  Markrow, 

(303)  449-7125 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Beth  Mederios,  Houston  Film 
Commission  Hotline,  (713)  227-1407 


Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  the  month,  5:30  pm 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or 

dot(5  metnebr.com, 

www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 

Manhattan,  NY: 

When:  3rd  Monday  of  each 

month,  5-8  pm 

Where:  Baby  Jupiter,  170  Orchard 

Street 

(1  block  south  of  Houston,  2nd  Ave  stop  on  F) 

Contact:  Joe  Sullivan,  (212)  242-3396 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  &  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 
allen(y  passionriver.com;  www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 

(203)  782-3675;  mediaart(«  connix.com 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Portland,  OR: 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254; 
betucciaC"  aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 

chuck@millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811; 

espinosa(5  electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-605 1 ; 
jock"  speakeasy.org; 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tampa,  FL: 

Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690-4416; 
indyprod("  tampabay.rr.com 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Monday  of  each  month 

from 

6-8  pm  at  Club  Congress,  3 1 1  E.  Congress. 

Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 

bridge(«  theriver.com,  Robert  Ashle, 

robert(5  access.tucson.org;  or  visit 

http://access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4; 
sowandef"  bellatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reel  11'" 
aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,  (914)  948-3447; 
jonkap(«  bestweb.net 

Youngstown,  OH: 

Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 

artbyrdf"  mindspring.com;  www.cboss.com/flick- 
clique 


70    THE    INDEPENDENT     August/September   1999 


HOW  LOW?  Continued  from  p.  35 


separate  mechanically  from  the  actual 
viewfinder,  was  not  working.  We  had  the  inter- 
view on  tape. 

And  the  moral  is? 

SummerhayeS:  Always  check  playback  after  five 
or  ten  minutes  and  deal  with  any  problems 
then  and  there.  We  were  really  lucky. 

You  must  have  spent  a  load  of  time  sorting  through  all 
that  material. 

SummerhayeS:  Well,  my  grandfather  had  edited 
almost  all  of  the  raw  footage  for  use  in  compa- 
ny films  at  the  time.  Even  the  time  I  spent 
going  back  over  the  sixty  hours  wasn't  neces- 
sary. He  picked  the  best  material. 

But  post  must  have  been  particularly  difficult. 

SummerhayeS:  After  I  had  taped  all  the  inter- 
views and  done  all  the  transfers  of  film  to 
tape — which  was  really  arduous  because  of  all 
the  formats — I  couldn't  get  the  tapes  to  talk  to 
the  computers.  I  couldn't  digitize  the  footage. 

Hawley:  You  saved  all  that  money  but  you 
couldn't  convert  it.7  [Evil  laughter  from  Jim  Fall] 
SummerhayeS:  The  only  way  I  could  think  to 
make  it  work  was  with  a  Beta  and  a  p-deck. 
And  I'd  have  to  buy  it — which  would  be  about 
seven  thousand — because  it  would  be  even 
more  to  rent.  And  I  just  didn't  have  it.  My  wife 
came  into  the  room  and  asked  what  was  wrong. 
And  she  said,  'You  leave.  Go  walk  or  some- 
thing.' So  I  left  and  went  pacing,  actually, 
despairing  over  what  to  do,  what  to  do.  And 
when  I  came  back,  she  had  it  fixed. 
Fall:  Three  cheers  for  marriage  after  all! 
SummerhayeS:  After  all  that  drama,  I  hired  an 
on-line  editor,  because  I  needed  the  time  to  be 
used  really  efficiently.  And  in  theory,  I  was 
going  to  bring  my  hard  drive  to  his  studio  and 
hook  it  up,  and  he  was  going  to  take  the 
footage  onto  his  hard  drive.  But  he  couldn't 
have  his  hard  drive  and  my  hard  drive  hooked 
up  and  turned  on  at  the  same  time,  so  there 
was  no  way  for  his  PC  to  "grab"  the  material 
from  my  PC.  He  had  to  go  through  my  cut  and 
re-create  it,  shot  by  shot,  which  was  very 
tedious  and  very,  very  expensive 
Galinsky:  We  didn't  have  a  Beta  deck  either.  So 
we  had  to  lug  the  Media  100  around  to  wher- 
ever we  could  find  one. 

Maybe  you  should  all  go  in  together  and  buy  one.  And 
we'll  pick  up  right  here  next  time  on  your  next  films! 

Mark].  Huisrrum  lcinemark(a  jnmdspring.com]  is  a 
contributing  editor  to  The  Independent. 


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TEL:   212-242-0444       FAX:   212-242-4419 


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-ID    « 

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SUSSBU 
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August/September   L999   THE    INDEPENDENT      71 


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The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  o(  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs     John  D.  and  Catherine  T  Mac  Arthur  Foundation 


The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation 

Home  Box  Office 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation 

Jerome  Foundation 


National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 
Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


nysca  zrsrsi 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Dinque  Entertainment,  Inc;  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  Forest 
Creatures  Entertainment;  Labyrinth  Productions;  Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  RJB  Productions 
White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3;  Heidi  McLean;  Intrepid  Film  &  Video  Inc. 
FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  Respectable  Street  Inc.;  GA:  Legacy  Pictures  Inc.;  Mark  Morton;  IL 
Optimus;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  MD:  Imagination  Machines;  MI:  Jes  &  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  NC 
Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC  NY:  Arc  International  Entertainment  Corp.;  Asset 
Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  C  &.  S 
International  Insurance  Brokers;  Cando  Entertainment;  Catherine  Carey;  Citystuff.com,  Dependable 
Delivery,  Inc.;  Dynamism;  Fred  Ellis;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  G  Productions,  Golden 
Cinema  Enterprises,  Inc.;  Historic  Film  Archive;  Jr.  Video;  Julia  John  Music;  LD  Media  Corp;  Mad  Mad 
Judy;  Media  Principia;  Merci  Entertainment,  Inc;  Middlemarch  Films;  New  Rican  Filmmaker;  NYT 
Television;  One  Such  Films;  Parallax  Pictures,  Inc.;  Prime  Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Stuart  Math 
Films  Inc.;  Sundance  Channel  LLC;  Surf  and  Turt  Films  Inc.;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune  Pictures; 
Wonder  Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI:  Treasure  Chest  Television;  TX:  Aries  Productions; 
Graham  Dorian,  Inc.;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  WA: 
Amazon.com;  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona  University;  CA: 
Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  KOCT; 
UC/Media  Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  Nat'l  Educational  Media  Network;  USC  School  of  Cinema  TV; 
University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  Denver  Center  for  the  Performing  Arts;  CT:  Film 
Fest  New  Haven;  GA:  Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii/Manoa; 
IL:  Community  Television  Network;  The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Facets;  Kartemquin  Films  Ltd.; 
Macarthur  Foundation;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The  Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  Media 
Working  Group;  MA:  Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  Mass.  College  of  Art;  Northampton  Film  Festival;  MD: 
Laurel  Cable  Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Community  Access  TV;  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  WTVS 
Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO: 
Webster  University;  NC:  Cucalorus  Film  Foundation;  NE:  Ross  Film  Theater;  NJThomas  Edison 
Media  Arts  Consortium;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.; 
Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Center  For  New  American  Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications 
Society;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions; 
Educational  Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation;  Guggenheim 
Museum  Soho;  Irish  American  Film  Foundation;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic 
Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network  Museum  of  Modem  Art;  National  Video  Resources; 
New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Society  Institute/Soros  Documentary  Fund;  Opposable 
Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul  Robeson  FundTunding  Exchange;  The  Roth  School  Library;  Squeaky  Wheel; 
SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media  Studies;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13;  Women 
Make  Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  &  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  City  of  Cleveland; 
Cleveland  Filmmakers;  Ohio  University-Film;  Wexner  Center;  OR:  Communications  Arts,  MHCC; 
Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty  Productions;  PA/Council  On  The 
Arts;  Philadelphia  Film/Video  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  RI:  Flickers  Arts 
Collaborative;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX: 
Austin  Cinemaker  Coop;  Austin  Film  Society;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio-TV- 
Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WI:  Madison  Film  Forum;  India:  Foundation  for  Universal  Responsiblity; 
Mexico:  Centra  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Canada:  Video  Pool;  York  University;  Norway: 
Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash 


Millenni 
Oa 


re- 
serve 

fund  for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than 
$93,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
foundation  contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home  Box 
Office;  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts; 
Ovation;  Washington  DC  Film  Society. 

HONORARY  COMMITTEE  MEMBERS 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck,  Timed 
Exposures;  Peter  Buck;  Hugo  Cassirer, 
Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge;  Linda  & 
Bob  Curtis;  Jacob  Burns  Foundation,  Inc.; 
Loni  Ding;  Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen 
Freedman  &  Roger  Weisberg;  David  Haas; 
Henry  Hampton*,  Blackside,  Inc.;  Nik 
Ives;  Bill  Jersey,  The  Catticus  Corporation; 
Deborah  Kozee,  C&S  International 
Insurance  Brokers;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz, 
Forest  Creatures  Entertainment;  Richard 
Kylberg,  Communicom;  Tom  LeGoff; 
Helaine  &.  Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner 
Rick  Linklater,  Detour  Film  Foundation 
Juan  Mandelbaum;  John  Bard  Manulis 
Diane  Markrow;  Jim  McKay,  C-Hundred 
Film  Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins;  David  &  Sandy 
Picker;  R.E.M./Athens  LLC;  Batbara 
Roberts;  James  Schamus,  Good  Machine; 
Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza  Vann  Smith; 
Miranda  Smith;  Michael  Stipe;  Ann 
Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records  A/ideos/Books; 
Walterry  Insurance  Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  &. 
Nancy  Meyer;  Martin  Wills,  TCI/District 
Cablevision;  Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan 
Wittenberg;    Lawrence    Zicklin,    Jewish 

Communal  Fund.  *  deceased 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals  and  organi- 
zations who  have  recendy  made  or  renewed 
generous  donations  of  $100  or  more  as  MCF 
Friends  (5/15/99  to  6/15/99): 

Peter  Lewnes;  Valerie  Soe 


ACN 


T 


A4^I\IN€3 


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NEW  yCCr  ril_M  ACADE/HY 

100  EAST  17TH  STREET  NYC   10003  TEL:  212-674-4300  FAX:  212-477-1414 
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show  films  and 


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is  a  hotb&)  of 


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TOTALLY  INDEPENDENT 


g\J\ 


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tor; 
artistic  director. 

Austin  Film  So 


Design  Nik  Ives 


Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community. 

Name Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


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Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF.  304  Hudson  St..  6th  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013    For  more  information  call  (2121  807-1400.  ext.  224. 
Ihe  foundation  tor  Independent  Video  and  film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible 


OCTOBER  1999 


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^Independent 

M  K FILM  &  VIDEO  MONTHLY 


Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
[editor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
lmdependent@aivf.orgl 

Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.org] 

Intern:  Lisa  Vasta 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbndge,  Lissa  Gibbs, 

Mark  J.  Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Merles, 
Barbara  Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director-.  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 
(212)  807-1400  x.  225: 
ldisplayads@aivf.orgl 

Ad  Rep:  Stephan  Kessler 

(212)  807-1400  x  230: 

lads@aivf.org] 

• 

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Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly.  304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl .  NY,  NY  10013 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF).  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film  Subscription  to  the  magazine  (S55/yr  individual:  $3 5/yr  student: 
$150/yr  business/industry:  $100/yr  nonprofit  organization)  is  included  in  annual 
membership  dues  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers 
(AIVF).  the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  involved  in  independent  film  and 
video.  Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr.  Contact.  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6 
fl„  NY,  NY  10013,  (212)  807-1400;  fax:  (212)  463-8519;  independent@aivf.org; 
www.aivf.org  Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY,  and  at  additional  ^»M 
mailing  offices.  ^ff 

Publication  ot  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public  "",*,"'," 
funds  from  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the  a  grant  from 
the  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts,  a  federal  agency  Publication  of  any  advertise- 
ment in  The  Independent  does  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  AIVF/FIVF  are  not 
responsible  for  any  claims  made  in  an  ad. 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor  Letters  will  be  edited 
for  length.  All  contents  are  copyright  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Rim, 
Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previous 
appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film.  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director;  Michelle  Coe,  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director;  LaTrice  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  director.  Eugene 
Hernandez,  web  consultant;  Joshua  Sanchez,  webmaster;  Jessica  Perez,  administra- 
tive director;  Suzy  Salamy,  information  services  associate;  Liza  Donatelh.  Toolkit 
coordinator;  Maxim  Almenas,  Bernard  Cistrunk  &  Corey  McDonald,  interns 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I.  Freedman.  Esq..  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Lorn  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Ruby  Lerner*,  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Linklater,  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane  Markrow  (co- 
chair),  Jim  McKay  (secretary,  vice  president),  Robb  Moss  (co-chair).  Elizabeth  Peters 
(ex  officio),  Robert  Richter  (treasurer)  James  Schamus*.  Valerie  Soe.  Barton  Weiss 
(co-president). 
*  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only. 


2    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


October   1999 

VOLUME  22,  NUMBER  8  www.aivf.org 


Issue  Spotlight:  Documentary  Today 

As  some  things  change  (the  flood  of  on-line  resources),  others  remain  the  same — like  the  old-fash- 
ioned blood,  sweat,  and  tears  it  still  takes  to  produce  a  documentary.  It's  all  reflected  in  this  issue. 

24  Made  in  Milwaukeewood 

Chris  Smith's  American  Movie  is  the  story  of  one  driven  Midwestern  indie  filmmaker  as  told  by 
another.  Plus,  a  profile  of  Coven  director  and  American  Movie  subject  Mark  Borchardt. 

by  Rob  Nelson 

28  Beyond  Biography-.  A&E  and  Independents 

With  its  30  hours  of  documentary  specials  each  year,  the  Arts  &  Entertainment  Network  has 
become  a  partner  to  a  growing  number  of  independent  documentarians — particularly  those  with 
a  nose  for  news. 

by  Beth  Pinsker 

32  Archival  Research  Goes  Hi  Tech 

Searching  for  archival  footage  used  to  be  a  long,  arduous,  and  expensive  process.  Now,  with 
archives'  searchable  databases  and  on-line  clips,  you  might  find  that  footage  without  ever  taking 
off  your  bedroom  slippers. 

by  Andrea  Meyer 


Upfront 


*  n  A  Q  U I  SONY  PICTURES  CLASSICS 
rLMOm  &AIVF PRESENT 

A  BENEFIT  PREMIERE  OF  AMERICAN  MOVIE 

SEE  PAGE  60  FOR  DETAILS! 


5   News 

Blockbuster  faces  two  lawsuits 
over  strong-arm  business  tac- 
tics that  cripple  independent 
videostore  owners. 
by  Tia  Lessin  &  Sandy  Cioffi 

8   Opinion 

A  new  vocabulary  needed  for  nonfiction  film;  documentary 
distribution  in  the  digital  era. 

by  Paul  Devlin;  Doug  Block 

11   Wired  Blue  Yonder 

Site  seeing:  Noteworthy  resources  on  the  web. 
by  Lisa  Vasta 

12  Profiles 

Liz  Mermin  &  Jenny  Raskin;  Mary  Katzke; 
Termite  TV 

by  Lynn  M.  Ermann; 

Carol  Milano;  Jeremy  Lehrer 


FAQ  &  Info 


35  Distributor  FAQ 

In  the  distribution  business 
since  1916,  the  University  of 
California  Extension  Center 
shows  that  an  old  dog  can 
learn  new  tricks. 

BY    LlSSA    GIBBS 


39  Funder  FAQ 

Daring  to  go  where  few  others 
tread,  the  Soros  Documentary 
Fund  actively  supports  films 
on  such  contemporary  (and 
thorny)  social  issues  as 
human  rights,  freedom  of 
expression,  and  civil  liberties. 

by  Michelle  Coe 


41  Festivals 
48  Notices 
54  Classifieds 


18  Festival  Circuit 

Keeping  it  reel  at  Nyon's  Visions  du  Reel;  an  apple  for  Content ' 
the  Provincetown  Film  Festival  makes  its  debut. 

by  beatrijs  van  act;  brendan  peterson; 
Stephen  Brophy 


60  Events  &  AIVF  Minutes 
62  In  &  Out  of  Production 


>y  Lisa  Vasta 


63  Salons 


COVER:  Chris  Smith  and  Sarah  Price,  the  dynamic  duo  behind  American  Movie. 
Photo:  Mark  Horton,  courtesy  Sony  Pictures  Classics 


October  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


I 


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and  British  Movietone  News  -  at  America's  newest 
and  most  modern  footage  resource.  If  it  happened  from 
1900  right  up  to  today,  we've  got  it  covered! 

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©1998 


LACKLUSTER  VIDEO 

Independent  video  stores  declare  war, 
filing  two  lawsuits  against  Blockbuster 


Q^72) 


BY 


Tia    Lessin    &    M^ 
Sandy   Cioffi 


When  the  Seattle  International  Film 
Festival  took  Blockbuster  Video — the  nation's 
largest  home  video  retailer — aboard  as  a  corpo- 
rate sponsor  last  spring,  independent  video 
store  owners  in  town  were  irate.  "We  see  this  as 
an  affront  to  the  community.  It  undermines 
both  the  independent  nature  of  the  festival  and 
our  shared  vision — providing  an  option  to  the 
more  mainstream  national  movie  industry," 
wrote  Scarecrow  Video  founders  George  and 
Rebecca  Latsios  in  an  open  letter  to  the  festival. 

Daryl  Macdonald,  festival  director,  defended 
Blockbuster's  sponsorship  on  the  opening  night 
of  the  festival.  "Blockbuster  saved  us  at  a  time 
when  we  were  in  dire  need."  As  exclusive  video 
sponsor  at  Sundance,  Portland  International  Film 
Festival  and  other  festivals  last  year,  Blockbuster 
claims  to  be  supporting  independent  film. 

Mark  Vreiling,  president  of  the  Video 
Software  Dealers  Association  and  owner  of 
Seattle's  Rain  City  Video,  questioned 
Blockbuster's  motivations  in  sponsoring  the 
festival.  "Most  small  independent  films  will 
never  see  the  shelves  of  a  Blockbuster — their 
returns  on  investment  just  aren't  great  enough 
to  justify  the  floor  space  for  a  company  like 
that.  Why  then  would  they  sponsor  the  festi- 
val/ It's  a  marketing  ploy,  plain  and  simple." 

It's  not  just  independent  films  that  are  scarce 
on  Blockbuster's  shelves.  In  1991,  Blockbuster 
banned  NC-17  films  in  response  to  a  threat- 
ened boycott  by  the  Rev.  Donald  Wildmon's 
right-wing  American  Family  Association.  The 
Motion  Picture  Association  of  America  has 
assigned  the  NC-17  rating  to  65  films  that  fea- 
ture "violence  or  sex  or  aberrational  behavior 
or  drug  abuse  or  any  other  elements  which, 
when  present,  most  parents  would  consider  too 
strong."  The  list  includes  Henry  and  ]une;  The 
Cook,  The  Thief,  His  Wife  and  Her  Lover;  Tie  Me 
Up!  Tie  Me  Down!;  Poison;  Crash;  Bent;  Last 
Tango  in  Paris;  and  Orgazmo. 

Blockbuster  also  forbids  its  stores  from  carry- 
ing the  unrated  films  Happiness  and  Kids  and, 
until  very  recently,  banned  the  R-rated  The 


A  regiment  of  Saving  Private  Ryan  lines  the  shelves  at 
Blockbuster.  While  this  may  annoy  cinephiles,  competing 
retailers  have  other  bones  to  pick  with  the  nation's 
largest  home  video  chain. 


Last  Temptation  of  Christ. 

Oliver  Stone's  director's  cut  of  Natural  Born 
Killers  never  made  it  into  Blockbuster  stores. 
"This  is  a  new  form  of  censorship  that's  come 
into  being  in  this  country,"  said  Stone,  quoted 
in  the  New  York  Times.  "Essentially,  it's  the  san- 
itation of  entertainment.  Studios  like  Warner 
Brothers  won't  even  release  a  film  rated  NC- 
17.  They  point  to  economic  pressure  from 
Blockbuster  and  Wal-Mart,  who  won't  carry 
those  videos.  People  don't  understand  how 
much  power  these  corporations  have." 

If  anyone  understands  Blockbuster's  power, 
it's  independent  video  store  owners.  They 
claim  that  deals  between  Blockbuster  and 
Hollywood  studios  amount  to  price  fixing  and 
other  predatory  practices  and  are  putting  them 
out  of  business. 

Instead  of  purchasing  videos  for  $70-80  the 
way  other  retailers  do,  Blockbuster  pays  $7  or  less 
up  front  for  bulk  orders  and  then  shares  the  rental 
income  with  the  studios.  Independent  retailers 
have  been  excluded  from  these  special  prices. 

"The  Blockbuster  agreements  are  part  of  a 
conspiracy  with  the  studios  to  monopolize  the 
markets  for  video  rentals  and  purchases,"  says  a 
statement  released  by  Fairness  Alliance  of 
Independent  Retailers  (FAIR),  a  coalition  of 
video  retailers.  "Blockbuster  is  able  to  flood  its 
stores  with  low-cost  videos,  forcing  competitors 
to  spend  significantly  more  money  to  stock 
comparable  numbers  of  videos  or  face  being 
driven  out  of  the  marketplace."  In  July,  FAIR 


EDITED    BY    PAUL    POWER 

filed  an  antitrust  class  action  lawsuit  against 
Blockbuster  and  the  studios. 

Blockbuster  spokeswoman  Liz  Green  calls 
such  lawsuits  "desperate  attempts  by  people 
who  aren't  willing  to  change  with  the  industry 
and  aren't  able  to  satisfy  customer  demand." 

According  to  industry  ana- 
lysts, approximately  3,000 
small  and  mid-sized  video 
stores  folded  in  1998;  thou- 
sands more  are  expected  to 
close  this  year.  Meanwhile, 
Blockbuster  increased  its 
revenues  by  37  percent  last 
year.  With  more  than  4,000 
outlets  across  the  country, 
Blockbuster  controls  nearly 
half  the  home  video  rental 
market. 

Acquired  by  the  Viacom  empire  in  1994, 
Blockbuster  has  among  its  corporate  siblings 
Paramount  Pictures,  Spelling  Entertainment, 
MTV,  Showtime,  UPN  and  Simon  6k  Schuster. 
Like  its  parent,  Blockbuster  has  grown  by 
devouring  other  companies — Errols,  Video 
Library,  Movies  to  Go,  Video  Superstores,  and 
most  recently,  a  chunk  of  the  Videoland  chain. 
When  Steven  Andre,  owner  of  Carmel, 
California's  Monster  Video,  rejected 
Blockbuster's  franchise  offer,  Blockbuster 
approached  Andre's  landlord  behind  his  back 
and  tried  to  buy  out  the  Monster  Video  lease. 
Andre's  feelings  towards  Blockbuster  Video 
went  from  bad  to  worse  after  Adrian  Lyne's  ver- 
sion of  Lolita  was  released  to  home  video.  Since 
Lolita  had  no  theatrical  release  in  the  U.S.,  its 
home  video  release  was  highly  anticipated. 
"Customers  came  in  asking  for  it,  but  we 
thought  it  wasn't  out  yet.  Turned  out  it  was 
released,  just  not  to  us,"  recalls  Andre. 

Andre  could  not  acquire  copies  of  Lolita 
from  his  distributor  or  even  from  the  studio. 
Blockbuster,  it  turns  out,  had  cut  an  exclusive  deal 
with  Columbia  Tristar  to  distribute  an  "edited" 
(i.e.  censored)  version  of  the  video  in  the  U.S. 

"Apparently,  Blockbuster  wants  not  only  to 
control  distribution,  the  company  intends  to 
own  and  thereby  control  the  content  of  the 
films,"  warns  Andre.  "Blockbuster  is  capable  of 
using  its  buying  clout  to  sanitize  the  way 
America  thinks." 

Blockbuster  has  exclusives  on  a  dozen  other 
titles,  including:  October  Films'  Still  Breathing 
and  Trimarks'  The  Curve  and,  according  to 
Andre,  has  at  least  30  more  exclusives  in  the 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      5 


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works.  "There  is  only  one  reason  to  do  this — to 
destroy  competition.  My  customers  have  to  go 
to  Blockbuster  if  they  want  to  rent  these 
movies."  In  March,  Andre  filed  a  lawsuit  under 
the  California  State  Unfair  Business  Practices 
Act  to  challenge  Blockbuster's  deals. 

Marketplace  censorship  is  more  insidious 
than  outright  censorship  and  may,  in  the  long 
run,  limit  selection  more.  Independent  video 
stores,  owned  and  operated  for  years  by  true 
cinephiles,  have  served  as  virtual  film  libraries 
to  communities  across  the  country.  With  these 
stores  closing,  many  of  their  now  out-of-print 
titles  are  being  sold  at  sidewalk  sales  and  lost  to 
the  public  forever.  And  in  more  and  more  com- 
munities where  Blockbuster  is  the  only  game  in 
town,  films  like  Happiness  and  Kids  aren't  any- 
where to  be  found. 

Ultimately,  Blockbuster's  growing  monopoly 
over  home  video  rentals  could  make  Block- 
buster as  powerful  as  the  studios  themselves. 
Home  video  sales  amount  to  more  than  half  of 
the  profits  generated  by  an  average  studio 
release,  according  to  industry  figures.  With  its 
growing  market  share,  Blockbuster  may  soon  be 
in  a  position  to  influence  which  films  get 
financed  in  the  first  place. 

What  can  concerned  independent  filmmak- 
ers do?  First,  support  local  independent  video 
stores  with  your  dollars.  Second,  demand  that 
Blockbuster  put  an  end  to  its  censorship  of  NC- 
17  and  unrated  films.  Third,  ask  independent 
film  festivals  to  write  sponsorship  policies  and 
consider  rejecting  funding  from  Blockbuster 
because  of  its  questionable  business  practices. 
Fourth,  write  to  the  Federal  Trade  Commission 
to  ask  for  an  investigation  of  Blockbuster's 
questionable  business  practices. 

To    learn    more    about    the    debate,    see 

www.videoretailer.com;      www.speakeasy.org/ 

blackchair/;    www.blockbustervideosucks.com; 

www.ncac.org;  www.freexpression.org 

Tia  Lessin  ] tia(Q  igc.org]  is  a  documentary  producer 
living  in  New  York  City. 

Sandy  Cioffi  [fastfwd(fi  speakeasy.org]  is  an 
mdependent  filmmaker  living  in  Seattle. 

ERRATA 

In  the  July  issue  we  incorrectly  stated  that  the 
Igor  Vamos  film  La  Petomane  had  a  single  night 
screening  at  New  York  City's  Anthology  Film 
Archives.  The  film  actually  had  a  successful 
run  of  eight  screenings  over  a  two-week  period. 
In  addition,  Dave  Ellsworth's  film  Monkey  Doll 
was  improperly  titled  in  the  review  of  the  U.S. 
Super  8  Film  6k  Video  Festival.  The  Independent 
regrets  these  errors. 


6    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


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What's  in  a  name? 


by   Paul   Devlin 

Thriller!  Romance.'  Comedy!  Horror!  The 
list  of  genres  used  to  market  fiction  films  is 
dynamic  enough  to  turn  a  nonfiction  filmmak- 
er grassy  green  with  envy.  Because  no  matter 
how  creatively  a  nonfiction  maker  describes  his 
or  her  film,  the  response  is  invariably,  "Oh,  it's 
a  documentary." 

The  term  "documentary"  has  been  problem- 
atic ever  since  it  was  coined  in  1926  by  British 
filmmaker  John  Grierson  to  describe  an  emerg- 
ing style  of  nonfiction  cinema.  Today  it  carries 
much  baggage  when  presented  to  the  theater- 
going masses,  many  of  whom  mistakenly  per- 
ceive documentary  as  a  talking-head,  social- 
issue,  slow-but-important  form  that  does  very 
well  on  public  television. 

It  is  time  to  revolutionize  that  perception. 
This  year  the  New  York  Times  headlined, 
"Documentary  Films  Get  Top  Billing  at 
Sundance,"  and  IndieWIRE  reported  from  the 
Los  Angeles  International  Film  Festival  that 
"the  vanguard  of  American  independent  cine- 
ma more  and  more  seems  to  be 
documentaries." 


One  way  this  ascendance  can  be  even  further 
enhanced  is  by  creating  a  new  vocabulary  for 
nonfiction  film. 

For  example,  is  Wild  Man  Blues  a  documen- 
tary? Perhaps,  but  Barbara  Kopple  would  prefer 
to  call  her  depiction  of  Woody  Allen's 
European  jazz  tour  a  "Musical  Comedy."  "We 
shouldn't  use  the  word  'documentary'  any- 
more," the  two-time  Academy  Award  winner 
says  emphatically.  She  has  been  known  to  con- 
tact festivals  directly  to  ensure  that  the  word  is 
not  attached  to  her  work. 

Is  Koyaanisqatsi  a  documentary?  Well,  it  is 
nonfiction  .  .  .  sort  of.  But  Godfrey  Reggio's 
movie  is  also  impressionistic,  abstract,  and 
completely  nonverbal.  Let's  get  imaginative. 
Why  not  call  Koyaanisqatsi  a  "Motion  Poem"? 
Or  maybe  "Lyrical  Nonfiction"  or  "Cine- 
Literature."  Any  others? 

How  about  Errol  Morris's  Thin  Blue  Line 
and  Vicky  Funari's  Paulina1.  These  movies  broke 
new  ground  by  mixing  fact  and  fiction  in  very 
innovative  ways.  Such  hybrids  certainly 
deserve  their  own  genre  name.  Why  not  up- 
date the  television  term  and  call  them 
"DramaDocs"? 

And  as  long  as  we're  thinking  short  and 
catchy,  how  about  shortening  "Mockumentary" 
to  "Moc  Doc"  for  fake  documentaries  such  as 
This  Is  Spinal  Tap  and  Dadetown.  Then  chop  up 
"Rockumentary"  and  use  "Roc  Doc"  to 
describe  concert  films  such  as  Don't  Look  Back 
\    and  Stop  Making  Sense. 

Of  course,    there    are    dissenters.    Chuck 
Workman's  film  The  Source  traces  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Beat  Generation  in  American 
culture  and  uses  actors  such  as  Johnny  Depp 
to  'illustrate'  the  literature.  Workman  does 
not  like  the  idea  of  inventing  new  genre 
names  for  nonfiction:  "To  me  it's  unneces- 
sary.  Genres   pigeonhole    the   film."   He's 
never  been  afraid  to  call  his  film  a  docu- 
mentary. In  the  end,  he  says,  "Who  cares 
what  you  call  it?" 

Not  caring  how  your  film  is  labeled  is 
uncomfortably   close   to   not   caring 
what  the  poster  looks  like — labels 
and  posters  are  both  marketing  ele- 
ments that  affect  the  perception  of 
the   film.   When   promoting   my   film 
SlamNation  last  year,  I  was  very  frustrat- 
ed     that      it      was      being      labeled 
Documentary.  Although  I  had  made  a 


nonfiction  feature  about  competitive 
Olympics-style  poetry  readings  or  "Slam" 
Poetry,  I  did  not  consider  the  movie  a  docu- 
mentary at  all.  I  struggled  to  extract  the  film 
from  the  crowded  pigeon-hole  imposed  by  that 
word.  So  I  adopted  the  genre  name  "Nonfiction 
Narrative"  to  describe  my  movie. 

Unlike  documentary,  but  very  much  like 
most  fiction  films,  the  Nonfiction  Narrative  has 
a  very  specific  dramatic  structure  at  its  core:  It 
introduces  a  dramatic  question,  then  builds 
tension  to  a  climax  which  answers  that  dramat- 
ic question.  Documentaries  like  Crumb  and 
The  Cruise  are  fascinating  films,  but  neither  has 
a  dramatic  question  answered  at  the  climax. 

As  in  Hands  on  a  Hardbody,  the  competition 
in  SlamNation  led  naturally  to  this  structure 
("Which  team  will  win  the  National  Poetry 
Slam?").  The  Nonfiction  Narrative  has  a  long 
tradition,  stretching  past  Michael  Moore's 
Roger  and  Me  ("Will  he  actually  interview 
Roger?")  and  Joe  Berlinger  and  Bruce 
Sinofsky's  Brothers  Keeper  ("Will  the  brother  be 
convicted  for  murder?"),  back  to  Barbara 
Kopple's  Harland  County  USA  ("Will  the  min- 
ers win  the  strike?")  and  Robert  Drew's  Primary 
("Will  Kennedy  beat  Humphrey?").  Until  now, 
however,  the  Nonfiction  Narrative  has  not 
been  identified  as  a  genre  separate  from 
Documentary. 

Perhaps  D.A.  Pennebacker  and  Chris 
Hegedus  best  expressed  the  difference  when 
they  wrote  in  lmaginmg  Reality,  "Why  can't  we 
have  a  true  theater  of  documentary  (nonfic- 
tion) filmmaking  that  entertains  and  excites 
rather  than  explains?  ...  As  big  and  bright  as 
any  narrative  fiction  film,  it  would  be  filmed 
from  reality,  not  scripts,  and  its  protagonists 
would  be  the  villains  and  heroes  around  us  .  .  . 
a  new  and  different  sort  of  theater  that  search- 
es for  its  plots  and  characters  among  the  real 
streets  and  jungles  of  our  times." 

Sounds  like  the  nonfiction  answer  to  the 
Dogma  95  Manifesto. 

I  have  no  illusions  that  I  will  be  able  to  find 
my  film  in  the  Nonfiction  Narrative  section  of 
Blockbuster  anytime  soon.  I  do  believe,  how- 
ever, that  if  nonfiction  films  are  to  fulfill  the 
exciting  promise  made  this  year,  those  films  will 
not  be  called  Documentaries.  It  is  up  to  inde- 
pendent filmmakers  to  lead  the  way  in  deciding 
what  their  nonfiction  "Thrillers"  "Romances" 
and  "Comedies"  will  be  called  instead. 

Paul  Devlin  is  the  maker  of  SlamNation  [www. 

slamnation.com],  released  nationally  in  theaters  this  past 

year  by  The  Cinema  Guild  and  now  on  video.  He  is 

scripting  a  DramaDoc  which  he  hopes  to  shoot  in  the 

spring  of  2000. 


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thefutureishere.com 


by   Doug   Block 

Documentary  filmmakers  often  struggle 

for  years  doing  whatever  it  takes  to  finish  our 
labors  of  love,  only  to  find  one  roadblock  after 
another  thrown  up  between  the  completed 
work  and  the  audience  we  know  is  out  there. 

Now  comes  the  Internet,  with  its  extraordi- 
nary power  to  target  and  reach  potential  view- 
ers, as  well  as  broadband,  e-commerce,  digital 
video  projection,  and  interactive  content,  all 
approaching  like  a  gale-wind  hurricane.  It's  fas- 
cinating to  speculate  whether  these  represent 
real  hope  or  just  another  pipedream  for  the 
long-suffering  indie  documentarian. 

The  largely  web-based  distribution  of  my 
personal  documentary  about  the  web,  Home 
Page,  doesn't  make  me  an  expert,  but  it  has 
given  me  the  chance  to  gain  firsthand  knowl- 
edge of  the  astonishing  changes  that  new  tech- 
nologies are  opening  up  for  us.  So  here's  my 
forecast  on  a  few  distribution  trends  to  antici- 
pate and  strategies  to  consider  in  the  coming 
years: 


There  will  be  less 
reliance  on  tradi- 
tional distribu- 
tors as  filmmak- 
ers start  to  self- 
distribute 
through  the 
Web.  Now  that 
people  can  go  to 
your  website, 
click  a  button, 
and  link  to  a 


o  a  f 


*tv 


online  transaction  form  to  buy  your  video,  why 
do  you  need  a  home  video  distributor  (especial- 
ly one  who  could  never  get  your  doc  into 
Blockbuster  anyway).7  Some  day  broadened 
bandwidth  will  allow  you  to  simply  download 
the  film  to  paying  customers.  Until  then,  your 
new  distribution  partner  could  be  anything 
from  Amazon.com  to  WeSellAnything.com  (or, 
hopefully  soon,  ThePlaceForDocs.com),  but 
you'll  be  keeping  at  least  45-70%  of  all  sales 
after  your  fulfillment  costs.  Or,  if  you  don't 
mind  the  hassle,  you  can  sell  it  yourself  and 
keep  it  all. 

It  will  be  harder  than  ever  to  get  theatrical 
distribution  for  your  doc.  It's  not  just  a  matter 
of  a  product  glut,  or  a  dearth  of  risk-taking 
indie  distributors,  or  the  death  of  16mm  as  an 
exhibition  medium.  The  simple  hard  truth  is 
that  audiences  have  never  shown  much  incli- 
nation to  plunk  down  their  hard- earned  money 
to  see  documentaries  in  a  theater.  In  the  con- 
vergence era,  before  you  sign  that  seven-year 
deal  with  a  smaller  distributor,  think  long  and 
hard  about  whether  a  week-long  showing  in  a 
dozen  cities  to  half- empty  theaters  is  worth  giv- 
ing up  your  television,  video,  and  broadband 
rights  for. 

Festivals  will  become  more  critical  than  ever. 

In  the  future,  when  everyone's  a  mediamaker 
and  everyone's  a  self-distributor,  the  biggest 
challenge  will  be  to  somehow  distin- 
guish  your    masterpiece    from    the 
masses.  With  theatrical  possibilities 

\so  scarce,  the  validation  of  certain 
prestigious    festivals,    and    the 
reviews,  articles,  and  industry 
attention  they  generate,  will 
grow    increasingly    impor- 
tant.  (But  pity  the  poor, 
inundated   festival   pro- 
grammers.) 
Internet  self-distrib- 
ution will  necessi- 
tate   a    return    to 
grassroots  marketing. 

What's   the   most  effective 
way  for  people  to  find  out 
about  your  film?  Try  good, 
old-fashioned,        grassroots 
audience -building.         You'll 
want  to  put  up  a  we 


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October  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      9 


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b  site  early  in  the  filmmaking  process  and  use 
the  web  to  search  out  and  connect  with  your 
communities  of  interest.  You  can  provide  use- 
ful, compelling  content  on  your  website  beyond 
just  promotion  for  your  film,  such  as  complete 
transcripts  of  interviews  and  links  to  resources 
and  information  on  your  subject  matter.  I 
strongly  suggest  gathering  every  pertinent 
email  you  receive  over  the  course  of  production 
and  compiling  an  email  list  that  you  update  reg- 
ularly. (Sites  like  egroups.com  and  listbot.com 
offer  powerful  and  free  mailing  list  services  that 
even  allow  for  discussions  between  subscribers 
to  your  list.)  Once  the  press  starts  writing  about 
your  film,  you'll  want  to  post  the  articles.  You 
get  the  idea.  It  all  leads  to  that  final,  magical 
link  on  your  site:  "Click  here  to  order  the  video 
or  DVD." 

You  will  have  a  much  more  interactive  rela- 
tionship with  your  audience.  Within  days  of 
the  Home  Page  broadcast  on  the  French/ 
German  channel  Arte,  I  received  hundreds  of 
heartfelt  emails  from  all  over  Europe.  Most 
appreciated  the  film,  but  even  more  appreciat- 
ed the  fact  that  they  could  directly  contact  the 
director  and  main  characters  so  easily  ("I  see 
you  just  in  my  TV!"  proclaimed  one  of  my 
favorites).  Feedback  won't  just  be  reserved  for 
when  the  film  is  finished,  however,  but  will  be  a 
by-product  of  making  your  entire  filmmaking 
process  more  public  and  inclusive.  You  can 
allow  visitors  to  stream  clips  or  a  trailer  or  your 
work-in-progress  sample  and  solicit  their  reac- 
tions. If  you  need  help  or  advice,  you  can  put 
out  a  notice.  When  it's  time  to  let  the  world 
know  about  public  exhibitions,  you'll  turn  to 
your  mailing  list  to  help  spread  the  word. 

Distribution  in  the  digital  era  may  not  lead 
to  greater  riches  or  fame,  but  then  that's  not 
why  we  became  documentary  filmmakers  in  the 
first  place.  For  the  savvy  producer  who  is  open 
to  different  distribution  paradigms,  open  to 
lowering  expectations  for  theatrical  release, 
open  to  working  very  hard,  and  open  to  the 
possibilities  of  the  Internet,  new  opportunities 
abound. 

PBS  will  start  an  e-commerce  site  and 
demand  exclusive  Internet  rights  for  the  doc- 
umentaries they  fund.  Filmmakers  will  howl  in 
protest  and  run  to  their  nearest  congressperson. 
Just  kidding!  Or  am  I?  Sometimes,  the  more 
things  change  .... 

Doug  Block's  credits  include  The  Heck  with 

Hollywood!,  Silverlake  Life,  Jupiter's  Wife,  and 

Home  Page.  He  is  publisher  of The  D-Word  [www.d- 

word.com],  a  doc  resource  site,  where  his  journal  of  the 

making  of  Home  Page  is  now  in  its  fourth  year. 


10     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


G^: 


ij^> 


f  ;  tf-  3-j  :_¥zj'2*Lt- 


ED 


Site  Seeing 


by   Lisa   Va  sta 


www.kilima.com/usa.html 


Kl  ILIMA.COM,  AN  ONLINE  WORLD  OF 
NEWS,  FILM,  art,  music  and  literature 
from  nine  countries,  was  the  first 
website  to  broadcast  the  audio  of 
documentary  films  in  their  entire- 
.  ty  using  RealAudio.  This  website, 
*  begun  in  1996,  is  a  must- see  for 
anyone  interested  in  indepen- 
dent documentary  filmmaking.  The  U.S.  page 
features  a  ton  of  links.  There  are  on-line 
exhibitors  (The  Bit  Screen),  journals  (Bright 
Lights  film  journal  &  Current),  nonprofits  (The 
Video  Project  &  Willow  Mixed  Media),  tech 
resources  (Cassette  House),  catalogs  (Le 
Video),  production  companies  (Sound  Print 
Media  Center  &  Enviro Video),  workshop 
opportunites  (Maine  Photographic  Work- 
shops), university  programs  and  producers 
(Stanford  &  Drexell),  and  much  more.  Each 
country  also  features  TV  and  print  news  sites — 
a  good  starting  point  for  researching  publicity 
outlets.  Kilima  also  spotlights  several  documen- 
taries with  the  option  of  viewing  excerpts  or  the 
films  in  their  entirety.  There's  a  short  synopsis 
and  film  still  for  each,  plus  numerous  links.  For 
instance,  California  Redemption,  a  film  about 
the  homeless  who  live  on  the  change  they 
receive  from  redeeming  cans  and  bottles,  has 
contact  info  for  the  director,  many  images,  a 
transcript  of  the  film,  and  a  list  of  links  related 
to  homelessness. 


Documentary  Educational  Resources 
(DER)  is  a  nonprofit  organization  that  pro- 
duces, distributes,  and  promotes  ethnographic 
films  the  world  over.  Its  clear  and  concise  web- 
site is  a  resource  for  anyone  interested  in  this 
particular  branch  of  documentary  filmmaking. 
DER  has  produced  films  on  subjects  as  varied 
as  the  political  and  cultural  diversity  in  Kenya 
and  the  Sahel  region  of  Africa,  the  significance 
of  Balinese  trance  and  healing,  and  the  diversi- 
ty of  music  and  dance  in  New  England.  If  you're 
interested  in  having  DER  consider  distributing 
a  film  of  yours,  you  can  easily  fax  or  email  a  pro- 

custwww.xensei.com/ 
docued/index.html 


posal.  Go  to  "Contact  Us"  and  recommend 
your  own  film.  For  ethnographic  film  users, 
there  are  over  400  video  titles  that  you  can  find 
and  purchase  by  doing  a  quick  search  on  the 
site.  Each  link  gives  you  a  synopsis,  resources 
on  the  subject,  and  purchase  information.  If 
you  like  the  site's  "Featured  Film  of  the 
Month,"  which  could  be  new  or  old  but  newly 
significant,  you  may  order  it  at  50%  off  for  the 
entire  month.  There  is  also  a  large  photography 
archive,  broken  up  geographically,  on  the  site 
as  well.  "What's  New"  features  new  produc- 
tions and  information  on  the  DER  Digital  Post 
Production  Studio,  which  offers  an  Avid 
MCXpress  weekend  workshop  for  $175.  The 
site  also  features  a  short  but  solid  list  of  links 
pertaining  to  film  and  anthropology. 


/.fi 


www.rivewives.com 


"Blond  hair,  a 
fur  coat,  and  a 

SHOTGUN"  are  the 
typical  accou- 
trements of  a 
Texan  socialite, 
according  to  one 
Houston  native 
questioned  by 
Tessa  Blake  in  her 
documentary  Five 
Wives,  Three 

Secretaries  and  Me,  a  film  that  opens  theatrical- 
ly this  month  in  New  York.  Tessa  Blake,  the  Me 
of  the  title,  has  created  a  documentary  about 
the  life  of  her  much-married,  very 
opinionated,  oil-baron  father.  Her 
accompanying  website  is  a  cleanly 
designed,  model  electronic  press  kit, 
which  includes  all  the  pertinent  infor- 
mation on  her  film.  In  addition,  Blake 
has  linked  to  the  homepages  of  several 
film  festivals,  indie  film  associations, 
and  assorted  other  special-interest 
sites.  The  site  includes  contact  infor- 
mation for  Castle  Hill — which  is 
releasing  the  film — bios  for  her  father, 
her  producer,  and  for  herself.  She  may 
be  blonde  and  appears  to  be  a  bit  of  a 
black-sheep,  but  there's  no  sign  of  that 
fur  coat — or  the  shotgun. 

Lisa  Vasta  is  an  intern  at  The  Independent  and 
a  freelance  writer. 


Top  left:  California  Redemption,  a  film  about 
homeless  survival ,  featured  on  the  Kilima  web  site. 

Box  of  Treasures  (middle)  is  only  one  of  many  films 
featured  on  the  Documentary  Educational  Resources 
web  site,  which  specializes  in  ethnographic  films. 

Tessa  Blake  offers  a  simple  but  elegant  on-line  press 
kit  for  her  semi-autobiographical  doc  Five  Wives, 
Three  Secretaries  and  Me. 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       11 


-J-  f-  f  ■  --I. 


D 


4:  Mermin  and 
Jenny  Raskin 

ON  HOSTILE  GROUND 

by  Lynn  M.  Ermann 

The  pro-lifers  are  loony,  the  pro-choicers 
loud.  Both  speak  in  sound  bites:  Abortion  is 
murder  .  .  .  Every  woman  has  the  right  to 
choose  . . .  et  cetera,  et  cetera.  There  is  footage 
of  an  angry  woman  waving  a  plastic  fetus  on  a 
stick  or  of  a  shrieking  feminist  at  a  podium.  The 
credits  roll  and  you  know  exactly  what  you 
knew  60  minutes  earlier. 

This  is  what  we  have  come  to  expect  from 
documentaries  on  abortion  and  the  stereotype 
that  Liz  Mermin  and  Jenny  Raskin  were  up 
against  in  making  On  Hostile  Ground.  "There 
was  a  little  bit  of  a  feeling  like:  what  else  is 
there  to  say  about  abortion?"  recalls  Raskin. 

In  fact,  the  two  filmmakers  had  an  urgent 
and  important  message:  a  shocking  84  percent 
of  U.S.  counties  have  no  abortion  providers. 
Many  of  the  doctors  who  do  perform  this  pro- 
cedure are  close  to  retirement  with  no  one  to 
replace  them:  just  12  percent  of  medical 
schools  are  teaching  students  abortion  meth- 
ods. Furthermore,  outbreaks  in  violence  against 
abortionists  are  thinning  the  existing  ranks. 

Raskin  and  Mermin  aimed  to  make  a  film 
that  would  "reach  people  passively  pro-choice 
who  have  not  thought  about  this  issue"  as  well 
as  women  who  may  be  undecided  on  their  feel- 
ings about  abortion.  The  work-in-progress, 
which  is  being  made  in  collaboration  with 
Physicians  for  Reproductive  Choice  and 
Health  and  Medical  Students  for  Choice  and 
shot  on  digital  video,  will  be  used  for  educa- 
tional and  outreach  purposes.  Raskin  and 
Mermin  have  also  teamed  up  with  Working 
Films,  a  new  organization  dedicated  to  linking 
community  organizers  with  filmmakers.  But  the 
filmmakers  were  clear  from  the  start  that  they 
wanted  to  do  more  than  preach  to  the  convert- 
ed: "There  is  no  point  in  making  a  political  film 
if  you're  trying  to  reach  people  who  already 
think  the  way  you  do,"  says  Mermin. 

The  first  challenge,  a  major  one,  was  to  find 
abortion  providers  willing  to  risk  being  in  a 
movie.  With  the  assistance  of  advocacy  organi- 
zations, the  filmmakers  found  Dr.  Richard 
Stuntz,  Dr.  Morris  Wortman,  and  Susan  Cahill. 
They  were  chosen  because  their  stories  "shed 
light  on  different  aspects  of  the  profession"  and 


went  against  the  prevailing  stereotypes,  accord- 
ing to  Raskin.  Stuntz  is  an  abortion  doctor  of 
the  old  school,  a  white-haired,  quiet  man  who 
lives  in  Baltimore  and  provides  abortions  in  the 
South.  Wortman  represents  the  newer  genera- 
tion of  activist  abortion  providers  and  works  in 
upstate  New  York,  a  region  beset  by  constant 
violence.  Cahill  represents  the  future  of  abor- 
tion; the  Montana  physician  assistant  is  fight- 
ing for  the  right  to  provide  abortions  without  a 
medical  license.  Funds  for  the  production  came 
from  the  Third  Wave  Foundation  and  the  Lili 
Auchincloss  Foundation,  with  over  $10,000 
raised  in  private  donations. 

The  three -week  shoot  in  the  deep  South 


also  brought  new  issues  into  focus  for  the  film- 
makers: "Our  experience  in  Alabama  really  set 
us  thinking  about  how  to  emphasize  regional 
differences,"  says  Raskin.  They  found  that 
Southern  feminists  had  an  entirely  different 
style  and  approach  than  Northeastern  ones. 
"The  whole  debate  down  there  has  a  much 
more  calm,  even  flow,"  says  Mermin. 
Everything  is  framed  in  religious  terms,  includ- 
ing Stuntz's  explanation  for  his  decision  to  pro- 
vide abortions:  "A  Christian  is  somebody  who 
does  his  best  to  approximate  the  kind  of  life 
that  Jesus  Christ  would  live."  Clinic  workers 
also  tended  not  to  make  strong  political  state- 
ments: "People  that  work  in  the  clinic  are  the 
most  careful  about  what  they  think  and  say 
about  abortion,"  says  Raskin.  "They  confront 
ethical  issues  every  day."  Raskin  and  Mermin 
wanted  the  film  to  represent  this  range  of  atti- 
tudes within  the  pro-choice  movement. 

During  editing,  another  decision  had  to  be 
made:  how  to  portray  the  pro-lifers.  "We  didn't 
want  just  to  caricature  them,"  says  Mermin,  but 


"we  found  that  in  the  sample  reel,  a  lot  of 
things  came  across  as  really  creepy."  Rather 
than  risk  portraying  them  as  a  stereotype, 
Mermin  and  Raskin  decided  to  "represent 
them  as  they  appear  in  the  lives  of  providers." 
What  emerges  from  all  this  careful  planning 
is  a  sensitive  and  quietly  moving  film  that  offers 
a  fresh  take  on  the  abortion  issue.  Opening 
with  a  pro-life  march  and  images  of  firebombed 
clinics,  the  documentary  quickly  shifts  to  an 
intimate  level  and  the  story  of  Dr.  Richard 
Stuntz.  Mermin  and  Raskin  let  the  images 
speak  for  themselves.  A  particularly  stirring 
one:  Stuntz  sheepishly  putting  on  a  bulletproof 
vest  before  going  to  work.  "The  common  pic- 


ture of  an  abortion  doctor  is  one  who  has  no 
concern  for  the  results  of  what  he's  doing  and 
is  a  cold-hearted,  money-grabbing  individual," 
says  Stuntz  to  the  camera.  "I  don't  think  the 
majority  of  us  are  doing  so  for  any  other  reason 
than  to  provide  a  service  that  people  need  and 
do  it  in  as  decent  and  loving  a  manner  possi- 
ble." In  the  section  of  the  film  on  Dr.  Morris 
Wortman,  many  of  the  ambiguities  of  the  abor- 
tion debate  are  tackled.  Wortman  believes  in 
pro-choice  despite  the  fact  that  his  own  moth- 
er tried  to  have  a  miscarriage  while  pregnant 
with  him.  While  he  concedes  that  most  people 
expect  him  to  be  pro-life,  he  says  that  "in  those 
days,  women  like  her  didn't  have  a  choice." 

On  Hostile  Ground:  Aubin  Pictures  Inc.,  136 
Grand  St.,  #5EF,  New  York,  New  York  10013; 
(212)  675-1435  or  366-9161;  aubinpics® 
aol.com 

Lynn  M.  Ermann  wrote  about  the  marketability  of 

B&W  films  in  the  )an./Feb.  issue  of  The  Independent. 

Her  work  also  appears  in  the  New  York  Times, 

Washington  Post,  and  Wall  Street  Journal. 


12    THE    INDEPENDENT     October  1999 


Maiy  JCatzke 

BETWEEN  US 

by  Carol  Milano 


*    ♦    ♦    *    * 


Mary  Katzke  got  both  the  idea  and  the 

money  for  her  latest  documentary  unexpected- 
ly: via  a  life -threatening  illness. 

Misdiagnosed  in  1991,  Katzke  later  found 
she  had  advanced  breast  cancer,  requiring  mas- 
sive chemotherapy.  Dropped  by  her  insurance 
company,  she  sued  her  doctor  to  cover  medical 
bills,  promising  herself  that  if  she  survived  five 
years,  she'd  make  a  film  for  other  women  in  the 


same  crisis.  With  her  settlement,  she  created  a 
life-affirming  video,  Between  Us,  for  hospitals 
to  give  to  new  breast  cancer  patients. 

Growing  up  on  a  southern  Minnesota  farm, 
Katzke  first  longed  to  be  an  actress,  but  found 
her  focus  by  age  eight,  making  home  movies 
and  8mm  documentaries  with  her  father,  an 
engineer  and  weekend  farmer.  She's  worked  as 
a  director  and  screenwriter  ever  since  film 
school  (University  of  Texas  at  Austin,  class  of 
79).  Her  nonprofit  production  company, 
Affinityfilms  Inc.,  is  based  in  Anchorage, 
where  she  lived  in  the  eighties,  smitten  after  a 
summer  vacation.  Since  a  full  scholarship  from 
New  York  University  for  an  MFA  in  film  ('92), 
Katzke  has  divided  her  time  between 
Manhattan  and  Alaska. 

Documentaries  remain  her  specialty.  She's 
explored  domestic  violence,  homelessness, 
rape,  and  the  Exxon  Valdez  spill.  Her  films 
have  been  shown  on  public  television,  at  the 
Museum  of  Modern  Art,  Sundance,  and  at  a 
dozen  other  U.S.  and  European  festivals.  But 


making  Between  Us  was  different. 

The  video  cost  far  more  than  her  settlement 
held  after  medical  bills;  fundraising  was  diffi- 
cult. "Breast  cancer  funds  are  available  for  pre- 
vention or  research,  but  not  to  tend  the 
wounded,"  Katzke  rues.  Her  actual  budget 
came  from  a  series  of  grants  that  arrived  unpre- 
dictably: $5,000  from  the  Susan  Komen 
Foundation;  $3,000  from  Alaska  Run  for  the 
Cure;  $5,000  from  Zeneca  (maker  of  tamox- 
ifen, used  in  breast  cancer  treatment);  $1 1,000 
from  Martin  Lehrer  Foundation;  and  $1,500  in 
tiny  grants,  for  a  total  of  around  $30,000. 

Between  Us  took  four  years  from  research 
through    editing.    "I    didn't    make    a    cent, 

[beyond] 
paying  my 
own  salary 
so  I  could 
live  with  no 
other 
income  for 
the  time  it 
took  to  pre- 
produ  c  e , 
shoot,  edit, 
and  do 

much  of  the 
marketing. 
Large 
expenses 
went  on  my 
credit  cards 
until  a  grant 
came  through,"  the  filmmaker  recalls. 

The  video  was  shot  on  digital  format  with  a 
DVC  ProCamera  lent  by  Panasonic,  who  also 
donated  some  tape  stock.  To  cut  location  fees, 
Between  Us  used  co-producer  Joanne  Singer's 
Manhattan  apartment.  To  change  backdrops 
behind  the  various  interviewees,  a  volunteer 
set  designer  brought  throw  rugs,  curtains,  and 
colorful  bouquets.  The  self-help  video,  shown 
at  New  York  Women  in  Film  &  TV's  20-year 
retrospective  and  the  1998  Breckenridge  and 
Fort  Lauderdale  Festivals,  has  just  won  an 
Independent  Vision  Award  of  $5,000  from 
Dockers.  Between  Us  is  also  the  centerpiece  of 
a  care  package  to  comfort  the  newly  diagnosed. 
A  100-minute  phone  card,  Kleenex,  notebook, 
pen,  scented  candle,  and  handwritten  note 
from  a  local  survivor  are  in  kits  assembled  by 
partner  Janet  Burts  in  an  Alaska  airline  hanger. 
Katzke  hopes  they  bring  the  help  she  craved 
when  finally  diagnosed. 

"Right  away,  I  needed  to  see  other  women 
had  made  it,  how  they  got  through  it — even 


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October  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


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before  [joining]  a  support  group,"  maintains 
the  producer/director.  "We  created  the  video 
for  a  specific  target  audience — 176,000  women 
[diagnosed  with  breast  cancer]  each  year."  The 
producers  are  currently  self-distributing 
through  a  toll-free  number  (logging  several 
orders  each  week)  and  web  site  [www. 
betweenus.org].  They  also  meet  with  hospital 
administrators  to  introduce  Between  Lis,  hop- 
ing they  will  bulk-purchase  kits.  With  price 
breaks  above  10  units  of  either  video  or  kit,  the 
typical  order  has  been  200.  Hospitals  in  Alaska 
and  Oregon  are  giving  out  Between  Us  kits; 
Florida  and  other  Oregon  hospitals  distribute 
the  video. 

"We're  trying  hard  to  find  a  national  sponsor 
to  underwrite  free  distribution.  So  many  hospi- 
tals tell  us  they'd  love  to  provide  this  to 
patients,  but  have  no  funds  for  any  extras," 
sighs  Katzke,  who  sees  Between  Us  as  a  basic, 
not  an  extra,  for  anyone  facing  this  life -threat- 
ening illness.  A  major  Nashville  HMO  has 
agreed  to  distribute  35,000  kits — if  a  sponsor  is 
found.  In  Alaska,  Burts  kept  calling 
Blockbuster  executives  until  the  company 
made  a  contribution  to  cover  the  cost  of  dup- 
ing tapes.  Each  Alaska  location  makes  one 
video  available  at  no  charge  as  a  community 
service;  all  1 1  stores  have  waiting  lists.  Having 
sold  about  2,000  videos,  Katzke's  team  is  "still 
shaping  and  forming  our  outreach  plans." 

They're  frustrated  when  patients  rave  about 
how  much  Between  Us  helps  them,  and  doctors 
report  that  women  come  back  more  relaxed 
and  believing  in  their  recovery — yet  "hospitals 
say  they  have  no  money  and  want  one  $20 
copy  to  put  in  their  library.  It's  hard  to  put  my 
foot  down  and  say  no,  this  project  is  meant  to 
be  given  away  [to  patients].  For  one  tape,  you 
have  to  pay  the  institutional  rate  of  $250. 
Then  they  drop  it." 

As  a  filmmaker,  Katzke  still  endorses  the 
"don't  let  lack  of  money  stop  you"  approach, 
but  admits,  "I  only  did  this  with  no  money 
because  I  had  to — we  had  no  choice  and  sim- 
ply had  to  get  this  out  there."  As  a  change  of 
pace,  she  looks  forward  to  her  next  documen- 
tary, Precious  Cargo,  which  will  recount  her 
crosscountry  drive  with  her  newborn  adopted 
child  this  fall. 

Contact:  Between  Us,  (888)  353-HEAL; 
www.betweenus.org;  ArcApple(S'aol.com 

Carol  Milano,  a  New  York  City-based  freelancer,  writes 
about  health  and  the  arts. 


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October  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      15 


ferrate  T 1? 

THE  WING  DOCUMENTARY 

by  Jeremy  Lehrer 

Experimental  mediamaking  is  usually  a 
solitary  endeavor  completed  in  monkish  soli- 
tude. But  Termite  TV,  a  video  collective  based 
in  Philadelphia,  proves  that  even  the  most  indi- 
vidualist auteurs  could  use  a  group  of  dedicated 
collaborators. 

A  typical  Termite  TV  program  is  assembled 
from  the  work  of  different  creators  who  retain 
their  distinct  stylistic  signatures  within  a  larger 
framework.  But  by  unifying  under  one  banner, 
each  maker  is  able  to  get 
access  to  a  much  wider 
audience.  For  instance, 
This  Is  Only  a  Test  round- 
ed up  the  different 
artists'  work  into  a  TV 
series,  with  each  of  its 
three  seasons  to  date 
comprising  9  to  13  half- 
hour  programs.  In  addi- 
tion to  screening  at  vari- 
ous exhibition  spaces 
and  festivals,  the  series 
was  cablecast  nationally 
on  Free  Speech  TV,  local 
outlets  such  as  DUTV  (a 
Drexel  University  cable 
station),  and  WHYY,  a 
public  broadcasting  station  in  Philadelphia. 

Founded  in  1992,  the  Termite  TV  collective 
currently  consists  of  four  core  members: 
Dorothea  Braemer,  Michael  Kuetemeyer,  Carl 
Lee,  and  Anula  Shetty.  Kuetemeyer  (32)  is  a 
founding  member  of  the  collective,  while 
Braemer  (38)  and  Shetty  (30)  joined  in  1994, 
and  Lee  (29)  in  1996.  The  group  met  through 
classes  and  events  held  at  Temple  University. 

Each  Termite  project  begins  with  the  mem- 
bers brainstorming  a  theme.  These  have 
included  topics  such  as  consumerism,  the  Gulf 
War,  and  more  abstract  notions  such  as  "the 
concept  of  a  triangle."  Termite  members 
describe  the  next  step  as  a  kind  of  structural 
and  conceptual  jazz  that  encourages  improvisa- 
tion and  exploration. 

"We  don't  really  have  a  complete  vision  of 
how  the  show  is  going  to  turn  out;  it's  always  an 
experiment,"  explains  Shetty.  "We  introduce  a 
theme  and  encourage  people  to  go  in  any  direc- 
tion they  want." 

After  a  theme  is  chosen,  one  or  two  coordi- 


nating producers  are  selected  for  each  program. 
The  collective  members — or  artists  they've 
commissioned — then  work  on  individual 
pieces,  which  the  coordinating  producers  sub- 
sequently assemble  into  a  larger  program. 

"The  overall  principle  is  that,  with  the  indi- 
vidual segments,  it's  more  of  an  individual 
voice,  in  that  each  person  makes  their  own  take 
on  that  theme,"  says  Kuetemeyer.  "Then  the 
collaborative  process  comes  more  in  juxtapos- 
ing those  different  voices  and  putting  together 
the  whole  program." 

Because  of  that  process,  the  Termite  pieces 
vary  in  structure  and  technique,  but  they  play 
like  a  stream-of-consciousness  quilt  with 
thought-provoking  moments  ranging  in  tone 


Termite  TV,  a  Philly-based 
experimental  collective,  makes 
their  show  on  the  road  this  fall. 


from  meditative  to  raucous.  The  programs  have 
included  interviews,  documentary  footage,  per- 
sonal narratives,  and  more  abstract  meander- 
ing, and  the  Termites  often  use  on-screen  text 
as  a  layer  that  complements  and  sometimes 
contradicts  on-screen  images  and  voiceovers. 
In  Native  Alien,  for  example,  the  collective 
members  and  six  other  artists  riffed  on  the 
theme  of  "aliens."  The  segments  of  that  pro- 
gram featured  interviews  with  children  about 
their  identity  as  citizens  as  well  as  a  tongue-in- 
cheek  bit  pondering  an  alien  from  outer  space. 
The  group's  name  derives  from  "White 
Elephant  Art  vs.  Termite  Art,"  a  treatise  by 
critic/artist  Manny  Farber  about  making  art 
with  rough  edges,  which  plays  a  role  in  the 
group's  founding  philosophy.  Kuetemeyer  adds 
that  the  group  was  structured  somewhat  like 
Electron  Movers,  a  video  collective  formed  in 
the  seventies  at  the  Rhode  Island  School  of 
Design  by  Alan  Powell  and  Connie  Coleman, 
two  media  artists  now  based  in  Philadelphia. 
Kuetemeyer  says  John  Cage  is  another  guiding 


light,  in  the  way  that  Cage  "had  a  structure 
and  then  used  that  to  liberate  the  generation  of 
ideas  and  creative  work."  Braemer  also  men- 
tions video  artist  and  Philadelphian  Juan 
Downey,  who  she  observes  made  "videos  about 
ideas,  not  about  events  or  people." 

In  August,  the  Termite  TV  collective  began 
a  road  trip  across  the  country  as  part  of  what 
they've  dubbed  The  Living  Documentary,  which 
will  form  the  collective's  fourth  season.  The 
Living  Documentary  is  a  cultural  critique 
designed  to  unite  and  nurture  independent 
voices  across  the  country  as  well  as  explore  the 
state  of  the  States  at  the  end  of  the  millenni- 
um. The  group  rented  a  school  bus  which  is 

serving  as  their 
base   of  opera- 
tions (as  well  as 
sleeping    quar- 
ters)   and   have 
brought     along 
digital   video   cameras   and 
Mac-based  editing  software. 
At  various  stops  along  their 
way — which  include  media 
arts    centers,    universities, 
and    community    organiza- 
tions— the  Termites  are  col- 
laborating with  local  artists 
and     community     groups. 
While  leaving  the  structure 
and  content  of  the  project 
open  to  discovery,  the  group 
plans  to  complete  six  shows 
on  specific  themes  during  the  trip:  money,  war, 
space,  race,  age,  and  food. 

Braemer  notes  how  the  Termite  tour  devel- 
oped out  of  "a  level  of  frustration  with  the 
mainstream  media — with  the  same  old  sensa- 
tionalizing of  stories,  the  soundbite  story,  the 
way  people's  lives  are  being  flattened  and  cate- 
gorized. That  really  takes  away  from  how  com- 
plex and  interesting  life  really  is  or  how  com- 
plex and  interesting  the  U.S.  really  is." 

Acknowledging  the  uncertainties  of  the  new 
millennium,  Kuetemeyer  says,  "[This]  does 
seem  to  be  an  important  time  to  be  doing  what 
we  think  is  most  important,  and  that  is  making 
videos  and  distributing  them,  increasing  the 
communication  amongst  people." 

Termite  TV  will  be  posting  their  itinerary 
and  updates  on  www.termite.org  For  copies  of 
their  programs,  contact:  Termite  TV,  1615 
North  Philip  St.,  Philadelphia,  PA,  19122; 
(215)  425-1251;  info(g<termite.org. 

Jeremy  Lehrer  is  a  freelance  writer  based  in  New  York. 


16    THE    INDEPENDENT     October  1999 


THE 

BLAIR    WITCH    PROJECT 


BEFORE  THIS  SMALL-BUDGET  FILM  GOT 

THE  ATTENTION  OF  THE  WORLD, 

IT  GOT  THE  ATTENTION  IT  NEEDED 

AT  COLORLAB. 


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At  Colorlab,  we  know  that  type  of  client  well.  We  also  know 
that  independent  producers  are  the  ones  who  have  the  most 
potential  to  make  something  new  and  meaningful  on  the 
medium  of  film.  That's  why  we  treated  the  black  and  white 
processing  and  film-to-tape  transfer  for  the  Blair  Witch 
Project  with  as  much  care  and  respect  as  we  would  a  mega- 
budget  release.  And  it  paid  off —  for  the  filmmakers  and  for 
the  world  of  independent  film. 

There's  no  way  to  tell  who  will  make  the  next  independent 
sensation,  but  with  the  reputation  we  have  for  taking  care  of 
independent  filmmakers,  it's  likely  that  we'll  be  handling  the 
processing  and  telecine. 


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Keeping  it  Reel 

Nyon's  Visions  du  Reel 
International  Documentary  Film  Festival 


BY     BE  ATRIJ  S     VAN     ACT 


Auschwitz  concentration  camp,  Daeron 
uncovered  the  astonishing  meaning  of 
Auschwitz's  ambiguous  orchestra.  "One  does 
not  cry  in  a  place  like  that,"  says  one  of  the  for- 
mer musicians,  "but  when  I  played  one  of 
Bach's  chaconnes,  I  drowned  my  violin  in 
tears."  The  women  were  not  'spared'  because 
they  could  play,  the  music  saved  them  because 
they  could  cry.  It's  astonishing  also  that  the 
women  prevented  music  from  becoming  a 
despicable  thing  by  continuing  to  love  it 
despite  the  way  it  was  used  by  the  Nazis. 

Though  the  program  kept  sidestepping  any 


Each  spring  the  small  Swiss  town  of  Nyon 

hosts  one  of  the  most  interesting  documentary 
festivals  in  Europe.  Starting  out  30  years  ago  as 
International  Documentary-  Film  Festival,  its 
first  25  years  were  characterized  by  an  empha- 
sis on  the  films'  content  and  social  message.  In 
1995,  this  more  or  less  left-wing  orientation 
changed  with  the  arrival  of  a  new  director,  Jean 
Perret,  who  shifted  the  focus  towards  the  cine- 
matographic potential  of  documentaries. 

A  true  proponent  of  documentary,  Perret 
claims  the  future  of  cinema  lies  with  documen- 
tary rather  than  fiction.  What  makes  documen- 
taries so  special  in  his  view  is  how  they  offer 
insights  into  real  life,  but  at  the  same  time  can 
be  highly  imaginative  and  show  things  in  unex- 
pected ways.  In  the  five  years  of  the  renamed 
Visions  du  Reel  International  Documentary 
Film  Festival  [www.visionsdureel.ch],  this  shift 
in  orientation  has  proven  to  be  a  rich  working 
foundation. 

Each  year  a  program  of  approximately  80 
films  demonstrates  documentary's  formal 
potential.  Of  this  year's  24  competition  films, 
some  used  form  very  freely.  Remembering  a 
deceased  friend,  the  German  director  Jan 
Peters  shot  one  roll  of  film  each  December  day 
in  1998  for  December  U31.  Peters'  talking  and 
the  changing  from  one  image  to  another  was 
interrupted  only  by  the  abrupt  ending  of  each 
roll.  But  another  day  and  another  location  fol- 
lowed immediately,  chasing  another  memory. 
This  structure  created  a  sense  of  urgency, 
describing  well  how  one  must  keep  thinking  of 
dead  friends  out  of  fear  of  losing  them  forever. 

Other  films  like  the  Finnish  White  Sky 
{Valkoinen  Taivas)  focused  more  on  the  image 
itself.  With  carefully  composed  tableaux  vivants, 
Susanna  Helke  and  Virpi  Suutari  tell  the  mov- 
ing story  of  a  Russian  family  living  in  the  shad- 
ow of  the  Chernobyl  catastrophe. 

Because  of  the  fest's  interest  in  form,  it  was 
surprising  that  the  festival  favorites  were  often 
quite  restrained.  Winner  of  the  Grand  Prix 


(15,000  Swiss  francs,  approximately  $9,600), 
Volker  Koepp's  Herr  Zwilling  and  Frau 
Zuckerman  traces  the  history  of  the  once 
Austrian,  now  Ukrainian,  town  of  Czernowitz 
by  following  two  Jewish  inhabitants.  Koepp 
showed  how  interesting  documentaries  don't 
necessarily  need  an  exuberantly  rich  form. 
Strong  and  static  images  similar  to  those  in 
White  Sky  spoke  for  themselves.  Long  shots  of 
sad-eyed  Hen  Zwilling  slumping  on  a  chair 
depict  him  as  the  debris  of  his  region's  tumul- 
tuous history. 

Nowadays  films  about  the  Holocaust  look 
for  outspoken  manners  of  presentation  to  main- 
tain audience  interest.  Michel  Daeron  did  not 
need  to  do  so.  He  received  the  Young  Audience 
Award  for  his  sober  La  Chaconne  d' Auschwitz- 
Quietly  listening  to  the  memories  of  women 
who   played   music   at   the   entrance   of  the 


final  definition  of  documentary,  it  did  suggest 
that  at  least  one  distinction  in  documentary 
genres  can  be  made.  The  sidebar  of  background 
reports  (Grandes  Reportages)  emphasized  the 
difference  between  the  freer  and  more  imagina- 
tive cinematographic  documentaries  and  those 
closer  to  a  plain  reportorial  registering  of  facts. 
Leonardo  di  Costanzo's  State  of  Affairs  (Prove  di 
Stato)  indeed  registers  daily  life  in  an  Italian 
town.  The  mayor  fights  against  corruption  by 
strictly  keeping  to  rules  and  regulations.  Scenes 
of  taxi  drivers  yelling  at  the  mayor  and  she 
ardently  yelling  back  paint  both  a  shocking  and 
hilarious  picture  of  this  hectic  life. 

Even  if  genre  definitions  remain  doubtful, 
the  fest  promotes  a  lively  discussion  about  form 
and  content.  Screenings  are  stopped  at  the  end 
of  the  afternoon  to  enable  everyone  to  come  to 
the  daily  Forum  discussions.  Where  public  dis- 
cussions generally  focus  on  content,  Jean  Perret 
instead  incessantly  questions  filmmakers  about 


18    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


their  choice  of  form  at  these  sessions.  This  has 
pleasant  side-effects:  the  New  Looks  program 
(Regards  Neufs)  shows  the  work  of  many  stu- 
dents whose  often  brave  attempts  at  original 
films  are  taken  just  as  seriously  as  other  pro- 
ductions. And  the  annual  program  of  an  exper- 
imental filmmaker,  this  year  the  Austrian  Lisl 
Ponger,  also  serves  to  shed  a  different  light  on 
more  mainstream  documentaries. 

To  investigate  the  influence  of  television  on 
documentaries  (European  television  funds  are 
crucial  for  financing) ,  Visions  du  Reel  screened 
Jennifer  Fox's  10- episode  An  American  Love 
Story,  which  aired  on  PBS  in  September.  While 
the  audience  was  enthusiastic  (Fox  turned  up 
with  her  subjects  at  daily  sold-out  screenings), 
some  critics  felt  the  episodes  over- emphasised 
dramatic  events  in  the  lives  of  this  interracial 
family — trying  to  keep  the  audience  interested 
but  altering  the  reality  of  the  family  too  much. 

With  more  than  15,000  spectators  and  900 
accredited  visitors,  Visions  du  Reel  has  started 
to  work  on  enhancing  its  importance  within 
the  film  industry.  Last  year  saw  the  festival's 
first  market  screenings,  where  about  50  films 
could  be  viewed  in  video  booths.  To  stimulate 
the  production  of  documentaries,  this  year  the 
fest  initiated  the  Doc  Prod  section.  Here  film- 
makers, producers,  and  commissioning  editors 
could  meet  to  discuss  the  financing  of  projects. 
As  organizer  Gabriela  Bussmann  points  out,  it 
is  difficult  to  measure  the  exact  results  of  these 
meetings.  More  than  20  projects  were  present- 
ed, and  60  percent  left  Nyon  with  hopeful  out- 
looks. By  now  five  have  found  the  necessary 
funding  for  production.  However,  the  drawback 
of  Doc  Prod  for  American  filmmakers  is  the 
language:  for  now  its  attention  is  focused  on 
German  and  French  productions.  But,  says 
Bussmann,  the  possibility  of  international  co- 
productions  can  also  make  it  attractive  for 
North  American  projects,  particularly  from 
French-Canadian  makers. 

Aside  from  the  great  passion  for  documen- 
tary of  Perret  and  his  crew,  the  future  lies  in  the 
scale  of  the  fest:  Visions  du  Reel  is  small  and 
plans  to  stay  that  way.  Unlike  the  rush  and 
hurry  of  bigger  festivals,  here  the  pace  is 
relaxed  and  the  informal  atmosphere  makes  it 
very  easy  to  meet  and  talk  to  filmmakers  and 
other  professionals.  And  here  the  documen- 
taries actually  get  the  attention  they  deserve. 

Beatrijs  van  Agt  writes  for  the  Dutch  film  magazine 

Skrien  and  advises  on  scripts  for 

a  Dutch  broadcasting  fund. 


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21 2  206-1 192  fax 

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April  6-9,2000 

Durham,  North  Carolina 

Call  for  Entries 

Deadline 

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December  28, 1 999 

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Late  Deadline 
January  7,2000 

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For  information  and  entry  forms, 

contact  the  Festival  at 

91 9.660.3699  or  ddff@duke.edu 

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Millenium 

Festival    2  000 

The    NASHVILLE 
INDEPENDENT 
FILM    FESTIVAL 

for    31    Years,    the 
longest    running    film 
festival    in    the    South 


JUNE  7-11 
REGAL  GREEN  HILLS  16 

CATEGORIES: 
Features,  Shorts,  Documentary 
Animation,  Experimental,  Young 
Filmmaker,  Television  Pilots,  Episodic 
Television 

ENTRY  FEES: 
Early  Deadline:December  17,  1999 
Shorts  $30,  Features  $40 

Final  Deadline:  February  1,  2000 
Shorts  $35,  Features  $50 


For  an  entry  form  call  or 
write: 

P.O.  Box  24330 
Nashville,  TN  37202 
15)  742-2500  phone 
(615)  742-1004  fax 
niffilm@bellsouth.net 

or  download  the  form  @ 
vw.nashvillefilmfestival.ore 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


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3 


FILM 

FESTIVAL 

APRIL  14th -20th,  2000 

CALL  FOR 
ENTRIES 

•  A  celebration  of  the  art  of  cinema 
showcasing  the  work  of  exceptional 
filmmakers  from  around  the  world. 

•  Eager  and  appreciative  audiences, 
pink  beaches  and  major  parties. 

•  Join  us  in  Bermuda  -  possibly  the 
world's  best  island  venue. 

All  entries  and  VHS  preview  copies  must 
be  received  no  later  than  January  15th, 
2000.  See  web  site  for  entry  forms  or 
contact  us  by  fax  or  phone. 

Web  Site:  bermudafilmfest.com 

E-mail:  bdafilm@ibl.bm 

Voice  Mail:  (441)293-3456 

Fax:  (441)  293-7769 

P.O.  Box  HM  2963.  Hamilton  HM  MX,  Bermuda 


Create  to  Educate 

Content  99,  a  Confab  for  Doc  Makers  &  Distributors 


by   Brendan   Peterson 


In  the  old  days,  educational 
movies  were  muddy,  black-and- 
white  filmstrips  about  tree  frogs. 
Today's  trees  frogs  are  likely  to  be 
featured  in  well-crafted  films, 
videos,  and  CD-ROMs  created 
by  talented  artists.  Nowhere  is 
this  evolution  of  educational 
filmmaking  more  evident  than  at 
Content  99. 

A  feel-good  union  between 
educational  filmmakers  and  dis- 
tributors, Content  99  and  the 
accompanying  Apple  Awards 
Film  and  Video  Festival,  both 
sponsored  by  the  National  Edu- 
cational Media  Network 
(NEMN),  unreeled  May  19-22  in 
Oakland,  California.  As  the 
country's  premiere  meeting  place 
for  educational  media  profession- 
als, the  conference  and  market 
offer  producers  and  distributors  a 
forum  to  network,  negotiate,  and 
navigate  the  future. 

The  day-long  festival,  which 
received  more  than  1,000  entries  this  year, 
awards  filmmakers  in  three  age  categories: 
teenagers,  college  students,  and  everyone  else. 
Past  Apple  Award  winners  include  Marlon 
Riggs  (Black  Is,  Black  Ain't)  and  Oscar  winner 
Jessica  Yu  (Breathing  Lessons).  This  year's 
entries  provided  a  wild  medley  of  ideas  and 
images.  The  eclectic  energy  prevailed  during 
the  teen  program  as  demonstrated  by  the  short 
video  I  Know  Who  I  am  ...  Do  you?,  a  sincere 
documentary  about  homophobia  and  teen  sui- 
cide, which  was  followed  by  Breathless,  a  hilari- 
ous and  heartwarming  narrative  concerning  a 
junior  high  nerd  with  severely  bad  breath.  The 
focus  and  form  of  the  festival's  documentaries 
ranged  from  personal  stories  of  cultural  identi- 
ty, like  Jean  Chengs'  Han  Chee  (Sweet  Potato), 
to  sociological  documents  such  as  Gabriela 
Quiros'  Tango  73:  A  Bus  Rider's  Diary,  which 
explores  a  day  in  the  life  of  a  public  bus. 

Prior  to  the  festival,  attendees  could  spend 
several  days  at  panel  discussions  on  topics  rang- 
ing from  fundraising  to  copyright  law,  while  dis- 
tributors huddled  in  viewing  rooms  to  screen 


GET  ON  THE  BUS: 

Gariela  Quiros'  Tango  73: 

A  Bus  Rider's  Diary. 


individual  films.  On  Friday  morning  distribu- 
tors set  up  booths,  inviting  producers  to  inves- 
tigate distribution  catalogs  and  ask  questions. 

Kate  Spohr,  a  former  NEMN  employee, 
helped  start  the  market  back  in  1987.  Today 
she  attends  as  a  distributor  for  the  University  of 
California  Extension  Center  for  Media  and 
Independent  Learning.  Spohr  sees  the  confer- 
ence as  an  educational  tool  for  filmmakers: 
"Many  of  these  filmmakers  have  never  had  a 
film  distributed.  The  conference  panels  can 
help  ground  producers  in  the  basics  of  the  busi- 
ness, so  that  when  they  go  into  a  meeting  with 
a  distributor,  they  understand  general  terms 
and  contracts." 

Producer/director  Cheryl  Furjanic  won  a 
Silver  Apple  this  year  for  her  film  school  docu- 
mentary Take  this  Hammer,  which  features  folk 
singer  Pete  Seeger's  insights  and  demonstra- 
tions of  traditional  American  work  songs. 
Although  Furjanic  didn't  attend  the  conference 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  getting  distribution,  she 
agrees  that  Content  99  provided  valuable 
insights. 


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"Students  at  NYU  were  offered  classes  about 
distribution.  But  most  of  us  were  so  busy  with 
production  we  didn't  have  time  to  attend  them. 
I  met  several  distributors  at  the  conference, 
and  we  are  currently  reviewing  each  other.  I  am 
trying  to  figure  out  what  I  want  in  a  distribu- 
tor," Furjanic  says.  She  hopes  her  film  will  wind 
up  in  classrooms  across  the  country  along  with 
an  accompanying  lesson  plan. 

Cathy  Phoenix,  NEMN  executive  director, 
estimates  that  at  least  75  percent  of  the  work 
submitted  to  Content  99  will  receive  some  form 
of  educational  distribution.  Thanks  to  a 
schmooze -friendly  atmosphere,  Content's  mar- 
ket made  it  easy  for  over  60  producers  and  32 
distribution  companies  to  connect.  Among  the 
participating  distributors  were  Bullfrog  Films, 
Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth,  Carousel  Film  & 
Video,  Durrin  Productions,  Filmmakers  Library, 
Landmark  Media,  Lucerne  Media,  The  Media 
Guild,  New  Dimension  Media,  NIMCO,  PBS 
Adult  Learning  Service,  and  Sunburst 
Communications. 

Phoenix  explains  the  conference  set-up: 
"Distributors  arrive  a  day  early  and  have  already 
received  a  catalog  of  titles.  For  the  next  two  and 
half  days  they  might  watch  up  to  80  films  each. 
At  the  same  time,  a  list  is  posted  every  day  of 
which  distributors  have  seen  which  films,  so 
filmmakers  know  whom  to  approach." 

As  more  and  more  distributors  carve  out 
specific  niches  for  themselves,  producers  must 
ascertain  which  distributor  best  fits  their  focus. 
Compatibility  is  key. 

As  a  member  of  the  distribution  co-op  New 
Day  Films,  Karina  Epperlein  understands  the 
significance  of  filmmaker/distributor  chemistry. 
"I  attend  the  media  market  in  search  of  films 
with  social  and  human  interests.  I  also  look  for 
filmmakers  who  might  have  fallen  through  the 
cracks."  For  over  25  years  New  Day  has  nur- 
tured documentarians  through  the  distribution 
process.  Recently  New  Day  distributed  Debra 
Chasnoff  and  Helen  Cohens'  It's  Elementary: 
Talking  About  Gay  Issues  in  School,  which  aired 
nationally  on  public  television. 

Epperlein's  experience  at  Content  99  left  her 
optimistic  about  the  educational  market.  "I  feel 
very  hopeful.  This  year's  offerings  were  very 
rich.  And  although  the  educational  market  is 
becoming  more  and  more  money- driven,  I 
know  there  will  always  be  passionate  people 
creating  passionate,  enlightening  films.  These 
are  the  people  we  want  to  work  with." 

Brendan  Peterson  is  a  freelance  film  critic  and  writer 

who  reports  on  film  festivals  and  independent 

filmmakers  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  Area. 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


c^^ 


- 


Still  Waters... 

The  Provincetown  Film  Festival  Debuts 


by   Stephen    Brophy 


John  Waters  has  been  coming  to 
Provincetown,  at  the  tip  of  Cape  Cod,  every 
summer  since  1967.  This  year  his  trip  had  some 
added  excitement,  for  he  was  in  town  to  receive 
the  first  Filmmaker  on  the  Edge  Award  at  the 
first  annual  Provincetown  Film  Festival.  Boston 
Phoenix  publisher  Steven  Mindisch  presented 
the  award  after  Waters  delivered  a  deliriously 
funny  disquisition  on  his  career  and  the  neces- 
sity for  young  filmmakers  to  find  new  ways  to 
annoy  their  elders.  The  festival  also  presented 
the  world  preview  of  the  director's  cut  of  Female 
Trouble,  which  Waters  says  has  never  before 
been  seen  all  in  one  piece. 

Provincetown  businesswoman  PJ.  Layng  first 
dreamed  up  the  festival  as  a  way  to  begin  the 
tourist  season  earlier  than  its  usual  Fourth  of 
July  kick-off.  She  secured  the  support  of  both 
the  Provincetown  Business  Guild  and  the 
Visitors'  Service  Bureau,  a  branch  of  the  city 
government  funded  by  room  taxes.  "I  wouldn't 
have  done  it  without  the  money  and  support 
offered  by  these  groups,"  Layng  declared. 
Eventually  nearly  every  business  in  the  town 


signed  on  as  a  sponsor  of  the  festival,  and  Layng 
was  officially  hired  as  the  festival  producer. 

Provincetown  Banner  publisher  Alix  Ritchie, 
whose  paper  was  one  of  the  earliest  sponsors, 
explained  that  "the  local  government,  business, 
and  arts  communities  are  always  looking  for 
events  which  attract  people  to  the  resort  during 
the  so-called  'shoulder  season' — the  weeks  on 
either  side  of  the  prime  tourist  months  of  July 
to  September."  She  also  expressed  her  delight 
that  the  first  Provincetown  Film  Festival 
occurred  during  the  year  in  which  the  resort 
celebrates  its  hundredth  anniversary  as  an  arts 
colony. 

Layng  was  exhilarated  by  the  first  edition's 
success.  "It  exceeded  my  wildest  expectations," 
she  beams.  "Nearly  every  ticket  was  sold,  and 
nearly  every  room  in  Provincetown  was 
booked."  She  hopes  to  expand  the  festival  to 
five  days  next  year,  "so  I  can  see  more  movies.  I 
also  hope  we  can  give  it  more  of  an  interna- 
tional slant." 

The  festival  presented  an  eclectic  blend  of 
previews,  like  Bertolucci's  Besieged  and  The  Red 


Violin;  documentaries  like  Joel  Meyerowitz's  Pop 
and  Martha  Swetzoff's  Theme:  Murder;  as  well 
as  yet  undistributed  works  like  Lisanne  Skyler's 
Getting  to  Know  You,  the  best  film  in  the  sched- 
ule. The  programming  mirrored  the  large  gay 
and  lesbian  population  of  the  town  (opening 
with  Gregg  Araki's  Splendor),  but  went  beyond 
that.  The  substantial  Portuguese  community, 
for  instance,  got  to  see  Testamento,  a 
Francisco  Manso  film. 

Festival  programmers  Connie  White 
and  Marianne  Lampke,  whose 
Running  Arts  corporation  operates 
Cambridge's  Brattle  Theatre,  were 
equally  enthusiastic.  "It  was  a  pro- 
grammer's dream,"  White  declares. 
"People  arrived  without  preconcep- 
tions. Films  like  Getting  to  Know  You 
sold  out  as  fast  as  those  with  studio 
backing,  like  Besieged."  She  also  liked 
the  spontaneous  feeling  of  the  event 
and  the  many  different  ways  filmmak- 
ers and  audiences  could  come  together 
informally  to  celebrate  their  art. 

Lampke  came  up  with  the  Filmmaker 
on  the  Edge  Award  idea.  "  'On  the 
edge'  can  mean  so  many  different 
things,"  Lampke  muses.  "We  use  it 
both  aesthetically  and  geographically, 
but  it  can  also  imply  the  cutting  edge, 
a  hint  of  things  to  come.  Next  year  we 
hope  to  be  even  more  'edgy,'  with  a 
greater  number  of  short  films  and 
maybe  some  provocative  panel  discussions." 
Lampke  and  White  both  wish  they  could 
acquire  the  staff  to  include  more  shorts  and 
give  adequate  consideration  to  unsolicited  fea- 
tures. But  for  now  it  will  remain  a  curated  festi- 
val, much  like  the  Boston  International  Festival 
of  Women's  Cinema,  which  they  also  run. 

Tim  Kirkman,  whose  documentary  Dear 
]esse  was  screened  twice  in  January  as  a  festival 
fundraiser,  also  had  a  great  time  during  the 
weekend.  "It  was  a  perfect  marriage  of  excellent 
programming  and  enthusiastic  audiences."  He 
particularly  enjoyed  being  the  winning  square 
three  times  in  "Townie-wood  Squares,"  a  take- 
off on  "Hollywood  Squares"  in  honor  of  festival 
participant  and  TV  writer  Bruce  Vilanch,  the 
subject  of  the  closing  night  documentary,  Get 
Bruce.  All  in  all,  Kirkman  says,  "It  was  a  per- 
fect, relaxed  venue — sort  of  like  the  Hamptons, 
but  after  a  couple  of  martinis." 

Stephen  Brophy  writes  for  both  gay  and  lesbian  and 

filmmaking  periodicals  across  the  country  He  also 

teaches  film  history  at  the  Cambridge  Center 

for  Adult  Education. 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


I  the  Grand  Jury  Prize  at  Sir 
entertaining  documentary  American  t 
Ranged  Chris  Smith — or  his  rep 


tion  ara  Very 


ik     fli  hi! 


iudes 


kSJH 

W:  y  !■  I  lit  KfcWtftl  ft  ■  OK  i  Mil 


fichigan"  (complete  with  squiggly  " waves") , "1-94"  from 

linneapolis  (my  point  of  departure) ,  and  a  twisty  "river" 

near  his  office  space  in  the  city's  Third  Ward — evincing  the 

indie  director's  pride  in  this  Midwestern  burg  where  he  has 

chosen  to  remain  even  after  hitting  the  jackpot  in  Park  City. 


N  D  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T    October  1999 


As  you  may  have  heard,  American  Movie  sold  to  Sony  Picture 
Classics  for  a  million  bucks,  and  yet  Smith  picks  me  up  at  the  train  sta- 
tion in  the  same  car  he's  had  for  years:  a  run-down  '85  Prelude  with  a 
busted  door  on  the  passenger  side  and  a  chaotic  interior  whose  con- 
tents tell  the  story  of  his  great  success  and  hectic  lifestyle.  Among 
other  things,  there's  a  16mm  roll  of  film  containing  the  head  and  tail 
leaders  for  his  1996  debut  American  job;  the  film  can  in  which  he  per- 
sonally carried  the  American  Movie  print  to  Sundance  in  January;  and 
the  current  edition  of  Milwaukee's  weekly  newspaper,  whose  cover  is 
graced  by  the  lanky,  red-haired  Smith  and  his  cherubic  producing  part- 
ner Sarah  Price.  Noting  the  Prelude's  broken  window  (evidence  of  a 
recent  sound-mixing  trip  to  the  Big  Apple),  I  jokingly  suggest  that,  just 
as  American  Movie  documents  the  struggles  of  an  indie  auteur,  so  might 
some  other  enterprising  young  director  make  a  movie  about  Smith's  tra- 
vails. "Uh,  no  thanks,"  he  says  with  a  laugh,  not  wishing  to  extend  any 
further  his  film's  already  ample  hall  of  mirrors. 

A  movie  about  a  truly  independent  filmmaker  made  by  a  truly  inde- 
pendent filmmaker,  American  Movie  testifies  doubly  to  the  indomitable 
spirit  of  the  low-budget  auteur.  Of  course,  as  Smith's  career  has  been 
variously  supported  by  the  likes  of  John  Pierson  and  Jim  McKay  (the 
latter  of  whom  invested  in  American  Movie  through  his  C-Hundred 
Film  Corp.,  co-run  by  Michael  Stipe),  the  filmmaker  within  the  film 
faces  tougher  odds,  to  say  the  least. 

"Kick  fuckin'  ass — I  got  a  Mastercard!"  exclaims  Milwaukee  direc- 
tor Mark  Borchardt  at  the  start  of  Smith's  hilarious  and  harrowing 
American  Movie,  whose  impoverished  subject  owes  child  support  and 
back  taxes  along  with  credit  card  debts  incurred  as  a  result  of  his  efforts 
to  get  his  feature-length  dream  project  in  the  can.  Using  his  mom  as 
camera  operator  and  black-hooded  extra  as  the  situation  requires, 
working  a  literal  graveyard  shift  in  an  attempt  to  fend  off  a  steady 
stream  of  bills,  and  borrowing  money  from  his  ancient,  trailer  park- 
residing  uncle  Bill  in  trade  for  bathtub  washing  sessions  and  shots  of 
peppermint  schnapps,  Borchardt  is  nothing  if  not  dedicated  to  his 
craft.  And  it's  precisely  this  passion  that  makes  Smith's  movie  sweetly 
funny  rather  than  caustically  so — in  addition  to  complicating  its  seri- 
ous query  of  what  constitutes  success. 

"When  we  first  started  the  project,  I  felt  I  had  never  met  anyone 
like  Mark,"  Smith  says  during  a  break  from  making  a  few  final  trims  to 
American  Movie.  "But  gradually,  over  the  course  of  two  years,  we  start- 
ed to  see  his  many  layers  as  he  went  through  the  highs  and  lows.  My 
opinion  of  Mark  kept  going  up  through  the  entire  process  of  filming, 
seeing  what  he  went  through.  I  never  really  saw  him  lose  his  temper. 
He  was  always  calm  even  when  things  were  falling  apart  around  him." 
Some  of  what  falls  apart  for  Borchardt,  at  least  temporarily,  is  his  faith 
in  his  debut  feature,  until  he 
hits  on  the  idea  to  finish  his  ear- 
lier horror  short,  Coven,  and  sell 
it  on  video  in  order  to  earn 
financing  for  the  longer 
Northwestern.  "Otherwise," 
Borchardt    claims,    "I'm    not 

gonna  be  shit."  The  steep  climb  to  Coven's  completion  eventually  finds 
Borchardt  sleeping  on  the  cement  floor  with  his  three  kids  in  the  edit- 
ing room  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  at  Milwaukee's  film  depart- 
ment— which,  ironically,  is  where  Smith  had  surreptitiously  spent  time 
in  '95  while  struggling  to  cut  American  Job. 

These  days,  the  work  space  Smith  shares  with  Price  is  considerably 


cushier,  although  evidence  of  their  down-to-earth  approach  to  film- 
making remains — most  charmingly  in  their  jerry-rigged  Avid  system 
that  includes  a  vertically  stored  Macintosh  with  its  top  off,  cooled  by  a 
nearby  electric  fan  (lest  some  squiggly  lines  appear  on  the  monitor). 
Smith,  28,  and  Price,  29,  met  about  eight  years  ago  in  a  16mm  class  at 
the  University  of  Iowa,  discovering  they  had  a  similar  vision  of  docu- 
mentary as  well  as  a  total  lack  of  interest  in  Hollywood.  Price  had  been 
sufficiently  turned  off  by  a  catering  stint  on  Ghostbusters  II,  and  since 
hooking  up  with  Smith  has  co-edited  American  Job,  produced  American 
Movie  (and  recorded  its  sound),  and  nearly  completed  Caesar's  Park,  a 
documentary  named  after  an  eccentric  senior  citizens'  section  of  her 
Milwaukee  neighborhood.  (Price  also  road-managed  the  indie  film 
FUEL  Tour  in  '97,  in  which  American  Job  was  featured.) 

As  for  Smith,  the  Michigan-born  filmmaker  financed  his  first  movie 
by  winning  $10,000  in  a  Hostess  Twinkies  contest,  coming  up  with  the 
best  short  about  those  lard-filled  treats.  His  animated  effort  starred  two 
Twinkies  who  heroically  flee  their  bakery-plant  captivity  to  start  a  new 
life.  Evidently  the  American  Everyman's  longed-for  escape  from  his 
hourly  drudgery  has  been  a  Smith  preoccupation  from  the  start. 

If  Smith's  trademark  is  his  droll  yet  sympathetic  portrayal  of 

peculiar  laborers,  he  patented  it  with  the  $14,000  American  Job,  a  bril- 
liantly fabricated  study  of  an  hourly  wage  worker's  progression  through 
a  series  of  seemingly  dead-end  positions.  Affecting  the  style  of  cinema 
verite,  the  film  follows  the  stonefaced,  laconic  Randy  (actor/cowriter 
Randy  Russell)  through  his  subversively  brief  stints  as  janitor,  clerk, 
and  fry  cook.  In  American  Movie,  Borchardt's  own  resistance  to  clock- 
punching  conformism  can  be  found  in  his  insistence  on  following  his 
muse  in  his  own  way,  free  of  either  patronage  or  compromise  (a  strate- 
gy not  to  be  confused  with  failure).  In  order  to  pursue  his  dream,  how- 
ever, Borchardt  has  to  put  in  time  as  a  cemetery  custodian,  at  one  point 
regaling  Smith's  camera  with  the  near-philosophic  description  of  how 
it  feels  having  to  clean  a  hellishly  fecal  toilet  stall.  ("I'm  30  years  old, 
and  in  about  10  seconds  I  gotta  start  cleanin'  up  somebody's  shit, 
man.") 

"I  think  the  two  films  are  definitely  influenced  by  my  growing  up  in 
the  Midwest,"  says  Smith,  "working  crummy  jobs  and  having  similar 
thoughts  as  Randy  and  Mark.  I  believe  strongly  in  a  lot  of  what  both  of 
them  say  in  those  films,  their  general  attitude  toward  working.  Like 
that  scene  in  American  Movie  where  Mark  is  driving  into  the  cemetery, 
talking  about  how  the  boss  had  said  to  him  that  he  was  looking  forward 
to  a  long  relationship — and  how  that  'scared  the  hell'  out  of  him, 
'cause  he  can't  see  how  people  could  want  to  work  for  someone  else  day 
after  day  after  day.  In  a  lot  of  ways,  that's  very  much  in  line  with  the 


Chris  Smith  and  Sarah  Price  met  about  eight  years  ago  in  a  16mm 

class  at  the  University  of  Iowa,  discovering  they  had  a  similar  vision  of 

documentary  as  well  as  a  total  lack  of  interest  in  Hollywood. 


thinking  we  had  when  we  were  making  American  Job." 

As  a  film  financed  independently  and  styled  with  the  utmost  icono- 
clasm,  American  Job  is  the  opposite  of  what  you  might  call  "an  assem- 
bly line  movie."  Therefore  it's  no  wonder  that  when  Smith  first  met 
Borchardt  four  years  ago  in  a  film  class  Smith  was  teaching  at  the  UW 
Milwaukee,  Borchardt  expressed  his  great  admiration  for  American 


October   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


•>-    without  yet  knowing  that  he'd  soon  be  the 

b  "t  of  Smith's  thematically  similar  follow-up. 
"It's  kind  of  amazing  to  me  how  compatible  the 
two  ;ilms  ended  up  being  without  really  intending 
it — and  one  is  a  narrative  film  and  one  is  a  docu- 
mentary," Smith  says.  "To  me,  that's  kind  of  reas- 
suring, the  idea  that  I  could  move  to  another 
genre  and  maybe  still  be  able  to  keep  some  con- 
sistency. I  don't  consider  myself  a  documentary 
filmmaker  or  a  narrative  filmmaker,  but  just  a 
filmmaker,  you  know?  And  as  far  as  any  future 
projects,  I  mean,  I  would  love  to  make  .  .  ." 
"Armageddon1."  jokes  Price.  "Well,  no,  probably 
not,"  Smith  deadpans. 

Price  thinks  there's  a  regional  aspect  to  the 
creative  freedom  that  she  and  Smith  (and,  for 
that  matter,  Borchardt)  have  been  able  to  main- 
tain: After  all,  Milwaukee  is  safely  located  halfway  between  the  coasts. 
"Living  here,  there's  not  as  much  pressure  to  'make  it,'  "  says  Price. 
"You're  not  necessarily  pigeonholed  or  pressured  into  saying,  'Okay, 
now  I  want  to  do  an  action-thriller'  or  'Now  I  need  to  do  a  romantic 
comedy  to  complete  my  resume.'  It's  more  like,  'Now  I  have  this  idea, 
and  I'm  gonna  start  working  this  idea  out.'  It  seems  like  that's  sort  of 
the  way  Mark  is  working,  and  that's  the  way  our  other  filmmaker 
friends  in  Milwaukee  are  working — and  it's  how  we  got  into  American 
Movie,  following  Mark  around  because  he  was  interesting.  Living  in  a 
place  that's  not  very  glamorous  or  sexy  gives  you  the  time  and  space  to 
sort  of  do  what  you  feel  like  doing." 

As  it  happens,  what  Smith  and  Price  feel  like  doing  next  is  a  project 
that  again  deals  with  the  plebeian  working  world:  The  pair  has  just 
signed  with  Good  Machine  to  make  American  Splendor,  a  fictional  film 
based  on  Harvey  Pekar's  long-running  cult  comic-book  series  about 
(what  else?)  a  maris  philosophy  of  his  ordinary  American  job  as  a  hos- 
pital file  clerk. 

From  American  Job  to  American  Movie  to  American  Splendor, 
Smith  has  somehow  managed  to  expand  his  horizons  while  staying  put. 
Ironically,  in  matters  of  career  development,  the  independent  film- 
maker has  retained  the  sensible  outlook  of  a  factory  boss:  If  it  ain't 
broke,  don't  fix  it. 

The  main  thing  that  encourages  Smith  and  Price  to  remain  in 
Milwaukee  is  the  continued  presence  of  fellow  filmmaking  friends 
Xavier  Leplae,  Didier  Leplae,  Peter  Barrickman,  and  Brent  Goodsall, 
who  run  the  River  West  Film  and  Video  cooperative  (formerly  known 
as  Pumpkin  World)  on  a  burgeoning  boho  block  of  the  city's  Locust 
Street.  In  addition  to  cutting  their  own  low-budget  movies  on  an  inge- 
niously ad  hoc  editing  system  in  the  coop's  basement,  this  tight-knit 
group  of  cineastes  rents  equipment  to  other  filmmakers  at  affordable 
prices.  Not  surprisingly,  Smith  can  often  be  heard  enthusing  about  the 
coop's  alternative  definition  of  the  American  job.  "It's  like  a  living  ver- 
sion of  Three's  Company  over  there,  in  the  sense  that  they  all  spend  a 
good  portion  of  their  time  together,  collectively  making  the  rent.  They 
sell  pop  and  beer  to  the  people  who  hang  out  there,  marked  up  10 
cents  or  whatever.  They're  all  in  bands,  and  now  and  then  they  shoot 
weddings  and  industrial  videos.  The  goal  is  to  make  their  living  as 
much  as  possible  through  running  the  store.  We  all  hope  that  one  day 
there'll  be  enough  equipment  there  for  all  of  us  to  collaborate  on  an 


in-house     movie     using     only     the     coop's 
resources." 

In  a  way,  the  River  West  coop,  with  its  AA^ 
thrift-store  mise-en-scene  and  abundantly  cre- 
ative vibe,  is  the  concrete  realization  of  the 
communal  artmaking  ethic  embodied  by 
Smith's  films.  Stemming  from  American  Job  and 
American  Movie  is  a  veritable  family  tree  of  art 
work:  the  satirical  comics  with  which  American 
Job's  Randy  Russell  established  his  character; 
the  acoustic  guitar  playing  of  Borchardt's  lotto- 
loving  buddy  Mike  Schank,  which  supplies 
American  Movie's  alternately  glum  and  galva- 
nizing score;  and  Smith  and  Price's  bands  The 
Friday  Knights  and  Competitorr,  respectively, 
which  played  at  Sundance  to  celebrate 
American  Movie's  success.  "In  fact,  everybody 
connected  with  [American  Movie]  was  doing  their  own  form  of  art," 
says  Smith,  who  hopes  to  collect  some  of  this  work  on  the  American 
Movie  DVD. 

And  then,  of  course,  there  are  the  movies  of  Mark  Borchardt, 
including  the  impressively  bare  bones  Coven,  which  Smith  would  like 
to  see  included  as  a  midnight  attraction  at  the  theaters  screening 
American  Movie.  Smith  is  effusive  in  his  praise  of  Borchardt.  "Mark  has 
kept  up  the  same  level  of  ambition  since  he  was  12  years  old  making 
short  horror  films,"  he  says.  "When  I  went  back  to  find  archival  mate- 
rial to  pull  from  his  movies,  it  took  days,  because  there  were  literally 
hundreds  of  super  8  films  that  he  had  made  over  the  years,  and  they 
were  all  incredible.  I  mean,  sure,  they  were  in  the  horror  genre  or  what- 
ever, but  the  cinematography  and  the  editing  and  the  framing  was  just 
so  impressive,  and  to  see  his  development  over  the  years  has  been 
great.  He  completely  knows  what  a  good  film  is,  and  he  wants  to  be 
able  to  make  that  film. 

"That  was  one  of  the  things  that  really  intrigued  us  over  the  course 
of  making  American  Movie:  Where  does  Mark's  passion  come  from?  I 
mean,  this  isn't  somebody  who's  jumping  on  the  bandwagon  of  inde- 
pendent film.  Whether  this  whole  indie  film  resurgence  had  happened 
or  not,  Mark  would  have  still  been  there  in  Menomonee  Falls  making 
his  films." 

And  so  he  might  remain,  but  by  choice.  One  of  American  Movie's 
many  indelible  scenes  has  Borchardt  and  his  then-girlfriend  staring 
cynically  at  the  1997  Oscars  telecast,  as  the  tuxedoed  Billy  Crystal 
rambles  through  his  fatuous  monologue  about  "the  year  of  the  inde- 
pendent film,"  with  "great  films,  unusual  films,  risky  plots,  great  direc- 
tion .  .  .  ."  On  those  words,  Smith  cuts  to  a  particularly  unglamorous 
shot  of  Borchardt's  mom  and  three  loyal  crew  members  dragging  a 
ponytailed  young  man  through  the  muddy  woods  of  outlying 
Milwaukee,  while  the  auteur  trails  close  behind  with  his  microphone. 
Do  such  Oscar-nominated  "independent  films"  as  Shine  and  The 
English  Patient  even  begin  to  compare  to  Borchardt's  in  terms  of  being 
"unusual"  or  "risky"?  Would  Borchardt  ever  want  his  intensely  person- 
al Northwestern  to  be  included  with  the  corporate  likes  of  these? 

The  title  of  Smith's  film  suggests  it  as  an  emblematic  American 
movie,  and  indeed  it  is.  No  less  than  any  of  Frank  Capra's  John  Does, 
Mark  Borchardt  is  an  American  Everyman  who,  through  infinite  hard 
work  and  dedication  to  his  principles,  emerges  as  a  hero — in  his  own 
mind,  certainly,  and  Chris  Smith's,  and  perhaps  in  yours. 

Rob  Nelson  is  the  film  editor  at  City  Pages  in  Minneapolis. 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT    October  1999 


Mark  Borchardt: 

The  Indie  Prototype 


During  the  Q&A  after  the  first  screening  of  American  Movie  at 
Sundance,  director  Chris  Smith  hailed  his  subject  Mark  Borchardt  as 
"the  ideal  independent  filmmaker" — which,  in  many  ways,  he  is.  For 
one  thing,  it  was  Borchardt's  incomparable  DIY  persistence  (rather 
than  Smith's  reputation)  that  allowed  his  40-minute,  $13,000  horror 
flick  Coven  to  earn  a  coveted  midnight  screening  in  Park  City  midway 
through  the  festival.  And  the  $3,000  fellowship  Borchardt  won  last 
year  from  Milwaukee  County — beating  out  Smith,  as  it  happens — was 
enough  to  help  subsidize  his  latest  round  of  rewrites  on  Northwestern, 
a  highly  personal  labor  of  love  that  defies  his  super  8  splatter-movie 


providing  a  little  well-timed  moral  support.  "It  really  validated  my 
struggle,  the  fact  that  Chris  wanted  to  document  it,"  says  Borchardt, 
wearing  a  grey  Wall  Street  journal  sweatshirt  over  blue  jeans,  a  white 
baseball  cap  covering  not  quite  half  of  his  stringy  brown  mane.  "I  felt 
respected  and  vindicated — like  I  was  doing  the  right  thing  by  trying  to 
make  this  movie." 

And  just  what  kind  of  movie  is  Northwestern'!  Borchardt  draws  a 
deep  breath  before  beginning  to  speak  in  a  near-whisper,  making  clear 
the  degree  of  his  personal  investment  in  the  material.  "Around  the  time 
when  I  started  making  Cove)!,"  he  recalls,  "I  encountered  straight  peo- 


"It  really  validated  my  struggle,  the  fact  that  Chris  wanted  to  document  it/'  says  Borchardt,  "I 
felt  respected  and  vindicated — like  I  was  doing  the  right  thing  by  trying  to  make  this  movie." 


roots  along  with  any  commercial  considerations  you'd  care  to  name. 

"Every  time  I  rewrite  it,"  says  Borchardt,  sipping  black  coffee  in  an 
upscale  Milwaukee  beanery,  "I  can  see  just  how  a  Hollywood  structure 
would  give  easy  outs  for  everything.  It's  all  these  corny,  hackneyed 
ideas  that  have  infiltrated  movies  over  the  years,  with  people  walking 
into  the  sunset  or  dying  of  cancer  or  what  have  you.  I  get  a  lot  of  my 
dialogue  from  real  people  and  real  incidents,  and  then  I  have  to  put  it 
all  together  into  a  cohesive  narrative — so  it's  a  real  bitch." 

In  the  weeks  after  what  Borchardt  calls  "a  really  warm,  intimate 
experience"  at  Sundance,  the  lanky,  long-haired  filmmaker,  32,  has 
gone  back  to  his  daily  routine  of  turning  the  ringer  oft  the  phone  and 
hitting  the  keyboard  at  his  apartment  in  the  northwest  Milwaukee  sub- 
urbs. As  Borchardt's  autonomous  manner  of  working  clearly  stems 
from  personal  choice  more  than  professional  circumstance  ("People 
are  comin'  to  me  with  ideas  for  projects  and  it's  like,  'Hey,  man — I'm 
tryin'  to  write  a  film  here!'  "),  American  Movie  hasn't  so  much  given 
him  a  leg  up  as  it  has  simply  shed  light  on  his  fierce  devotion  to  the 
craft.  Still,  Borchardt  credits  Smith's  choice  to  film  his  lite  story  with 


pie  for  the  first  time — people  who  didn't  drink,  people 
with  jobs.  It  took  me  a  couple  of  years  to  adapt  to  that. 
My  whole  upbringing  and  the  people  I  knew,  all  of  it 
revolved  around  drinking,  and  yet  these  people  had  an 
extraordinary  set  of  values  and  beliefs:  They  had  real 
character,  they  were  cool  and  intelligent  and  helpful  to 
other  people.  Their  environment  was  what  I  think  of 
as  a  kind  of  Wild  West,  where  people  who  didn't  go 
along  with  the  system  could  do  their  own  thing  with 
no  adherence  to  jobs  or  education  or  what  have  you.  I 
thought,  'What  a  beautiful,  unknown  culture  this  is, 
one  that  has  never  made  it  into  movies.'  So 
Northivestem  is  about  people  trying  to  do  their  own 
thing — an  alcoholic  dude  working  in  a  junkyard  and 
this  manic-depressive  writer  chick  whom  he  meets  out 
in  the  sticks — and  how  they  try  to  find  their  own  kind 
of  happiness.  It's  all  about  trying  to  do  something  cre- 
ative in  a  world  that's  totally  geared  toward  capitalism 
and  going  to  work  every  day." 
I  mention  to  Borchardt  that  he  seems  to  have  just  summarized  not 
only  the  central  themes  of  North  western  and  Coven  but  the  basic  prin- 
ciples of  his  own  anti-establishment  m.o. — a  trait  further  shared  by 
both  Smith  and  the  subtly  subversive,  clock-punching  protagonist  of 
his  debut  feature,  American  job.  Borchardt  agrees  immediately,  citing  a 
scene  from  Smith's  1996  hybrid  doc  to  complete  a  rather  refreshing 
picture  of  community  among  like-minded  Midwestern  iconoclasts.  "It's 
like  in  the  first  scene  [of  American  Job] ,  when  the  employer  dude  is 
showing  Randy  around  the  factory,  and  Randy  kind  of  strays  off  the 
path  and  starts  looking  around  on  his  own,  and  the  dude  says,  'No, 
no — stay  with  me.'  That'd  never  be  in  a  Hollywood  film,  man." 

—  Rob  Nelson 

VHS  copies  of  Mark  Borchardt's  Coven  can  be  purchased  through  his  web 
site  at  wwiu.northivestproductions.com 


October  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


g— ■ «        he  Arts  and  Entertainment  cable  net- 

work,  best  known  for  its  Biography  series 
and  BBC  costume  dramas,  has  the  look 
these  days  of  a  24-hour  news  channel.  The 
,,; :  documentary  division  is  headed  by  a  former 

>»4Hv»  newsman  and,  as  a  result,  the  station  keeps 

colliding  with  the  headlines. 
When  The  Farm,  about  life  at  Angola  prison,  was  nominated  for  an 
Academy  Award  for  Best  Documentary  Feature,  headlines  were  blar- 
ing about  the  record  number  of  people  incarcerated  in  America. 
When  the  expose  of  a  professional  wrestler,  Hitman  Hart,  came  to  New 
York's  docfest  in  June,  the  main  subject's  brother  had  just  died  in  the 
ring.  When  the  intense  film  on  New  York's  hostage  negotiators,  Talk  to 
Me,  aired  that  month,  the  NYPD  was  engaged  in  the  Abner  Louima 
trial  and  dealing  with  the  fall-out  from  the  death  of  Amadou  Diallo. 
At  Bill  Clinton's  summit  on  youth  violence,  the  President  mentioned 
the  1998  show  Hollywoodism:  Jews,  Movies  and  the  American  Dream. 
When  Bill  Kurds  aired  his  five -part  special  Guns  in  America  in  July, 
Congress  was  debating  legislation  in  the  wake  of  two  horrific  school 
shootings. 

"I  think  sometimes  that  is  just  an  accident  of  fate,  and  sometimes 
it's  planned,"  says  Michael  Cascio,  A&E's  senior  vice  president  of  pro- 
gramming, who  has  been  heading  the  documentary  division  since 
1990.  "We  are  doing  a  lot  of  topics  that  are  very  contemporary.  We 


"Our  tradition,  and  my  personal  background,  comes  out  of  news.  We 
want  to  get  at  the  truth,  not  just  the  view  of  the  producer.  I  don't  like 
filmmakers  getting  in  the  way  of  the  story.  I  do  understand  that  it  is  a 
style,  but  it's  not  ours." 

That  leaves  A&E  with  what's  happening  now,  from  Playboy  bunnies 
to  juvenile  delinquents.  And  the  strongest  words  critics  have  to  say 
about  the  programming  is  that  it's  too  commercial,  too  tabloidy  and 
sensationalized. 

"I  didn't  sit  there  and  say,  'I  know  there  will  be  a  shooting  when  this 
goes  on  the  air,'  "  says  Bill  Kurtis  about  planning  his  Guns  in  America 
series.  "But  frankly,  we  did  think  that  there  would  be  something  that 
would  be  a  peg.  It's  a  news  sense.  When  you're  out  there  with 
commercial  issues,  you  pick  things  that  are  alive.  It  very 
likely  they  will  have  another  chapter." 

"We  set  out  to  take  a  serious  and  in-depth  look 
at  the  hostage  squad;  that's  something  beyond 
tabloid  experience,"  says  David  Houts,  the  indepen- 
dent producer  who  co-directed  Talk  to  Me.  "It's 
many  levels  above  Cops.   In  fact,   it   works 
against   the   tabloid   format.    It's   dramatic, 
because  lives  are  on  the  line,  but  it's  not  a 
sensationalist,  shallow  treatment." 

Looking  at  A&E's  viewer  demographics, 
Cops  would  definitely  be  the  wrong  way  to 


BEYOND  BIOGRAPHY 


A&E    AND    INDEPENDENTS 


have  had  the  good  fortune  of  doing  things  right  at  the  edge  of  contro- 
versy." 

He  mentions  two  past  specials  that  also  made  headlines:  Blood 
Money:  Nazi  Gold,  which  aired  in  August  1997  at  the  height  of  the  set- 
tlement between  Holocaust  survivors  and  the  Swiss  banks;  and  Behind 
Bars,  a  1996  special  about  mass  murderer  Richard  Specks,  who  the 
cameras  revealed  was  having  a  great  time  in  jail  partying  and  doing 
drugs — so  much  so  that  the  show  prompted  reforms  in  the  Illinois 
prison  system. 

Much  of  the  timeliness  of  A&E's  programming  has  to  do  with  the 
type  of  documentaries  they  fund  for  their  400  hours  of  original  pro- 
gramming per  year.  Beyond  the  single-hour  strands  of  Biography, 
Investigative  Reports,  American  Justice,  and  Mysteries,  the  network  has 
room  for  about  30  hours  of  specials  a  year.  Cascio  and  his  team  of  three 
commissioning  editors  like  to  fund  things  that  catch  their  attention — 
controversies  in  the  news,  fresh  looks  at  exciting  subjects,  insider  takes 
on  people,  and  events  that  cameras  haven't  had  access  to  in  the  past. 

A&E  leaves  most  of  the  straightforward  historical  work  to  its  sister 
network,  the  History  Channel.  At  the  other  end  of  the  spectru,  they 
simply  eschew  much  of  the  genre  of  personal  documentary.  "A  single 
person's  point  of  view  on  a  controversy  is  interesting,  but  it's  more 
interesting  to  put  it  in  some  context.  That  does  rule  out  a  whole  lot  of 
personal  documentaries  that  are  diatribes  or  polemics,"  says  Cascio. 


by   Beth    Pinsker 

go.  The  A&E  audience  is  a  cable  version  of 
PBS's — only  it's  mostly  adults.  The  network 
attracts  older,  educated,  curious  people,  the 
ones  who  will  flip  from  Ally  McBeal  to  catch 
Investigative  Reports.  And  they  tend  to  attract 
filmmakers  with  the  same  kind  of  sensibility. 

"Our  approach  has  been  more  reportage 
or  verite,  so  that's  exactly  why  we  went  to 
A&E,"  says  Houts,  who  set  up  a  co-produc- 
tion deal  with  A&E  in  the  lead  and  Britain's 
Channel  4- 

"When  you  start  to  generate  the  idea,  you  have  to  be  think- 
ing where  will  it  go,"  says  Paul  Jay,  the  Toronto-based  director  of 
Hitman  Hart.  "Inexperienced  producers  think  up  a  great  idea,  and 
when  you  ask  who's  going  to  want  to  broadcast  it,  they  have  no  idea. 
They  think  if  it's  interesting,  they'll  find  somebody  to  show  it.  Hitman 
broke  all  the  rules:  there  was  no  narrator,  it  was  about  wrestling,  and 
we  use  music  and  interviews  in  a  weird  way."  He  adds  that  as  a  network 
that  knows  its  audience  well,  A&E  was  open  to  experimentation  and 
not  so  worried  about  making  the  film  fit  a  mold.  "They  just  said  'go  for 
it.'  All  our  other  partners  were  [Canadian]  public  stations.  In  that  sce- 
nario, A&E  fit  in  very  easily." 


28     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


A&E  IS  ONE  OF  THE  BASIC  CABLE  NETWORKS  THAT  REACHES  THE 
largest  audience.  It  goes  into  74.1  million  homes,  according  to  inde- 
pendent assessor  Paul  Kagan  Associates — just  behind  the  Discovery 
Channel  (76.3  million)  but  way  ahead  of  National  Geographic  (42  mil- 
lion), Bravo/IFC  (38  million),  and  HBO/Cinemax  (34.6  million). 
(Cable  TV's  numbers,  of  course,  still  pale  next  to  PBS',  which  reaches 
99  percent  of  America's  99.4  million  TV  households.)  A&E's  position 
make  it  an  attractive  outlet  for  filmmakers  looking  for  audiences. 

For  new  filmmakers  to  get  a  sense  of  A&E's  programming,  its  exec- 
utives suggest  watching  a  few  shows,  past  and  present.  The  network 
started  in  1984  as  part  of  the  cable  boom,  offering  both  documentary 
programs  and  features,  mostly  BBC  costume  dramas.  Biography  became 
a  programming  center  point  and  has  been 
rapidly  copied   by   Lifetime,   VH1,   and 
others. 

Under  Cascio's  tutelage,  the  station 
started  doing  two-hour  original 
documentary  specials,  often 
folding  them  into  estab- 
lished strands,  such 
as  Investigative  Re- 
ports. Last  year  The 
Farm  broke  out  of  the 
pack  and  hit  theaters 
and  the  Oscars.  Hit- 
man Hart  followed  in 
a  wave  of  publicity. 
Such  shows  indicate 
that  the  network  is 
staking  a  claim  in 
the  documentary 
world,  getting  ever 
more  prescient  about  sub- 
ject matter  and  more  skillful 
at  taking  its  programs 
global  through  its  affiliate 
stations  in  other  countries. 
For  independent  docu- 
mentary producers,  the 
best  inroad  to  the 
network  is  through  its 
specials.  There  are  two 
commissioning  editors 
who  handle  these  pro- 
jects. (The  third  works 
almost  exclusively  on  Biography.) 
Amy  Briamonte  deals  with  projects  that  are 
mostly  co-productions  intend- 
ed for  Investigative  Reports. 
Since  she's  a  former  film  editor 
and  has  worked  for  the  likes  of 
Woody  Allen,  Paul  Schrader, 
and  Brian  de  Palma,  filmmakers 
seem  to  appreciate  and  even 
relish  her  regular  and  extensive  input.  From  their  two-room  office  in 
SoHo,  Houts  and  partner  Daniel  Elias  are  almost  embarrassed  about 
the  praises  they  have  to  sing  for  Briamonte.  Talk  to  Me  was  the  film- 
making team's  first  project  with  A&E  and  their  first  major  film  overall. 


Around  the  time  Hitman  Hart  aired  on 
A&E,  the  wrestling  Hart  family  was  in 
the  news  following  the  rings-side  death 
of  Owen  "Blue  Blazer"  Hart  (right). 


Made  for  under  $500,000,  the  project  had  them  following  the  New 
York  Police  Department's  hostage  negotiating  team  for  a  span  of  six 
months,  which  nobody  had  ever  done  before.  The  filmmakers  had  to 
be  ready  to  go  at  a  moment's  notice,  sleep  wearing  headphones  that 
connected  to  the  police  scanner,  and  spend  hours  on  vigils  with  the 
police  as  they  talked  down  potential  murders  and  suicides  all  over  the 
five  boroughs. 

Houts  and  Elias  kept  in  close  contact  with  Briamonte  throughout 
the  process,  having  less  to  do,  they  say,  with  their  European  counter- 
parts simply  because  they  were  so  far  away.  More  than  proximity, 
though,  the  relationship  worked  because  "we  shared  a  common  vision 
to  make  films  that  give  people  space  to  tell  their  own  stories,"  says 
Elias,  "and  that  was  instrumental  in  critical  decision-making  modes." 

Toronto-based  filmmaker  Paul  Jay  found  the  relationship  with 
Briamonte  just  as  satisfying  for  Hitman  Hart,  and  he  had  an  even  more 
difficult  alliance  of  financiers  to  manage.  "We  had  to  juggle  whenever 
we  had  a  rough  cut,"  he  says  from  the  set  of  his  day  job,  producing  the 
political  talk  show  Counterspin  for  CBC  Newsworld.  "In  all  of  that, 
Amy  was  probably  the  most  active,  [along]  with  TV  Ontario,  and  the 
most  creative.  The  trouble  with  most  commissioning  editors  is  that 
they  were  never  editors  or  filmmakers.  Amy  came  from  feature  films." 

Hitman  Hart  follows  a  dramatic  story  arc,  with  Bret  Hart  starting  out 
the  good  guy  of  the  World  Wrestling  Federation  and  ending  up  the 
dupe  of  the  WWF's  founder.  All  the  while,  he  goes  through  personal 
struggles  with  his  wife,  his  father,  and  the  rest  of  the  wrestling  Hart 
brood. 

"There  were  things  that  Amy  and  I  didn't  agree  on,"  says  Jay.  "But 
when  I  dug  my  heels  in,  she  was  good.  She  trusted  the  director  to  make 
the  call.  For  instance,  there's  a  song  in  the  middle  of  the  film,  which  is 
total  feature-film  grammar.  At  first,  it  didn't  hit  her  right.  I  was  telling 
her  I  wanted  it.  She  said,  'Okay,  I'll  go  with  it.'  After  we  screened  it,  it 
was  clear  the  song  works.  Part  of  the  reason  it  doesn't  work  for  people 
in  the  documentary  world  is  because  it's  such  a  change  of  grammar.  But 
people  watch  it  for  whatever  it  is." 

The  other  side  of  A&E's  documentary  division  is  now  handled  by 
Edward  Hersh,  a  former  ABC  newsman  who  recently  took  over  as 
commissioning  editor  for  specials  from  long-time  staffer  Gail  Gilman 
(whose  projects  in  the  meantime  have  been  handled  by  Cascio  him- 
self). The  Farm  was  one  of  these,  as  will  be  the  next  projects  from  that 
film's  directors,  Jonathan  Stack  and  Liz  Garbus,  who  are  now  working 
independently  of  each  other.  Stack's  next  program  will  be  a  follow-up 
with  one  of  The  Farm's  main  characters,  Vincent  Simmons.  Garbus  is 
taking  an  unprecedented  look  inside  Maryland's  juvenile  justice  system 
in  )uvies,  doing  interviews  with  young  men  who  normally  fall  under 
anonymity  protection. 

Stack  and  Garbus  both  say  their  experience  with  A&E  has  been 
much  less  hands-on  than  that  described  by  other  filmmakers,  even 
though  The  Farm  was  their  first  production  for  the  network. 

"They  probably  didn't  see  The  Farm  until  late  in  process.  It  was  like, 
'You're  doing  this  thing;  go  ahead,'  "  says  Garbus,  whose  new  company, 
Moxie  Firecracker,  is  in  partnership  with  Rory  Kennedy.  "]uvies  is  not 
commercial,  not  an  easy  sell,  and  [yet]  they  are  really  non-intrusive. 
They  let  me  just  do  my  business.  So  far,  I've  been  completely  indepen- 
dent, which  is  a  reason  for  me  to  keep  working  for  them." 

"There  are  constraints,  but  those  are  built  into  what  it  is,"  says 
Stack.  "A&E  has  a  system  and  a  structure,  but  the  people  are  very 
accessible.  It's  not  the  independent  filmmakers'  channel.  But  that  said, 
there  is  room  for  independent  thought." 


October   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


I  POETS  AND  CON- 
i  ms  vary  greatly 
■oject  to  project,  as  is 
often  the  case  when  dealing 
with  cable  networks,  there 
are  a  number  of  sticking 
points  between  filmmakers 
and  A&E:  slowness  of  deci- 
sion-making, rights  and 
fees,  and  theatrical  win- 
dows. 

According  to  Jay,  who 
has  worked  with  the  usual 
public  and  private  funding 

sources  for  documentaries,  "The  biggest  difference  is  the  committee 
system  and  the  decision-making  process.  [A&E]  could  be  quicker."  But, 
he  adds,  "Once  they  say  yes,  the  check  is  there  fast." 

Then  there's  the  matter  of  fees  and  rights.  Filmmakers  obviously 
want  the  biggest  fees  and  as  many  rights  as  they  can  secure.  But  net- 
works like  to  own  as  much  as  they  can  of  what  they're  funding. 

"We  love  to  own  all  rights;  we're  launching  international  networks 
all  the  time,  we  have  our  own  home  video  division,"  says  Briamonte. 
"We  prefer  to  commission  something  outright.  We  give  a  fee — a  third 
or  half  of  the  budget,  depending  on  the  rights  package.  The  point  is 
that  we  try  to  do  things  we  can  own,  but  sometimes  we  can't. 
Sometimes  you  need  upwards  of  $1  million.  We'll  help  the  filmmaker 
find  partners  when  we're  the  first  ones  in.  When  the  BBC  or  Channel 
4  or  Canal  +  sees  A&E  is  in,  they  have  more  confidence  in  the  pro- 
ject." 

Chris  McDonald,  head  of  the  Hot  Docs  festival  in  Canada,  agrees, 
based  on  what  he's  seen  at  networking  events.  "A&E's  executives  are 
always  the  most  popular  people  there,"  he  says. 

Another  major  battle  is  over  theatrical  visibility.  Stack  and  Garbus 
had  to  fight  to  get  their  tilm  into  theaters  before  The  Farm  aired  in 
order  to  qualify  for  the  Academy  Awards.  Jay  lost  his  battle  with  A&E 
to  get  Hitman  Hart  into  the  Sundance  Film  Festival  in  1999,  because 
his  airdate  had  been  scheduled  in  early  January,  prior  to  the  festival 
(thus  disqualifying  it),  and  A&E  wouldn't  move  the  date.  A&E  was 
also  reluctant  to  discuss  a  theatrical  window  with  Houts  and  Elias. 
The  duo  ultimately  didn't  push  for  one  after  realizing  that  they  would- 
n't finish  editing  until  too  close  to  the  airdate,  which  was  scheduled 
during  the  sweeps.  But  Houts  is  philosophic,  acknowledging  that 
A&E's  money  allowed  them  the  rare  opportunity  to  shoot  continu- 
ously for  six  months  straight.  What's  more,  A&E  got  them  into  74. 1 
million  homes — something  a  theatrical  run  for  a  documentary  would 
never  do.  "It's  great  if  you're  able  to  put  a  film  in  theaters,  but  TV  is  a 
great  medium,  too,"  Houts  says.  "As  cable  has  grown,  they're  the  ones 
expanding  the  artistic  horizons  of  what  audiences  get  to  see  in  docu- 
mentary. And  that's  an  exciting  thing." 

Briamonte  lays  out  her  philosophy:  "It's  hard  to  get  a  theatrical 
company  to  give  $500,000  to  make  a  documentary.  We're  there  at  the 
very  beginning,  working  with  the  producer,  fully  financing  in  many 
cases,"  she  explains.  "When  the  film  comes  out  theatrically  first,  it's 
hard  to  get  press  when  it  finally  airs  on  TV.  You  put  in  sweat  and 
money,  and  it's  listed  [in  the  TV  schedule]  as  a  normal  listing.  There's 
no  more  buzz  about  it." 

Jan  Rofecamp,  a  sales  agent  of  documentary  films,  begs  to  differ 


with  this  approach.  "A&E  has 
been  double-faced,"  he  says  of 
A&E's   theoretical  willingness 
to  allow  their  films  into  the- 
aters. "The  good  side  is  Amy. 
And  then  there  is  the  schedul- 
ing  group    [which   picks   air- 
dates],  which  is  very  mechani- 
cal. I  wondered  why  a  film  like 
Talk  to  Me  had  to  go  on  air  so 
quickly.    I    think   it's   a 
better  idea  to  leave  the 
film  in  the  field  a  bit 
and  get  it  a  reputation, 
maybe  an  Oscar  nomi- 
nation. HBO  has  been 
quite  astute  about  this.  A&E  has  to  learn  a  little  bit  of  that." 

As  Stack  says,  "You  don't  distinguish  yourself  if  people  don't  know 
about  your  work,  if  it  doesn't  play  in  some  place  that  the  media  use  as 
a  benchmark.  As  a  filmmaker,  you  need  those  things.  It's  satisfying. 
There's  no  denying  it  feels  good." 

And  it  helps  cement  good  relationships  with  the  independent  pro- 
ducers with  whom  A&E  seems  to 
want   to   work.   That's   where   the 
growing  pains  come  in.  The  test  of 


A&E's  philosophy  of  "TV  first"  will  come  soon.  Paul  Jay  is  now  work- 
ing on  a  new  special  for  A&E  about  a  pair  of  Canadians  who  imper- 
sonate the  Blues  Brothers.  Houts  and  Elias  are  making  another  NYPD 
documentary,  this  time  a  little  closer  to  the  danger  with  the  city's 
SWAT  team.  No  doubt  both  will  want  some  window  of  opportunity  for 
festivals  or  theaters,  as  will  Stack  and  Garbus  with  their  upcoming  pro- 
jects. Then  A&E  will  have  to  decide,  having  conquered  the  cable  doc- 
umentary market,  if  they  want  to  look  less  like  CNN  and  more  like 
Twentieth  Century  Fox. 

Beth  Pinsker  is  is  a  freelance  writing  living  in  New  York  City. 


30    THE    INDEPENDENT    October   1999 


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The  Image  Bank  Film 

■  )i  minimi  iwhuiimiu 


■fchrtpelWricmii  G 


!        3  ^  u*  ii  i     i  j! 


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Searching  for  the  needle 
*     in  the  proverbial 

haystack?  Now  film 
<     researchers  have  help 

from  on-line  databases 
J     offered  by  companies  like 

WPA,  Archive  Films,  The 

Image  Bank,  and  others. 

Pictured  at  right:  on  the 

prowl  for  Hitchcock. 


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OB i»t — KflMI 


32    THE    INDE 


In  the  olden  days  (three  or  so  years  ago) 
producers  in  search  of  film  footage 


ZJ 


of  a  particular  subject — say,  Alfred  Hitchcock — would  call  a  series  of  archives  to  find  out  if  they  had  any.  If  so,  the  produc- 
er/researcher would  go  to  the  archive  to  look  through  hours  of  videotape.  If  the  project  was  about,  say,  the  influence  of 
Hitchcock's  films,  this  research  might  expand  exponentially  to  include  clips  by  other  filmmakers  and  generic  horror  scenes. 
Archival  research  was  a  complicated,  time-consuming  affair,  one  that  involved  a  producer/researcher  working  closely  with 
an  archivist  to  find  the  best  possible  footage.  For  an  additional  cost,  the  archivist  could  do  the  research  and  send  a  video- 
tape of  the  found  footage. 

Today,  I  can  log  onto  a  web  site  called  FOOTAGE.net,  search  for  "Hitchcock,"  and  find  out — in  literally  two  seconds — 
that  Passport  to  Hollywood  has  264  records  containing  that  name,  the  WPA  Film  Library  has  168  records,  British  Pathe 
News  has  58,  Conus  Communications  54,  and  so  on,  for  16  stock  footage  houses  that  collectively  have  749  film  clips.  Then 
I  can  click  on  WPA  and  read  a  detailed  description  of  each  of  the  168  records.  At  the  Image  Bank  site  (12  Hitchcock 
records),  I  can  actually  watch  a  clip  of  the  great  director  getting  off  an  airplane  or  shaking  hands  with  the  1966  Mayor  of 
New  York. 

In  a  very  short  period,  the  Internet  has  made  archival  research  much  more  cost-  and  time-effective.  But  it  also  has  its  lim- 
itations. In  fact,  the  rapid  changes  the  Internet  has  wrought  have  been  bittersweet  for  many  professional  researchers.  "The  clas- 
sic craft  of  film  research  is  in  crisis,"  says  Rick  Prelinger  of  the  Prelinger  Archive.  "It's  a  profession  that's  getting  de-skilled. 
Producers  will  have  interns  or  PAs  do  research  rather  than  hiring  a  researcher."  While  researchers  might  have  mixed  feelings 
about  being  replaced  by  PAs,  they  also  applaud  the  newfound  ability  to  do  a  good  portion  of  work  from  their  home  computers. 

From  the  archives'  perspective,  these  technological  advances  offer  much  to  be  happy  about.  "Just  the  ability  to  get  a  database 
into  our  clients'  hands  over  the  web  is  a  good  thing,"  says  Matthew  White,  president  of  the  WPA  Film  Library.  "It's  changing  the 
dynamic  between  the  archive  and  the  producer.  They're  no  longer  so  dependent  on  us,  but  can  do  a  lot  of  the  research  them- 
selves." He  estimates  that  "60-70  percent  of  the  clients  are  doing  some  kind  of  research  on  the  web."  Larger,  well-funded  archives 
like  WPA  and  Historic  Films  have  indexed  almost  their  entire  collections  on  their  web  sites,  with  every  still  photo  and  film  clip 
described  in  great  detail.  For  moving  images,  some  archives  time-code  text  descriptions,  "so  you  can  'see'  the  action  described 
moment  by  moment  or  second  by  second,"  explains  Nancy  Mulinelli,  advertising  director  for  Historic  Films. 

The  archives'  indices  paint  the  most  accurate  picture  possible  through  words,  creating  an  invaluable  tool  for  researchers 
who  may  not  have  the  time  or  money  to  travel  to  the  archive.  Archival  researcher  Rosemary  Rotondi,  who  has  worked  with 
videomakers  Daniel  Reeves,  Mary  Lucier,  and  Rita  Myers,  among  others,  has  been  surprised  by  the  effectiveness  of  Internet 
research.  While  recently  looking  for  clips  of  former  Senator  Alan  Simpson,  she  visited  the  Vanderbilt  Television  Archives' 
site  and  found  written  descriptions  of  87  news  broadcasts  in  which  he  had  spoken,  including  complete  transcripts.  "Not  only 
did  I  not  think  it  would  be  so  easy,"  says  Rotondi,  "I  didn't  think  there  would  be  so  much  detail  available." 

But  no  matter  how  precise  or  detailed  the  description,  showing  actual  photos  or  film  clips  online  is  a  better  option — 
and  the  obvious  next  step.  The  Image  Bank,  one  of  the  more  technologically  advanced  stock  footage  houses,  already  does 
this.  "You  have  instant  access  to  film  material,"  says  Darryl  Morrison,  manager  of  data  operations.  "You  immediately  see  the 
shot  you're  interested  in."  While  the  popular  archival  house  used  to  have  a  text  indexing  system,  they  recognized  its  limita- 
tions. "If  I  were  to  try  to  describe  the  picture  on  my  wall,"  Morrison  explains,  "it  would  take  a  long  time  to  let  you  know 
what  it  looks  like.  A  picture's  worth  a  thousand  words,'  they  say.  So,  our  current  system  gives  you  a  thumbnail  [image],  so 
you  can  see  what  it  is:  a  sepia-toned  photo  of  people  walking  in  shadows." 

For  moving  images,  The  Image  Bank's  site  also  shows  thumbnails,  that  is,  single  frames  from  the  requested  footage.  When 
you  click  on  a  thumbnail,  you  actually  see  a  low  resolution  version  of  the  footage.  It  is  necessary  to  have  QuickTime,  but 
the  program  is  easily  downloaded  off  the  web.  Just  click  on  the  image  and  a  message  box  pops  up,  telling  you  to  download 
the  necessary  plug-in. 

While  The  Image  Bank's  low-res  moving  images  are  only  available  (or  desirable)  for  preview  purposes,  purchasing  downloaded 
still  photos  is  becoming  standard  procedure.  "On  the  film  side  of  things,  we're  ahead  of  the  wave,"  says  Morrison.  "On  the  stills 
side,  it's  the  norm.  You  can  actually  have  your  entire  transaction  take  place  over  the  web.  There's  something  very  clean  about 
selling  images  over  the  Internet — you  can  download  a  decent  image,  and  more  and  more  clients  want  a  digital  file."  It  logically 
follows  that  such  a  system  could  exist  for  the  sale  and  delivery  of  moving  image  footage. 
For  the  moment,  the  amount  of  storage  space  and  the  sophisticated  modem  connections  necessary  to  download  video  files 
have  kept  the  archival  footage  business  from  catching  up  to  still  photo  sales.  The  current  technology  dictates  that  moving 
images  online  be  used  primarily  as  a  reference  tool  "for  sales  offices  to  show  material  to  clients  more  quickly,"  says  Morrison. 
"QuickTime  files  aren't  the  best  to  look  at  it."  He  adds  that  there  are  "clients  who  place  orders  directly  from  the  clipboard, 
because  they  don't  have  a  lot  of  time."  Besides  the  rare  rush  job,  however,  most  researchers  still  tend  to  request  a  video  cas- 
sette of  a  clip  before  placing  an  order.  The  archivist  ships  a  tape,  and  if  it  fits  the  bill,  the  order  proceeds  as  it  always  has —  with 
the  negotiation  of  licensing  fees,  delivery,  etc.  happening  by  fax,  phone,  or  (now)  email  between  the  client  and  the  archive. 

October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


'  There's  seemingly  a  lot  of  accessibility  through  the  web,"  says 
.si  researcher  Lewanne  Jones  (Eyes  on  the  Prize,  The  Millennium 
"in  the  sense  that  you  can  search  a  database.  But  most  of  the 
:  Jures  after  you  contact  the  web  site  are  pretty  much  as  they've 
always  been."  Footage  delivery,  for  example,  still  happens  as  it  did 
before  the  digital  revolution:  by  FedEx,  messenger,  or  the  US  Postal 
Service.  But  Morrison  predicts  that  the  whole  archival  footage  busi- 
ness will  be  digitally  run  in  the  next  five  to  six  years. 

Other  online  resources  include  FOOTAGE.net,  the  "one  stop 
shopping"  site  that  provides  hyperlinks  to  archive  clients,  including 
the  ABC  and  NBC  News  Archives,  Archive  Films/Archive  Photos, 
CNN  Image  Source,  Historic  Films,  Paramount  Pictures,  The  Image 
Bank,  and  the  WPA  Film  Library,  among  others.  In  addition  to 
"Global  Searches,"  like  that  described  for  the  Hitchcock  project, 
FOOTAGE.net  offers  a  "zap  request,"  which  is  characterized  on  the 
site  as  "your  free,  instant  email  pipeline  to  companies,  archives,  and 
footage  researchers  who  can  help  you  find  your  exact  shot."  A  user  fills 
out  an  order  form  specifying  the  footage  needed  (some  recent  exam- 
ples include  "exterior  shots  of  the  Playboy  Club  in  Lake  Geneva, 
Wisconsin"  and  "startled  chickens  against  a  blue  screen"),  the  desired 
format,  contact  information,  and  priority  (normal  or  urgent,  with 
deadline).  The  request  gets  instantaneously  "zapped"  to  participating 
sites,  and  anyone  receiving  it  who  has  the  requested  shot  responds 
directly  to  the  client.  This  kind  of  efficiency  was  unheard  of  just  a  few 
years  ago.  Previously,  a  researcher  would  have  to  contact  each  of  those 
sources  separately  and  then  wait  to  receive  a  tape  or,  in  the  most  cost- 
effective  scenario,  make  an  appointment,  go  to  the  archive,  and  per- 
sonally comb  through  tapes.  In  addition  to  these  free,  time-saving  ser- 
vices, electronic  licensing  and  footage  delivery  are  upcoming  at 
FOOTAGE.net. 

While  Internet  research  is  a  valuable  first  step,  researchers  and 
archivists  agree  that  it  has  its  limitations.  For  one,  web  sites  don't  gen- 
erally announce  what  percentage  of  the  archive's  collection  is  repre- 
sented online.  Even  in  cases  where  the  archive  has  logged  its  entire 
collection  on  its  site,  recent  acquisitions  may  not  have  been  added. 
"It's  a  constant  process,"  admits  John  McQuaid,  vice  president  of  sales 
and  marketing  at  Archive  Films,  who  advocates  making  a  follow-up 
call  to  the  archive  following  an  Internet  search.  "A  customer  will  come 
to  us  and  say,  Tm  doing  a  show  on  World  War  II  and  the  Pacific,'  and 
we'll  know  we  just  recently  got  some  new  footage  that  hasn't  been 
added  to  the  database  yet." 

Some  archives  only  have  a  portion  of  their  libraries  entered  into 
their  databases.  Matthew  White  of  WPA  says,  "30  percent  of  the 
library  isn't  represented  in  the  database,  so  if  [clients]  can't  find  some- 
thing they're  looking  for,  it  makes  sense  to  talk  with  a  researcher." 
Experts  on  both  sides  feel  that  while  preliminary  research  can  be  done 
online,  the  ideal  situation  is  a  collaborative  process.  McQuaid  says, 
"We  generally  have  to  help  people  dig  out  the  gems  that  are  in  there." 

Even  the  speed  of  the  Internet  has  its  drawbacks.  Researcher 
Lewanne  Jones  feels  that  the  availability  of  information  through  easi- 
ly accessible  web  sites  "makes  people  think  you  don't  need  any  previ- 
ous experience.  Research  tends  to  be  discounted  as  a  skill — 'We'll  put 
the  intern  on  this.'  "  The  ease  and  accessibility  of  the  Internet  can  also 
distort  peoples'  expectations.  Because  materials  and  precise  reference 
numbers  can  be  located  quickly  online,  Jones  thinks  producers  often 
forget  that  time  and  energy  are  necessary  components  of  effective 


research.  "There's  a  pressure  on  the  researcher  to  provide  at  the  speed 
of  the  Internet  without  a  commensurate  ability  on  the  part  of  many 
archives  to  provide  material,"  she  says.  "Everyone  thinks  you  can  just 
get  what  you  desire  instantaneously.  It  still  requires  a  fair  amount  of 
time." 

Jones  stresses  that  while  some  of  the  houses  with  advanced  web  sites 
can  quickly  respond  to  footage  requests,  others  are  understaffed  and 
underfunded,  with  a  large  amount  of  the  business  of  stock  footage  hap- 
pening the  old  fashioned  way.  "A  few  places  have  entered  the  digital 
age,"  she  says,  "but  those  are  the  Corbises,  the  Gettys,  some  of  the  net- 
works. There's  a  discrepancy  between  the  hype  and  the  manpower,  the 
expense,  and  the  funding  to  actualize  it."  Another  limitation  of  the 
web  is  that  the  user  has  to  know  how  to  navigate  it.  "There  are  tricks 
to  searching,"  says  McQuaid.  "Do  you  say  FDR  or  do  you  say 
Roosevelt?" 

"The  problem  with  the  web,"  says  Prelinger,  "is  you're  very  specific 
with  your  requests,  so  you  don't  get  anything  that  jogs  the  mind  in  dif- 
ferent directions.  I've  learned  never  to  undervalue  serendipity." 
Effective  research  is  a  skill  that  is  meant  to  lead  to  the  discovery  of  the 
perfect  image  to  suit  the  project.  That  perfect  image  might  not  neces- 
sarily be  the  one  the  researcher  originally  had  in  mind,  and  web  sites 
can  only  give  you  what  you  ask  for.  "You  can  look  under  'sunset'  or 
'baseball',  but  that  only  gives  you  the  content,"  Prelinger  says.  "When 
you're  making  a  film,  you're  not  looking  for  a  particular  image  to  fill  a 
hole."  He  gives  the  example  of  searching  for  fighting  shots.  "You  can 
search  for  'bully',  for  'boxing.'  You  can  search  'fight.'  You  can  search 
'aggression,'  I  don't  know;  'testosterone'?  It's  hard  to  search  an  image 
conceptually  online." 

Beyond  altering  the  mechanics  of  buying,  selling,  licensing,  and 
delivering  digital  images  via  the  Internet,  a  more  revolutionary  possi- 
bility for  change  lies  in  the  potential  consequences  for  documentary 
production  in  general.  Prelinger  hypothesizes  that  "production  isn't 
going  to  matter  as  much."  He  explains:  "Right  now,  people  only  have 
the  option  to  view  completed  materials.  Old  men  who  want  to  see  war 
footage  watch  the  History  Channel.  As  more  of  that  footage  comes  up 
online,  they'll  be  able  to  look  at  primary  records."  By  making  original 
source  material  available  to  the  public,  the  Internet  could  decrease  the 
demand  for  documentaries,  or  at  least  the  bad  ones.  Why  watch  a 
mediocre  documentary  (made  by  "slapping  together  cheap  historical 
footage  and  adding  a  narration,"  according  to  Prelinger),  when  you  can 
see  history  in  the  raw,  without  a  filmmaker's  agenda  thrown  in?  "Right 
now,  if  you  make  a  film  and  put  stock  footage  in  it,  the  viewer  doesn't 
know  where  the  footage  has  come  from  and  doesn't  care,  but  in  the 
future,  it  might  just  say,  'click  here  for  footage.'  "  In  order  to  hold  an 
audience  that  has  access  to  historical  footage  online,  movies  will  have 
to  be  pretty  good. 

Whether  or  not  movies  are  changed  by  the  availability  of  archival 
footage  remains  to  be  seen.  What  is  clear  is  that  the  professionals  work- 
ing in  the  industry  today  are  experiencing  change  at  a  dramatic  rate. 
Among  them,  there  will  be  people  who  applaud  the  advances  and  oth- 
ers who  mourn  an  old-fashioned  system,  one  that  was  all  about  comb- 
ing through  the  footage  they  love  all  day  long.  Those  people  will  insist 
on  the  many  advantages  of  that  messy,  old  system.  As  Prelinger  puts  it, 
"If  you  want  something  easy,  you'll  find  it.  But  you  still  have  to  look  at 
reels.  You  still  have  to  go  on  site.  There  is  no  substitute  for  elbow 
grease." 

Andrea  Meyer  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  Time  Out  New  York  and 
IndieWIRjE,  and  is  a  sometime  archival  researcher. 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT     Oct.    er   1999 


1 


ft 


www.aivf.org 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
EXTENSION  CMIL 


What  distinguishes  you  from  other  distributors? 

Our  affiliation  with  a  major  university  and  our  resulting 
commitment  to  education,  the  diversity  of  our  collec- 
tion, and  our  flexibility  (in  terms  of  contract  terms,  pro- 
BY    LlSSA    GlBBS       motional  ideas,  and  in  working  with  filmmakers). 


Kate  Spohr  and  Dan  Bickley 


University  of  California  Extension  Center  for  Media 
and  Independent  Learning,  2000  Center  St.,  4th  fl., 
Berkeley,  CA  94704;  (510)  642-1340  or  643-2788; 
fax:  643-9271;  cmil@uclink.berkeley.edu;  www- 
cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/;  contacts:  Dan 
Bickley  and  Kate  Spohr 

What  is  the  University  of  California  Extension  Center 
for  Media  and  Independent  Learning  (CMIL)? 

We  are  the  educational  media  distribution  agency  of  the 
University  of  California.  We  distribute  high-quality  doc- 
umentaries and  educational  media  to  colleges  and  uni- 
versities, primary  and  secondary  schools,  libraries, 
health  organizations,  museums,  government  agencies, 
nonprofit  groups,  businesses,  and  many  other  types  of 
institutions  worldwide. 

What  is  your  relationship  with  the  University  of 
California? 

Like  other  departments  and  programs  of  UC,  we  are 
governed  by  the  Regents  of  the  University  of  California. 
But  here's  the  thing  that  differentiates  us:  We're  entire- 
ly self-supporting  and  our  operations  are  not  subsidized 
by  the  university  in  any  way.  We're  not  even  located  on 
UC  property.  As  a  result,  we're  very  entrepreneurial:  we 
do  extensive  and  aggressive  marketing,  and  we're  ded- 
icated to  strong  customer  service. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  CMIL  come  into  being? 

Although  it  has  changed  its  name  several  times  over 
the  years,  CMIL  began  distributing  educational 
media — slides  and  films — in  1916.  Later  it  was  known 
as  a  rental  library  for  16mm  educational  films.  Because 
of  the  high  cost  of  buying  and  maintaining  16mm  films, 


for  several  decades  colleges  and  universities  usually 
rented,  rather  than  purchased,  the  educational  films 
they  used  in  the  classroom.  When  video  started  to  come 
into  widespread  use  in  the  late  1970s,  the  entire  sys- 
tem of  educational  distribution  changed  radically,  and 
so  did  our  operations.  In  the  early  1980s,  we  con- 
sciously reinvented  ourselves  and  changed  our  empha- 
sis to  sales  of  independent  productions.  In  1980,  90% 
of  our  income  came  from  16mm  rentals;  now,  90%  of 
our  income  comes  from  sales  and  licensing  of  videos. 

Driving  philosophy  behind  CMIL: 

We  embrace  works  that  take  a  strong  and  informed 
point  of  view,  break  new  ground,  and  challenge 
entrenched  beliefs.  We  welcome  controversial  content 
as  long  as  it  stands  up  to  scrutiny.  We're  not  here  just 
to  preach  to  the  converted. 


Loren  Cameron  in 

You  Don't  Know 

Dick,  by  Candace 

Schermerhorn  and 

Bestor  Cram 


Who  is  CMIL? 

The  principals  involved  in  day-to-day  media  marketing 
operations  are  Dan  Bickley  and  Kate  Spohr.  The  director 
of  CMIL  is  Mary  Beth  Almeda. 

Total  number  of  employees  at  CMIL: 

Full-time  5;  part-time  4. 

How  many  works  are  in  the  collection? 

About  650. 

What  would  people  be  most  surprised  to  learn 
about  CMIL? 

We  are  entrepreneurial,  approachable,  and  our  door  is 
always  open  to  independent  producers,  wherever  they 
may  live. 

Films  and  filmmakers  distributed: 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


=l-"^l---^ 


Filmmaker  Says,  "Ciao,"  to  Sagging  Sales 

After  jotrung  Amaon.com  Advantage,  vufco  producer 
Howard   Johnson    sold    every    copy    of    his    auto 
b.ographical  v.deo.  «lien  asked  to  comment  «h      , 
sucfess  Wth  the  program,  he  said,  1**  you.  baby. 
We'll  do  lunch." 


YouVe  Made 

A  Film. 

Want  An  Audience 

Of  10,000,000? 

Join  Amazon.com  Advantage 
and  sell  your  video  on  the 
Internet's  No.  1  video  retailer. 
We'll  scan  in  your  cover  art, 
include  detail  information,  and 
keep  your  video  in  stock  for 
quick  shipping.  From  action  to 
art  house,  sci-fi  to  special 
interest,  your  work  is  the  best- 
kept  secret  in  the  business.  Let 
our  ten  million  customers 
discover  it. 

Sign  up  today.  It's  free. 
www.amazon.com/advantage 

amazon.com 

' 

advantage 

£1999  Amazon.com,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.  Amazon.com 
is  a  registered  trademark  of  Amazon.com  Inc 


A  father  documents  a  year  in  his 
son's  high  school  life  in  David 
Zeigler's  The  Band,  (left) 

David  Simpson's  Halsted  Street, 
USA  (below) 


From  The 

Reincarnation  of 

Khensur  Rinpoche 

by  Ritu  Sarin  and 

Tenzing  Sonam 


There  are  so  many  good  ones,  it's  hard  to  single  out  one 
or  two.  Just  a  few  would  be:  Forgotten  Fires,  by  Michael 
Chandler  and  Vivian  Kleinman;  Halsted  Street,  USA,  by 
David  Simpson;  The  Band,  by  David  Zeigler;  The 
Reincarnation  of  Khensur  Rinpoche,  by  Ritu  Sarin  and 
Tenzing  Sonam;  You  Don't  Know  Dick,  by  Candace 
Schermerhorn  and  Bestor  Cram;  A  World  of  Differences: 
Understanding  Cross- Cultural  Communication,  by 
Dane  Archer;  Fender  Philosophers,  by  Lisa  Leeman; 
Riding  the  Rails,  by  Michael  Uys  and  Lexi  Lovell;  The 
Democratic  Promise:  Saul  Almsky  and  His  Legacy,  by 
Bob  Hercules;  Popol  Vuh:  The  Creation  Myth  of  the 
Maya,  by  Patricia  Amliri;  Ishi,  the  Last  Yahi,  by  Jed  Riffe 
and  Pamela  Roberts;  the  ethnographic  films  of  David 
and  Judith  MacDougall;  and  those  of  John  Cohen. 

Generally,  what  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 

Our  collection  is  extremely  diverse.  We  handle  mostly 
nonfiction  films,  covering  the  gamut  of  the  documentary 
form,  from  personal  essays  to  investigative  exposes  to 
animation.  Our  titles  are  of  varying  lengths,  typically 
from  about  15  minutes  to  an  hour.  We're  primarily  look- 
ing for  new  works  with  educational  utility,  merit,  and 
significance — that  is,  films  with  very  strong,  well- 
researched  content. 

What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  titles  you  do? 

We  acquire  films  we  like,  those  we  believe  are  impor- 
tant, and  those  we  think  will  work  well  as  teaching 
tools. 

How  is  your  collection  organized? 

We're  best-known  for  our  titles  in  the  humanities  and 
social  sciences — in  such  areas  as  anthropology  and 
world  cultures,  ethnic  studies,  archaeology,  women's 
and  gender  studies,  history,  sociology,  communication 


and  media  studies,  psychology,  art,  architecture,  city 
planning  and  urban  studies,  education,  and  environ- 
mental studies.  We  also  have  significant  collections  in 
the  areas  of  physical  and  biological  sciences,  medicine 
and  medical  policy/ethics,  clinical  psychology  and  psy- 
chotherapy, and  criminology/penal  studies. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a  title? 

Every  title  we  distribute  has  a  number  of  "major"  mar- 
kets (comprising  our  steady  client  base  of  universities, 
public  libraries,  schools,  etc.).  Promoting  to  these  rela- 
tively large,  tried-and-true  segments  of  the  educational 
market  is  obviously  an  important  part  of  our  work.  For 
instance,  promotion  for  our  titles  on  world  cultures  goes 
to  every  college  professor  of  anthropology  in  the  U.S. 
But  we  also  put  a  great  deal  of  effort  into  developing 
and  reaching  secondary  and  tertiary  (niche)  markets 
where  appropriate.  For  example,  a  recent  release  on 
homophobia  in  women's  sports  was  targeted  to 
women's  studies  courses  at  the  university  level,  but 
also  to  athletic  coaches,  diversity  trainers,  and  non- 
profit organizations  concerned  with  homophobia  and 
gender  equity.  The  chief  reason  we  are  able  to  do 
"niche"  marketing  so  effectively  is  that  we  write  and 
design  all  our  promotional  materials  in-house.  This 
allows  us  to  develop  direct-marketing  materials  quickly 
and  affordably,  which  in  turn  makes  it  possible  to 
experiment  and  try  new  things.  Our  "experimental" 
approach  certainly  applies  to  direct  mail,  but  we  are 
also  using  it  with  Internet  marketing,  where  opportuni- 
ties for  niche  marketing  abound. 

Where  do  your  titles  show? 

In  classrooms  at  every  level,  in  libraries,  in  museums, 
on  television,  in  continuing  education  programs,  at  aca- 
demic conferences  of  all  sorts,  and  at  festivals. 


36    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


How  do  teachers  find  your  titles? 

Our  customers — mostly  professors,  teachers,  and 
librarians — find  our  programs  through  a  variety  of 
means.  College  professors  and  media  buyers  at  school 
districts  receive  our  targeted  mailings.  Media  librarians 
may  meet  us  at  film  markets  and  previewing  seminars, 
or  may  find  our  title  descriptions  on  a  range  of  media 
databases.  An  increasing  number  of  customers  access 
our  catalog  through  our  web  site.  Our  titles  are  often 
reviewed  in  trade  magazines  or  academic  journals,  and 
many  are  featured  at  conferences  and  festivals. 

Do  you  develop  study  guides  to  accompany  titles? 

The  best  study  guides  are  developed  by  filmmakers  or 
their  advisors  who  are  experts  in  the  subject  matter. 
Although  most  of  our  study  guides  are  originated  by  the 
producers  themselves,  we  usually  complete  the  editing, 
design,  and  layout  of  study  guides.  We  believe  that  most 
study  guides,  especially  for  K-12  use,  should  be  sim- 
ple— no  more  than  one  or  two  sides  of  a  standard 
sheet  of  paper.  It  can  then  be  easily  folded  and  mailed 
with  copies  of  the  video,  and  it  should  be  inexpensive 
and  quick  to  create  and  produce. 

Where  do  you  find  your  titles  for  acquisition,  and 
how  should  filmmakers  approach  you? 

We're  pleased  to  say  that  many  new  titles  come  to  us 
by  word-of-mouth  (i.e.,  from  acquaintances  of  produc- 
ers we  represent).  We  also  attend  film  markets,  place 
ads  in  trade  magazines  like  this  one,  scan  festival  cat- 
alogs, and  generally  maintain  an  open-door  policy  for 
producers.  We  always  pick  up  at  least  a  few  new  titles 
at  the  Media  Market  of  the  National  Educational  Media 
Network  in  Oakland  each  May  [see  festival  report  page 
20],  It's  best  to  contact  us  by  phone  or  email  or  via  our 
web  site.  Tell  us  what  your  production  is  about,  what 
length  it  is,  who  its  intended  audience  is,  and  when  it 
will  be  completed.  We  are  willing  to  look  at  fine  cuts,  but 
cannot  make  offers  until  we  see  the  completed  pro- 
gram. We  evaluate  everything  that  is  sent  to  us,  and  we 
return  all  tapes  at  our  expense. 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  collection: 

Production  budgets  range  from  several  thousand  dol- 
lars to  six  figures.  The  content  of  the  production  and  the 
talent  of  the  filmmaking  are  the  factors  that  make  a 
work  successful  in  the  educational  market,  not  the  pro- 
duction budget. 

Biggest  change  at  CMIL  in  recent  years: 

Probably  the  addition  of  Kate  to  our  staff  three  years 
ago.  She  now  handles  nearly  all  of  our  contract  negoti- 
ations with  producers.  That's  very  time-consuming, 
since  we  believe  in  being  very  open  and  flexible  in  those 
discussions.  This  has  allowed  Dan  to  concentrate  on 
promotion  and  marketing,  and  as  a  result  we've  been 
able  to  reach  out  to  new  and  niche  markets  that  we  did- 
n't reach  before.  For  example,  in  the  last  two  years 
we've  launched  targeted  promotional  campaigns  aimed 
at  hospices,  correctional  institutions,  religious  organi- 


American  Montage,  Inc. 


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October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


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THE        UNIVERSITY        OF        TEXAS        AT        AUST 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


zations,  college  diversity  trainers,  school-level  guidance 
counselors,  and  a  number  of  new  college  subject  disci- 
plines. 

Most  important  issue  facing  CMIL  today? 
Like  all  educational  media  distributors,  we're  struggling 
with  really  thorny  issues  related  to  digital  media  tech- 
nology and  electronic  licensing.  Our  customers  are 
becoming  more  involved  in  distance  education,  Internet 
delivery  of  courses,  video-on-demand  systems,  etc., 
and  they  want  to  use  programs  in  new  and  different 
ways.  We  need  to  be  able  to  make  that  possible  but  at 
the  same  time  protect  our  producers'  interests  and 
guarantee  them  a  fair  return  on  their  work. 

Where  will  CMIL  be  10  years  from  now? 

Our  core  business  will  probably  not  change  too  dramat- 
ically. We  will,  essentially,  still  be  in  the  business  of  dis- 
tributing media  titles  that  enhance  the  teaching 
process.  There  will  likely  be  major  shifts  in  the  formats 
and  methods  of  distributing  our  programs.  And  how 
these  shifts  play  out  in  the  marketplace  will  determine 
to  a  large  degree  whether  we  can  increase  our  revenues 
from  distribution  and  therefore  pay  adequate  returns  to 
producers,  so  that  they  can  continue  to  create  high- 
quality  productions. 

You  knew  CMIL  had  made  it  as  a  company  when . . . 

we  sent  our  first  six-month  royalty  check  of  $25,000  to 
a  producer! 

Best  distribution  experience  lately: 

Having  one  of  our  titles  featured  on  a  segment  of  The 
Oprah  Winfrey  Show,  where  a  clip  was  aired  and  the 
producer  was  interviewed. 

Other  distributors  you  admire  and  why: 

Our  competitors  and  colleagues:  Bullfrog,  California 
Newsreel,  The  Cinema  Guild,  Filmmaker's  Library,  and 
First  Run/Icarus.  We  all  weathered  the  1980s,  didn't 
join  the  home  video  or  CD-ROM  stampede,  and  stuck  to 
our  marketing  philosophies. 

If  you  could  give  independent  filmmakers  one  bit  of 
advice,  it  would  be  to . . . 

have  a  clear  idea  of  who  your  audience  is  and  how  your 
film  will  be  used.  Tackle  subjects  about  which  you  are 
passionate. 

Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 

Death:  A  Love  Story,  by  Michelle  LeBrun,  and  In  My 
Corner,  by  Ricki  Stern  and  Anne  Sundberg. 

Famous  last  words: 

If  at  all  possible,  never  sign  away  the  nontheatrical 
(educational,  home  video)  rights  to  your  work  before 
talking  with  several  good  educational  distributors. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
profiling  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent  film  and 
video.  Send  profile  suggestion  to  Lissa  Gibbs,  c/o  The 
Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft,  New  York,  NY  10013,  or 
drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink.net 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director 


G 


^3 


SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND 


BY 


ICHELLE    COE 


Soros  Documentary  Fund, 
Open  Society  Institute, 
400  W.  59th  St.,  New  York, 
NY  10019;  (212)  548- 
0657;  fax:  548-4647; 
www.soros.org/sdf;  Diane 
Weyermann,  director;  Kyoko  Inouye,  program  offi- 
cer; Laura  Newmark,  program  assistant 

What  is  the  Open  Society  Institute  and  what  is  your 
relationship  to  it? 

The  Soros  Documentary  Fund  (SDF)  is  a  program  of  the 
Open  Society  Institute  (OSI).  It  is  one  of  many  programs 
that  operate  under  OSI  and  are  funded  by  philanthropist 
George  Soros.  OSI  is  a  private  operating  and  grantmak- 
ing  foundation  that  seeks  to  promote  the  development 
and  maintenance  of  open  societies  around  the  world  by 
supporting  a  range  of  programs  in  the  areas  of  educa- 
tional, social,  and  legal  reform  and  by  encouraging 
alternative  approaches  to  complex  and  often  controver- 
sial issues. 

Established  in  1993  and  based  in  New  York  City,  OSI 
is  part  of  the  Soros  foundations  network,  an  informal 
network  of  organizations  created  by  George  Soros  that 
operate  in  over  30  countries  around  the  world,  princi- 
pally in  Central  and  Eastern  Europe  and  the  former 
Soviet  Union,  but  also  in 
Guatemala,  Haiti,  Mongolia, 
Southern  Africa,  and  the 
United  States. 

The  Soros  Documentary 
Fund  is  an  OSI  program 
that  supports  the  produc- 
tion and  distribution  of  doc- 
umentary films  and  videos 
dealing  with  significant 
contemporary  human 
rights,  social  justice,  civil 
liberties,  and  freedom  of 
expression  issues.  Priority 
is  given  to  projects 
addressing  contemporary 
issues. 

How  does  documentary 
filmmaking  fit  into  the 
family  of  OSI's  programs 
and  initiatives? 

Among  the  goals  of  this 
program  is  to  raise  public 
consciousness        about 


human  rights  abuses  and  restrictions  of  civil  liberties, 
to  engage  citizens  in  debate  about  these  issues,  and  to 
give  voice  to  diverse  speech — all  of  which  are  crucial 
to  an  open  society.  SDF  started  awarding  grants  in  1996 
because  the  visual  medium  of  film  and  video  has  enor- 
mous potential  for  effecting  social  change,  increasing 
awareness  and  debate  on  significant  human  rights 
issues. 

The  driving  philosophy  behind  Soros  is . . . 

the  concept  of  an  open  society,  which  we  define  as  a 
society  based  on  the  recognition  that  nobody  has  a 
monopoly  on  the  truth,  that  different  people  have  differ- 
ent views  and  interests,  and  that  there  is  a  need  for 
institutions  to  protect  the  rights  of  all  people  to  allow 
them  to  live  together  in  peace.  The  term  "open  society" 
was  popularized  by  the  Vienese  philosopher  Karl  Popper 
[best  known  for  his  1945  book  The  Open  Society  and  Its 
Enemies],  and  his  work  has  deeply  influenced  George 
Soros. 

How  many  media  awards  are  given  out  each  year? 

There  is  no  quota  on  the  number  of  grants  we  give  per 
year.  So  far,  since  the  start  of  the  program,  we've  given 
an  average  of  50  grants  per  year. 

What  is  the  average  size  of  a  grant?  Are  the  same 
amounts  given  year  after  year,  or  does  that  depend 


on  your  resources? 

The  seed  grants  range  from  $10,000-$15,000. 
Production/postproduction  grants  range  up  to  $50,000, 
average  $25,000-$30,000.  These  amounts  have 
remained  the  same  for  the  past  three  years  and  will 
remain  at  least  until  next  year. 

What  are  the  restrictions  on  applicants'  qualifica- 
tions (e.g.,  ethnicity,  geography,  medium)? 

SDF  accepts  applications  from  filmmakers  in  the  U.S. 


Laura  Newmark  (I),  program  assistant,  and  Kyoko  Inouye, 
program  officer;  opposite:  Diane  Weyermann,  director 


and  from  around  the  world.  Projects  must  be  documen- 
taries on  film  or  video.  Applicants  must  have  creative 
and  budgetary  control  over  the  proposed  documentary. 

Does  Soros  fund  projects  at  various  stages  of  pro- 
duction (e.g.,  script,  development,  production,  dis- 


From  School  Prayer.  A  Community  at  War 
by  Slawomir  Grunberg  and  Ben  Crane 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


*-l-l-".l- ■■■■■■> 


£)itdie  .Since  1988 


OMPOSITIN 


212.691 


WWW.  GL  C.  COM 


tribution,  etc.)? 

SDF  is  structured  with  two  levels  of  sup- 
port: seed  grants  and  production/post- 
production  grants.  Seed  grants  are 
awarded  to  filmmakers  with  projects  that 
are  in  the  development  or  research  sta- 
tus. Production/postproduction  grants  are 
for  projects  that  have  already  started  pro- 
duction (a  work-in-progress  sample  is 
required  for  this  application),  and  grant 
funds  should  be  used  for  further  produc- 
tion or  postproduction. 

What  is  the  time  frame  within  which  the  funds  must 
be  used? 

There  is  no  exact  time  frame.  However,  there  are 
requirements  on  reporting  on  how  monies  are  used — 
usually  an  interim  report  six  months  after  the  award 
date,  and  a  final  report  one  year  after. 

How  many  artists  have  you  funded  since  your  incep- 
tion? What  has  been  the  path  of  some  of  those  pro- 
jects? 

Approximately  160  grants  have  been  awarded  to  date. 
Of  those  grantees,  about  50  have  completed  the  films 
they  received  grant  money  for.  Many  have  experienced 
wide  distribution  in  the  U.S.  and  abroad,  through  televi- 
sion broadcast,  film  festivals,  and  theatrical  release. 
For  example,  1996  grantee  Arthur  Dong  for  Licensed  to 
Kill  (Sundance  premiere,  PBS  broadcast,  theatrical  run 
at  Film  Forum)  and  Danusz  Jablonksi  for  Photographer 
(Amsterdam  International  Documentary  Film  Festival, 
also  a  run  at  Film  Forum,  many  festivals  international- 
ly). Among  other  Soros  projects  are  South,  by  Chantal 
Akerman;  School  Prayer:  A  Community  at  War,  by 
Slawomir  Grunberg  and  Ben  Crane;  Punitive  Damage, 
by  Annie  Goldson;  Calling  the  Ghosts:  War  Crimes 
against  Women,  by  Mandy  Jacobson. 

In  late  1997,  to  help  ensure  that  SDF  documentaries 
reach  their  largest  possible  intended  audience  with 
maximum  potential  impact  on  the  human  rights  issue 
concerned,  the  program  introduced  an  additional  grant 
opportunity  to  support  the  promotion  and  marketing  of 
grantees'  projects.  Filmmakers  are  eligible  for  a  modest 
promotion/marketing  grant  when  they  have  completed 
their  documentaries  and  have  satisfied  all  terms  of 
their  first  grant. 

Do  you  offer  grantees  any  additional  support  on 
their  projects  either  in  the  production  or  distribu- 
tion phases? 

Yes.  Seed  grantees  can  submit  another  application 
when  they  are  in  production  or  postproduction.  Seed 
grantees  and  production/postproduction  grantees  can 
submit  proposals  for  the  promotion/marketing  of  their 
films  upon  completion.  These  funds  can  be  used  for 
various  costs  related  to  the  distribution  of  the  film,  such 
as  subtitling/translations,  duplications,  accompanying 
study  guides,  posters,  etc.  The  only  expenses  this  grant 


will  not  cover  is  transfer  to  film  and  debt  from  produc- 
tion. 

Explain  your  funding  cycle  and  deadlines. 

We  accept  applications  on  an  on-going  basis.  In  other 
words,  we  have  no  deadlines.  The  initial  round  of  review 
is  done  within  four  to  six  weeks  of  receipt  of  a  complete 
application.  At  that  point,  applicants  will  be  notified 
whether  their  projects  have  been  declined  or  accepted 
for  final  review  by  our  Advisory  Board.  If  a  project  is 
accepted  and  the  application  is  complete,  it  will  be 
placed  on  the  next  available  board  docket.  The  board 
meets  four  to  five  times  a  year.  So,  the  overall  turn- 
around time  (if  a  project  is  accepted)  can  range  from 
three  to  six  months. 

Who  are  your  program  officers  or  administrators? 

Diane  Weyermann  is  the  director,  I  [Kyoko  Inouye]  am 
the  program  officer,  and  Laura  Newmark  is  the  program 
assistant. 

Who  makes  the  awards  decisions? 

Our  Advisory  Board  makes  the  final  award  decisions. 
The  Board  is  a  panel  composed  of  prominent  film  and 
human  rights  experts  that  rotates  members  annually. 
Past  and  present  members  include  Karen  Cooper,  David 
Gelber,  Rajko  Grlic,  Steven  Haft,  Jytte  Jensen,  Francis 
Megahy,  and  Ren  Weschler. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  in  putting 
forth  a  strong  application? 

We  receive  many  applications  for  projects  clearly  out- 
side the  scope  of  our  guidelines.  Very  simply,  please 
read  the  guidelines  carefully.  Potential  applicants 
should  research  a  bit  and  look  into  our  priorities  and  the 
types  of  projects  we've  supported.  If  there  are  any 
questions  about  the  appropriateness  of  a  project,  appli- 
cants can  call  and  inquire.  Also,  please  be  sure  that  the 
ideas  and  treatment  of  the  subject  matter  are  clear,  and 
that  all  required  materials  are  submitted. 

Funder  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire  profil- 
ing foundations,  funding  organizations,  and  financiers  of  inde- 
pendent film  and  video.  Send  profile  suggestions  to  Michelle 
Coe  at  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St..  6  f I ,  New  York,  NY  10013,  or  drop 
an  email  to  michelle@aivf.org 

Michelle  Coe  is  program  and 
information  services  director  at  AIVF 


THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


(^^^) 


by   Scott   Castle 

listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes,  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months  prior 
to  cover  date  (nov.  1  for  jan/feb  issue).  include 
festival  dates,  categories,  prizes,  entry  fees, 
deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info.  send  to:  fes- 
tivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 

angelciti  international  film  market,  nov.  4-7,  nm; 

Feb.  11-21,  CA;  April  27-30,  NV.  Deadlines:  Oct.  12  (Santa 
Fe);  Jan.  13  (Los  Angeles);  April  6  (Las  Vegas).  Fest  intends 
to  provide  a  film  market  tor  independent  filmmakers  to  dis- 
play, promote  &  sell  their  products.  Cats:  features,  shorts, 
animation,  docs,  experimental,  screenplays.  Awards  vary,  but 
incl.:  best  feature,  best  short,  best  doc,  best  animated  short. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  DV  &  all  video  formats.  Preview  on 
VHS  or  Beta.  Entry  fee:  $100  (NM  &  NV);  $275  (CA);  fee  fully 
refunded  w/in  5  business  days  if  film  not  accepted.  Contact: 
Larry  Hartman,  AIFM,  1680  N.  Vine  St.,  Ste.  422,  Hollywood, 
CA  90028;  (323)  461-4256;  fax:  461-4007;  angelciti 
@aol.corrt;  www.AngelCiti.com 

BLACK  MARIA  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Jan.  through 
May,  nat'l  tour.  Deadline:  mid-Nov.  Fest  seeks  to  "identify, 
exhibit  &  reward  compelling  new  md.  media,  reach  audiences 
in  a  wide  variety  of  settings  nationwide  &  advocate  excep- 
tional achievement  that  expands  the  expressive  terrain  of  film 
&  video."  Fest  founded  in  1980  in  honor  of  Thomas  A.  Edison, 
who  developed  motion  picture  medium  &  whose  film  studio, 
the  Black  Maria  in  West  Orange,  NJ,  was  the  world's  first.  No 
cat-related  restrictions.  Fest  looking  for  any  combination  of 
inventive,  incisive,  responsive  &  provocative  work  of  any  style 
or  genre.  Featured  works  screened  at  over  50  venues 
throughout  US  &  Canada.  Program  also  cablecast  to  250,000 
subscribers.  Awards:  Jurors'  Choice  Works  (share  $2,500); 
Jurors'  Citation  Works  (share  $2,000);  Directors  Choice  Works 
(share  $1,000);  plus  $5,000+  in  exhibition  honoraria. 
Entries  must've  been  completed  w/in  previous  3-1/2  yrs  & 
may  be  up  to  90  min.  Entry  fee:  $35-$45,  depending  on 
length.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  S-8.  Contact: 
John  Columbus,  fest  dir.,  BMFVF,  Dept.  of  Media  Arts,  NJ  City 
Univ.,  203  West  Side  Ave.,  Jersey  City,  NJ  07305;  (201)  200- 
2043;  fax:  200-3490;  www.ellserverl.njcu.edu/taebmff/index.htm 

CHARGED  60-SECOND  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Mid-Jan.,  NY. 

Deadline:  Nov.  15.  1st  annual  competitive  fest  dedicated  to 
films  &  videos  one  minute  &  under.  Any  genre  accepted  as 
long  as  they're  clever,  funny,  or  weird.  Especially  interested  in 
animation.  Films/videos  accepted  will  be  featured  on 
www.charged.com  3  weeks  before  festival  screening  in  Jan. 
Cash  prizes  awarded  in  3  categories.  Formats:  any,  as  long  as 
it's  been  transferred  to  VHS  (NTSC).  No  entry  fee.  Preview  on 
VHS  (NTSC).  Download  entry  form  on  web  site  or  contact: 
Daniel  Falcone,  Charged,  1700  Broadway,  9th  fl.,  New  York, 
NY  10019;  (212)  765-5239  x.1754;  fax:  765-5933; 
dfalcone@charged.com;  www.charged.com 


CHICAGO  ASIAN  AMERICAN  SHOWCASE,  April,  IL.  Deadline: 
Nov.  30.  Fest  in  its  5th  year  as  the  Midwest's  premier  Asian 
American  film  fest,  presented  by  Foundation  for  Asian 
American  Independent  Media  &  the  Film  Center  of  the  School 
of  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago.  Non-competitive  fest  seeks 
features,  shorts  &  docs  made  by  or  about  Asian  Americans. 
Fest  incl.  personal  appearances  &  workshops  by  several 
directors  &  actors.  Showcase  incl.  Asian  American  art 
exhibits,  literary  reading  &  music  concerts.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm  (NO  double  system),  3/4",  Beta  SP  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  form  avail,  from  web  site.  Entry  fee:  $10,  (SASE  for  tape 
return).  Contact:  CAAS,  c/o  FAAIM,  3314  N.  Lake  Shore  Dr., 
#6D,  Chicago,  IL  60657;  (773)  871-1977;  info@faaim.org; 
www.faaim.org/entry2000 

CHICAGO  SILVER  IMAGES  FILM  FESTIVAL,  May  1-14,  IL. 

Deadlines:  Nov.  1. 7th  annual  fest  screens  selected  American 
&  int'l  films  &  videos — narrative,  doc,  animation  &  experi- 
mental— that  honor  &  celebrate  the  lives  of  older  adults  & 
address  issues  of  aging.  CSIFF  is  a 
project  of  Terra  Nova  Films,  a 
Chicago-based  nonprofit  that  pro- 
duces &  distributes  films  &  videos 
promoting  positive  images  of  older 
adults.  Awards  (non-cash)  given  to 
best  feature,  doc  &  short  (any 
genre).  All  entries  must  have  English 
audio  track  or  subtitles.  Formats: 
1/2",  3/4",  35mm,  16mm.  Preview 
on  VHS  (NTSC).  Entry  fees:  $35;  $20 
(student).  Entry  form  avail,  on  web 
site  or  contact:  Terra  Nova  Films, 
9848  S.Winchester  Ave.,  Chicago,  IL 
60643;  (773)  881-6940;  siff@ter- 
ranova.org;  www.terranova.org 


BETTER  LIVING  THROUGH  VIDEO 


DALLAS  VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  March 
23-26,  TX.  Deadline:  Nov.  19.  Fest  is 
one  of  the  largest  &  most  diversified 
video  festivals  in  the  U.S.  Now  in 
13th  year,  fest  provides  a  showcase 
for  new  works  by  nat'l,  int'l  & 
regional  ind.  video  artists.  Over  250 
screenings,  plus  installations,  com- 
puter-based applications,  exhibits,  panel  discussions  & 
workshops  for  adults  &  children  presented  simultaneously  in 
multiple  areas.  No  thematic  or  content  restrictions.  Entries 
may  be  narrative,  exp.,  doc,  animation,  music  video,  perfor- 
mance, etc.  $1,200  award  to  best  emerging  video  artist.  Fest 
also  accepts  multimedia  entries  for  the  interActive  Zone  (CD- 
ROM,  CD-I,  3D0,  hypertext,  etc.)  &  short  digital  videos  to  run 
on  web  site.  Formats:  all  NTSC  video  formats,  plus  HDTV; 
Beta  preferred;  PAL  &  SECAM  accepted  for  additional  $30  fee. 
Preview  on  VHS;  all  formats  accepted  for  preview  of  interac- 
tive entries.  Entry  fees:  $20  (members,  Video  Assoc,  of 
Dallas);  $30  (non-members).  Contact  (for  entry  form  &  mem- 
bership info):  Video  Assoc,  of  Dallas,  1405  Woodlawn,  Dallas, 
TX  75208;  (214)  999-8999;  fax;  999-8998;  bart@vide- 
ofest.org;  www.videofest.org 

IFFCON,  Jan.  13-16.  Deadline:  Oct.  15.  America's  premier  film 
financing  forum  links  independent  producers  w/  int'l 
financiers,  buyers  &  co-producers.  Limited  to  60  producers 
chosen  through  a  selection  process,  conference  incl.  round- 


Dallas  Video  Festiv 
started  strong  ar 
has  grown  steadily 
become  one  of  the  largest 
video  tests  in  the  country  and  one  of  Dallas' 
premiere  cultural  events.  Fest  curator  Bart 
Weiss  looks  for  works  of  high  artistic  quality, 
drawn  from  myriad  cultural,  economic,  and 
technical  sources.  The  fest  also  features  two 
popular  sidebars:  "Wired  For  Living,"  which 
exhibits  interactive  video,  CD-ROM,  DVC 
web-based  media,  and  video  installations; 
and  "The  Texas  Show,"  a  locals-only  compet- 
itive program  that  tours  the  country  after  it 
premiere  in  Dallas.  See  listing.. 


tables,  private  meetings  &  receptions.  IFFCON's  Open  Day, 
Jan.  14,  features  a  full  day  of  panels  &  networking  opportuni- 
ties with  registration  open  to  the  public.  For  info  &  applica- 
tions: (415)  281-9777;  info@iffcon.com;  www.iffcon.com 

LESBIAN  LOOKS  FILM  &  VIDEO  SERIES,  AZ.  Deadline:  Nov 
15. 8th  annual  series  seeks  innovative  works  by  &  about  les- 
bians for  2000  season.  Series  screens  on  U  of  AZ  campus  to 
audiences  of  350-400.  Fee  paid  for  all  works  screened. 
Formats:  16mm,  3/4",  VHS  (NTSC  only).  Send  VHS  preview 
tape,  brief  synopsis,  B/W  still,  artist  bio  &  SASE  for  return  to: 
Beverly  Seckinger,  Media  Arts,  Harvill  226,  U.  of  Arizona, 
Tucson,  AZ,  85721;  (520)  621-1239;  fax:  621-9662;  bsecking 
@u.arizona.edu 

MIAMI  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  18-27,  FL. 
Deadline:  Nov.  1.  Important  regional  cultural  event  brings  new 
int'l  cinema  to  S.  Florida;  helps  develop  audiences  for  new  film 
talents  &  highlights  "often  unrecognized  countries  for  their 
Fest  is  known  as  gateway  for  Spanish 
language  films  into  US.  All  types  of  films 
considered:  features,  docs,  shorts, 
experimental  &  animation.  Seminar 
Program  offers  workshops  on  producing, 
directing,  cinematography,  writing  & 
editing.  Special  events  held  during  fest. 
Entries  should  not  be  in  theatrical 
release  in  U.S.  or  Europe.  All  films  must 
be  completed  since  1998.  All  short  films 
must  be  btw  2-10  min.;  features  must 
be  over  80  min.  Formats:  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  A  written 
request  for  appl.  must  be  mailed  or 
faxed.  Contact:  Film  Society  of  Miami, 
Film  Entries,  444  Brickell  Ave.,  Ste.  229, 
Miami,  FL  33131;  fax:  (305)  577-9768 
(no  phone  calls). 


contribution  to  film. 


NEW  ENGLAND  FILM  AND  VIDEO  FES- 
TIVAL, March  27-April  1,  MA.  Deadline: 
Nov.  5.  New  England's  25th  annual  pri- 
mary competitive  regional  fest  devoted 
to  new  works  by  professionals  &  stu- 
dents in  the  seven  New  England  states 
(residency  required  for  eligibility). 
Showcases  narrative,  doc,  experimental  &  animated  award- 
winning  films  &  videos;  offering  selected  works  cash  &  ser- 
vice prizes.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview  on 
VHS.  Entry  fees:  $35  (first  entry);$25  (students'  first  entry); 
$10  (for  any  additional  entries).  Contact:  NEFVF,  Boston  Film 
&  Video  Foundation,  1126  Boylston  St.  #201,  Boston,  MA 
02215;  (617)  536-1540;  fax:  536-3576;  devon@bfvf.org; 
www.bfvf.org 

NORTEL  PALM  SPRINGS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

Jan.  13-24.  Deadline,  Nov.  1.  11-day  fest,  founded  in  1990, 
presents  Opening  &  Closing  major  films,  a  black-tie  gala  w/ 
awards  to  film  industry  legends,  retros,  foreign  language  films 
submitted  for  Oscar  consideration,  audience  awards,  indus- 
try &  foreign  consulate  receptions,  seminars,  panels,  industry 
showcase  & — for  2000 — special  conference  for  int'l  & 
American  cinematographers  offering  master  classes  &  dis- 
cussions on  state  of  the  art  in  the  field.  Approx.  140  films 
from  35+  countries;  10-15  world  premieres;  average  of  40 
N.  American  premieres.  Films  must  be  completed  w/in  18 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


(i^-a^jf jt  /^.-L,£}) 


Our  3rd  annual  "Mag"  welcomes  all  lengths,  all 
genres.  Cash  awards,  "Mags"  given.  Entries 
screened  in  1 6mm,  Beta,  VHS.  Directors  who  attend 
stay  free .  No  entry  fee.  Past  winner's  include: 
Mark  Edgington's  "Anna  in  the  Sky";  Eric  Cooper's 
"Jesus  2000";  Kyle  Rankin's  "Mr.  Pennington". 

For  entry  form  write  to: 

Ron  Tibbett,  Festival  Director 

Magnolia  Independent  Film  Festival 

2269  Waverly  Dr. 

West  Point,  MS  39773 

Phone  (601)  494-5836 

Fax  (601)  494-9900 

www.magfilmfest.com 


Entry  deadline  March  1,  2000 


months  of  festival  &  must  be  in  original  language  w/  English 
subtitles  if  applic.  Films  must  be  60  min.  or  longer;  shorts  not 
accepted  for  Jan.  2000.  Prints  must  be  avail,  for  delivery  by 
Mon.,  Dec.  20;  deadline  for  industry  accreditation  is  Dec.  15; 
line-up  announced  Dec.  1.  Formats:  35mm/16mm  (regard- 
less of  original  format).  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $45. 
Contact:  Craig  Prater,  exec,  din,  NPSIFF,  1700  E.  Tahquitz 
Canyon  Way,  #3,  Palm  Springs,  CA  92262;  (760)  322-2930; 
fax:  322-4087;  info@psfilmfest.org;  www.psfilmfest.org 

PORTLAND  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  11-27, 
OR.  Deadline:  Oct.  30.  This  non-competitive  fest  focuses  pri- 
marily on  work  from  outside  the  U.S.  but  American  features, 
docs  &  shorts  are  included.  Fest  attracts  audiences  of  over 
25,000.  Best  of  Fest  &  Audience  Award.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  3/4".  There  is  no  entry  form.  Entry  fee:  $25  (checks 
payable  to  NWFC);  add  $15  &  instructions  for  tape  return. 
Notification  in  Jan.  Contact:  Bill  Foster,  NW  Film  Center,  1219 
S.W.  Park  Ave.,  Portland,  OR  97205;  (503)  221-1156;  fax: 
294-0874;  info@nwfilm.org;  www.nwfilm.org 

PORTLAND  JEWISH  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Jan,  OR.  Deadline: 
mid-Nov.  Now  in  6th  edition,  fest  programs  int'l  selection  of 
film  exploring  Jewish  history,  culture  &  identity  as  expressed 
in  dramatic  features  &  challenging  docs  that  celebrate  diver- 
sity of  Jewish  life.  Most  films  followed  by  discussion;  screen- 
ings held  at  Portland  Art  Museum.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
Beta  SP  &  3/4".  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Howard  Aaron, 
Portland  Jewish  Film  Festival,  Northwest  Film  Center,  1219 
S.W.  Park  Ave.,  Portland,  OR,  97205;  (503)  221-1156;  fax: 
294-0874;  howard@nwfilm.org 

PORTLAND  REEL  MUSIC  FESTIVAL,  Jan.,  OR.  Deadline:  Nov. 
1.  Reel  Music  celebrates  intersection  of  film/video  &  music. 
Each  yr's  program  is  eclectic  blend  of  new  &  vintage  works 
that  document,  interpret  &  celebrate  great  artists  in  jazz,  rock, 
blues,  country,  reggae,  classical,  opera  &  others.  Docs,  shorts, 
animation,  musicals,  bio-pics,  concerts,  etc.  welcomed. 
Special  programs  incl.  live  film/music  performances  &  con- 
certs. Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  8mm.  No  entry  fee. 
Contact:  Bill  Foster,  Dir,  Portland  Reel  Music  Festival, 
Northwest  Film  Center,  1219  S.W.  Park  Ave.,  Portland,  OR 
97205;  (503)  221-1156;  fax:  294-0874;  www.nwfilm.org 

SAN  DIEGO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  22-June, 
CA.  Deadline:  Nov.  30.  16th  annual  competitive  fest  looking 
for  features,  shorts,  docs  &  animation:  all  genres — particu- 
larly films  that  reflect  a  personal  vision  &  appreciation  of 
what  an  amazing  medium  film  is.  Films  should  stand  on  their 
own  as  successful  blend  of  characterization,  writing, 
imagery,  editing  &  direction.  All  films  must  be  San  Diego  pre- 
mieres. Films  should  be  no  older  than  1997  (exceptions  can 
be  made  in  special  cases).  Formats:  16mm  or  35mm. 
Preview  on  VHS  (prefer  NTSC).  Entry  fee:  $35  for  short  films 
only.  There  is  an  additional  $500  award  for  Best  Short. 
Contact:  SDIFF,  Ruth  Baily,  fest  dir,  9500  Gilman  Drive,  Dept 
0078,  La  Jolla,  CA,  92093;  (858)  534-0497;  fax:  534-7665; 
rbaily@ucsd.edu;  www.ueo.ucsd.edu 

SAN  DIEGO  LATINO  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  7-12,  CA, 
Deadline:  Nov.  30.  Over  past  6  years,  some  300  Latino  films 
&  videos  have  been  screened  at  venues  across  San  Diego  & 
Baja  California  to  some  12,000  people.  Longest-running 
annual  Latino  film  &  video  festival  in  Southern  CA.  Award- 
winning  films/videos  from  throughout  the  US,  Mexico,  Latin 


America  have  been  screened.  As  in  previous  years,  fest  will 
incl.  screenings  throughout  San  Diego  &  Tijuana  community, 
discussions  w/  filmmakers  &  catalog  of  all  work  screened. 
Looking  for  works  by  Latinos  &/or  about  Latino  experience 
produced  between  1997-2000.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
3/4",  1/2".  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $10,  payable  by  check 
or  money  order  to:  San  Diego  Media  Project.  Contact:  Ethan 
van  Thillo,  San  Diego  Media  Project,  2039  29th  St.,  San 
Diego,  CA  92104;  (619)  230-1938;  sdlff@sdlatinofilm.com; 
www.sdlatinofilm.com 

SAN  FRANCISCO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  20- 
May  4,  CA.  Deadlines:  Dec.  2  (Golden  Gate  Awards  entries); 
Jan.  6  (narrative  features).  Fest  founded  in  1957  &  present- 
ed each  spring  by  San  Francisco  Film  Society;  showcasing 
approximately  200  features,  docs  &  shorts.  Fest  dedicated  to 
highlighting  current  trends  in  int'l  film  &  video,  w/  emphasis 
on  work  w/out  U.S.  distrib.  Fest  comprises  two  sections:  invi- 
tational, noncompetitive  section  for  recent  features,  archival 
presentations  &  retros;  Golden  Gate  Awards  competition  for 
docs,  TV  production,  animation,  shorts  &  experimental  work. 
There  are  24  cats  in  the  GGA's  4  divisions:  Film/Video,  TV, 
New  Visions,  Bay  Area  Film  &  Video.  Golden  Gate  Awards 
incl.  Golden  Spire  award  &  $500  cash.  Silver  Spires  & 
Certificates  of  Merit  may  also  be  awarded  at  discretion  of 
juries.  All  Golden  Spire  winners  in  Film  &  Video,  New  Visions 
&  Bay  Area  Divisions  will  compete  during  fest  for  Grand  Prize 
awards  for  Best  Doc,  Best  Bay  Area  Doc,  Best  Short  &  Best 
Bay  Area  Short.  Grand  Prize  awards  incl.  $1,000  in  cash. 
Fest's  SKYY  Prize,  judged  during  the  fest,  honors  an  emerg- 
ing int'l  feature  filmmaker  whose  film  is  in  noncompetitive 
section  &  doesn't  have  a  U.S.  distrib.  Prize  incl.  a  trophy  & 
$10,000.  Noncompetitive  awards  incl.  Akira  Kurosawa  Award 
to  filmmaker  for  lifetime  achievement,  Persistence  of  Vision 
Award  for  lifetime  achievement  to  filmmaker  who  works 
mainly  outside  narrative  features,  &  the  Peter  Owens  Award 
to  a  film  actor  for  outstanding  achievement.  Also  audience 
awards  for  Best  Feature  Film  &  Best  Doc.  Grand  Prize  awards 
for  Best  Doc,  Best  Bay  Area  Doc,  Best  Short  &  Best  Bay  Area 
Short.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta,  3/4".  Preview  on  1/2" 
VHS.  Entry  fees:  $35-175  (depending  on  length  of  film  or 
video).  Contact:  SIFF,  1521  Eddy  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA  94115; 
(415)  929-5014;  fax:  921-5032;  ggawards@sfiff.org; 
www.sfiff.org 

SANTA  BARBARA  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March 
2-12,  CA.  Deadline:  Dec.  15.  5th  annual  SBIFF,  also  known 
as  "The  Gateway  to  Hollywood"  (located  90  min.  north  of  LA), 
is  committed  to  diverse  programming  &  highlighting  indepen- 
dent films.  Fest  comprises  over  125  films,  seminars,  work- 
shops, tributes,  retros,  galas  &  special  events.  Attended  by 
industry  professionals,  press,  celebrity  guests  &  over  37,000 
film  fans.  SBIFF  is  competitive  fest  w/  jury  of  industry  pro- 


TRVST  US' 

No  one  beats  The  Independent  for 

festival  listings.  Unlike  other  outlets,  we 

verify  information  directly  with  each 

festival  and  don't  rely  on  second-hand 

info.  Also  watch  for  our  searchable 

festival  database  on  www.aivf.org. 


42    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


fessionals  who  select  winners  in  9  categories.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview  on  VHS  (preferred)  &  PAL. 
Entry  fees:  $40  (U.S.);  $45  (int'l).  Contact:  Cynthia  Felando, 
programmer,  SBIFF,  1216  State  St.,  Ste  710,  Santa  Barbara, 
CA  93101-2623;  (805)  963-0023;  fax:  962-2524;  info® 
sbfilmfestival.com;  www.sbfilmfestival.com 

SLAMDANCE  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Jan.,  UT. 
Deadline:  Oct  13  (early),  Nov  10  (final).  Primary  objective  is 
to  present  new  ind.  films  by  new  filmmakers.  Started  by  3 
filmmakers  in  1995,  test  has  developed  quickly  &  is  valuable 
outlet  for  indie  film.  Fest  runs  concurrent  w/  Sundance  Film 
Festival  &  takes  place  in  heart  of  Park  City,  Utah,  just  a 
snowball's  throw  from  Sundance.  Most  important  component 
is  Feature  Film  Competition.  Slamdance  also  shows  shorts, 
docs,  foreign  features  &  animation.  Films  showcased  attract 
industry  interest  &  several  have  received  agency  rep  &  dis- 
trib  offers.  Fest  aims  for  intimate,  filmmaker-friendly  envi- 
ronment complete  w/  parties,  bands  &  fireside  chats. 
Comprehensive  FAQ  guide  for  entries  &  Park  City  Survival 
Guide  avail,  on  website.  Any  style  or  genre;  short,  doc,  fea- 
ture, animation,  experimental.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  any 
video  or  digital.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25-$55.  Contact: 
Peter  Baxter,  director,  6381  Hollywood  Blvd.  #520,  Los 
Angeles,  CA  90028;  (323)  466-1786;  fax:  466-1784; 
mail@slamdance.com  www.slamdance.com 

SOUTH  BY  SOUTHWEST  FILM  CONFERENCE  &  FESTIVAL 
(SXSW),  March  10-18,  TX.  Deadlines:  Nov.  15  (early);  Dec. 
10  (final).  Independent  film  &  video  showcases  approxi- 
mately 165  works  incl.  shorts,  for  audiences  estimated  at 
30,000  over  9  days.  Entries  must  be  completed  in  1999,  or 
works  that  will  be  completed  in  early  1999  are  eligible  for 
consideration.  Cats:  Narrative  Feature,  Doc  Feature, 
Narrative  Short,  Doc  Short,  Animated  Short,  Experimental 
Short,  Music  Video.  Awards:  'Best  of  in  each  cat.  Film 
Conference  kicks  off  festival,  featuring  4  days  of  panel  dis- 
cussions geared  toward  working  film  &  videomakers  as  well 
as  screenwriters,  aspiring  professionals  &  aficionados.  3- 
day  trade  show  incl.  equipment  &  service  providers,  digital 
editing  suite,  and  latest  in  film  &  video  technology.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2".  Entry  fees:  $20  (shorts);  $30  fea- 
tures (early);  $25/$35  (final).  Contact:  SXSW  FF,  Box  4999, 
Austin,  TX  78765;  (512)  467-7979,  fax:  (512)  451-0754; 
sxsw@sxsw.com;  www.sxsw.com 

TEXAS  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  15-19,  TX.  Deadline:  Nov.  15. 
Fest  is  competitive  invitational  festival  run  entirely  by  student 
volunteers  w/in  the  MSC  Film  Society.  Since  1993,  their  pur- 
pose has  been  to  celebrate  contemporary  indie  filmmakers  & 
to  promote  film  as  an  artistic  medium.  Festival  features  work- 
shops &  screenings  over  5  days  w/  guest  speakers  to  be 
announced.  Cats:  Feature  length,  shorts,  docs.  Awards: 
Audience  Favorite  Award.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $15  (45 
min  &  over);  $8  (45  min  or  less);  add  $15  if  postmarked  after 
Nov.  15.  Contact:  Fest  Director,  Casey  Starr,  c/o  MSC  Film 
Society,  Texas  A&M  Univ.,  Memorial  Student  Ctx,  Box  J-l, 
College  Station,  TX  77844;  (409)  845-1515;  fax:  845-5117; 
txff@hotmail.com;  www.films.tamu.edu/festival 

THESSALONIKI  USA  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Apr-May,  NY. 
Deadlines:  Oct.  15  (early);  Nov.  1.  (final).  4th  annual  fest 
showcases  recent  cinema  from  Greece  &  the  Balkans 
(Albania,  Bosnia-Herzegovina,  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  Macedonia, 
Romania,  Slovenia,  Turkey,  Yugoslavia)  &  their  diasporas; 


.'»,.'!,.  .„■.*■ 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


TAOS  TALKING 
PICTURE 

FESTIVAL 
2000 

APRIL 
13-16 

For  Information  &  Entry  Form  send  SASE 

TAOS  TALKING  PICTURES 

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Park  City,  Utah,  January  22-29,  2000 

"Slamdance  is  the  last  holdout  from  the  corporatization 

of  independent  film." 

Adam  Abraham,  Man  of  the  Century 

-  Slamdance  '99  Audience  Award 

(happily  sold  to  Fine  Line  Features) 


Entry  forms  by  calling  323  466  1786  &  www.slamdance.com 


FILM    FESTIVAL 


by  filmmakers,  for  filmmakers1 


e.g.,  work  by  emigres,  filmmakers  of  Greek/Balkan  heritage, 
etc.  Presented  by  the  Foundation  for  Hellenic  Culture,  non- 
competitive test  emphasizes  premieres  of  narrative  &  doc 
features.  In  2000,  program  is  expanding  to  incl.  shorts; 
entries  by  Greek-American  &  Balkan-American  filmmakers 
especially  welcome.  To  submit,  send  preview  tape  w/  com- 
plete publicity  kit.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta-SP  (NTSC 
only).  Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC/PAL).  Entry  fee:  $25  (early); 
$35  (final)  plus  return  postage  for  preview  tape.  Contact: 
test  coordinator,  Foundation  for  Hellenic  Culture,  7  West  57th 
St.,  New  York,  NY  10019;  (212)  358-3950;  fax:  308-0919; 
iep.ny@ix.netcom.com. 

U.S.  COMEDY  ARTS  FESTIVAL,  Feb.  9-13,  CO.  Deadline:  Dec. 
1.  Goal  is  to  create  venue  for  comedic  film  talent  to  show- 
case material  to  entertainment  industry-based  attendees, 
hopefully  encouraging  sales  or  new  projects.  Films  will  be 
selected  by  film  program  staff  in  conjunction  w/  exec,  direc- 
tors &  producers  of  test.  Two  cats  for  domestic  &  foreign 
films:  non-competitive  indie  feature  films  &  short  films. 
Formats:  16mm  &  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  For 
more  info  &  official  entry  form:  (310)  201-9595;  fax:  201- 
9445;  film@uscaf.com;  www.uscaf.com 

Foreign 

berlin  international  film  festival,  feb.9-20, 

Germany.  Deadline:  Late  Nov.  Now  in  its  50th  edition,  this  is 
one  of  world's  top  tests,  w/ 11,000  guests  attending  test  & 
European  Film  Market.  For  the  first  time  test  will  take  place 
in  the  new  town  center  at  Potsdamer  Platz,  w/  state  of  the  art 
facilities.  Fest  divided  into  7  sections,  each  w/  own  charac- 
ter &  organization.  Int'l  Competition:  newly  released  &  unre- 
leased  70mm  &  35mm  features  programmed  by  invitation  of 
fest  director.  2  sections  known  for  strong  programming  of 
U.S.  ind.  films  are:  Panorama  (noncompetitive  section  of  offi- 
cial program)  &  Int'l  Forum  of  New  Cinema.  Both  screen  nar- 
rative, doc  &  experimental  works.  Panorama  presents  wide 
range  of  work,  from  low-budget  to  more  commercial  ventures 
(features  &  shorts  under  15  min.,  70mm,  35mm,  16mm). 
The  main  criterion  for  Panorama  is  to  create  an  arthouse  & 
TV  market  in  Europe  &  elsewhere  for  films  presented  as  pre- 
mieres or  int'l  premieres.  Forum  presents  a  strong  int'l  art- 
house  selection,  specializing  in  avant-garde,  intellectual  & 
political  films  (60  min.  &  up,  16mm  &  35mm)  but  also  more 
commercial  work.  Other  sections:  Kinderfilmfest,  competitive 
for  features  for  young  audiences;  Retros  &  Lifetime 
Achievement  tributes;  New  German  Films.  European  Film 
Market  is  important  meeting  place  for  screenings  &  sales,  w/ 
reps  from  over  60  countries.  All  entries  must  be  produced  in 
12  mo.  preceding  fest  &  not  released  theatrically  or  on  video 
in  Germany.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  In 
2000,  IFP  will  be  supporting  "American  Independents  at 
Berlin"  program,  inch  market  booth,  message  center  for  U.S. 
filmmakers  &  companies,  orientation  for  newcomers  & 
Showcase  of  American  Independent  Films  at  market.  Cats: 
feature,  shorts,  doc,  experimental,  children,  retros.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Notes:  All  films  must  have  been  completed 
during  1999.  Shorts  on  35mm  must  be  under  10  min. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee  for  films  over  one  hour:  $100.  For 
info  &  entry  forms  for  all  sections  contact  &  market:  BIFF, 
Potsdamer  Strasse  5,  D-10785  Berlin,  Germany;  Oil  49  30 
259  20  444;  fax:  49  30  259  20  499;  info@berlinale.de;  or 


44    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


download  from  web  site:  www.berlinale.de;  for  additional 
info  on  the  Forum  only:  Gordon  Hitchens,  Apt.  3W,  214  W. 
85th  St.,  NY.  NY  10024;  tel/fax:  (212)  877-6856 

BRUSSELS  INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  CARTOONS  & 
ANIMATED  FILMS,  Feb.  29-March  11.,  Belgium.  Deadline: 
Nov.  1.  Fest  is  showcase  for  new,  interesting  works  in  ani- 
mation, providing  opp.  to  be  seen  by  Belgian  film  &  TV  dis- 
tribs.  While  noncompetitive,  it  is  one  of  top  8  European  ani- 
mation tests  involved  in  nominating  films  that  compete  for 
Cartoon  d'Or.  Close  to  36,000  spectators  attend  hundreds  of 
film  premieres,  retros  &  exhibits.  Computer  animation  (incl. 
Pixel  Ina  prize-winners  from  Imagina),  children's  programs  & 
short  ind.  animation  are  some  fest  highlights.  Cats:  anima- 
tion, short,  children,  35mm,  16mm.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm, 
Beta  SR  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Philippe 
Moins,  Doris  Cleven,  Directors  Folioscope,  a.s.b.L,  Rue  de  la 
Rhetonque  19, 1060  Brussels,  Belgium;  Oil  322  534  4125; 
fax:  322  534  2279;  folioscope@skynet.be;  www.awn.com/ 
folioscope/fda2000 

BRUSSELS  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Jan  20-29, 
Belgium.  Deadline:  Oct.  31.  Founded  in  1974,  test's  main 
section  is  European  Competition,  in  which  features  (longer 
than  60  min.)  &  shorts  (less  than  20  min.)  shot  in  35mm 
compete  for  Crystal  Star  Awards  (support  for  European  pro- 
motion &  distribution  worth  over  $100,000).  Other  sections: 
Kaleidoscope  of  the  World  Cinema  (out  of  competition),  open 
to  all  features  shot  in  35mm;  America  meets  Europe;  Belgian 
Focus  w/  20th  Natl  Short  Film  Competition;  Special  pro- 
grams include  "15  by  15,  the  European  Film  Heritage",  a 
"Tribute  to  Belgian  filmmaker  Andre  Delvaux"  &  the  "Night  of 
the  Short  Film".  Contact:  Christian  Thomas,  general  dele- 
gate, Chaussee de  Louvain  30, 1210  Brussels,  Belgium;  Oil 
32  2  227  3980;  fax;  32  2  218  I860;  mfoffb@netcity.be; 
www.ffb.cinebel.com 

CINEMA  DU  REEL,  March  10-19,  France.  Deadline:  Nov.  1. 
As  one  of  major  int'l  tests  devoted  to  ethnological  &  socio- 
logical doc,  Cinema  du  Reel,  founded  in  1979,  is  prestigious 
showcase,  held  at  George  Pompidou  Centre  in  Paris.  Films  & 
videos  produced  between  Jan.  1  &  Dec.  31,  1999,  not 
released  theatrically  in  France  or  aired  on  French  TV  channel 
&  unawarded  at  other  French  int'l  fests  eligible.  Works  w/ 
cinematographic  qualities  &  emphasizing  filmmaker's  point 
of  view  likely  for  selection;  informative  docs  or  news  reports 
not  considered.  Fest  sections:  Int'l  Competition,  French 
Panorama,  Noncompetitive  Program  &  Special  Screenings. 
1999  program  was  dedicated  to  Iranian  docs.  Awards,  decid- 
ed by  int'l  jury,  incl.  Grand  Prix,  50.000FF  (approx.  $8,194), 
short  film  prize,  15.000FF  (approx.  $2,441),  Joris  Ivens  Prize 
to  young  filmmaker,  15.000FF  &  Multimedia  Author's  Society 
(SCAM)  Prize,  30,000FF  (approx.  $4,883).  Jury  of  librarians 
&  professionals  award  Libraries  Prize  (30.000FF  for  films  w/ 
French  version  or  French  subtitles)  w/in  int'l  competitive 
section  or  French  Competition  &  Foreign  Affairs  Ministry 
awards  Louis  Marcorelles  Prize.  Detailed  info  (synopsis, 
technical  details,  etc.)  must  be  sent  to  fest  by  deadline;  no 
cassettes  should  be  sent  until  requested;  entry  forms  are 
only  forwarded  on  receipt  of  preliminary  instructions. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta  SP  Previews  on  VHS.  No  entry 
fee.  Contact:  Suzette  Glenadel,  Deleguee  Generale,  Festival 
Int'l  de  Films  Ethnographiques  et  Sociologiques,  Bibliotheque 
Publique  d'lnformation,  Centre  Georges  Pompidou,  25  Rue  du 


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Renard,  75197  Pans,  Cedex  04,  France;  Oil  33 1  44  78  44 
21;  fax:  33  1  44  78  12  24;  cinereel@bpi.fr;  www.bpi.fr 

CRETEIL  INTERNATIONAL  WOMEN'S  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

March  24-April  2,  France,  Deadline:  Nov.  14.  One  of  world's 
oldest  fests  of  films  by  women  &  one  of  most  important 
showcases,  now  celebrating  22nd  yr.  In  Paris  suburb  of 
Creteil,  fest  annually  attracts  audiences  of  over  40,000,  incl. 
filmmakers,  journalists,  distributors  &  buyers.  Controversial 
&  critical  discussions  traditionally  part  of  proceedings. 
Sections:  competition,  retro  of  modern  woman  director, 
young  cinema,  int'l  program.  Special  event  for  2000:  Tribute 
to  Mediterranean  Female  Filmmakers.  Competitive  section 
selects  10  narrative  features,  10  feature  docs  &  30  shorts. 
All  films  shown  3  times.  Total  of  10  prizes:  some  cash,  some 
equipment  &  facilities,  script  development  fund.  U.S.  prese- 
lection made  by  test's  U.S.  rep.  Films  must  be  directed  or  co- 
directed  by  women;  completed  since  Mar.  1,  1998;  not  the- 
atrically released  in  France,  broadcast  on  French  TV  or 
shown  at  other  French  fests.  Student  productions  will  not  be 
considered.  All  subjects,  genres  &  styles  considered.  Fest 
pays  for  filmmakers'  accommodation  (3  days)  &  round-trip 
shipping  for  films  selected.  Films  need  transcript  of  dia- 
logues, synopsis,  publicity  &  bio  material.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  Preview  on  NTSC  1/2".  Entry  fee:  $15;  payable  to 
Elizabeth  Hesik.  For  appl.  send  SASE  to:  E.  Hesik,  Cal. 
Institute  of  the  Arts,  Box  EP-13,  24700  McBean  Pkwy, 
Valencia,  CA  91355;  fax:  (213)  260-2386.  Do  not  request 
appl.  by  phone;  letter  or  fax  only. 

G6TEB0RG  FILM  FESTIVAL  Jan.  28-Feb.  6,  Sweden. 
Deadline:  Nov.  1. 23rd  annual  fest  is  FIAPF-recognized,  non- 
competitive 10-day  event:  Scandinavia's  most  important 
fest  &  biggest  in  northern  Europe.  Official  nat'l  festival  in  col- 
laboration w/  Swedish  Film  Institute  &  the  meeting  place  for 
Scandinavian  film  industry.  Gdteborg  Film  Festival  Fund 
financially  supports  filmmaking  in  developing  countries. 
Supported  films  premiered  in  Goteborg.  Every  year  around 
400  films  from  all  over  world  are  screened.  More  than 
100,000  tickets  sold  each  year.  All  entries  should  be  Swedish 
premieres.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  short.  Formats:  8mm,  16mm, 
35mm  &  70mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact: 
Gunnar  Bergdahl,  fest  dir.,  Box  7079,  S-402  32  Goteborg, 
Sweden;  Oil  46  31  41  05  46;  fax:  46  31  41  00  63;  gote- 
borg@filmfestival.org;  www.goteborg.filmfestival.org 

HONG  KONG  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  12-27, 
Hong  Kong.  Deadline:  Early  Dec.  Fest  now  in  24th  yr. 
Noncompetitive  event  organized  by  Provisional  Urban 
Council  of  Hong  Kong  aims  to  serve  as  platform  for  int'l  film 
exchange  &  window  to  world  for  Hong  Kong  Cinema.  Program 
incl.  Int'l  Cinema  (70-80  new  features);  Asian  Cinema  (40- 
50  new  features);  Hong  Kong  Panorama  (8-12  films)  &  Hong 
Kong  Retro  Cinema  (30  films).  Films  must  not  have  been 
shown  in  Hong  Kong  prior  to  fest  screenings.  Program  incl. 
features,  shorts,  docs  &  animated  films.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Senior 
Manager,  HKIFF,  Hong  Kong  Cultural  Centre,  Level  7 
Administration  Bldg.,  10  Salisbury  Rd.,  Tsim  Sha  Tsui, 
Kowloon,  Hong  Kong,  China;  Oil  852  2734  2903;  fax:  852 
2366  5206;  www.hkiff.com.hk 

NATFILM  FESTIVAL,  March  3-19,  Denmark.  Deadline:  Dec. 
1.  The  11th  annual  fest  is  biggest  film  event  in  Denmark  & 
the  official  Danish  partner  of  Equmoxe  (under  the  presidency 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


of  Jeanne  Moreau).  Member  of  the  Coordination  of  European 
Film  Festivals.  Almost  40,000  people  attend  each  year  &  see 
more  than  140  feature-length  films.  Again  this  year  a  num- 
ber of  foreign  films  secured  theatrical  release  or  TV-sale  in 
Denmark  as  direct  result  of  succesful  festival  screenings. 
Please  note  that  only  feature-length  films  screened.  Only 
prints  w/  English  dialogue  or  subtitles  accepted.  Unless 
agreed  otherwise  fest  must  receive  print  before  Feb.  20. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fees  or 
prizes  (except  nat'l  Danish  prize).  Contact:  Natfilm  Festival, 
St.  Kannikestr.  6,  DK-1169,  Copenhagen,  Denmark;  011  45 
3312  0005;  fax:  45  3312  7505;  info@natfilm.dk 

OPORTO  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL/FANTASPORTO, 

Feb.  25-March  5,  Portugal.  Deadline:  Dec.  15.  20th  annual 
event  began  as  noncompetitive  fest,  founded  by  editors  of 
film  magazine  Cinema  Novo  &  has  evolved  into  competitive 
fest  for  features  that  focus  on  mystery,  fantasy  &  sci-fi. 
Official  Section,  competition  for  fantasy  films;  Director's 
Week,  competition  for  1st  &  2nd  films  (no  thematic  strings); 
Out  of  Competition  Films  of  the  World,  info  section  &  retro 
section.  Awards:  Best  Film,  Best  Director,  Best  Actor/Actress, 
Best  Screenplay,  Best  Special  Effects,  Best  Short  Film, 
Special  Award  of  the  Jury.  Fest  runs  in  12  theaters  w/  4,000 
seats  altogether  &  screens  nearly  300  features.  Press  cover- 
age extensive  from  major  newspapers,  radio  stations  &  TV. 
Entries  must  have  been  completed  in  previous  2  years. 
Formats  16mm  &  35mm.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  Mario 
Dorminsky,  dir.,  Fantasporto,  Rua  da  Constituigao,  311, 
4200-199  Porto,  Portugal;  011  351  2  5073880;  fax:  351  2 
5508210;  fantas@caleida.pt;  www.caleida.pt/fantasporto 


TRANSMEDIALE:  INTERNATIONAL  MEDIA  ART  FESTIVAL, 

Feb.  11-20,  Germany.  Deadline:  Oct.  29.  Annual  fest  for 
video,  CD-ROM,  Internet  projects,  computer  animation,  inno- 
vative TV  productions.  Awards:  transmediale  award  7,500 
DM  (approx.  $4,095)  &  transmediale  student  award  5,000 
DM  (approx.  $2,730).  Formats:  Betacam-SP  (PAL),  U-matic 
3/4"  (NTSC).  Preview  on  VHS,  S-VHS  (PAL,  SECAM).  No  entry 
fee  ($10  for  return  postage).  Contact:  transmediale  2000, 
Klosterstr.  65-70,  10178  Berlin,  Germany;  Oil  49  30  24  72 
19  07;  fax:  49  30  24  72  19  09;  info@transmediale.de; 
www.transmediale.de 

VIEWPOINT  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  1-8, 
Belgium.  Deadline:  Nov.  30.  Fest  is  showcase  for  nat'l  &  int'l 
docs.  In  Int'l  Main  Program,  films  compete  for  CANVAS  prize 
given  by  VRT  (Vlaamse  Radio  en  Televisie,  public  TV  broad- 
casting of  Belgium),  for  best  int'l  doc.  Other  sections  incl. 
Classic  &  Curiosities,  Border  Program  (w/  lectures,  debates 
&  exhibitions),  plus  focus  on  Flemish  productions.  Fest  open 
to  all  cats  of  doc  filmmaking.  Selection  committee  will  be 
gathering  mid-Dec.  for  final  selection  of  12  films  competing 
in  main  int'l  program.  Award  incl.  acquisition  of  film  by 
Flemish  TV  broadcaster  CANVAS.  Every  filmmaker  will  be 
notified,  by  end  of  Dec,  about  selection  committee's  deci- 
sion. Formats:  16mm  &  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS  (PAL  or 
NTSC).  Videos  will  only  be  returned  if  explicitly  requested.  No 
entry  fee.  Contact:  Cis  Bierinckx,  program  direrctor,  VDFF,  Sint 
Annaplein  63,  B-9000  Gent,  Belgium;  Oil  32  09  225  08  45; 
fax:  32  09  233  75  22;  studio.skoop@net7.be 


School 

Learn  How 

Independent  Filmmaking 

Really  Works 

DIRECTING  THE  ACTOR 

Four  directors  investigate  the 
actor/director  relationship. 

CRITICAL  STEPS  TO  CASTING 

Learn  how  to  find  a  casting  director, 

execute  the  audition  process  and  get 

the  right  cast  for  your  movie. 

o  PRODUCER'S  FORUM 

Gill  Holland  covers  each  step  of  the 
producing  process. 

Fall  Session  Begins  October  26 
Call  for  complete  class  listing 

212-965-9444  x240 

www.filmmakers.org/reelschool 


NOT  STOCK  FOOTAGE 


BIT 


an  INTERNATIONAL  ARCHIVE 
OF  FILM  &  VIDEO 


Better  Access  to  Unusual  Material  When  You  Come  to  the  Source! 


The  WPA  Film  Library  manages  more  than  100  unique  film  and  video  archives.  Every  moving  image  is  carefully 
restored,  transferred,  catalogued  and  then  incorporated  into  a  sophisticated  worldwide  delivery  system.  The  best 
minds  in  the  creative  business,  from  feature  filmmakers  to  commercial  advertisers,  rely  on  WPA  for  rare,  thoughtful 
and  unusual  imagery. 

We  don't  sell  stock  shots-we  provide  smart  access  to  the  most  prestigious  archives  of  the  20th  century. 


Millennium  Equipped 

Entire  20th  century  documented 
in  moving  imagery.  All  lifestyles, 
events,  personalities,  issues, 
fashions  and  monuments. 

Copyright  Cleared 

Copyrights  to  the  moving  images  are 
controlled  by  WPA  and  licensed  for 
your  specific  project.  Full  indemnities 
and  protections. 


Ready  to  Use 

Even  the  most  archaic  materials  have 
been  restored,  catalogued  and  transferred. 
Available  for  immediate  use. 

High  Tech 

Our  website  introduces  you  to  a  world  of 
high-tech  footage  access.  From  extensive 
on-line  databases  to  thousands  of  digital 
images. 


The  WPA  Film  Library  •  1-800-777-2223  •  www.mpimedia.com/wpa 


The  WPA  Film  Library 

16101  S.  108th  Ave. 

Orland  Park.  IL  60467 

Phone:  708-460-0555  /  Fax:  708-460-0187 


London  Office 

61  Great  Titchfield  St. 

London,  England  W1P7FL 

Phone: +44-171-580-3300 /Fax: +44-171-580-2242 


Paris  Office 

7  Esplanade  Henri  DeFrance 

Paris.  France  75015 

Phone:  +33-1-56-22-5733  /  Fax:  +33-1-56-22-4529 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


-£) 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  cur- 
rent, deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.,  nov.  1  for  jan/feb. 
issue).  complete  contact  info  (name,  address  & 
phone)  must  accompany  all  notices.  send  to: 
independent  notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as  current  as  pos- 
sible, but  double-check  before  submitting 
tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

$10,000  SCREENPLAY  CONTEST  for  unproduced  feature 
length  scripts  only.  Deadline:  Dec.  31,  1999.  $10,000  grand 
prize  must  be  awarded!  All  genres.  No  restrictions.  Winning 
script  (and  others)  may  be  further  optioned  or  purchased  for 
production  by  Plastic  Entertainment,  Inc.  (you  retain  all  rights 
until  sale  is  negotiated).  Send  script  with  $40  entry  fee 
(check  or  money  order),  payable  to:  Plastic  Entertainment. 
Inc.,  8424-A  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  West  Hollywood,  CA  90069. 

2000  APPLE  AWARDS  COMPETITION  accepts  all  types  of 
educational  formats,  from  documentaries  to  instructional 
programs  &  CD-ROMs,  for  largest  educational  media  compe- 
tition in  U.S.,  sponsored  by  Natl  Education  Media  Network. 
Deadline:  Nov.  1;  late  postmark  Nov.  30.  For  more  info  or 
entry  form,  call  (510)  465-6885,  check  out  www.nemn.org  or 
email  nemn@nemn.org 

6TH  ANNUAL  SHORT  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION  awards 

$300  &  video  copy  of  16mm  film.  Any  subject  or  genre,  orig- 
inal or  adaptation  (if  you  have  rights);  suitable  to  up  to  30 
min.  low-budget  production.  No  entry  fee  or  application; 
scripts  will  not  be  returned.  Deadline:  Dec.  1.  Send 
Screenplay  synopsis  to:  Screenplay  Competition.  School  of 
Communications,  Grand  Valley  State  University,  Allendale,  Ml 
49401.  For  more  info,  call  Prof.  Philbin  (616)  895-3668  or 
philbinj@gvsu.edu 

ACADEMY  AWARDS  FOR  SHORT  DOCS:  films  must  be  no 
longer  than  40  mm,  tranferrable  to  16mm,  must  have 
screened  for  at  least  one  week  theatrically  in  NY  or  LA  &  must 
not  be  broadcast  until  6  months  after  theatrical  run. 
Deadline:  Oct.  31.  www.ampas.org  The  Independent 
Documentary  Association  will  be  doing  its  part  for  Academy- 
qualifying  docs  by  screening  12  hrs  of  docs  (approx.  6  fea- 
tures &  6  shorts)  from  15-21  Oct.  at  the  State  Theater, 
Pasadena.  Further  details  from  Melissa  Simon  Disharoon  at 
IDA:  (310)  284-8422. 

FILM  IN  ARIZONA  SCREENWRITING  COMPETITION:  3rd 

annual  event  introduces  new  material  that  can  be  filmed 
regionally  to  entertainment  industry.  Winning  screenwriter 
receives  professional  script  notes,  introductory  meetings  w/ 
agents  &  development  reps.  Contact:  Linda  Peterson  Warren, 
Arizona  Film  Commission.  3800  North  Central  Ave.,  Bldg.  D, 
Phoenix.  AZ  85012;  (602)  280-1460  or  (800)  523-6695. 


non-refundable  entry  fee  of  $50  payable  to  Hi-Brow 
Productions.  Winner  will  be  notified  3/31/2000  of  option/pur- 
shase  offer.  Sharon  Stone,  4201  W.  San  Luis  St.,  Tampa,  Fl. 
33629;  (813)  831-0970. 

ORIGINAL  MOVIE  SCENE  CONTEST:  You're  invited  to  craft  a 
sensational  movie  scene  (1,500-2,000  words)  in  which  La 
Grande  Dame  Champagne  is  the  star.  Winning  scene  will  be 
posted  on  clicquot.com  &  grand  prize  is  "An  Academy  Award 
Weekend  for  Two."  Send  your  double-spaced,  typed,  original 
scene  to  Vanity  Fair  Promotion  Dept,  350  Madison  Ave.,  New 
York,  NY  10017,  Attn:  La  Grande  Dame  Contest.  Deadline: 
Dec.  31.  More  into:  (212)  888-7575;  www.clicquot.com 

SANTA  FE  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION 

wants  to  send  you  money  for  being  one  of 
their  winners.  The  new  competition  is 
accepting  submissions  now  through  Nov 
30.  Each  entry  will  receive  a  script  cri- 
tique, plus  notes  &  edited  script  pages  by 
co-founders  Rick  Reichman  &  Larry  N. 
Stouffer.  For  application,  call  505-424- 
1501  or  visit  www.SFeSC.com 


WANNA  BE  A  CONTENDER? 


SCREAMPLAY  COMPETITION:  if  you  love 
Twilight  Zone,  The  Outer  Limits  & 
Creepshow,  then  this  is  for  you.  Grand 
Prize  winner  gets  their  screenplay  pro- 
duced. 2nd  &  3rd  place  winners  have  the 
chance  for  their  scripts  to  be  optioned. 
Entries  no  longer  than  45  pgs.  All  contact 
info  must  be  on  front  page  of  script. 
Deadline:  Dec.  31.  Entry  fee:  $20.  Send  to: 
Dreamline  Productions,  4130  Hamilton- 
Middletown  Rd.,  Indian  Springs,  OH 
45011;  (530)  737-0077;  dreamlinepro- 
ductions@hotmail.com 


HI-BROW  PRODUCTIONS  seeks  screenplays  for  indepen- 
dent feature  film  project.  Submit  completed  script  of  85-100 
pages  w/  author's  name,  address,  &  tel.  no.  on  title  page  & 


SOUTHERN  CIRCUIT,  a  tour  of  six  artists 

who  travel  on  an  11-day,  9-city  route,  is 

now     accepting     applications     from 

film/video  artists.  Artists  are  asked  to 

submit  an  application  form  &  VHS,  3/4", 

Beta  or  16mm  film  program  of  45  min.  to 

2  hrs  in  length  (can  be  cued  for  a  30  min. 

section  for  judging  purposes)  in  addition  to 

resume,  any  press  packet  materials  &  $20 

entry  fee.  Performance  &  installation  art 

not  accepted,  nor  any  works-in-progress.  Note:  Some  Circuit 

sites  do  not  have  film  projection  capabilities.  After  pre- 

screening  process,  40  finalists  will  be  judged  by  a  selection 

panel  in  April  2000.  Deadline  tor  submission  is  Jan.  15, 

2000.  For  appl.  &  into:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission,  Attn: 

Susan  Leonard,  Media  Arts  Center,  1800  Gervais  St., 

Columbia.  SC  29201;  (803)  734-8696;  fax:  734-8526. 


Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature 
films  &  shorts.  Editors-in-traming,  under  supervision  of  an 
experienced  feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple 
Avid  Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  fea- 


tures &  four  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  end  of  1999. 
Principal  photography  &  transfer  must  be  completed  on  fea- 
ture-length film  (70+  mm.)  or  short  (under  70  min).  Can  be 
doc,  narrative,  or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC 
director,  (503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

BAY  AREA  VIDEO  COALITION  offers  workshops  &  seminars 
in  areas  of  video  &  multimedia  production  &  postproduction. 
For  list,  contact  BAVC:  (415)  558-2126;  www.bavc.org 

TWN  FILM  &  PRODUCTION  WORKSHOP,  commencing  its 
20th  year,  is  unique  "hands-on"  program  that  provides  prac- 
tical skills  &  resources  for  emerging  film-  &  videomakers. 
Workshop  emphasizes  training  &  support  of  people  of  color 
who  have  limited  resources  &  access  to  mainstream  educa- 
tional institutions  &  traditional 
training  programs.  Intensive  8- 
month  program  focuses  on  pre- 
production,  production  &  postpro- 
duction skills  necessary  to  take  a 
project  from  conception  to  com- 
pletion. Prior  film,  video  or  related 
experience  strongly  recommend- 
ed but  not  required;  self-initia- 
tive, time  &  collaborative  spirit  is. 
Selection  highly  competitive  & 
limited  to  8  participants.  Initial 
written  applic.  required  &  second 
round  of  applicants  selected  for 
interviews.  Cost:  $475;  deadline: 
Oct.  15;  workshop  begins  early 
January  2000.  For  appl.,  send 
SASE  to:  Third  World  Newsreel, 
Production  Workshop,  545  8th 
Ave.,  10th  fl.,  New  York,  NY 
10018;  for  more  info  call  (212) 
947-9277  x.  301;  www.twn.org 

JOIN  STORY  WEB:  Internet  work- 
shop for  stories  to  be  improvised 
on  video.  We  need  scenarios  for 
high  schools,  corporations  &  the 
city  of  Springfield,  MA.  Work  w/ 
David  Shepard,  inventor  of  Group 
Creativity,  the  first  professional 
(nonprofit)  theater  of  improv.; 
flecher@crocker.com 


_e  it.  Now's 
me  to  submit  your 
documentary  shorts  to 
the  Academy  for  Oscar 
consideration  (dead- 
line Oct.  31).  As  you 
may  recall,  the 
Academy  dispensed  with  the  catago- 
ry  earlier  this  year,  citing  not  enough 
entries  of  high  quality,  among  other 
excuses.  Many  groups  (including 
AIVF  and  the  Independent  Doc- 
umentary Association)  voiced  out- 
rage and  the  Academy  reactivated 
the  shorts  category.  To  help  film- 
makers qualify  with  a  theatrical 
playdate,  IDA  sponsors  DocOctober 
this  month,  a  festival  that  allows 
films  to  meet  the  eligibility  require- 
ments of  the  Academy.  Amitai  Adler, 
membership  coordinator  of  the  IDA 
noted  that  this  year  so  many  films 
were  entered  they  had  to  extend  the 
deadline  several  times.  See  listing 
for  entry  details. 


Films  •  Tapes  Wanted 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  accepting  entries  for  its  on- 
going program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for  Inde- 
pendent Film  Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on  1/2" 
VHS  tape.  Feature-length  independent  film,  doc  &  new  media 
projects  wanted,  1800  N,  Highland,  Ste.  717,  LA.,  CA  90028. 
For  more  info,  call  (323)  466-FILM  or  461-2020  x.  117. 

ANOMALOUS  VIDEO  THEATER  seeks  works  of  60  mm.  or 
less  for  unorthodox  local  access  TV  showcase  in  experimen- 
tal, abstract  &  doc  categories.  Those  featuring  unusual  or 
unique  points  of  view  especially  encouraged.  Formats:  VHS  & 
S-VHS  only.  Must  have  originated  on  some  video  format. 
Submission  implies  consent  to  broadcast.  Send  sufficient 
SASE  for  return.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Anomalous 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


Video  Theater, 
48197. 


1335  Huron  River  Dr.  #19,  Ypsilanti, 


ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  All 
media  incl.  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622  or  call  (312)  733-2787;  www.icsp.net/arc 

BIJOU  MATINEE  is  showcase  for  independent  shorts. 
Program  appears  weekly  on  Channel  35  leased  access 
Manhattan  Cable  South  (below  86th  St.)  every  Sat.  at  2:30 
p.m.  Submissions  should  be  25  min.  or  less.  VHS,  3/4",  or  DV. 
Send  copies  to  Bijou  Matinee,  Box  649,  New  York,  NY  10159; 
or  call  (212)  505-3649;  www.BijouMatmee.com 

BIT  SCREEN  premiers  original  short  films,  videos  &  multime- 
dia works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  Looking  for  orig- 
inal films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  &  screen  ratio  for  the 
Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  bandwidth 
limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium?  For 
submission  guidelines  check  out:  www.TheBitScreen.com 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS:  Now  in  its  4th  year,  accepts 
video,  film,  computer-art  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis 
for  monthly  screening  program  called  "Independent 
Exposure."  Artists  will  be  paid  honorarium.  Looking  for  exper- 
imental, erotic,  dramatic,  animation,  underground  works,  but 
will  review  anything  for  possible  screening.  Submit  VHS  (or 
S-VHS)  clearly  labeled  w/  name,  title,  length,  phone  number 
along  w/  any  support  materials,  incl.  photos.  Incl.  $5  entry 
fee  which  will  be  returned  if  work  not  selected,  SASE  if  you 
wish  work(s)  to  be  returned.  Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair 
Productions,  2318  Second  Ave.,  #313-A,  Seattle,  WA, 
98121.  Info/details:  (206)  568-6051;  joel@speakeasy.org; 
www.blackchair.com 

BOWERY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  film/video  works  for 
monthly  screening  at  Dixon  Place.  Looking  for  literate/artistic 
narratives  &  experimental  work.  Occasional  documentaries  & 
longer  works  will  be  screened.  Not  looking  for  "calling  card" 
shorts;  please  send  us  your  more  adventurous  work. 
Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Send  VHS  preview  tape  w/SASE 
to  Bowery  Video  Lounge,  c/o  Detour  Film  Video,  151  First  Ave. 
#9,  New  York,  NY  10003;  (212)  228-1914;  fax:  228-1914; 
Info:  david@detournyc.com 

CABLE  SHOWCASE  SEEKS  PRODUCTIONS  Send  1/2"  or 
3/4"  tapes  to:  Bob  Neuman,  Program  Director,  Carren 
Koubek,  Network,  8103  Sandy  Spring  Road,  Laurel,  Maryland 
20707.  Tapes  cannot  be  returned. 

CINELINGUA  SOCIETY  seeks  short  European  films  on  video 
for  language  project,  preferably  w/out  subtitles.  Limited 
rights  only.  Contact:  Brian  Nardone,  Box  8892,  Aspen,  CO 
81612;  (970)  925-2805;  fax:  925-9880;  BNardone@ 
soapns.net 

CSUH  CABLENET  TV:  Do  your  films  deserve  an  airing?  A 
stipend  is  offered  for  films  from  all  genres,  of  any  length  &  in 
any  broadcast  quality  format.  To  reach  half  a  million  house- 
holds &  educational  channels  in  the  Bay  Area,  contact: 
Noreen  Ash  MacKay  at  CNTV:  (212)  627-9629. 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  w/  up  to  350  industry 
attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up  & 
coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams,  Doboy's 
Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA 
90028;  (323)  293-6544;  doboydozen@aol.com 


CS  ASSOCIATES 

22  Weston  Road 

Lincoln,  MA  01773 

tel:  (781)  259-9988 

fax:  (781)  259-9966 


DISTRIBUTION 

PRE-SALES 

CO-PRODUCTION 


Distributing  outstanding 
documentaries,  restored 
classic  films,  children's 
and  instructional 
programs  for  worldwide 
broadcast  since  1980. 


Send  VHS  submissions  to  Lisa  Carey, 
Director  of  Acquisitions 


DCTV 


Broadcast 


Professional  Services 
at  Populist  Prices! 

Winner  of  1  1 
National  Emmy  Awards 

|  •  Online/Offline  AVID  (AVR77) 
|  •  DVC  Pro  and  Beta  SP  Camera 
Packages  Available 
•  Interformat  Room 


DCTV  Broadcast 

87  Lafayette  Street 

New  York,  NY  10013 

Tel:  (212)925-3429 

Fax:  (212)219-0248 

e-mail:  web@dctvny.org 

web:  www.dctvny.org 


Hffil 


na 


yd 
GO 


na 


nvites  you  ^o  \o\n  the  4lQlt0cracy 


We  offer  state-of-the-art  camcorders,  cranes, 
dollies,  lighting  units,  accessories  & 
a  Discreet  online/offline  Edit  Suite. 


118  West  22nd   Street     Mew  York  City    1001  1 
(2  12)   243-8800     fax  691-6961 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


; 


.  We  are  a  facility  specializing  in 

picture  and  audio  post  for  projects 
finished  on  film.  We  offer  full  audio 

services;  sound  design,  foley,  ADR 
and  mixing.  Film  editing  at  24  or  30 

fps  on  high  end  digital  non  linear 
systems  and  full  technical  support  at 

every  stage  of  your  project  Please 
contact  us  for  more  information. 


DOCUMENTAL:  doc  &  exp.  bimonthly  film  video  series  at  LA's 
historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of  any 
length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka,  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough/Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@ 
drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

EL  RIO  OUTDOOR  CINEMA  accepting  submissions  of  inde- 
pendent film  in  all  genres  for  monthly  outdoor  screenings. 
Small  artist's  fee  paid.  Send  VHS  preview  dub  of  16mm  print, 
press  kit  &  photos.  Proposals  for  multimedia  events  also 
accepted.  Deadline:  On-going.  Contact:  El  Rio  Outdoor 
Cinema,  Attn:  Kim  Hawkins,  72  Montell  St.,  Oakland,  CA 
94611:  elriocinek@yahoo.com;  www.elriocine.com 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  99/00  SEASON.  All 

media  considered  incl.  2-D,  3-D,  performance,  video  &  com- 
puter art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable  documen- 
tation, SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman  132,  Central 
Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

EXHIBITION  SPACE:  Sleeping  Girl  Productions,  a  nonprofit 
production  company  in  Chicago,  is  about  to  open  the  nation's 
first  60-seat  film  theater  that  is  avail,  for  rent  to  any  Illinois 
filmmaker  for  a  night,  weekend,  or  extended  run.  For  more 
info,  write  or  call:  Jason  Tugman,  Sleeping  Girl  Productions, 
839  W.  Sheridan  #  502,  Chicago,  IL  60613;  (773)  472-0525. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  world- 
wide audience?  Seeking  shorts  &  features  of  all  genres. 
Contact:  info@filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  is  accepting  shorts  &  works-m- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  All  productions  should 
be  digital.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino, 
(212)  971-5846;  www.finishingpictures.com 

FLOATING  IMAGE  seeks  film/video  animation  &  shorts  for 
public/commercial  TV  program.  Send  VHS  or  S-VHS  to 
Floating  Image  Productions,  Box  7017,  Santa  Monica,  CA 
90406  (incl.  SASE  for  return).  (310)  313-6935;  www. 
artnet.net/~floatingimage 

GOWANUS  ARTS  EXCHANGE  is  accepting  submissions  of 
short  16mm  films  &  videos  (up  to  30  min.)  by  NYC  artists  for 
the  Independent  Film  &  Video  Series.  Any  genre  or  subject 
matter.  Deadline:  Ongoing.  Send  tape  &  SASE  to  ;  The 
Independent  Film  &  Video  Senes/Gowanus  Arts  Exchange 
421  Fifth  Avenue,  Brooklyn,  NY  11215.  Info/details  (718) 
832-0018  or  info@thegowanus.org 

INDEPENDENT  RADIO  PRODUCERS  sought  to  work  on  new 
weekly  one-hr  public  radio  program  on  arts  &  culture  to  be 
launched  in  late  fall  1999.  Interested  in  unconventional 
material  that  gets  at  the  heart  of  the  issue.  Program  aspires 
to  represent  differing  points  of  view  from  multiple  voices. 
Content  should  be  appropriate  for  late  Sunday  morning  slot, 
which  encourages  open-minded  sensibility.  Send  letter  w/ 
your  ideas,  resume  &  sample  tapes  to:  Susan  Morris,  exec. 


producer,  WNYC,  1  Centre  St.,  30th  fl,  New  York, 
(No  phone  calls  please.) 


10007. 


INDUSTRIAL  TELEVISION:  cutting-edge  cable  access  show 
is  looking  for  experimental,  narrative,  humorous,  dramatic 
erotic,  subversive,  animation  &  underground  works  for  inclu- 
sion in  the  fall  season.  Controversial,  uncensored  &  subver- 
sive material  encouraged.  We  guarantee  exposure  in  NYC 
area.  Contact:  Edmund  Varuolo  c/o  2droogies  productions, 
Box  020206,  Staten  Island,  NY  10302;  www.2droogies.com 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  w/  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  &  distribution  w/in  under- 
ground community.  DIY,  experimental  &  activist  work  encour- 
aged. Send  VHS  to:  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia,  MO  65205;  kinofist@hotmail.com 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  admin,  fee  to: 
New  York  Film  Buffs,  318  W.  15th  St.,  New  York,  NY  10011; 
(212)  807-0126;  newyorkfilmbuffs.com 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audience. 
Works  longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  regular 
group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on 
16mm  w/  optical  track.  Send  films,  together  w/  completed 
entry  form  (download  from  web  site)  to:  Short  Film  Curator, 
Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th  St., 
Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713;  ocularis® 
billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PO.V,  PBS's  award  winning  showcase  of  independent,  non- 
fiction  film,  seeks  submissions  for  its  next  season.  All  styles 
&  lengths  of  independent  nonfiction  films  welcome. 
Unfinished  work  at  fine-cut  stage  may  be  eligible  for  com- 
pletion funds.  Deadline:  July  31,  2000;  (212)  989-2041  x. 
318;  www.pbs.org/pov 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  ongoing 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR,  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  &  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  &  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's 
Righteous  Persons  Foundation.  Contact;  Ken  Sherman  at 
(212)  792-6286;  kensherman@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE  is  a  roving,  spontaneous  screening 
series  &  distributor  of  experimental  video.  Based  in  Portland, 


AIVF  ON-LINE 

Find  back  issues  of  The  Independent,  advocacy 
reports  &  updates  on  AIVF  events,  along  with 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


OR  &  a  project  of  Rodeo  Film  Company,  Peripheral  Produce 
seeks  to  promote  experimental,  abstract,  &  media-subver- 
sive work.  Formats:  16mm,  VHS,  super  8.  Entry  fee:  $5. 
Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce,  c/o  Rodeo 
Film  Co.  Box  40835,  Portland,  OR  97240;  perph@jps.net; 
www.jps.net/perph 

PUT  MONEY  IN  YOUR  SHORTS:  Centerseat.com  Film  Festival 
is  now  licensing  short  films  for  broadcast  on  its  December 
launch.  No  cost  to  you  EVER!  Earn  royalties  instead.  To  sub- 
mit your  film  for  our  premiere  season,  log  on  to  www.center- 
seat.com/indie/submit 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks 
public  access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian,  bi,  drag, 
trans  subjects,  for  inclusion  in  an  academic  press  book  on 
queer  community  programming.  All  program  genres  are  wel- 
come. Incl.  info  about  your  program's  history  &  distribution. 
Send  VHS  tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Asst.  Professor,  Comm. 
Dept,  Florida  Atlantic  Univ.,  777  Glades  Rd.,  Boca  Raton,  FL 
33431;  (561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu 

ROGUE  VALLEY  COMMUNITY  TELEVISION  seeks  video 
shows.  VHS  &  S-VHS  OK,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return,  incl. 
sufficient  SASE.  Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi 
Aufderheide,  Southern  Oregon  Univ.,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou 
Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR  97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

SHORT  CIRCUIT  is  a  monthly  showcase  of  short  films  & 
videos  produced  by  Films  Arts  Foundation.  The  series  screens 
monthly  at  the  Minna  St.  Gallery.  No  submissions  deadline. 
Considering  works  on  all  subjects  &  in  all  genres.  Films  & 
videos  (16mm  &  3/4",  previews  on  VHS)  must  be  under  45 
min.  to  be  considered.  Short  Circuit  pays  $2/min.  &  covers  all 
shipping  costs.  Preview  tapes  can't  be  returned.  Contact:  fax: 
(415)  552-0882;  festival@filmarts.org;  www.filmarts.org 

SHORT  TV,  new  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  directed 
to  show  &  promote  short  films,  seeks  submissions.  For  more 
info,  call:  Short  TV,  (212)226-6258. 

SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST:  Net's  first  on-going  film  festival 
seeks  short  noncommercial  indie  films  &  videos.  Web  users 
can  vote  for  their  fav  shorts  in  each  of  six  cats:  animation, 
doc,  experimental,  less  than  a  min.,  narrative,  made  for  the 
Net.  New  films  added  each  month  &  there  are  new  winners 
every  min.  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl. 
music.  Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  at  site):  Carla  Cole, 
The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD 
20740;  info@thesync.com;  www.thesync.com 

TAG-TV  is  accepting  short  films,  videos  &  animations  to  air 
on  the  Internet.  Check  out  www.tag-tv.com  for  more  info. 

TV/HOME  VIDEO  production  company  is  seeking  original 
short  films  (preferably  10  min.  or  less)  for  broadcast  on  a 
new  cable  comedy  series  &  inclusion  in  upcoming  video 
anthology  collection.  Send  films  in  VHS  or  S-VHS  format  to: 
Salt  City  Productions/Big  City  TV,  Box  5515,  Syracuse,  NY 
13320;  SCVP@aol.com 

THE  SHORT  LIST,  a  showcase  for  American  &  int'l  short 
films,  airs  nat'ly  on  PBS.  Pays  $100/min.  All  genres  30  sec. 
to  19  min.  long.  Produced  in  association  w/  Kodak  Worldwide 
Independent  Filmmakers  Program.  Awards  five  Kodak  prod- 
uct grants  annually  to  selected  filmmakers  on  the  series. 
Submit  on  VHS.  For  appl.,  send  SASE  to:  Jack  Oldfield, 


BRAVO 


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2ND  FLOOR 

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FAX  212  532  O444 

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Sound  Stage  Rentals 

34'  x  28'  x  14' 

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On-line  Editing 

DVCam,  BetaSP,  %",  S-VHS 

ABC  Roll 

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$85/hour  with  Editor 

Production  Packages 

Sony  DVCam: 

DSR-130 $325/day 

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Audio  Services 

ADR,  voice-over  recording 

$55/hour 

In-house  Sound  Design  & 

Scoring  also  available. 

Tel:  212  679  9779   Fax:  212  532  0444 


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Film  &  Video  Services 


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•  theater  with  lights,  sound  system,  multiple 
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•  10,000  Sf  Of  Space  for  rehearsal, 
shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  StudiOS   •  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009  •  (212)  505-2702 


DIGITAL  FILM  FESTIVAL 


21-23:  tishman  auditorium 


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Advance  tickets  available  through  www.ticketweb.com 


INFOLINES:  NY  212/613-1600    LA  310/859-5588 


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October   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


Need  legal  representation? 

Call  Ken  Feldman  or  Abe  Michael  Shainberg  at  the 
Feldman  Law  Firm  for 

INDEPENDENT  FILM  PACKAGING  TO  FINANCIERS  AND  DISTRIBUTORS 

AGREEMENTS  .CONTRACT  REVIEW,  LITIGATION  ,  COLLECTION.  OR  DEFENSE  IF  SUED. 

■*  Free  Consultation  ©  Fair  Rates  *®" 


FELDMAN  LAW  FIRM  ,  12  East  41st  Street,  #1302,  212-532-8585,  fax:  212-532-8598 
www.  feldman-law.com  or  e-mail  us  at  abems@concentric.net 


mS^o 


Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

audio  &  video 
post-production 

protools  4  /  media  100  /after  effects 

1 6  -  track  lock  to  betacam  sp  &  3/4 

voice  over  &  adr/sound  effects 

video  capture  &  compression 

original  music/sound  design 

special  rates  for  independents 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

2  12.431.1130      x  I  0 

596  Broadway,  Suite  602,  NYC  10012 

http://www.harvestworks.org 


Everything 
included. 

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Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

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225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


Introducing 


FilmLogic8 

The  Software  Tool  for 
Independent  Filmmakers 

www.filmlogic.com 


Director,  The  Production  Center,  SDSL),  5500  Campanile 
Drive,  San  Diego,  CA  92182-4561;  ShortList@mail.sdsu.edu 

UNDERGR0UNDFILM.COM  is  creating  a  sophisticated  web 
space  that  will  help  filmmakers  find  work,  improve  their  skills 
&  connect  w/  collaborators,  investors  &  new  audiences.  We 
are  now  working  on  acquiring  experimental  film  libraries  so 
that  today's  emerging  filmmakers  can  see  other  generations' 
visions  of  film  &  look  beyond.  Must  be  QuickTime  process. 
(212)  206-1995;  www.undergroundfilm.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  expos- 
ing innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  ind.  works  in  all 
genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send 
submissions  to;  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTY  3141  Chestnut  St. 
Bldg.  9B  Rm.  406,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927; 
fax:  895-1054.  dutv@.drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  animation,  experimental  or  doc 
videos  for  on-going  series  at  the  Knitting  Factory.  Send  VHS 
tape  w/  brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220,  New 
York,  NY  10013;  info@videolounge.org;  www.videolounge.org 

VIDEO/FILM  SHORTS  wanted  for  local  television.  Directors 
interviewed,  tape  returned  w/  audience  feedback.  Accepting 
VHS/S-VHS,  15  mm.  max.  SASE  to:  Box  1042,  Nantucket,  MA 
02554;  (508)  325-7935. 

VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment. 
Send  VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  w/  description,  name,  phone  &  SASE 
to:  Videospace,  General  Submissions,  9  Myrtle  St.,  Jamaica 
Plain,  MA  02130. 

WGBH-TV.  Boston,  looking  for  films  &  videos  to  be  part  of  our 
annual  broadcast  film  fest  "Viewpoint"  to  air  April  2000. 
Series  showcases  work  from  U.S  &  Canada — New  Engenders 
are  encouraged  to  submit.  Guidelines:  Doc  or  fiction,  short  or 
features  up  to  90  mm.,  preview  on  VHS,  master  format-video- 
1".  Beta  or  D3.  Deadline:  Dec.  3.  Send  to  Chad  Davis, 
Broadcast.  WGBH,  125  Western  Ave..  Boston,  MA  02134. 

WORLD  OF  INSANITY  looking  for  videos  &  films  to  air  on 
local  cable  access  channel,  particularly  anything  odd, 
bizarre,  funny,  cool.  Any  length.  One  hr  weekly  show  w/ 
videos  followed  by  info  on  makers.  Send  VHS/S-VHS  to:  World 
of  Insanity,  Box  954,  Veneta,  OR  97487;  (541)  935-5538. 

ZAO  an  exhibition  space  which  just  opened  in  Sept.,  current- 
ly accepting  short  film/videos  any  genre  or  subject.  Send  VHS 
tape  w/  biography  &  SASE  to:  Tahan.  ZAO,  1 1 14  Avenue  of  the 
Americas,  NY,  NY  10036,  Attn:  Lisa  Schroeder. 

ZOOM  During  the  70s,  ZOOM  was  a  kids'-only  series  on  PBS, 
featuring  kids'  plays,  films,  games  &  more.  ZOOM  is  back  & 
seeking  films,  animations  &  videos  made  by  kids  (some  adult 
supervision  okay).  Every  kid  who  sends  something  will  receive 
a  free  newsletter  filled  w/  fun  activities  &  you  may  see  your  film 
on  TV.  Length:  up  to  3  mm.  Format:  3/4",  VHS,  Hi8,  S-8, 16mm, 
Beta.  Age:  7-16.  Subjects  should  be  age  appropriate.  Contact: 
Marcy  Gardner,  WGBH/ZOOM,  125  Western  Ave.,  Boston,  MA 
02134;  (617)  492-2777  x.  3883;  marcy_gardner  @wgbh.org 

Publications 

ART  ON  FILM  DATABASE  offers  free  listings.  Have  you  pro- 
duced films,  videos,  or  CD-ROMs  on  art  or  architecture?  Send 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     October    1999 


info  for  inclusion  in  database  of  over  25,000  prods  on  visual 
arts  topics.  Prods  about  artists  of  color  &  multicultural  arts 
projects  are  welcomed.  Send  info  to:  Program  for  Art  on  Film, 
Inc.,  c/o  Pratt  SILS,  200  Willoughby  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  NY 
11205;  (718)  399-4506;  fax  (718)  399-4507; 
artfilm@sils.pratt.edu;  www.artfilm.org 

THE  SQUEALER,  quarterly  journal  produced  by  Squeaky 
Wheel  puts  an  upstate  NY  spin  on  media-related  subjects. 
Once  a  year,  The  Squealer  publishes  "State  of  the  State,"  a 
comprehensive  resource  issue  w/  detailed  info  on  upstate 
media  arts  organizations,  access  centers,  schools  &  coali- 
tions. Subscriptions  $15/year.  Contact:  Andrea  Mancuso, 
Squeaky  Wheel,  175  Elmwood  Ave.,  Buffalo,  NY  14201; 
http://freenet.buffalo.edu/sigs/links/squeaky/org.htm 


Resources  •  Funds 

BAVC  JOB  RESOURCE  CENTER:  Funded  by  the  San  Francisco 
Mayor's  Office  of  Community  Development,  the  Job  Resource 
Center  provides  S.F.  residents  w/  free  access  to  info  & 
resources  pertaining  to  video  &  new  media  industries. 
Internet  access  avail,  for  online  job  searches,  as  well  as 
industry  publications,  career  development  books  & 
job/internship  listings.  Open  Mon.-Fn.  12-6  p.m.  BAVC,  2727 
Mariposa  St.,  2nd  fl„  San  Francisco,  CA  94110;  (415)  861- 
3282;  www.bavc.org 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690. 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  performing  arts.  Contact:  California  Arts  Council, 
1300  I  Street,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916)  322- 
6555;  (800)  201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@ 
cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.:  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
organization  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is 
planning  to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools 
&  is  looking  for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound, 
lighting  &  editing  equipment,  computer  notebooks  &  screen- 
writing  software  in  good  working  order.  Donations  of  equip- 
ment are  gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan 
Blanchfield,  Exec.  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  not 
eligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done  in 
combination  w/  super  8,  Hi8,  audio,  performance,  photogra- 
phy, artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  incl.  Amiga,  special  effects, 
A&B  roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  Send  SASE  for  guidelines  to: 
The  Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  New  York,  NY  10014; 
(212)  924-4893. 

EXPERIMENTAL  TELEVISION  CENTER  provides  grants  & 
presentation  funds  to  electronic  media/film  artists  &  organi- 
zations. The  program  provides  partial  assistance;  maximum 
amount  varies.  Presentations  must  be  open  to  the  public; 
limited-enrollment  workshops  &  publicly  supported  educa- 
tional institutions  ineligible.  Applications  reviewed  monthly. 


Deadline:  Ongoing.  Contact:  Program  Director,  Experimental 
Television  Center,  109  Lower  Fairfield  Rd.,  Newark  Valley,  NY 
13811;  (607)  687-4341. 

FREE  INTERNET  LISTING  &  EMAIL  ADDRESS  for  all  actors 
technicians  &  organizations.  On-line  artists'  co-op  offers  free 
listing  in  their  Directory  &  Searchable  Database,  free  email 
address  (can  even  be  forwarded  by  fax  or  letter),  free  use  of 
Bulletin  Board.  SASE  to  Jim  Lawter,  37  Greenwich  Ave.  #  1- 
6,  Stamford,  CT  06902;  www.8xl0glossy.com 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  New  initiative,  DV'99, 
announced,  where  ITVS  seeks  30  &  60  mm.  digital  video  pro- 
jects shot  w/  budgets  of  up  to  $125,000.  New  productions  or 
works-in-progress  ok.  Deadline:  Oct.  15.  For  all  queries,  con- 
tact: ITVS,  51  Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107; 
(415)  356-8383;  www.itvs.org 

JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION  pro- 
vides partial  support  to  selected  doc  series  &  films  intended 
for  nat'l  or  int'l  broadcast  &  focusing  on  an  issue  w/in  one  of 
Foundation's  two  major  programs  (Human  &  Community 
Development;  Global  Security  &  Sustainability).  Send  prelim- 
inary 2-  to  3-page  letter  to:  Alice  Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine 
T.  MacArthur  Foundation,  140  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Ste.  1100, 
Chicago,  IL  60603-5285;  (312)  726-8000;  4answers 
@macfdn.org;  www.macfdn.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  foun- 
dation, or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
nonprofit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

MEDIA  ACTION  GRANTS  offered  by  Media  Alliance  provides 
organizations  w/  up  to  $1,000  for  conferences,  workshops  & 
events  designed  to  strengthen  upstate  media  arts  communi- 
ties &  networking  at  a  state-wide  level.  Events  should  take 
place  between  Jan.  1-June  30,  2000.  Grant  not  intended  to 
duplicate  funds  from  other  sources,  particularly  NYSCA. 
Deadline:  Nov.  9.  Contact:  Media  Alliance  c/o  WNET,  450  W. 
33rd  St.,  New  York,  NY  10001;  (212)  560-2919;  fax:  560- 
1314  (Attn:  Media  Alliance);  mediaactiongrant@ 
hotmail.com;  www.mediaalliance.org 

NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES'  Division  of 
Public  Programs  provides  grants  for  the  planning,  scripting  & 
production  of  film,  television  &  digital  media  projects  that 
address  humanities  themes.  Applic.  deadlines:  Nov.  2  (plan- 
ning grants  only);  Feb.  1,  2000  (planning,  scripting  &  pro- 
duction grants).  Download  applic.  guidelines  fron 
www.neh.gov/html/guidelin/pub_prog.html  or  at  (202)  606- 
8267  or  publicpgms@neh.org 

NEW  YORK  STATE  COUNCIL  on  the  Arts'  Electronic  Media  & 
Film  Program  announces  the  availability  of  up  to  $5,000  in 
funds  for  distributions  of  recently  completed  independent 
media  arts  projects  by  NY  artists.  Open  to  audio/radio,  film, 
video,  computer-based  work  &  installation  art.  Deadline 
March  1.  For  more  info:  (212)  387-7057;  NYSCA-EMF  Pro- 
gram, 915  Broadway,  New  York,  NY  10010;  dsilverfine 
@nysca.org;  cmeyer@nysca.org 


AFFORDABLE 

DIGITAL  FILM 

16mm  or  35mm 

Titles 

Computer  Animation 

Visual  Effects 

Motion  Graphics 

Output  @  2K  on  a 
Solitaire  Film  Recorder 

250  per  frame 

($360  per  minute) 
plus  stock  &  processing 

After  Effects  Projects 
rendered  directly  to  film 

3D  Animation 

Render  your  animation  at  the  maxi- 
mum feasble  resolution  and  we  will 
scale  it  up  to  2K  as  it  is  recorded  on 
film 

VIDEO  to  FILM 
DV  or  DVCAM 

NTSC  or  PAL 

Progressive  scan  or  Interlaced 
Wide  Screen  or  Full  Frame 

to  16mm  or  35mm 

30fps  NTSC  is  converted  to  24fps 
using  custom  software  to  blend 
interpolated  fields  only  where  moving 
in  order  to  preserve  maximum 
resolution  in  static  areas  of  frame. 
PAL  is  transferred  frame  for  frame. 
The  recording  process  is  slow,  so  it 
is  better  suited  to  shorter  projects 
rather  than  features. 

for  details  visit  website  at 

www.rgpost.com 

or  contact 

Richard  Patterson 

(818)901-1077 

FAX:  (310)472-8303 

email:  richard@rgpost.com 

Royal  Garden  Post 

7002  Sophia  Avenue,  Van  Nuys,  CA  91 406 


October  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


;  r  ^  r     > 


•::T:.  ':  tscott@aivf.org]  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 

month,  2  months  prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.  nov.  1 
for  jan/feb  issue).  classifieds  of  up  to  240 
characters  (incl.  spaces  &  punctuation)  cost 
s25/issue  for  aivf  members,  $35  for  nonmem- 
8ers;  240-480  characters:  $45/issue  for  aivf 
members,  $65  for  nonmembers.;  480-720  char- 
acters: $60/issue  for  aivf  members,  $90  for 
nonmembers.  include  valid  member  id#.  ads 
exceeding  requested  length  will  be  edited.  all 
copy  should  be  typed  and  accompanied  by 
check  or  money  order  payable  to:  fivf,  304 
hudson  st.,  6th  fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  to  pay  by  cred- 
it card,  include:  card  type  (visa/mc);  card  num- 
ber; name  on  card;  expiration  date;  billing 
address  &  daytime  phone.  ads  running  5  + 
times  receive  $5  discount  per  issue. 

Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

AVID  MC  1000  PCI  SYSTEM  FOR  RENT:  Complete  system 
with  AVR's  3,  12,  70. 75, 77,  Betacam  deck,  Mixer,  36  GB, 
8:8:8  audio,  3  DVE  Alladin  Pinnacle  (optional).  Low  rates  for 
long-term  rentals.  Contact:  (202)  363-9454  or  email:  silver- 
pro@erols.com 

CHEAPEST  AVIDS  in  New  York  City.  Off-line  and  on-line. 
Special  prices  for  long-term  rentals  and  AIVF  members. 
Experienced  editors  also  available.  Call  Jonathan  at  (212) 
462-4515 

CHELSEA  DESK  SPACE  AVAIL  in  documentary  prod,  loft 
space,  above  1/9  subway  &  near  Penn  Station,  N/R  &  other 
subway  lines.  High  ceilings,  24  hr/7  day  doorman  &  building 
access,  lots  of  sunshine  &  cool  A/C.  $650/mth.  David  (212) 
647-8300  x.  10. 

DIGITAL  FILM  FACTORY  now  offers  DV  Firewire  Editing  ser- 
vices with  the  blazingly  fast  blue  G3  and  very  powerful  Final 
Cut  Pro.  With  or  without  editor.  Call  for  rates  &  reel.  Canon 
XL1  &  DV  shooting  services  also  available.  (310)  802-0808. 

ECLAIR  NPR  16MM  CAMERA  PKG  for  sale,  24/30  fps.  12- 
120  zoom,  new  battery  w/  power  cord  &  charger,  sun  shade, 
(2)  400'  mags  w/  case,  camera  case.  Asking  $4,500.  Contact 
Peter  at  (303)  722-7195;  or  email  deakflicks@aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID.  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in 
your  space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable 
Chelsea  location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400,  Beta  deck,  36GB 
storage.  Free  cappuccino.  Call  (212)  579-4294. 

FOR  RENT:  SONY  3-CHIP  DIGITAL  CAMERA  (DCR-VX1000). 

Also  available:  mic,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both 
short  &  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  SALE:  ARRI  16BL,  crystal,  zoom  control,  battery  belt, 
12-120  blimped  lens,  steel  case  $5,500.  Also:  Arri  16M, 
takes  BL  mags,  var.  &  const,  spd  motors,  baft.,  3  lenses, 
case,  $3,250.  Also:  lights,  Arri  BL  Acess.  Call  for  list  (212) 
490-0355. 

FOR  SALE:  Panasonic  DVCPRO  AJ-D200  w/  all  ace.  met 
Anton  batt/chgr  under  10  hrs  $4,500.  Also  Bogen  Tripod  w/ 
head  $450;  JVC  TM-550U  5"  color  monitor  w/  batt  $450; 
Lowell  l-light  $125,  Samson  MRL  Lav  $150;  Lowell  Omni 
Light  kit  $650  all  new.  Call  (201)  405-1635. 


SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  sohoaudio@earthlink.net 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT.  I  deliv- 
er! Beta-SP  deck  (Sony  UVW-1800)  $150/day,  $450/wk.  DV 
deck  $150/day.  S-VHS  off-line  edit  system  $450/wk.  Sony 
DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $125/day.  Lights,  tripods,  mics  & 
mixers.  David  (212)  362-1056. 

WANNA  SHOOT  UNDERCOVER?  Rent  a  broadcast  quality 
Digital  Video  hidden  camera  system  for  only  $250/day.  Use 
as  a  Purse  Cam,  Shirt  Cam,  or  Tie  Cam.  Used  by  HBO  &  all 
the  networks.  Call  Jonathan,  Mint  Leaf  Productions  (718) 
499-2829. 


Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Representing  out- 
standing video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disabilities  & 
related  issues.  Our  films  win  Oscars,  Emmys,  Duponts, 
Freddies  &  more.  Join  us!  Fanlight  Productions:  (800)  937- 
4113;  www.fanlight.com 

Ah-  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  considera- 
tion. Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr., 
Derry,  NH  03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5 
Powderhouse  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquanusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax:  594-6461. 

DISTRIBUTION  COMPANY,  going  to  MIPCOM  in  Cannes, 
needs  feature  films,  family  programming,  foreign  language 
films,  including  French  and  German,  for  worldwide  distribu- 
tion. All  films  we  distribute  are  online  for  thousands  of  sta- 
tions and  buyers  to  see.  Send  VHS  to:  Saltine  Pictures,  200 
E.  23rd  St.,  3rd  fl.,  New  York,  NY  10010;  (212)  252-9323; 
fax:  (212)  696-4857;  email  at:  jonstonehill@ntr.net 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR?  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such 
as  violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distri- 
bution. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau 
for  At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distrib, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassett.es  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Ste.  506,  NY  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com.  Ask  for  our 


Distribution  Services  brochure. 

VERY  FUNNY  SHORTS  wanted  for  distribution.  Outstanding 

short  comedies  only.  Must  be  high  quality  and  all  rights  mus 
be  cleared.  City  Lights,  100  Airport  Executive  Park,  Ste.  105 
Nanuet,  NY  10954. 


Freelancers 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Completi 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jil 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  thi 
low-budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807 
0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independen 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  ti 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story,  Andy  (212)  501-7862 
circa@interport.net 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  providi 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net 

ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  ii 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  I 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operate 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  ir 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172;  AndrewD15S 
@aol.com 

AVID  SUITE:  AVR  77  with  or  without  experienced  editor 
Available  for  long  term  or  short  term  projects.  Comfortabk 
room  with  large  windows,  sofa  and  24  hr  access.  Please  con- 
tact Andre  at  Viceroy  Films:  (212)  367-3730. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  Nuria  Olive- 
Belles  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  &  DVCAM  Videographer  with  both  cameras,  lights, 
monitors,  mics  &  wireless.  Very  portable,  light  weight  &  I'm 
fast  Experience  includes:  documentaries,  industrials, 
fundraisers  &  fashion.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334- 
3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand  held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SR 
cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel. 
Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at 
tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417;  ela292@aol.com.  Credits:  Tromeo 
and  Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire; 
www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs.  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  loca- 
tion package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects. 
Michael  (212)  691-1311. 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  tormats.  Brings  passion  &  productiv- 
ity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/Std.  16  Aaton 
XTR  Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass@concen- 
tric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Highly  collaborative,  committed,  will 
work  w/  you  to  find  the  right  style  for  your  film  (narrative  or 
doc).  Unique  credits.  Love  to  travel.  Eileen  S.  (718)  349- 
3078;  filmgrrl@aol.com 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mmpkgw/  video  tap 
&  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Arri  16SR  Package  &  35IIC,  w/  over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  World 
renowned  composer/performer/director  expert  in  world/eth- 
nic &  modern  music  styles  to  distinguish  &  enrich  your  film. 
Broad  contacts  among  great  ethnic  musicians.  Dir  "Woody 
Guthrie-Pastures  of  Plenty"  touring  int'l.  Cred.  incl.  Ryl 
Shakespr  Co/Nat'l  Geo/Nik.  Makes  great  stir  fry.  Call  for  CD 
incl.  Copland  award-winning  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaverc@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively 
score  your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style. 
Extensive  credits  include  nationally  released  features,  TV 
dramas,  documentaries,  animation,  on  Networks,  MTV, 
Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA  in  composition;  full  digital  studio; 
affordable.  Demo  reel  available.  Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721- 
3218  or  email  Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/initial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  MFA  (NYU/Tisch)  and  extensive  experience  with 
theater,  dance  &  Sundance  filmmakers.  Will  work  with  any 
budget  in  styles  ranging  from  classical  to  drum  &  bass  to 
African-Hungarian  jazz.  Low  budget  services  include  digital 
studio  &  live  cello.  Contact  Raul  Rothblatt  (212)  254-0155; 
deblatt@interport.net 

COMPOSER  Miriam  Cutler  loves  to  collaborate  with  filmmak- 
ers— features,  docs.  Sundance  {Licensed  To  Kill,  Death:  A 
Love  Story),  Peabody  (The  Castro),  POV  [The  Double  Life  ot 
Ernesto  Gomez-Gomez)  &  more.  (323)  664-1807;  mircut@ 
pacificnet.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to 
techno — you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance, 
Absolut.  Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiap- 
petta  (718)  383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@  el.net 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


O 


REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM   SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —    3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)   219-9240 
Fax  (212)   966-5618 


DeWITT  STERN  GROUP,  Inc. 

CELEBRATING 
100  YEARS  ! 

ENTERTAINMENT  &  MEDIA 
INSURANCE 

420  Lexington  Ave.  New  York,  NY 
Tel:  212-867-3550  Fax:  212-983-6483 


Carol  A.  Bressi  Cilona 

Senior  Vice  President 

212-297-1468 

Jennifer  Brown 

Assistant  Vice  President 

212-297-1445 


Shooting for#  I 

W'  hy  did  prominent  film  pro- 
ducer Dale  Pollock  leave  24 
active  projects  in  Hollywood  to  be- 
come Dean  of  the  School  of  Film- 
making at  the  North  Carolina  School 
of  the  Arts?  "Because  I  think  we 
have  the  potential  to  be  the  best  film 
school  in  the  world,"  he  says. 
With  12  feature  films  to  his  credit  - 
including  SET  IT  OFF,  BLAZE,  A 
MIDNIGFIT  CLEAR,  and  MRS.  WINTERBOURNE 
best-selling  biography  of  George  Lucas,  Pollock  ought  to  know. 

School  of  Filmmaking 

Offering  B.F.A.  and  College  Arts  Diploma 

North  Carolina. 
School  or  the  Arts 

For  information  about  our  school  year  or  summer  session,  contact: 
Admissions,  North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1 533  S.  Main  St., 
Winston-Salem,  NC  27 1 27-2 1 88;  336-770-3290;  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina 


and  a 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


O^i^^^^O 


AVIDSTOGO 


Luna  delireK. 


\ 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


EMM 


COMPOSERS-PRODUCERS  for  film,  TV,  video,  all  media. 
Award-winning  original  music,  rock,  orchestral,  techno,  jazz. 
No  project  too  large  or  too  small.  Free  VHS  demo.  Info  1-800- 
349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@soundmechanix.com 

DANCE  CHOREOGRAPHER:  10  yrs  in  NYC  dance/perfor- 
mance/theater, now  moving  into  film/video.  Ready  to  work  on 
your  next  project.  Skilled  in  many  dance  styles,  coaching  for 
actors.  No  tap.  No  job  too  big-or  small.  Call  for  reel.  (212) 
465-2536. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO;  D.R  w/  Sony  VX1000  digital  camera,  Pro 
Sound  &  accessories.  Exp.  in  features,  docs,  dance  &  theatre. 
Mac  G3  Firewire  editing  available.  John  Newell  (212)  677- 
6652. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/D.R  w/  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  e-mail; 
365892@newschool.edu 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  35mm,  S16mm/16mm. 
Creative,  experienced,  award  winning,  w/ feature,  ads,  docs, 
music  videos  &  industrial  credits.  Own  Arri  SR  1  S16/16mm 
pkg  w/  Zeiss  lens,  tungstens,  sound  pkg.  LKB  Prod:  (718) 
802-9874. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.:  Features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (718)  930-7969. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  Beta  SP  production  pkg., 
Sony  VX-1000  digital  camera,  Bolex  16mm  &  Super  8mm 
cameras.  Also  lighting/grip  equip.  &  wireless  mics.  Looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Experienced.  Reel  available.  Alan 
(212)  260-7748. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 

Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953- 
1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  awards,  talent,  savvy  & 
experience.  Owned  Aaton  16mm/Super  16mm  pkg.,  35mm 
package  available.  Call  for  my  reel.  Bob  (212)  989-7992. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 


complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  868-0028 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle 
rates. 

DV  NON  LINEAR  EDITOR:  If  you  shoot  on  DV,  you  should  edit 
on  DV!  Editor,  20  years  experience:  documentaries,  trailers, 
commercials,  industrials.  $30/hr  on  my  DV-NLE  system.  Can 
edit  on  your  Avid  too.  Craig  (718)  797-0045. 

EDITOR;  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212) 352-4476 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE;  experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 
available  to  work  on  interesting  and  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs, 
shorts,  features).  Call  Kevin  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR  W/  EQUIPMENT:  Producer/director  w/  18  years 
experience  in  advertising  &  industrial  work  available  for  pro- 
jects. Just  completed  NEH  historical  doc  for  NYU.  (212)  952- 
0848;  Ruvn@aol.com 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID  SYMPHONY  (9000XL):  I  am  an  experi- 
enced video  editor,  willing  to  work  with  an  independent  film- 
maker, free  of  charge,  to  gain  experience  in  film.  My  Avid  has 
complete  24  fps  capability.  Please  contact  Charlene  at  (561) 
744-6704  if  interested  (Jupiter,  Florida). 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines 
offers  legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distri- 
bution. Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307- 
7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equip- 
ment; 16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212) 
995-0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 
MTV,  feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

GRANTWRITER/FUNDRAISER  Extensive  exp.  w/  indie  media 
projects.  Successful  proposals  to  NEA,  NEH,  ITVS,  NYSCA, 
NYCH  &  many  foundations,  excellent  int'l  co-prod  contacts. 
Fast  writer,  reasonable  rates.  W.  Bershen,  (212)  598-0224; 
wb22@pipeline.com 

INDIE  PRODUCTION  COMPANY  offers  full  scale  production 
management  for  shorts,  features  &  docs.  Experienced  line 
producer  will  prepare  breakdowns,  schedule  &  budget  with 
Movie  Magic.  Beta  SP  camera  package  to  rent  at  budget  con- 
scious rates  with  versatile  videographer  available.  For  more 
information,  call  bluestocking  films  (212)  505-6676  &  ask 
for  Lisette. 

JOHN  BASKO;  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national Network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Kosovo,  Beirut,  El 
Salvador,  Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising. 
Equipment  maintained  by  Sony.  (718)  278-7869;  fax:  278- 
6830. 


56    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


THE   ASSOCIATION   OF 

VIDEO   AND   FIL: 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 

The  Association  of  Independent 
Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a 
national  membership  organization  of 
over  5,000  diverse,  committed, 
opinionated,  and  fiercely  independent 
video  and  filmmakers.  ATVF  is 
affiliated  with  the  Foundation  for 
Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF), 
an  educational  SOI  (c)(3)  nonprofit 
dedicated  to  the  development  and 
increased  public  appreciation  of 
independent  film  and  video. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  today, 
you  need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent  Film 
8r  Video  Monthly,  or  through  the 
arganization  raising  its  collective 
/oice  to  advocate  for  important 
ssues,  AIVF  preserves  your 
ndependence  while  letting  you  know 
you're  not  alone. 

l&te'a  what  AIVF 
nembership  offers: 

tiMUi&JJsJBJjj 

M  J  FILM  &  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
membership  provides  you  with  a 
leai^s  subscription  to  The  Independent 
nought-provoking  features,  news, 
nd  regular  columns  on  business, 
schnica!  and  legal  matters.  Plus 
astival  listings,  distributor  profiles, 
onder    profiles,    funding    deadlines, 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities  and  new 
programs  and  services.  Special  issues 
highlight  regional  activity  and  focus 
on  subjects  including  experimental 
media,  new  technologies,  and  media 
education.  Business  and  non-profit 
members  receive  discounts  on 
advertising  and  special  mention  in 
each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  ATVF 
suppliers.  Health  insurance  options 
are  available,  as  well  as  E&O  and 
production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  film  processing, 
transfers,  editing  long-distance  service, 
and  other  production  necessities. 
Members  also  receive  discounts 
purchases  of  on  the  AIVF  mailing  list 
and  classified  ads  in  The  Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field,  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  wwwaivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 


[DEPENDENT 
AKERS 

on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent  We 
also  publish  informational  resources 
on  international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members.  With  over 
600  volumes,  our  office  library  houses 
information  on  everything  from 
preproduction  to  sample  contracts. 

COMMUNITY 

Monthly  member  get-togethers  called 
AIVF  Salons  occur  in  cities  across 
the  country.  These  member-run, 
member-organized  salons  provide  a 
unique  opportunity  for  members  and 
non-members  alike  to  network, 
exhibit,  and  advocate  for  independent 
media  in  their  local  area.  To  find  the 
salon  nearest  you  check  the  back 
pages  of  The  Independent  the  AIVF 
website,  or  call  the  office  for  the  one 
nearest  you  If  you're  interested  in 
starting  a  salon  in  your  area,  ask  for 
our  startup  kit! 

CONFERENCE  ROOM 

Members  have  access  to  our  low- 
cost  facility  to  hold  meetings, 
auditions,  or  small  private  video 
presentations  of  work  for  friends, 
distributors,  funders,  and  producers. 

ADVOCACY 

AIVF  continues  its  efforts  to  advocate 
for  the  field,  holding  forums  around 
the  country  and  publishing  articles 
to  keep  independent  mediamakers 
abreast  of  the  latest  issues 
concerning  our  community. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 


INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  and  discounts 

•  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information  services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events 

•  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  •  advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for 
board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 
subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both 

BUSINESS  fr  INDUSTRY/NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  each  issue  of  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES     Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr.  D  $100/2  yrs. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr.  □  $150/2  yrs. 

Student  □  $35/1  yr.  □  $60/2  yrs. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  strident  IP) 

Business  8r  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization       D  $100/1  yr. 

LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 


Name 


Organization 

Address 

City 


State 


ZIP 


Weekday  teL 
Email 


Country 
fax 


MAIUN6  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

□  Canada  -  add  $15 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


*  Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  SO!(cX3). 


K 


Or  please  bill  my 

Acct# 

Exp.  date: 
Signature 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF* 
(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 

D  Visa      D  Mastercard 


/        / 


Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  ft  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  507-1400  x236,  by  fax  (212)  463- 
cTS19,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org.  Your  first  issue  oi  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  4-6  weeks. 


LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  time  code 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  pro- 
jects. Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  cell:  (917) 
319-3365;  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

MUSIC  MUSIC  MUSIC!  We  have  it!  Original  music  &  scoring. 
Stock  available  for  temps.  Digital  sound  design  too.  Free  VHS 
demo.  Info  (800)  349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@ 
soundmechanix.com 

STEADICAM:  Dolly  smooth  moves  w/  the  flexibility  of  a  hand- 
held camera.  Call  Sergei  Franklin  (212)  228-4254. 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

asst/assoc  professor,  experimental  animation, 

tenure  track.  Significant  record  of  achievement  in  filmmak- 
ing, MFA  or  equivalent  prof.  exp.  and  prior  teach  exp.  neces- 
sary. Expertise  in  experimental  narrative,  optical  printing, 
and/or  computer-based  production  is  desirable.  Send  vitae 
and  names/contacts  of  3  references  by  Jan.  15  to:  Diane 
Kitchen,  Film  Dept.,  Univ.  of  Wisconsin-Milwaukee,  Box  413, 
Milwaukee,  Wl  53201.  AA/EOE 

EDITOR  WANTED  with  own  equipment  access  for  Digital  fea- 
ture/comedy/pseudo  doc.  (Award-winning  writer/director) 
Some  cash,  some  deferred.  Call  (212)  979-6269. 

FILM/VIDEO  CURATOR,  Walker  Art  Center  in  Minneapolis, 
MN  seeks  curator  to  set  artistic  direction  &  oversee  admin- 
istrative responsibilities  for  film/video  program.  Candidates 
should  be  well-recognized  experts  in  nat'l  &  int'l  media  arts 
community  w/  proven  ability  to  organize  a  world-class 
film/video  exhibition  program  w/  historical  &  contemporary 
components.  Knowledge  of  independent  film,  video  &  new 
forms  of  moving-image  art  w/  a  graduate  degree  in 
film/video/media  studies  or  commensurate  area,  &  a  min. 
of  5  years  experience  at  senior  curatorial  level  required. 
Salary  commensurate  w/  experience;  excellent  benefits.  For 
consideration,  send  letter  of  interest,  resume,  program 
samples  &  references  to  Gary  A  White,  Human  Resources, 
Walker  Art  Center,  Vineland  Place,  Minneapolis,  MN  55403. 
EOE/AA 

PITTSBURGH  FILMMAKERS  seeks  full-time  faculty  member 
for  undergraduate  educational  program.  Applicants  must 
have  extensive  experience  working  in  digital  media  &  track 
record  as  an  artist  working  either  in  digital  media  or  in 
film/video.  An  MFA  is  preferred  but  not  required.  Postition 
begins  Jan  1, 2000.  Send  resume  &  cover  letter  to:  Pittsburgh 
Filmmakers,  Brady  Lewis,  Dir.  of  Education,  477  Melwood 
Ave.,  Pittsburgh,  PA  15213. 

SEEKING  EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR,  IMAGE  Film  &  Video 
Center,  Atlanta,  GA  seeks  experienced  arts  professional  to 
lead  22-yr  old  media  arts  center.  Duties:  strategic  planning, 
program  development,  fundraising,  financial  planning  & 
budget  administration,  and  organizational  management. 
Reports  to  a  20-member  Board  of  Directors.  Requirements: 
minimum  or  three  years  non-profit  arts  mangement  experi- 
ence &  knowledge  of  the  contemporary  media  scene,  as  well 
as  excellent  oral,  written,  people  &  computer  skills.  Salary: 
35K-40K,  plus  generous  benefits.  Visit  our  web  site  at 
www.image.fv.org.  Consideration  of  applications  will  contin- 
ue until  the  position  is  filled.  Send  cover  letter  with  resume 


SHOOTING 
ONDV? 


Don't  bump  to 
Beta  for  post. 

Edit  your  video  in  a 

broadcast  quality 
all-DV  environment. 

Rent  our  Apple 

Final  Cut  Pro  NLE 

Edit  Suite  for  much 

less  than  an  Avid. 


Call  Mint  Leaf  Productions: 
(212)  280-3444 


EDIT  ON  DV! 


training 


digital/non-linear  editing 


Beginning,  intermediate,  and 
advanced  classes  are  offered 
monthly. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts 
is  an  Avid  Authorized  Education 
Center  serving  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Michigan,  Western  Pennsylvania, 
and  Kentucky. 

Call  for  more  information 

Maria  Troy,  674  292-7617 

wexner  center  for  the  arts 
the  ohio  state  university 
1871  north  high  street 
columbus,  ohio  43210 
www.wexarts.org 


AUDIOATDEO 
POST  PRODUCTION 


▲ 

VoiceWorks® 
Sound  Studios 
212-541-6592 

Media  100  XS  System 

After  Effects /Boris  Effects 
Scanner  /  Photoshop 

Sonic  Solutions 
Digital  Audio  Editing 

Voice  Over  Casting 
Voice  Over  Recording 
Reasonable  Rates!!! 


353  West  48th  Street  2nd  Floor 

New  York,  New  York  10036 

FAX:  212-541-8139 

F-Mail:  vworksC"  tiol.com 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 
T  ri  r,  BBBBwaiiKsi 
at    affordable 
rates 


NTSC  8c  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  gig  MicroNef  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -  Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  '  NYC 
212  253  9472 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


«.  ^rj  .TV  r  =>  r  =-» 


i) 


RENT  ANTHOLOGY'S 
2  THEATERS 

MAYA  DEREN  THEATER 

80  seats,  $250  -  first  hour 
$200  -  each  additional  hour 

COURTHOUSE  THEATER 

220  seats,  $300  -  first  hour 
$250  -  each  additional  hour 

ANTHOLOGY  FILM  ARCHIVES 
32  SECOND  AVE  @  SECOND  ST 
NYC  10003  TEL:  212.505.5181 
www.  anthologyfilmarchives.  org 


•The  rental  fees  include  theater  and  pro- 
jection staff,  equipment,  and  all  related  ser- 
vices; there  are  no  extra  or  hidden  costs. 
•Both  theaters  are  equipped  to  show  16mm  and 
35mm  film  (all  ratios);  video  (VHS,  3/4,  Beta);  and 
laser  discs.  The  Maya  Deren  Theater  can  also 
accommodate  8mm  and  Super-8  film  projection. 
•Each  theater  has  its  own  lobby  space  ideal  for 
receptions  and  information  tables,  for  use  before, 
during  or  to  follow  your  screening. 
•A  $100  deposit  is  required  to  confirm  all  reserva- 
tions (non-refundable). 

•Special  rates  available  for  industry  screenings 
and  extended  rentals  (3  days  or  more);  call  to 
inquire. 


&  list  of  references  to:  Search  Committee,  c/o  Mr.  Terry  T 
Tucker,  Ernst  &  Young,  600  Peachtree  St.,  Atlanta,  GA  30308; 
fax:  (404)  817-4844;  email:  terry.tucker@ey.com 

STEADICAM  WORKSHOP  IN  NYC,  Intensive  instructional 
designed  to  get  you  up  and  operating.  AH  basics  covered. 
Mostly  hands  on.  Discounted  rental  of  rig  after  course  com- 
pletion. Believe  it.  You  can  do  it.  Limit  of  6  per  class  (212) 
613-5767. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 


GREAT  FILMS 

USE  MODERN  GEAR 

•  AATON  XTRprod  SUPER  16/1 6mm 

•  SONY  HDW-700A  HIGH-DEFINITION 

•  GRIP,  LIGHTING  &  POWER 

•  STEADICAM  PRO 

•  FIELD  AUDIO 


I     ■  J' 


QUALITY  GEAR.  LOW  PACKAGE  RATES.  NO  HASSLES. 


MODERN  MQVIE 

MACHINE! 


RUN  BY  FILMMAKERS  FOR  FILMMAKERS 

888-569-7200 

www.modernmovie.com 

HOUSTON,    TEXAS 
FREE  SHIPPING  ON  WEEKLY  PACKAGE  RENTALS 


SPLASH 


DIGITAL  AUDIO  POST 
212-271-8747 

DIALOG,  FX  EDITING, 

ADR,  FOLEY  RECORDING 

&  MIXING 

168  5th  Avenue.   5th  Floor  N  W 

New  York,   New  York    10010 

Fox:   212  271    8748 

e-mail:   bplprod@aol.com 


Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE:  Experienced  line  producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  MC,  Visa,  Amex. 
Indie  rates  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

DGA  AWARD-WINNING  writer/director  looking  to  cofinance 
feature  project.  Must  be  commercial,  mainstream.  If  you 
have  an  entertaining  project  with  some  financing  already  in 
place,  call  (718)  341-2619. 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  for  major  studios,  indies, 
and  private  clients.  Full  analysis,  commercial  assessment. 
Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays:  (212)  567-8820  (M-F  9- 
6).  www.members.aol.com/Actfour4/;  Actfour4@aol.com 

SCREENWRITER  looking  to  collaborate  on  project  with 
independent  filmmaker.  Will  be  an  erotic  film  with  philo- 
sophical overtones.  Plot  deals  with  life  and  relationships  in 
our  modern,  post-industrial  society.  Call  Jason  (618)  344- 
7132. 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 
services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (,015/ft)  Call 
Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  rea- 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


sonable  &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212) 
595-5002; (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (212)  982-7658 

AVID  EDITOR:  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media 
Composer  w/  AVR  77  &  offline  rez.  Beta  SR  DAT,  extra  dri- 
ves, Pro-tools  editing  &  mixing,  and  your  Avid  or  mine.  Fast 
and  easy  to  get  along  with.  Credit  cards  accepted.  Drina 
(212)  561-0829. 

AVID  MEDIA  COMPOSER  SUITE:  Online/Offline,  AVR  77, 
Beta  SR  3D  RealTime  Graphics,  Intraframe,  888  Digidesign 
Audio  Interface,  Digidizing  Video  Slave  Driver,  professional 
recording  studio  monitors,  two  20"  viewing  monitors,  SMPTE 
viewing  monitors,  DAT  recorder,  16  channel  mixer,  ProTools, 
After  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator.  350  MHz/128  MB  G3. 
Creative,  skilled  staff  editors  or  use  your  own.  Spacious, 
charming  environment.  24  hr  access.  Best  rates  in  NYC. 
Tel./Fax:  (718)  802-9874. 

BOSTON  MEDIA  100  for  rent.  Indie  rates:  $20/hr!  Top  of  the 
line  system;  broadcast  quality;  32  gigs;  Beta  SP  deck;  tech 
support.  Office  w/  24  hr  access,  full  kitchen  &  beautiful  gar- 
den. Award-winning  editors.  Astrea  Films  (617)  266-2418. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY:  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal 
only.  Regular  8mm,  Super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or 
Betacam  SR  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by- 
scene  only.  Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948- 
7985. 

EDITOR  W/  NYC  AVIDXPRESS  edit  suite  seeks  filmmakers. 
Let  experienced,  collaborative,  and  creative  editor  help  real- 
ize your  film  or  digital  feature,  doc,  or  short  at  VERY  indie 
rates.  Matt  (212)  979-8506. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 
DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater.com; 
(800)  807-4142. 

MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8  .  .  .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates, 
tech  support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212) 
868-0028. 

MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  &  3/4 
suites,  Hi-8  video,  reg.  8,  super  8,  16mm,  film  transfers, 
audio  &  photo  services.  Good,  fast  editor  avail.  Call  Bill 
Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  MedialOO  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee.  718-599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 


PRODUCTION    POST  PRODUCTION    DUPLICATION 


145  WEST  20TH  STREET     N.Y.,  NY     10011 
TEL:   212-242-0444       FAX:   212-242-4419 


DVD  Independent  Special 

includes  encoding,  authoring  &  one  disc 
15min. -S800       30  min.  -$1200 
60  min.  -  $1 750     90  min.  -  $2000 


Media  100  Editing 

Production  Packages 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


Finding  Stock  Footage 


that's  delivered  quickly, 

on  budget  and  with  superior 

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takes 


:eS  Energy. 


ENERGY 


FIL 


LIBRARY 


1.800. IMAGERY  |  canadal.800.361.3456 
www.digital-energy.com|    Fuel  for  Thought. 


Documentary  Makers; 
Video  Animation  Stand 

3   CCD   CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  Price  In  new  York 

CONTACT:    PETER    CASCONE 

419  Park  Avenue  South     new  York,  NY  tool  6 
TEL:   212-689-7678  FAX:   212-689-7544 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       59 


I 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office:  304 
Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam)  6th  fl., 
in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.);  C, 
E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 

AIVF  events  REQUIRE  advanced  registration  and 
prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline  with  Visa, 
Mastercard,  or  American  Express  info,  or  mail  a 
check  or  money  order.  (Please  note:  your  check 
must  be  received  one  week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve 
your  seat.  Seats  are  sold  first-come  first-served.) 

The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest  information. 


JOIN  US  FOR  THE 
NEW  YORK  PREMIERE  OF 

AMERICAN  MOVIE 
TO  BENEFIT  AIVF 

FUCKIN'  A, 
IT'S  PARTY  TIME! 

Save  the  date: 

Tuesday, 
November  2 

and  join  director 
Chris  Smith,  pro- 
ducers Sara  Price 
and  Jim  McKay, 
filmmaker  Mark 
Borchardt,  musician 
Mike  Schank,  and  other  special  guests  for 
a  wicked  cool  evening  of  events  celebrat- 
ing the  film's  national  opening. 

Tickets  will  be  sold  first  to  AIVF  members; 
should  seats  remain,  public  tickets  will  be 
made  available  the  week  before  the  event. 

As  we  go  to  press,  details  have  yet  to  be 
finalized  (but  we'll  hint  that  the  post- 
screening  party  involves  bowling);  visit 
www.aivf.org/information/amermovie.html 
or  call  AIVF  at  (212)  807-1400  x  411  for 
further  information! 


October  Events 

MEET  AND  GREET: 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND 

When:  Tuesday,  October  19th,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office. 

Cost:  Free  to  AIVF 

members/$10  general 

public. 

To  register /hear  more 

details:  Please  RSVP 

(212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

The  Soros  Documentary  Fund  (SDF)  is  a  pro- 
gram of  the  Open  Society  Institute  NY,  that 
supports  the  production  and  distribution  of 
documentary  films  and  videos  dealing  with  sig- 
nificant contemporary  human  rights,  social  jus- 
tice, civil  liberties,  and  freedom  of  expression 
issues.  SDF's  goal  is  to  raise  public  conscious- 
ness about  human  rights  abuses  and  restrictions 
ot  civil  liberties,  to  give  voice  to  the  diverse 
speech  which  is  crucial  to  an  open  society,  and 
to  engage  citizens  in  debate  about  these  issues. 
Seed  funds  are  available  for  projects  in  the 
research  or  preproduction  phase,  with  prefer- 
ence of  emerging  filmmakers.  Projects  in  pro- 
duction or  post-production  are  eligible  for  the 
maximum  grant  award.  See  this  month's 
Funder  FAQ  on  p. 39  for  more  information. 

SPECIAL  WORKSHOP 

A  DEMO  OF  FINAL  CUT  PRO 
DIGITAL  VIDEO  EDITING  SOFTWARE 

When:  Wednesday,  Oct.  20th  6:30-8  p.m. 
Where:  Outpost  Digital  (145  Sixth  Ave.,  pent- 
house suite,  NYC.  212/929-9380) 
Cost:  Free.  AIVF  members  only 
To  register/hear  more  details:  (212)  807-1400  x 
301.  You  must  RSVP — space  is  limited  to  15 

Come  check  out  the  pros  and  cons  of  Final  Cut 
Pro  in  this  technical  Q  6k  A  and  demonstra- 
tion. Outpost  Digital,  a  full-service  post-pro- 
duction facility-,  offers  a  unique  approach  to 
non-linear  post-production  training  for  inde- 
pendents in  their  month-long  seminar.  Taught 
by  Mac  expert,  Evan  Schechtman  and  industry 
editor/SVA  instructor  Gary  Cooper,  filmmakers 


learn  to  develop  their  editing  eye  and  gain  thor- 
ough hands-on  experience  using  Final  Cut  Pro. 
Attendees  of  tonight's  demo  get  a  discount  on 
registration  for  this  Seminar. 

NEW  SERIES! 

DOCUMENTARY  DIALOGUES: 

THE  LANDSCAPE  AS  CHARACTER 

When:  Wednesday,  Oct.  27th  6:30-8  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office. 

Cost:  Free  (AIVF  members  only). 

To  register/hear  more  details:   RSVP  required. 

Space  limited  to  25.   (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Documentary'  Dialogues  is  a  bi-monthly  discus- 
sion group  comprised  of  AIVF  documentarians. 
Topics  will  vary  from  month-to-month  and 
encompass  theoretical  and  philosophical  per- 
spectives and  approaches  to  independent  film- 
and  videomaking.  Documentary  Dialogues 
facilitates  the  exchange  of  ideas  and  is  a  great 
way  to  meet  new  collaborators. 

In  this  night's  event,  we  invite  you  to  con- 
sider the  role  of  the  natural  world  to  provoke, 
engage  and  excite  the  viewer.  Award-winning 
cinematographer  D.W  Leitner  and  filmmaker 
Christy  Hannum  will  show  clips  from  Keeping 
Sound,  a  work-in-progress,  and  a  completed 
work,  The  Magruficent  Obsession  of  Everett 
Ruess,  along  with  films  of  local  artists  in  which 
the  landscape  plays  a  vital  role,  and  how  it  can 
enhance  the  central  themes  and  characters  in  a 
Him. 

SPECIAL  PRESCREENING  EVENT: 

THE  BLACK  MARIA 
FILM  AND  VIDEO  FESTIVAL 

When:  Friday,  Oct.  29th,  7-9  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office. 

Cost:  Free  (AIVF  members  only). 

To  register/hear  more  details:   RSVP  required. 

(212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Be  part  of  the  pre-screening  process  for  the 
2000  Black  Maria  Film  6k  Video  Festival. 
Submissions  will  be  informally  shown  at  the 
AIVF  office,  with  members  providing  feedback 
on  the  entries.  The  Black  Maria,  known  for  its 
experimental    forms    and    selections    by/about 


60    THE    INDEPENDENT     October  1999 


women  and  people  of  color,  is  in  its  19th  year, 
celebrating  poetic,  socially  responsible,  and  cul- 
turally enriching  films.  Around  50  of  the  riski- 
er, fresher  works  will  tour  the  U.S.  to  maximize 
audience  potential.  This  open  process  of  pre- 
screening  by  peers  promises  to  be  constructive 
and  illuminating  for  all  concerned.  (For  more 
on  the  festival  and  its  touring  program,  see  the 
July  issue  of  The  Independent  or  this  month's 
listing  on  p.  41.) 

AIVF  CO-SPONSORS: 

SPLIT  SCREEN  HIGHLIGHTS 
AT  LINCOLN  CENTER 

When:  Monday,  Oct.  11th,  7-9  p.m. 

Wlxere:  Walter  Reade  Theatre,  Film  Society  of 

Lincoln  Center  (165  W.  65th  St./B'way,  NYC) 

Cost:     $6.50/AIVF     members     with     card; 

$8.50/general  public 

To  register /hear  more  details:  Contact  the  Film 

Society  of  Lincoln  Center  box  office  at  (212) 

875-5600  or  www.filmlinc.com 

John  Pierson's  series,  Split  Screen,  is  completing 
its  third  year  on  IFC.  The  weekly  magazine  for- 
mat show  mixes  characters,  underexposed  film 
celebrities,  unexpected  locations,  surprising 
storylines  and  discoveries  of  films  (such  as  The 
Blair  Witch  Project  and  Hands  on  a  Hardbody) 
that  everyone  will  be  talking  about  next  year. 
Don't  miss  this  two-hour  highlights  program 
with  special  guests  and  "extra  surprises." 

AIVF  CO-SPONSORS: 

THE  FILMS  OF  HOU  HSIAO-HSIEN 

When:  Oct.  13-27,  various  showtimes. 
Where:  Walter  Reade  Theater,  Film  Society  of 
Lincoln  Center  (165  W  65th  St./B'way,  NYC) 
Cost:     $6.50/AIVF     members     with     card; 
$8.50/general  public. 

To  register/hear  more  details:  Contact  the  Film 
Society  of  Lincoln  Center  box  office  at  (212) 
875-5600  or  www.filmlinc.com.  (Printed  pro- 
grams also  available  in  AIVF's  Library.) 

Well-known  to  critics  and  film  festival  habitues, 
Taiwanese  director  Hou  Hsiao -hsien  is  one  of 
today's  great  directors.  Hou  burst  onto  the 
international  scene  in  1983  with  The  Bo^s  from 
Fengkuei  and  since  then  has  created  a  new  form 
of  cinematic  storytelling.  Films  include:  A  Time 
to  Live  and  a  Time  to  Die,  Dust  in  the  Wind,  a 
remarkable  historical  trilogy  (City  of  Sadness, 
The  Puppetmaster,  and  Good  Men)  and  his  latest 
period  piece,  Flowers  of  Shanghai.  Don't  miss 
this  rare  retrospective. 


AND  DON'T  FORGET  TO  ATTEND  OUR 
ON-GOING  NYC  CO-SPONSORED  PROGRAMS: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

This  ongoing  series,  screening  shorts  and  fea- 
tures every  Wednesday  evening  at  Anthology 
Film  Archives,  (2  Ave,  at  2nd  St,  NYC;  (212) 
505-5110)  gives  independents  the  chance  to 
exhibit  their  work  to  the  public  and  New  York 
audiences  the  opportunity  to  see  outstanding 
new  films  at  the  cheapest  ticket  prices  in  town 
($5).  To  submit  your  work,  call  (212)  410-9404- 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT 

SCREENPLAY  READING  AND  SHORT  FILM  SERIES 

This  acclaimed  weekly  program  (every  Tuesday 
at  the  Nuyorican  Poet's  Cafe,  236  E.  3rd  St, 
NYC)  presents  provides  an  inspiring  environ- 
ment for  screenwriters,  producers,  actors, 
agents,  and  financiers  to  network  and  create 
community.  Screenings  of  short  films  precede 
all  readings.  For  a  complete  schedule,  contact 
Fifth  Night  at  (212)  529-9329. 

FILM  BYTES 

ONLINE  INDEPENDENT  WEBCAST  SERVICE 

Every  Monday  AIVF  co  -hosts  FILM  BYTES  at 
8  p.m.  E.S.T  at  www.pseudo.com  This  webcast 


series  on  independent  media  production  is 
produced  by  Kinotek  and  Pseudo  Network. 

REMINDER! 

AIVF  VOTING  ELIGIBILITY 

Only  paid  membership  categories  are  eligible 

to  vote  in  the  AIVF  board  elections.  If  your 
membership  expires  on  or  before  October  15 
and  you  do  not  renew,  you  will  not  be  eligible  to 
vote.  To  verify  your  membership  status  or  to 
renew,  contact  membersCaaivf.org  or  call 
(212)  807-1400  x  224.  Nominee  statements 
and  ballots  will  be  mailed  in  late  October  and 
responses  are  due  December  3. 

CAN'T  GET  THROUGH  TO  US? 

AIVF  gets  over  6,000  calls  each  month!  When 
you  need  information  or  assistance,  you'll  find 
many  of  your  questions  addressed  on  our  web 
site,  www.aivf.org,  and  our  voice  mail  system  is 
designed  to  lead  you  to  the  solutions  you  seek. 
If  you  need  to  hear  a  human  voice,  call  from 
2-5  p.m.  EST  to  reach  our  receptionist. 

OFFICE  HOURS  IN  OCTOBER 

AIVF  will  be  closed  to  the  public  Monday 
October  11th  through  Friday  October  15th. 


FIVF/AIVF  Board  of  Directors  Meeting 

The  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  met  in  Boston  on  June  26-27  as  guests 
of  M.I.T's  Media  Lab.  Attending  were:  Loni  Ding  (Co-Pres.),  Lee  Lew  Lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Diane  Markrow  (Co-Chair),  Robb  Moss  (Co-Chair),  Elizabeth  Peters  (ex-officio),  Robert 
Richter  (Treasurer),  Valerie  Soe,  Bart  Weiss  (Co-Pres.).  Absent:  Peter  Lewnes,  Richard 
Linklater,  Jim  McKay  (Secretary  6k  Vice  Pres.).The  AIVF  Board  and  staff  had  the  fortunate 
experience  of  touring  the  Media  Lab  and  joined  the  ITVS  board  at  a  reception  sponsored  by 
BF/VF  and  WGBH. 

Pat  Thomson,  Editor  of  The  Independent,  reported  on  upcoming  issues  and  plans  for  the  year 
2000.  Paul  Power,  Managing  Editor  of  The  Independent,  reported  that  the  scale-back  to  black 
and  white  reflected  well  in  the  June  bill. 

Michelle  Coe,  Program  &  Information  Services  Director  reported  that  the  Self-Distribution 
Toolkit  is  out.  The  Exhibitors  Guide  will  be  out  in  late  August.  In  the  future  it  will  be  supple- 
mented by  a  database  along  with  the  Guide  to  Festivals.  Coe  also  reported  that  there  is  a  new 
workshop/event  called  'Meet  Your  Maker'.  It  will  focus  on  N.Y.  area  filmmakers.  They  will  dis- 
cuss the  nuts  and  bolts  of  production  and  how  they  got  their  film  seen.  AIVF  will  keep  mate- 
rials from  the  filmmaker  for  our  library,  i.e.  budgets,  and  this  series  will  be  for  members  only. 

Eugene  Hernandez,  Webmaster,  reported  that  the  site  needs  to  be  updated  to  accept  indi- 
vidual passwords.  There  is  the  ability  now  to  password  particular  pages  as  part  of  the  member 
database  system.  There  is  also  the  ability  in  house  to  process  password  protection  on  articles  or 
whatever  files  we  want  to  protect. 

Elizabeth  Peters,  Executive  Director,  reported  that  there  is  a  new  budget  and  a  new  chart  of 
accounts.  Peters  projects  a  balanced  budget  with  an  18%  increase  in  earned  income.  We'll  be 
carrying  a  $40,000  debt  that  we  will  address  next  year. 

The  Board  clarified  eligibility  and  process  for  board  elections.  The  next  Board  Meeting  is 
September  25-26,  and  the  winter  meeting  will  be  January  15-16,  2000. 

— .Jessica  Perez 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


S ::.-...  -■'■•■  :j.?Jf. 


by   Lisa   Vasta 


Did  you  ever  think  about  making  a  time 
At  for  posterity?  How  would  people  of  the 
future  interpret  objects  of  the  present?  In  1936, 
Dr.  Thornwell  Jacobs  proposed  "to  make  avail- 
able to  some  civilization  now  unthought  of,  and 
still  far  in  the  future,  the  running  story  of  our 
life,  manners,  and  customs."  As  the  year  2000 
approaches,  interest  in  time  capsules  is  grow- 
ing. Time  Capsule:  Message  in  a  Bottle  is  part 
history  lesson,  part  road-trip,  and  part  pop  cul- 
ture primer.  Time  capsules  have  been  buried  for 
future  earthlings  as  well  as  sent  into  space  for 
alien  observation.  The  film  studies  the  history 
of  time  capsules  along  with  the  current  interest 
in  burying  the  present.  The  film  shows  footage 
of  time  capsule  ceremonies  of  the  past  as  well  as 
interviews  with  people  making  their  own.  Zia 
Films,  2536  Alki  Ave.  SW  #118,  Seattle,  WA 
98116;  cathocon(5  seanet.com;  (206)  933- 
0483. 

Radioman  (The  Collector)  is  Pipo  Maypo's 
first  feature  documentary  about  a  New  York 
City  fixture,  Radioman,  who  earned  his  nick- 
name by  wearing  a  boom  box  strapped  around 
his  neck.  This  charming  eccentric  makes  his 
living  by  selling  autographed  photos  of  celebri- 
ties whom  he  accosts  on  movie  sets  and  at 
hotels.  Not  surprisingly  he  has  a  side  job  as  a 
movie  extra  and  has  had  speaking  parts  in 
Ransom,  Godzilla,  and  Big  Daddy.  He  is  a  big 
collector  of  souvenir  event  bags,  usually  goes  to 
his  film's  wrap  parties,  and  gets  his  name  in  the 
many  New  York  gossip  columns.  The  film  fea- 


tures many  of  Radioman's  interactions  with 
celebrities,  as  well  as  comments  from  passersby 
who  sometimes  stop  to  watch.  Contact  www. 
radiomanthecollector.com 

In  this  age  of  surveillance,  both  visible  and 
covert,  it  was  only  a  matter  of  time  before  a 
filmmaker  turned  the  camera  on  the  cameras 
themselves.  Whitney  Ransick,  writer,  producer 
and  director  of  Shock  TV,  has  done  just  that. 
He  explains,  "The  prevalent  use  of  video  in 
today's  society  fascinates  me."  Most  of  us  put 
up  with   video  cameras  capturing   the   most 

m  u  n  d  a  n  e 
aspects  of  our 
lives— buying 
groceries  or 

depositing  a 
check  at  the 
bank — because 
we  have  no 
choice.  Safety 
trumps  privacy. 
But  some  people 
appear  to  be 
playing  for  the 
camera.  The 
tagline  for  Shock 
TV  says  it  all: 
"Eddie  and 

Bobby  always 
wanted  to  be  on 
TV."  This  is  a 
teen  crime  flick 
with     a     twist, 


filmed  as  if  it  is  "caught  on  tape."  We  see  these 
kids  the  way  the  cops  see  them  through  store, 
bank,  and  prison  security  cameras.  Crime  and 
privacy  are  never  far  apart.  Victims  of  crime 
have  their  privacy  taken  from  them  but  Shock 
TV  shows  how  the  fight  against  crime  has  also 
become  the  fight  against  privacy.  Genna 
Goldberg/Hayley  Friedman,  Sharpe  Public 
Relations  &  Marketing,  (310)  274-3587. 

When  director  Jonathan  Berman  was  a 
teenager  he  filmed  many  ultra-violent  caper 
films  with  his  best  bud  Paul.  Fifteen  years  later, 
Berman  reteams  with  Paul  in  his  new  film.  But 
Berman  doesn't  want  this  film  necessarily  to 
cover  the  same  ground  as  their  boyhood  work 
and  Paul's  psychological  state  wouldn't  allow 
this  anyway:  he's  a  diagnosed  manic  depressive. 
Berman  admits  to  having  a  fascination  with 
Paul's  lifestyle  ("My  best  friend  from  childhood 
robs  banks  .  .  .  cool!")  and  what  transpires  is 
My  Friend  Paul,  a  documentary  about  the 
renewed  friendship  between  a  filmmaker  and  a 
mentally  unstable  bank  robber  which  Berman 
begins  on  the  eve  of  his  friend's  release  from  a 
10-year  prison  sentence.  My  Friend  Paid  traces  a 
friendship  that  hasn't  always  been  petfect,  or 
even  there  at  all — at  one  point  Paul  stole 
money  from  Berman  and  disappeared  during 
college.  As  the  film  progresses,  the  overwhelm- 
I  ing  feeling  is  one  of  how  do  you  help  someone 
who  is  nearing  a  breakdown  while  not  having 
one  of  your  own?  Five  Points  Pictures  (212) 
685-7166;  www.myfriendpaul.com 

The  school  system  in  America — and  New 
York  in  particular — has  become  a  huge  political 
and  media  issue.  Should  we  teach  religion  in 
public  school?  Should  we  have  mandatory  uni- 
forms? Does  a  privately  funded  school  have  the 
right  to  admit  girls  only?  And,  of  course,  why 
can't  our  children  read  and  add?  If  you  think 
these  are  only  American  issues,  then  think 
again — they're  present  in  most  educational  sys- 
tems. The  Summerhili  Documentary  will  be  of 
interest  to  anyone  who  cares  about  the  freedom 
of  children  to  learn.  The  Summerhili 
Documentary  profiles  a  British  school  that  may 
be  forced  to  close  over  its  freedom  of  curricu- 
lum. The  school  allows  students  to  choose 
whether/when  to  attend  various  classes,  giving 
them  control  over  what  they  learn.  The 
Summerhili  Documentary,  which  will  cover  three 
years  at  the  school,  promises  to  be  a  fascinating 
document  on  the  concept  of  education. 
William  Tyler  Smith  (212)  358-0243,  Julian 
Hoxter,  (England)  Oil  44  1703  488-203. 


62    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


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<^~) 


The  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  indepen- 
dents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the 
AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Be  sure 
to  contact  your  local  Salon  Leader  to  confirm 
date,  time,  and  location  of  the  next  meeting! 

New  AIVF  Salon  starting  soon: 

Brooklyn,  NY 
See  salons  section  at  www.aivf.org  for  more  info. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  First  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30pm 
Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin  (518)  489-2083; 
mike@videosforchange.com 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Where:  Yarbrough  Library,  2200  Hancock  Drive 
Contact:  Rebecca  Millner  at  (512)  388-7605; 
rlmillner@hotmail.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets 

off  of  Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  mark@imagefv.org, 

geninfo@imagefv.org 

Birmingham,  AL: 

Contact:  Pat  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories@mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

Contact:  Fred  Simon,  (508)  528-7279; 
FSimon@aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month  6:30-8:45pm 

Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 

68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolini,  (843)  805-6841; 

filmsalon@aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

Contact:  Annetta  Marion  and  Bernadette  Gillota 
(216)  781-1755;  AnnettaLM@aol.com, 
OhioIndieFilmFest@juno.com 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  Third  Wednesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999; 
bart@videofest.org 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice 

Center,  1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445; 

programming^  fstv.org  or  Diane  Markrow  , 

(303)  449-7125 

Houston,  TX: 

When:  Last  Tuesday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Beth  Mederios,  Houston  Film 
Commission  Hotline,  (713)  227-1407 


Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  the  month,  5:30  pm 

Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or 

dot@inetnebr.com, 

www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 

Manhattan,  NY 

When:  3rd  Monday  of  each  month,  5-8  pm 

Where:  Baby  Jupiter,  170  Orchard  Street 

(1  block  south  of  Houston,  2nd  Ave  stop  on  F) 

Contact:  Joe  Sullivan,  212/242-3396 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 
When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  &  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 
allen@passionriver.com;  www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675;  mediaart@connix.com 

Newport,  RI: 

When:  Second  Monday  of  each  month 
Contact:  George  Marshall,  (401)  861-4445; 
flicksart@aol.com,  www.film-festival.org 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  326-2668 

Portland,  OR: 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254; 
betuccia@aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 

chuck(«  millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811  or 
espinosa@electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-6051; 
joel@speakeasy.org;  or  visit 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tampa,  FL: 

Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690-4416; 
indyprod@tampabay.rr.com 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Monday  of  each  month  from 
6-8  pm  at  Club  Congress,  3 1 1  E.  Congress. 
Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridge@theriver.com;  Robert  Ashle, 
robert@access.tucson.org;  or  visit 
http://access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.4; 
sowande@bellatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll® 
aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,  (914)  948-3447; 
jonkap@bestweb.net 

Youngstown,  OH: 

Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
artbyrd@mindspring.com,  or  visit 
www.cboss.com/flickclique 


Film  Video  Arts 


a  nonprofit  media  arts  center 


:    HLHJ 

1JL.M.XL.UIJ 

=  rii  IK^^IKSI 

MB"":i2ih 

1 V  II 

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serving  independents  since  1968 

courses 

camera    rentals 

postproduction 

dubs  &  transfers 

affordable    rates 


212.673.9361 

817    broadway     nyc 


October   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      63 


TW. 


— 


2E 


S 


i  lation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 

of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent 
media  community,  including  publication  of  The 
Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival  Bureau, 
seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  information  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would 
be  possible  without  the  generous  support  of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following 
organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Jerome  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation  John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

Forest  Creatures  Entertainment,  Inc.  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

Home  Box  Office  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation  The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation  The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 

Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


& 


NYSCA 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Dinque  Entertainment,  Inc;  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  NY: 
Labyrinth  Productions;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz  Co.,  Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  RJB 
Productions;  White  Night  Productions  Inc.;  CO:  BET  Movies/Star:! 3;  Heidi  McLean;  Intrepid  Film 
&.  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head  Productions;  GA:  Mark  Morton;  IL:  Optimus;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.; 
CS  Associates;  MD:  Imagination  Machines;  MI:  Jes  &  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MS:  Second 
Annual  Magnolia  Film  Festival;  NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC;  Black  Maria  Film 
Festival;  NY:  Arc  International  Entertainment  Corp.;  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions; 
Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  Catherine  Carey;  Choices,  Inc.;  Citystuff.com, 
Dependable  Delivery',  Inc.;  Dynamism;  Engel  Production;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  Films  for  Educators; 
Fireballs  Films,  Ltd.;  G  Productions,  Golden  Cinema  Enterprises,  Inc.;  Historic  Film  Archive;  Jr.  Video; 
Julia  John  Music;  Kitchen  Cinema;  LD  Media  Corp;  Mad  Mad  Judy;  Media  Principia;  Middlemarch 
Films;  NYT  Television;  Parallax  Pictures,  Inc.;  Paul  Dinatale  Post,  Inc.;  Pitch  Productions,  Inc.;  Prime 
Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Sea  Horse  Films;  Stuart  Math  Films  Inc.;  Sundance  Channel  LLC;  Toolbox 
Animation;  Tribune  Pictures;  Winstar  Productions;  Wonder  Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI: 
AIDS  FILMS— RI;  TX:  Graham  Dorian,  Inc.;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  UT:  Rapid 
Video,  LLC;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  WA:  Amaron.com;  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ;  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona  University;  CA: 
Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  KOCT; 
UC/Media  Resource  Center;  NAM  AC;  Nat'l  Educational  Media  Network;  USC  School  of  Cinema  TV; 
University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  Denver  Center  for  the  Performing  Arts;  CT:  Film 
Fest  New  Haven;  GA:  Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii/Manoa; 
IL:  Community  Television  Network;  The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago;  Facets;  Macarthur  Foundation; 
Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The  Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  MA:  Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  MD: 
Laurel  Cable  Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  WTVS  Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist 
Fellowships;  IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  NC: 
Cucalorus  Film  Foundation;  NE:  Nebraska  Independent  Film  Project,  Inc.;  NJ:Thomas  Edison  Media 
Arts  Consortium;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.;  Brooklyn 
Film  Institute;  Center  For  New  American  Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications  Society; 
Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions; 
Educational  Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation;  Guggenheim 
Museum  Soho;  Irish  American  Film  Foundation;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic 
Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film 
and  Television;  Open  Society  Institute/Soros  Documentary  Fund;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul 
Robeson  FundTunding  Exchange;  The  Roth  School  Library;  Squeaky  Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo  Dept. 
Media  Studies;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13;  Women  Make  Movies;  OH: 
Athens  Center  For  Film  &.  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  City  of  Cleveland;  Cleveland 
Filmmakers;  Ohio  University-Film;  Wexner  Center;  OR:  Communications  Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest 
Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty  Productions;  PA/Council  On  The  Arts; 
Philadelphia  Film/Video  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  Add.  Temple  University;  RI: 
Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film 
Fest;  TX:  Austin  Film  Society;  Austin  Film  Festival;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio-TV- 
Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WI:  Madison  Film  Forum;  India:  Foundation  for  Universal  Responsiblity; 
Mexico:  Centro  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Canada:  Video  Pool;  Norway:  Hogskulen  I 
Volda/Biblioteket 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash  re- 
serve fund 
for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in  1997,  we  have  raised  more  than 
$95,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts;  Ovation;  Washington  DC  Film 
Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck,  Timed 
Exposures;  Peter  Buck;  Hugo  Cassirer, 
Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge;  Linda  6k 
Bob  Curtis;  Jacob  Burns  Foundation,  Inc.; 
Loni  Ding;  Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen 
Freedman  &  Roger  Weisberg;  Julie 
Goldman,  WinStar  Productions;  David 
Haas;  Henry  Hampton',  Blackside,  Inc.; 
Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey,  The  Catticus 
Corporation;  Richard  Kaplan;  Deborah 
Kozee,  C6kS  International  Insurance 
Brokers;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz,  Forest 
Creatures  Entertainment;  Richard  Kylberg, 
Communicom;  Tom  LeGoff;  Helaine  6k 
Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner;  Peter 
Lewnes;  Rick  Linklater,  Detour  Film 
Foundation;  Juan  Mandelbaum;  John  Bard 
Manulis;  Diane  Markrow;  Jim  McKay, 
C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins; 
David  6k  Sandy  Picker;  R.E.M./Athens 
LLC;  Barbara  Roberts;  James  Schamus, 
Good  Machine;  Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza 
Vann  Smith;  Miranda  Smith;  Michael 
Stipe;  Ann  Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records/ 
Videos/Books;  Walterry  Insurance  Co.; 
Marc  N.  Weiss  6k  Nancy  Meyer;  Martin 
Wills,  TCI/District  Cablevision;  Robert  E. 
Wise;  Susan  Wittenberg;  Lawrence  Zicklin, 
Jewish  Communal  Fund.  (*deceased) 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals 
and  organizations  who  have  recently 
made  or  renewed  generous  donations  of 
$100  or  more  as  MCF  Friends  (6/15/99 

TO  8/15/99): 

Julie  Goldman,  WinStar  Productions; 
Richatd  Kaplan;  Eloise  Payne;  Valerie  Soe 


64    THE    INDEPENDENT     October   1999 


ARN 


I 


A4^t\IN€3 


WRITE  •  SHOOT  •  DIRECT  •  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE 
TOTAL  IMMERSION  PROGRAMS  FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  LITTLE  OR  NO  PRIOR 

FILMMAKING  EXPERIENCE.  WORK  WITH  16MM  ARRIFLEX  CAMERAS  IN 
SMALL  CLASSES  DESIGNED  AND  TAUGHT  BY  AWARD-WINNING  INSTRUCTORS. 


SUMMER  WCCrSHCM  LOCATED  AT 


NEW  YORK  CITY        PRINCETON  &  YALE  UNIVERSITY 

UCLA  CAMPUS  -  LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 

PARIS,  FRANCE        ROME,  ITALY 

CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY,  CAMBRIDGE,  ENGLAND 

SUMMER  WORKSHOPS  LOCATION  ONLY  -  FOUR  AND  SIX  WEEK. 


ADVANCED  DIRECTING  WORKSHOPS  ALSO  AVAILABLE 

NEW  WORKSHOPS  START  THE  FIRST  MONDAY  OF  EVERY  MONTH  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY  ALL  YEAR  ROUND 


All  workshops  are  solely  owned  and  operated  by  the  New  York  Film  Academy 


new  yocr  rii_M  academy 

100  EAST  17TH  STREET  NYC   10003  TEL:  212-674-4300  FAX:  212-477-1414 
WEB  PAGE:  www.nyfa.com   E-MAIL:  film@nyfa.com 


S  D  C  I  A  T  I  D  N   DF   INDEPENDENT   VIDEO   AND   FILMMAKERS 


V 


F 


Oesign  Nik  Ives 


TOTALLY  INDEPENDENT 

Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers 
of  The  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community 


Name. 


Address 

City 

Home  Phone. 


State  . 


Zip. 


.Business  Phone. 


I /We  wish  to  be  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


Enclosed  is  my 
in  the  amount 

gift  of 

of: 

independence 

J  $35 

J 

$150 

J  $50 

■ 

$200 

J  $100 
_J  Other 

J 

S5DD  and 

Honorary 

Committee 

Member 

Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF,  3D4  Hudson  St..  Gth  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013.  For  more  information  call  (212)  8D7-I40D.  ext.  224. 
Ihe  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization.  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible. 


NOVEMBER  1999 


A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film     www.aivf.org 


FILM  &  VIDEO  MONTHLY 


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already  available  in  digital  form.  Finished 
meditating?  Give  us  a  call! 


THE   TOTAL   PICTURE   OF   HUMAN   EXPERIENCE 


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Phone  (212)  822-7800  ■  Fax  (212)  645-2137   e-mail:  sa  I  esSla  rch  i  vef  i  Ims  .  com 


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Publisher  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
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Listings  Editor:  Scott  Castle 
Ifestiv3ls@aivf.0rgl 

Intern:  Lisa  Vasta 

Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge,  Lissa  Gibbs. 

Mark  J.  Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Merles, 
Barbara  Bliss  Osborn,  Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
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Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 
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Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly.  304  Hudson  St.,  6 fl, NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(FIVF),  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film.  Subscription  to  the  magazine  is  included  in  annual  membership  dues 
($55/yr  individual:  $3 5/yr  student.  $150/yr  business/industry;  $100/yr  nonprofit 
organization)  paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF), 
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Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr  Contact:  AIVF.  304  Hudson  St.,  6  fl..  NY, 
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www.aivf.org  Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY.  and  at  additional  mailing 
offices. 


DATIOHM 
CNDOWHERT 
WITWUTi 


Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public 
funds  from  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the 
a  grant  from  the  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts,  a  federal  agency 
Publication  of  any  advertisement  in  The  Independent  does  not  consti- 
tute an  endorsement  AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims  made 
in  an  ad. 


Letters  to  The  Independent  sbould  be  addressed  to  the  editor.  Letters  will  be  edited 
for  length.  All  contents  are  copynght  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film, 
Inc.  Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previous 
appearance  in  The  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director:  Michelle  Coe.  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director:  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership/advocacy  director:  Eugene 
Hernandez,  web  consultant:  Joshua  Sanchez,  webmaster:  Jessica  Perez,  administra- 
tive director;  Liza  Donatelh.  Toolkit  coordinator;  Bernard  Cistrunk.  intern 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel:  Robert  I  Freedman,  Esq.,  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Lorn  Ding  (co-president).  Lee  Lew-Lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Ruby  Lerner*.  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Linklater.  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane  Markrow  (co- 
chair),  Jim  McKay  (secretary,  vice  president).  Robb  Moss  (co-chair),  Elizabeth  Peters 
(ex  officio),  Robert  Richter  (treasurer).  James  Schamus*.  Valerie  Soe,  Barton  Weiss 
(co-president).  *  FIVF  Board  of  Directors  only 


2    THE    INDEPENDENT     November  1999 


Special  Issue:  Digital  Filmmaking 

Who  isn't  planning  to  shoot  digitally  nowadays?  Or  thinking  about  marketing  their  film  via  the 
web?  This  issue  reflects  the  seismic  changes 
that   are    underway   in    the    industry,    from 
fundraising  to  production  to  distribution. 

Features 

38  The  Art  &  Craft  of  Shooting  DV: 
A  Cinematographer's  Perspective 

Switching  from  film  to  digital  video  is  a  little 
more  complicated  than  one  might  think.  As 
this  group  of  cinematographers  makes  clear,  it 
not  only  involves  adjusting  to  different  cam- 
eras, but  also  to  different  aesthetics  and  a 
whole  new  bag  of  technical  tricks. 

by  Holly  Willis 

42  Amazon.com  Comes  Courting 

With  its  new  Advantage  program, 
Amazon.com  sets  its  sights  on  independent 
mediamakers.  The  question  is,  what  is  the 
advantage  to  signing  on  with  the  bookselling 
behemoth? 

by  Adam  Pincus 


5  News 

Senator  Bono's  copyright  windfall;  Dogma 
in  the  den  of  Lions  Gate;  Short  Ends. 

by  Robert  L.  Seigel;  Richard 
Baimbridge;  Paul  Power 


8  Opinion 


veat  emptor:  There's  a  downside  to  the  digital  onslaught. 
S.D.    Kat? 


Ca 

BY  S.D.  Katz 

10  Wired  Blue  Yonder 

CPB  counts  down  to  2K3;  on-line  screenwriting  workshops;  projections 
on  the  future  of  digital  projection;  more  web  siteseeing. 

by  Gary  O.  Larson;  Richard  Baimbridge; 
Mark  London  Williams;  Lisa  Vasta 


*!'" 


1 


20  Profiles 

Steve  Lawrence;  Marc  Weiss;  Jeff 
Meyers  &  Jeff  Jones;  Caspar  Stracke 

by  Aaron  Krach;  Larry 
loewinger;  thomas  white; 
Ilana  Goldberg 

26  Festival  Circuit 

A  sampler  of  on-line  film  fests;  the 
New  York  Video  Festival  embraces  the 
medium;  Siggraph's  futurama;  kicking 
it  up  at  the  Banff  Television  festival. 

by  Eugene  Hernandez; 

Steve  Erickson;  Karen 

Voss;  Trish  Dolman 


Departments 

34  Technology 

New  accessories  for  your 
Canon  XL- 1 . 

by  Robert  Goodman 


FAQ  &  Info 


46  Distributor  FAQ 

Not  just  a  web  site, 
AtomFilms.com  is  selling 
shorts  and  animation 
to  additional  markets, 
and  in  the  process  cre- 
ating a  new  distribu- 
tion template. 

BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

49  FunderFAQ 

Getting  help  with 
fundraising  on-line 
through  www.founda- 
tioncenter.org 

by  Michelle  Coe 


51  Festivals 
53  Notices 
57  Classifieds 


@AIVF 

62  Events 
64  Salons 


Cover:  From  Dempsey  Rice's  DV  documentary,  Daughter  of  Suicide.  See  feature  article  "The  Art 
and  Craft  of  Shooting  DV" 


November    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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Bono's  Last  Act 

The  Sonny  Bono  Act  Extends  Copyright  Term  by  20  Years 


Sonny  Bono's  enduring 
legislative  legacy  may 
prove  to  be  the  act  he 
proposed  while  a 
Senator,  which  provides 
greater  copyright 
protection  for  artists. 


by   Robert   L  .    S  eigel 

Although  President  Clinton  signed  the 
Copyright  Term  Extension  Act  (known  as  the 
Sonny  Bono  Act)  approximately  one  year  ago, 
the  act  and  its  importance  to  mediamakers  has 
received  little  media  attention.  This  act,  which 
bears  the  name  of  the  late  entertainer-turned- 
senator,  adds  20  years  to  each  provision  of  the 
current  U.S.  Copyright  Act  that  deals  with 
copyright  duration. 

The  Bono  Act  is  the  United  States'  effort  to 
reconcile  its  copyright  laws  with  those  laws  of 
other  countries  that  have  adopted  extended 
copyright  terms.  To  understand  the  Bono  Act, 
it  is  important  to  appreciate  the  difference 
between  "creating"  a  work  (i.e.,  originating  a 
work  and  placing  it  in  some  tangible  form)  and 
"publishing"  a  work  (i.e.,  distributing  or  dis- 
seminating a  work  or  copies  of  a  work).  All 
published  works  are  created,  but  not  all  created 
works  (e.g.,  personal  letters)  are  published. 

The  period  for  copyrightable  works  created 
since  1978  by  persons  as  authors  has  now  been 


extended  from  the  author's  life  plus  50  years  to 
the  author's  life  plus  70  years.  This  is  similar  to 
the  copyright  term  of  many  EU  countries.  The 
term  for  works  published  as  "works-made-for- 
hire"  as  well  as  anonymous  and  pseudonymous 
works  is  now  95  years  from  first  publication,  or 
120  years  from  creation,  whichever  is  longer. 
Unpublished  works,  such  as  private  diaries  or 
correspondence,  now  have  a  copyright  term  of 
120  years  from  their  creation. 

Mediamakers,  however,  should  bear  in  mind 
that  the  act,  under  certain  circumstances,  also 
extends  the  term  for  pre-existing  works  created 
prior  to  1978  under  the  1909  Copyright  Act. 
Under  that  legislation,  an  author's  unpublished 
work  was  protectable  for  an  initial  term  of  28 
years  plus  a  renewable  term  of  47  years,  for  a 
total  of  75  years.  The  Bono  Act  extends  this 
term  to  95  years.  In  addition,  copyrights  to 
works  created  before  1978  but  not  published 
until  1978  or  later  will  last  through  the  year 
2047.  However,  such  works  must  be  published 


EDITED  BY  PAUL  POWER 

by  the  end  of  2002  or  their  copyrights  will 
expire  at  the  end  of  that  year. 

Caught  and  confused  by  the  Bono  Act's 
numbers-  and  date-heavy  content,  mediamak- 
ers should  begin  to  understand  some  of  its  gen- 
eral principles.  The  Bono  Act  applies  only  to 
works  still  protected  by  copyright  as  of  its 
October  27,  1998  effective  date.  Therefore  the 
Bono  Act  does  not  restore  copyright  protection 
to  works  that  have  fallen  into  the  public 
domain  (i.e.,  by  failure  to  place  copyright 
notice,  renew  the  term,  or  the  expiration  of  the 
75-year  term  under  the  1909  Act)  prior  to 
October  27,  1998. 

Under  another  section  of  the  Bono  Act, 
libraries  and  archives  have  been  granted  cer- 
tain rights  to  reproduce  copyrighted  materials 
under  specific  circumstances.  During  the  last 
20  years  of  any  published  work's  copyright, 
libraries  and  archives  are  now  authorized  to 
reproduce  and  distribute  such  work  (by  photo- 
copy, facsimile,  or  digital  form)  for  preserva- 
tion, scholarship,  or  research  if:  (a)  the  work  is 
not  being  commercially  exploited;  (b)  a  copy  of 
the  work  cannot  be  obtained  at  a  reasonable 
price;  and  (c)  the  copyright  owner  has  not 
given  notice  that  the  work  is  commercially 
available  at  a  reasonable  price. 

Other  provisions  of  the  Bono  Act,  concern- 
ing the  circumstances  under  which  the  transfer 
of  a  work's  rights  can  be  terminated,  and  by 
whom,  are  outside  the  scope  of  this  article. 
Perhaps  it  is  only  fitting  to  have  government 
legislation,  which  was  created  to  extend  the  life 
of  the  rights  to  a  creator's  work,  named  after 
one  who  was  a  songwriter  and  a  politician. 

For  the  specific  text  of  the  Bono  Act  visit: 
www.lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/title  1 7 

Robert  L.  Seigel  lRkentlaw(a>aol.com],  a 

contributing  editor  to  The  Independent,  is  a  NYC 

entertainment  attorney  and  a  principal 

in  the  Cinema  Film  Consulting  firm. 


Bono's  works  will  now  be  protected  by  copyright  another 
20  years,  but  the  outfits  he  and  Cher  wore  have  been 
outlawed  already. 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      5 


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Dogma  Finds  a  Home  in  the 
Lions  Gate  Den 

Kevin  Smith's  controversial  film  Dogma 
opens  this  month  after  being  acquired  by  Lions 
Gate  Film  Releasing  ^_.  <^-, , 
in  a  deja  vu  scenario 
reminiscent  of  Todd 
Solondz's  Happiness 
episode  with  October 
Films  last  year.  Mira- 
max dropped  Dogma  ^ 
after  its  preview  at  Cannes  reportedly  because  ° 
one  executive  at  parent  company  Disney  deemed  ° 
it  both  "inappropriate"  and  "an  embarrass-  £ 
merit"  to  the  company's  image.  Furthermore,  8 

Disney  was  facing  a  serious  boycott  campaign  £ 

< 

from    an    organization    called    the    Catholic  I 

I 

League  for  Religious  and  Civil  Rights,  which  £ 

blasted  Dogma  as  a  direct  attack  on  Catholicism.  § 
Miramax    co-chairmen     Harvey     and     Bob  £ 
Weinstein  personally  acquired  the  rights  to  the  "- 
film,  selling  it  to  Lions  Gate  just  prior  to  its 
North  American  premiere  at  Toronto  in  September. 

Although  the  Catholic  League  says  it  has  no 
plans  to  target  Lions  Gate,  its  members  are 
stepping  up  the  pressure  on  Michael  Eisner  and 
the  Disney  Corporation  to  divest  itself  of 
Miramax  entirely,  citing  a  history  of  anti- 
Catholic  films,  including  Antonia  Bird's  1994 
feature,  Priest,  which  depicted  a  homosexual 
Roman  Catholic  clergyman.  In  an  interview 
with  The  Independent,  Catholic  League  nation- 
al president  William  Donohue  said  the  group 
has  collected  over  150,000  signatures  in  sup- 
port of  its  cause.  "Four  years  ago,  we  went  up 
against  Disney  over  Priest  and  people  laughed," 
Donohue  says.  "This  time,  we  won,  and  people 
aren't  laughing  anymore." 

Dogma  features  Matt  Damon  and  Ben 
Affleck  as  two  avenging  angels  trying  to  get 
back  into  Heaven  through  a  technical  loop- 
hole, Linda  Fiorentino  as  a  descendant  of  Mary 
and  Joseph  who  works  at  an  abortion  clinic, 
and  Chris  Rock  as  a  jilted,  swearing  "13th 
Apostle."  Smith,  director  of  Clerks  and  Chasing 
Amy,  remains  a  target  of  the  group,  as  do  the 
Weinsteins,  whom  the  group  accuses  of  pulling 
a  "sleight  of  hand"  maneuver  to  protect  Dogma, 
despite  Disney's  wishes. 

"We're  not  thinking  about  the  controver- 
sy,or  planning  to  capitalize  on  it,"  says  Lions 
Gate  president  Mark  Urman,  who,  six  weeks 
prior  to  Dogma's  1 ,200-print  release,  still  hadn't 
received  a  single  phoned  or  mailed  objection. 
"That's  not  the  basis  of  our  interest  in  the  film." 

Richard  Baimbridge 

Richard  Baimbridge  is  an  Independent  contributing  editor. 


6    THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


G^t^) 


SHORT  ENDS 


It's  difficult  to  predict  what  the  ultimate 
fall-out  from  this  summer's  PBS  list-swap  deba- 
cle will  bring,  but  it  is  sure  to  be  felt  in  the  pub- 
lic broadcasting  community  for  some  time  yet. 

In  June  the  Boston  Globe  disclosed  that 
WGBH  had  been  involved  in  a  mailing  list 
exchange  deal  with  the  Democratic  National 
Committee.  Since  then,  it  has  transpired  that  a 
number  of  other  member  stations  have  carried 
out  similar  deals  with  other  organizations — 
political  and  non-political  alike  (including 
instances  involving  the  Republican  Party) . 

Yet  it  was  in  Congress  where  the  flames  were 
fanned,  particularly  by  Republican  representa- 
tives Christopher  Cox  (CA),  who  called  for 
sanctions  on  the  offending  stations  and  House 
telecom  subcommittee  chairman  Billy  Tauzin 
(LA),  who  intends  to  cut  back  proposed  CPB 
funding  ceilings.  On  July  30,  CPB  issued  a  new 
grant  rule  for  its  member  stations  that  no  fur- 
ther selling  or  exchanging  of  donor/member 
names  with  political  groups  be  allowed,  if  sta- 
tions wished  to  continue  to  receive  funding. 

The  list  issue  has  given  other  House 
Republicans  the  opportunity  to  vent  opinions 
and  defunding  motions  on  the  public  broad- 
casting system,  with  Steve  Largent  (OK)  claim- 
ing that  "Big  Bird  is  nearly  30  years  old  and  it's 
time  to  leave  the  federal  nest." 

— Paul  Power 

30  Footcandles  for  FVA 

Early  this  summer,  old  and  new  members  of 
one  of  the  nation's  longest-running  media  arts 
centers  gathered  to  celebrate  the  organization's 
30th  anniversary.  Born  as  Young  Filmmakers,  a 
group  that  put  cameras  into  the  hands  of  youth 
in  New  York's  Lower  East  Side  (considerably 
rougher  in  those  days),  Film  Video  Arts  has 
matured  into  a  full-service  media  arts  center 
providing  classes,  equipment,  fiscal  sponsor- 
ship, postproduction,  and  screening  opportuni- 
ties. "We're  the  place  for  beginning  filmmakers 
to  come,  where  they  can  afford  the  equipment 
and  support  they  need,"  says  FVA  executive 
director  Eileen  Newman.  The  anniversary 
event  honored  the  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts  and  Young  Filmmaker  co-founder 
Roger  Larson,  as  well  as  FVA  member  Mira 
Nair  (who  edited  her  documentaries  at  FVA) 
and  Young  Filmmaker  alum  Tom  Fontana,  cur- 
rently executive  producer  of  HBO's  Oz-  Host 
Michael  Moore  spoke  about  the  importance  of 
embracing  dogged  pursuit  of  your  goals  and 
reminisced  about  splitting  his  time  between 
researching  in  the  AIVF  library  and  cutting  in 
the  FVA  facility  during  the  production  of  Roger 
and  Me.  Tenacious  FVA  is  currently  closing  on 
a  lease  for  new  facilities.  — ELIZABETH  PETERS 


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November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


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Too  Much  of  a  Good  Thing? 

Unexpected  Results  of  the  Digital  Revolution 


Digital    video,    the    technology    that 

launched  three  or  four  directors'  careers  this 
year,  is  being  touted  as  the  great  democratizing 
tool  for  disenfranchised  filmmakers.  While  it's 
hard  to  criticize  an  inexpensive  format  that 
offers  all  the  benefits  of  digital  technology,  the 
exact  results  of  this  revolution  may  be  as  disap- 
pointing as  they  are  surprising. 

One  unintended  byproduct  is  the  lowering 
of  the  value  of  pro-  ^^^^^^ 

duction  work. 

That's  just  simple 
market  economics. 
Sundance  received 
approximately  800 
entries  last  year,  but 
DV  will  make  it  so 
easy  to  create  films 
that  this  already 
daunting  number 
will  certainly  rise. 
As  supply  increases, 
prices  decrease — 
for  everything  from 
negative  pick-ups 
to  payment  on  jobs 
that  pay  the  rent. 

Then  there's  the 
question  of  quality. 
While  persever- 
ance does  not  guarantee  talent,  the  lack  of  it 
tends  to  weed  out  incompetence.  In  this 
respect,  The  Blair  Witch  Project  may  come  to 
haunt  us  as  the  movie  that  inspired  an  era  of 
vanity  filmmaking.  The  generation  ot  filmmak- 
ers that  ran  the  gauntlet  of  labs,  mag  tracks, 
Moviolas,  double  system  sound,  and  negative 
matching  was  forced  through  a  process  of  edu- 
cation and  intimacy  with  their  materials  that 
DV  filmmakers  slide  right  by.  No  great  film- 
maker was  filtered  out  by  the  cost  or  complexi- 
ty of  traditional  film  technology,  but  many  less- 
er ones  were. 

As   enabling   technologies,    DV   and    the 
Internet  go  hand  in  hand.  Desktop  video  has 


BY    S  .  D.    Katz 


made  everyone  a  potential  filmmaker,  and  now 
we  are  told  the  Internet  will  allow  anyone  to 
launch  a  micro  studio.  Anyone  and  everyone. 
And  there's  the  catch.  We  are  all  about  to 
drown  each  other  out.  Putting  up  a  web  site  will 
be  about  as  compelling  as  an  ad  in  the  Yellow 
Pages. 

The  Internet  is  going  to  fragment  the  popu- 
lar audience  for  films — or  at  least  steal  from  the 
^^^^^^^^^^^^  margins — as  focused 
DV  publishing  efforts 
permit  filmmakers  to 
target,  say,  left-handed, 
bi-sexual  seniors.  This, 
however,  may  not  be  a 
sufficiently  large  or  loyal 
audience  to  support  reg- 
ular production,  even 
with  the  bargain  base- 
ment cost  of  DV  pro- 
duction and  Internet 
distribution. 

What's  more,  viewers 
only    have    a    certain 
amount  of  time   avail- 
able for  film-going,  and 
this  will  now  be  divided 
between  Internet  view- 
ing and  a  night  out  at 
the   movies.   Television 
reduced  movie  attendance,  and  now  both  these 
older  mediums  will  have  to  share  some  of  their 
viewers  with  the  Internet. 

With  dozens  of  smaller  film  outlets  on  the 
Internet,  the  coherent  marketing  of  films  will 
become  even  more  difficult  than  it  is  today. 
Marketing  a  film  relies  on  buzz  and  the  popular 
tradition  of  movie-going  as  a  shared  cultural 
experience.  A  successful  film  gains  much  of  its 
momentum  and  influence  from  the  fact  that  we 
like  to  discuss  movies  around  the  water  cooler 
or  at  a  bar  or  on  the  subway.  Internet  targeted 
marketing  may  fragment  the  indie  audience  to 
the  degree  that  films  will  have  trouble  reaching 
critical  mass. 


While  the  Internet  will  be  a  valuable  distrib- 
ution mechanism  for  some  filmmakers,  this 
online  opportunity  has  to  be  seen  in  the  light  of 
current  trends.  As  of  this  moment,  the  Internet 
has  caused  a  tremendous  uncertainty  in  the 
motion  picture  business  as  traditional  distribu- 
tion methods  are  being  questioned.  The  demise 
of  the  Hollywood  studios  has  been  predicted 
since  the  early  days  of  desktop  video,  but  the 
Internet  is  the  first  technology  to  actually  pose 
any  legitimate  threat  to  business  as  usual.  Only 
last  year,  the  Internet  was  being  described  as  a 
battle  between  traditional  media  conglomer- 
ates and  the  computer  companies,  with  the 
possibility  that  Silicon  Valley  would  offer  a 
friendlier  development  and  distribution  envi- 
ronment to  filmmakers  than  the  desert  east  of 
Santa  Monica. 

How  Microsoft  came  to  be  known  as  a 
champion  of  individuality  and  personal  expres- 
sion is  a  mystery  to  me,  but  as  far  as  broadband 
is  concerned,  this  was  a  popular  view  last  year. 
A  close  reading  of  the  many  Internet  broad- 
band deals  cut  in  the  last  12  months  reveals 
that  Apple,  Microsoft,  the  alphabet  networks, 
the  portals,  the  telcos,  and  cable  companies  are 
all  buying  stakes  in  each  other  (or  outright  buy- 
outs) and  cutting  cross-marketing  deals.  The 
computer  industry  no  longer  offers  an  alterna- 
tive to  the  media  conglomerates.  They  are  one 
and  the  same. 

What  this  means  is  that  we  are  likely  to  see 
the  major  studios  control  mass  marketing  on 
the  Internet,  with  a  new  subclass  of  filmmakers 
creating  and  releasing  their  alternative  work  to 
segments  of  the  indie  market.  If  this  produces 
an  audience  similar  to  the  short  story  audience 
loyal  to  a  handful  of  small  literary  magazines, 
like  Granta,  Ploughshares,  and  The  Kenyon 
Review,  that  may  be  sufficient  recognition  for 
some  filmmakers.  But  unlike  short  story  writers, 
filmmakers  will  not  be  able  easily  to  cover  their 
costs — even  DV  production. 

Despite  the  hype,  the  overthrow  of  tradi- 
tional media  venues  is  not  in  the  cards;  the  big 
guys  will  simply  co-opt  the  indie  market.  We 
will  see  the  deck  reshuffled  over  the  next  few 
years,  but  all  the  players  at  the  table  will  be 
familiar.  Meanwhile,  indie  filmmakers  who 
want  to  stay  out  of  the  mainstream  may  have 
new  tools,  but  limited  means.  Many  will  be 
shocked  to  discover  that  they'll  have  to  settle 
for  filmmaking  as  an  avocation. 

Filmmaker  S.D.  Katz  is  the  author  o/Film  Directing 
Shot  by  Shot:  Visualizing  from  Concept  to  Screen 
and  a  partner  in  Pitch  Studios  [www.pitchtv.com]  in 

New  York  City. 


8     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


THE 


BLAIR   WITCH    PROJECT 


International  Insurance  Brokers  Inc. 


A 


Discounted 

Liability 

Insurance 

r 


Tor 

AIVF  Members 


BEFORE  THIS  SMALL-BUDGET  FILM  GOT 

THE  ATTENTION  OF  THE  WORLD, 

IT  GOT  THE  ATTENTION  IT  NEEDED 

AT  COLORLAB. 


Suite  500 

20  Vesey  Street 

New  York  City,NY 

10007-2966 

Tel:  800-257-0883 

212-406-4499 

Fax:212-406-7588 

E-Mail:  staff@csins.com 

http://www.csins.com 


When  the  makers  of  the  Blair  Witch  Project  walked  in  our 
door,  it  was  obvious  that  they  had  a  lot  of  vision  and  not  a  lot 
of  money. 

At  Colorlab,  we  know  that  type  of  client  well.  We  also  know 
that  independent  producers  are  the  ones  who  have  the  most 
potential  to  make  something  new  and  meaningful  on  the 
medium  of  film.  That's  why  we  treated  the  black  and  white 
processing  and  film-to-tape  transfer  for  the  Blair  Witch 
Project  with  as  much  care  and  respect  as  we  would  a  mega- 
budget  release.  And  it  paid  off —  for  the  filmmakers  and  for 
the  world  of  independent  film. 

There's  no  way  to  tell  who  will  make  the  next  independent 
sensation,  but  with  the  reputation  we  have  for  taking  care  of 
independent  filmmakers,  it's  likely  that  we'll  be  handling  the 
processing  and  telecine. 


COLORLAB 

New  York  212.633.8172  •  Maryland  301.770.2128 
www.  colorlab.  com 


own 


and 

Clzu  Sound 

Productions 


;-TtC-  offline /online 
Beta,  1/2",  3/4, n  W 
*24  hour  access-  .. 
7x24 tech support 


Sedmless  transfer 
. '.._  to  IB.  track  Pra^Taals 
r   ■;'..      Audio* TiLx  \ 


(212) 614-7304 


ilf. 


■^rsj-^j: 


^) 


CPB's  Digital  Game  Plan 


What  the  Blueprint  Reveals 


by   Gary   O.   Larson 


Provided  we  all  make  it  through  Y2K  safely, 
the  Corporation  for  Public  Broadcasting  has 
another  milestone  in  mind — 2K3 — denoting 
the  final,  April  2003  deadline  for  all  of  the 
nation's  1600  television  stations  to  be  broad- 
casting in  digital.  Among  those  stations  making 
the  mighty  analog-to-digital  conversion  are 
some  350  public  television  stations,  which  hope 
to  bring  with  them 
their  small-but-steady 
Nielsen  ratings  (an 
average  2  percent 
market  share),  their 
firm  commitment  to 
"education,  culture, 
and  citizenship,"  and, 
most  importantly, 
some  novel  ideas 
about  the  nature  of 
TV  in  the  digital  age. 
Fueling  those  novel 
ideas  is  the  CPB's 
"Going  Digital"  pro- 
gram, whose  call  to  the  indepen- 
dent film  and  video  community 
late  last  year  was  a  welcoming  one: 
"We  invite  producers,  with  tech- 
nology and  education  partners,  to 
push  the  envelope  on  what  interac- 
tive television  can  do.  Imagine 
being  able  to  capture  all  the 
potential  of  a  subject  in  a  digital 
format — not  just  the  taped  or 
filmed  portions,  but  also  addition- 
al  text   documents   and  graphics 


gathered  for  the  production,  primary  source 
material,  interviews,  and  other  educational 
materials,  and  the  ability  to  interact  with  the 
viewers.  We  extend  this  invitation  to  every  pro- 
ducer who  has  had  to  shorten  or  oversimplify  a 
rich  and  complex  subject,  or  has  had  to  leave 
revealing  interviews,  illuminating  archival 
footage,  or  whole  story  lines  on  the  cutting 
room  floor."  But  more  than  simply  a  larger  ves- 
sel, the  digital  medium  will  be  more  participa- 
tory as  well,  according  to  CPB:  "The  digital 
future  is  a  highly  interactive  place  where  con- 
stant communication  makes  the  most  flexible 
and  exciting  projects  possible." 

Or  so  the  theory  runs. 
But  those  "flexible  and 
exciting  projects"  won't 
come  cheaply,  and  thus 
CPB  hopes  to  raise  $8 
million  a  year  from  pri- 
vate sources 
for  its  new 
digital  initia- 
tive. The 
Washington- 
based  agency 
will  also 
draw  on  its 
federal 
appropria- 
tion, which 
grew  to  $300 
million  this 
year  (up  $50 
million  from 
FY  1999),  but  less  than  a  fifth  of  that  total  is 
available  to  support  new  programming.  About 
half  of  CPB's  grant-making  budget  goes  direct- 
ly to  the  local  stations,  and  the  vast  majority  of 
those  outlets  (fully  85  percent,  in  fact)  produce 
no  original  programming  at  all. 


"We  extend  this  invitation 
to  every  producer  who 

has  had  to  shorten 
or  oversimplify  a  rich 

and  complex  subject,  or 

has  had  to  leave  revealing 

interviews,  illuminating 

archival  footage,  or 

whole  story  lines  on 

the  cutting  room  floor. " 

-  CPB's  "Going  Digital"  RFP 


Still,  CPB  is  optimistic  that  this,  too,  will 
change  in  the  digital  era,  and  that  the  transi- 
tion to  digital  broadcast  will  provide  an  oppor- 
tunity to  "learn  how  to  use  a  technology  that 
has  the  potential  to  help  us  fulfill  our  mission — 
to  fund  programming  and  services  that  empha- 
size education,  innovation,  diversity,  and  local 
relevance — better  than  ever  before."  And  if  all 
of  that  sounds  like  so  much  Washington  huff- 
and-puffery,  it's  equally  true  that  the  noncom- 
mercial broadcast  sector  represents  the  best 
chance  we'll  have  for  meaningful  innovation  in 
the  realm  of  DTY  While  the  commercial  net- 
works will  surely  deliver  pay-per-view  enter- 
tainment, home  shopping,  and  breathtaking 
shots  of  the  same  touchdown  run  from  1 2  dif- 
ferent angles,  public  broadcasters  will  be 
encouraged  to  probe  more  deeply  into  digital's 
possibilities. 

Of  the  several  options  that  DTV  repre- 
sents— high-detinition  programming,  ancillary 
data  streams,  multicasting,  and  something 
called  "enhanced  television" — CPB  is  most 
interested  in  the  latter  two.  But  it's  enhanced 
TV  where  independent  producers  have  the 
best  entry  point.  This  new  form,  the  agency 
explains,  "will  combine  the  flexibility  of  the 
interactive  computer  with  the  engagement  of 
storytelling  to  create  a  new  breed  of  multilinear 
entertainment — neither  television  nor  com- 
puter but  a  complex  and  stimulating  hybrid." 
For  that  reason,  CPB  has  fashioned  alliances 
with  a  number  of  groups  from  the  emerging 
world  of  multimedia  (including  Intertainer, 
Razorfish,  and  the  MIT  Media  Lab),  who  are 
more  apt  to  regard  audiences  as  players  or  par- 
ticipants than  as  passive  spectators. 

The  formerly  distinct  fields  of  computers 
and  television,  insists  CPB  Senior  Program 
Officer  Louis  Barbash,  will  soon  travel  in  the 
same  orbit.  "Those  worlds  have  to  come  closer 
together,"  he  observes.  "What  you've  got 
here — and  this  is  one  of  the  main  sermons 
we've  been  preaching — is  that  in  order  for 
these  [enhanced  television  projects]  to  work  in 

Facing  Page: 

Top:  Lumiere  Productions  films  inside  a  TV  newsroom  in 
Charlotte,  NC. 

Bottom:  The  name  remains  the  same:  Alan  Berliner  (I)  with 
director  Alain  Berliner  [La  Vie  en  Rose)  from  Belgium. 


10    THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


G^ 


^D 


:   - 


I  Vi^/  U  ISU    U  Vii7       U        *0^J  lii  iyj  U    V57       BY  GARY  0.  LARSON 

For  all  of  CPB's  lofty  intentions,  the  ultimate  shape  of  public  television  in 
the  digital  age  will  be  fashioned  by  those  who  actually  ply  the  trade — the 
artists  and  producers.  Here  is  a  short  list  of  five  CPB-funded  projects  that 
provides  a  peek  at  the  kind  of  work  that's  headed  our  way. 


LOCAL  NEWS 

Among  the  most  ambitious  of  the  CPB-supported 
digital  projects  is  Lumiere  Productions'  five-hour 
verite  series  filmed  behind  the  scenes  at  a  local  TV 
newsroom  (WCNC,  an  NBC-affiliate  in  Charlotte, 
NC).  Calling  his  work  a  "dramatic  documentary," 
producer  David  Van  Taylor  hopes  to  shed  light  on 
f%  ^^  the  issues  surrounding  media  and  democracy.  This 
is  not  the  first  time  that  Van  Taylor  has  touched  on 
this  theme,  having  co-directed  (with  R.J.  Cutler)  A  Perfect  Candidate,  the  acclaimed 
chronicle  of  the  Oliver  North/Chuck  Robb  1994  Senate  race  in  Virginia.  And  while  local 
TV  news  operations  might  seem  like  an  even  less  likely  subject,  their  nightly  broad- 
casts, Van  Taylor  points  out,  are  still  the  most  trusted  source  of  news  and  information 
for  the  majority  of  Americans.  Moreover,  just  as  local  news  has  been  affected  by  new 
technology  (WCNC,  for  example,  maintains  an  ambitious  web  site  as  a  way  of  expand- 
ing its  local  coverage),  so  will  Van  Taylor  turn  to  the  Internet,  working  with  the  Boston- 
based  Roundtable  organization  to  design  an  on-line  educational  and  outreach  strategy. 
In  the  process,  the  Local  News  web  site  will  bring  together  news  professionals,  media 
critics,  and  interested  viewers  to  discuss  how  the  news  can  be  more  responsive  to 
community  needs.  With  a  projected  broadcast  date  during  the  2001/02  season,  Local 
News  will  launch  its  web  site  well  in  advance  of  that  date  to  build  interest  in  both  the 
series  and  its  subject  matter. 


\ 


THE  LANGUAGE  OF  NAMES 

In  one  sense,  filmmaker  Alan  Berliner's  latest  work  was  born  of 
the  Internet  itself.  Long  fascinated  by  what  he  terms  "the  power, 
the  mystery,  the  meaning  of  names,"  especially  as  they  relate  to 
one's  identity,  Berliner  conducted  an  on-line  search  to  track  down 
every  "Alan  Berliner"  in  the  world.  He  found  a  dozen — 10  in  the  U.S.  and  two  in  Europe 
(although  three  were  located  the  old-fashioned  way,  through  the  letters  sent  to  some  750 
Berliner  families).  Berliner  invited  them  all  to  dinner  in  New  York,  where  he  filmed  interviews 
with  each  one.  Soon  he'll  turn  to  the  Internet  again  with  an  interactive  web  site  that  will 
include  stories  about  names,  various  lists  of  names,  and  a  number  of  other  "nominal"  activi- 
ties. The  mission  of  both  the  film  and  its  accompanying  web  site,  according  to  Berliner,  is  to 
change  the  way  people  think  about  names.  "Through  the  everyday  grid  of  language,"  he 
observes,  "these  are  the  melodies  and  the  sounds  that  we  call  one  another."  For  someone  who 
has  created  highly  personal  films  that  look  closely  at  his  own  family  (e.g.,  Nobody's  Business, 
about  his  father,  and  Intimate  Stranger,  about  his  grandfather),  Names  is  an  unusually  expan- 
sive project,  one  that  has  led  the  filmmaker  in  a  number  of  different  directions  (from  the 
National  Linda  Convention  to  the  Jim  Smith  Society).  In  this  capacity,  the  Internet  has  turned 
out  to  be  a  particularly  useful  extension  to  Berliner's  craft.  "The  web  site  is  a  big  thing,"  he 
explains.  "It  means  we're  not  just  making  films  anymore."  The  Internet,  he  adds,  affects  "the 
way  that  films  extend  out  into  the  world,  out  into  various  communities,  and  the  way  that  films 
connect  to  streams  of  information."  Berliner  hopes  to  have  his  own  stream  of  information  on- 
line by  the  end  of  the  year,  with  the  film  to  be  completed  by  the  spring  of  2000. 


JB  Productions 

770.458.2708 
www. jbstudios . com 

Basic  Package  Includes: 
encodi  ng/authori  ng 
title  menu  +  chapter  menu 
single  DVD-R  disc 

contact  us  about  special 
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film-to-video 

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and  original  picture  matchback 

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PLUS: 

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shooting  &  set  construction 


Context  StUdiOS    ■  28  Avenue  A 
NY,  NY  10009  •  (212)  505-2702 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       11 


G^ 


ED 


"The  real  challenge  here 

is  not  technological. . . 

The  real  challenge  is  a 

creative  challenge:  what 

does  this  new  technology 

allow  you  to  do." 

—  CPB's  Louis  Barbash 


a  way  that  is  meaningful  for  public  TV,  each 
one  has  to  be  a  collaboration  among  people 
who  know  television,  people  who  know  educa- 
tion, and  people  who  know  technology." 

Accordingly,  CPB's  "Going  Digital"  guide- 
lines sketch  a  future  of  television  that  puts  new 
power  in  the  hands  of  viewers,  armed  with 
"interactive  keypads  or  remote  controls"  that 
allow  them  "to  navigate  seamlessly  through 
program  elements  for 
additional  resources, 
text,  graphics,  anima- 
tion, or  audio  clips. 
Documentaries  may 
offer  opportunities  to 
see  extended  inter- 
view excerpts  or  sup- 
porting documents. 
Shows  on  controver- 
sial topics  may  allow 
viewers  to  'discuss' 
the  program  with 
other  viewers  in 
interactive  chat 

rooms  while  the  program  is  still  on  the  air. 
Other  formats  may  allow  viewers  to  experience 
a  mystery  from  the  perspective  of  four  different 
characters.  The  possibilities  are  infinite — limit- 
ed only  by  the  producer's  imagination." 

Well,  limited  by  their  imaginations  and  their 
production  budgets,  and  no  one  is  certain  yet 
just  what  the  economics  of  DTV  will  turn  out 
to  be,  especially  for  noncommercial  broadcast- 
ers. While  Mitsubishi,  in  the  interest  of  stimu- 
lating demand  for  its  fancy  new  DTV  receivers, 
will  be  underwriting  CBS's  HDTV  program- 
ming this  fall,  no  such  corporate  angels  have 
rushed  in  to  offer  similar  support  for  public 
broadcasting.  And  CPB  support  for  new  digital 
projects  will  be  fairly  modest.  "It  depends 
entirely  on  the  project,"  explains  Barbash. 
"With  respect  to  the  digital  prototypes,  most 
funded  projects  have  been  in  the  five -figure 
range.  The  more  original  and  elaborate  the  project 
is  . . .  the  higher  the  amount  granted  tends  to  be." 
"The  real  challenge  here  is  not  technologi- 
cal," adds  Barbash.  "The  real  challenge  is  a  cre- 
ative challenge:  what  does  this  new  technology 
allow  you  to  do,  that  you  always  wanted  to  do 
but  were  never  able  to.7  .  .  .  Independent  pro- 
ducers tend  to  be  people  who  make  films 
because  they've  got  something  to  say — they've 
got  stories  to  tell,  or  ideas  to  communicate. 
And  the  question  is,  what's  the  best  way  to  con- 
vey those  ideas,  what's  the  best  way  to  tell  that 
story?  And  what  digital  technology  gives  you  is 
a  much  broader  canvas  to  paint  on  and  a  much 
more  varied  palette  to  choose  from." 


Whether  the  public  broadcasting  "gallery"  in 
which  these  new  works  will  be  shown  turns  out 
to  be  equally  accommodating,  or  whether  it  will 
inherit  the  same  distribution  bottlenecks  that 
afflict  the  current  system,  is  another  matter 
entirely.  Nor,  in  this  early,  exploratory  phase,  is 
it  possible  to  predict  precisely  where  CPB  fund- 
ing is  headed — or,  indeed,  where  CPB  itself  is 
headed,  given  recent  staff  changes  at  the  agency. 
Most  significantly, 
Katie  Carpen-ter,  vice 
president  for  pro- 
gramming at  CPB, 
was  abruptly  relieved 
of  her  duties  last 
March,  and  the  agency 
entered  what  one  insider 
called  a  "circle-the-wag- 
ons  mode"  for  some  time 
thereafter.  Credited  by 
many  with  being  one  the 
genuine  visionaries 

behind  the  agency's 
DTV  plans  (including  a 
proposed  "Convergence  Lab"  in  Manhattan 
that  remains  on  hold),  Carpenter  received 
word  of  her  firing  on  the  night  before  she  was 
scheduled  to  represent  CPB  at  the  Asian- 
American  Film  Festival  in  San  Francisco. 

More  recently,  in  an  internal  memorandum 
to  staff  that  raised  as  many  questions  as  it 
answered,  CPB  President  Robert  Coonrod 
acknowledged  that  various  "internal  realign- 
ments" were  forthcoming.  "For  us,  as  for  nearly 
everyone  associated  with  telecommunications," 
wrote  Coonrod,  "the  status  quo  is  not  a  viable 
option.  This  means  change  for  all  of  us,  profes- 
sional disruption  for  some." 

Depending  on  one's  interpretation  of  the 
"status  quo"  and  of  CPB's  mixed  record  in  pro- 
viding leadership  in  the  area  of  public  telecom- 
munications policy,  Coonrod's  somewhat  cryp- 
tic declaration  may  be  taken  as  a  positive  sign. 
In  any  event,  CPB  still  wasn't  talking  when  this 
issue  of  The  Independent  went  to  press,  but  the 
new  technology  itself  may  yield  some  of  the 
answers:  for  the  latest  information  on  CPB's  dig- 
ital initiative  and  its  upcoming  grant  deadlines, 
visit  the  agency's  web  site  at  www.cpb.org 

Gary  O.  Larson  is  a  contributing  editor 
to  The  Independent. 

Facing  Page: 

Top:  Define  your  class  with  a  icons  from  Louis  Alvarez, 
Andrew  Kolker,  and  Paul  Slekler's  Class  in  America. 

Middle:  Former  Pittsburgh  Courier  photographer  Teenie 
Harris,  featured  in  Stanley  Nelson's  film  The  Black  Press: 
Soldiers  Without  Swords. 

Bottom:  From  Tracie  Holder  and  Karen  Thorsen's  Joseph 
Papp  in  Six  Acts. 


12     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


5    FOR    THE    FUTURE    CONTINUED 


CLASS  IN  AMERICA 

Although  this  series  is  not  slated  for  broadcast  until  next  year,  its 
CPB-funded  web  site  will  be  up  by  the  end  of  1999,  "an  advance 
guard  for  a  PBS  program,  rather  than  simply  a  companion  to  it," 
according  to  filmmakers  Louis  Alvarez,  Andrew  Kolker,  and  Paul 
Stekler.  Like  their  earlier  documentary  Vote  for  Me:  Politics  in 
America,  the  new  work  will  illuminates  both  the  lighter  and  dark- 
er sides  of  a  topic  that  many  Americans  would  rather  not  think  about. 
The  web  site  is  designed  to  overcome  that  reluctance,  using  quizzes, 
surveys,  and  other  illustrative  material  to  stimulate  discussions  of 
American  social  class,  all  in  advance  of  the  broadcast.  The  site  will 
also  be  used  by  the  filmmakers  to  gather  information  on  class  differ- 
ences, engaging  visitors  in  conversations  with  one  another  and  with  the 
project  team  in  order  to  influence  the  course  of  production.  The  Class  in 
America  web  site,  the  filmmakers  declare,  "will  force  the  on-line  viewer,  by  means  of  some 
creative  and  non-threatening  games,  to  place  him  or  herself  along  the  spectrum  of 
American  social  class  and  to  examine  his  or  her  own  class  prejudices." 


THE  BLACK  PRESS: 
SOLDIERS  WITHOUT  SWORDS 

Stanley  Nelson's  documentary  on  the  history  of  black  newspapers  in  America  has  already  had 
a  major  impact  in  a  number  of  venues — as  the  centerpiece  of  PBS's  celebration  of  Black  History 
Month  earlier  this  year,  as  an  interactive  web  site  [www.pbs.org/blackpress],  and  as  the  winner 
of  the  Freedom  of  Expression  Award  at  this  year's  Sundance  Film  Festival.  Available  for  school 
and  home  use  as  a  video  and  CD-ROM,  Soldiers  will  soon  take  another  step  into  the  digital  age 
in  the  form  of  a  new  DVD-ROM.  Although  it's  primarily  a  demonstration  effort  to  explore  the 
capabilities  of  the  new  high-capacity  medium  as  a  platform  for  "re-purposing"  material  originally 
produced  in  other  formats,  the  new  incarnation  of  Soldiers  will  also  allow  Nelson  "to  go  back 
to  the  original  film  and  tell  some  stories  that  we  weren't  able  to  tell  before."  Also  included  will 
be  interviews  with  Nelson  and  with  Ron  Carter  (the  jazz  bassist  and 
composer  of  Soldiers'  score),  along  with  discussions  with  four  work- 
ing journalists  in  the  black  press  today  and  examples  of  four  black 
newspapers  from  the  1920s.  Nelson  is  once  again  collaborating 
with  Michelle  Halsell,  the  NYU  new-media  graduate  who  produced 
both  the  Soldiers  web  site  and  CD-ROM.  The  new  DVD  platform 
promises  to  be  even  more  interactive,  allowing  users  to  chart  their 
own  course  through  the  various  resources.  And  that,  for  Nelson, 
|  remains  the  major  challenge  of  working  in  the  new  digital  media, 
sharing  control  with  the  viewer  by  "figuring  out  a  way  to  have  these 
enhancements  without  interrupting  the  flow  of  the  film." 


JOE  PAPP  IN  SIX  ACTS 

As  if  it  weren't  sufficiently  daunting  to  try  to  capture  the  career 
of  Joe  Papp  on  film  (a  career  that  spanned  some  450  produc- 
tions in  venues  that  ranged  from  his  own  Public  Theater  to 
Broadway  to  Shakespeare  in  the  Park),  co-producers  Tracie 
Holder  and  Karen  Thorsen  make  it  clear  that  they  have  even  larg- 
er goals  in  mind.  "Our  approach  to  Joe  Papp,"  Holder  explains, 
"is  not  really  'Joe  Papp:  Man  of  Theater'  as  much  as  it  is  using 
him  as  a  prism  to  look  at  American  society,  and  how  he  used  his 
stages  to  create  a  home  for  people  who  felt  marginalized  from 
the  mainstream,  either  politically  or  culturally."  Even  without  its 
digital  component,  Joe  Papp  in  Six  Acts  promises  to  make  an 
important  contribution  to  the  American  Masters  catalog,  espe- 
cially if  it  is  aired,  as  planned,  in  conjunction  with  a  Great 
Performances  presentation  of  one  or  more  of  Papp's  plays-on-film 
in  April  2001.  But  a  digitally  enhanced  version,  accommodating  both  viewer  interaction  and 
classroom  activities,  could  really  bring  to  life  Papp's  lifelong  dream  of  art  that  is  as  engaging  as 
it  is  accessible.  "We  care  a  great  deal  about  making  it  more  than  a  'push  and  click,'  "  explains 
Thorsen,  referring  to  the  standard  format  that  many  online  productions  have  adopted.  "We 
would  like  it  to  have  the  potential  for  participation  on  the  educational  end  that  goes  beyond  tra- 
ditional web  sites.  .  .  with  curriculum  guides  and  interactive  elements  that  will  push  students 
away  from  the  screen  to  try  to  create  their  own  [theater]  productions." 


CALL  FDR  FSTRiFS 


MARCH  8-12, 

2000 

www.nyuff.com 


DEADLINE  JAN  1 

late  deadline  Jan  15 


(212)252.3845 

festival@nyuff.com 


November   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      13 


C^: 


s=) 


FILM 

FESTIVAL 

APRIL  14th  -  20th,  2000 

CALL  FOR 
ENTRIES 

•  A  celebration  of  the  art  of  cinema 
showcasing  the  work  of  exceptional 
filmmakers  from  around  the  world. 

•  Eager  and  appreciative  audiences, 
pink  beaches  and  major  parties. 

•  Join  us  in  Bermuda  -  possibly  the 
world's  best  island  venue. 

All  entries  and  VHS  preview  copies  must 
be  received  no  later  than  January  15th, 
2000.  See  web  site  for  entry  forms  or 
contact  us  by  fax  or  phone. 

Web  Site:  bermudafilmfest.com 

E-mail:  bdafilm@ibl.bm 

Voice  Mail:  (441)293-3456 

Fax:  (441]  293-7769 

P.O.  Box  HM  2963,  Hamilton  HM  MX,  Bermuda 


100%  HOT  AMATEUR 
ACTION  ONLINE 

Cyber  Workshops  for  Budding  Screenwriters 

by   Richard   Baimbridge 


The  Zoetrope  building  (r) 
n  San  F  me  of 


Twice  a  week,  Marc  Bacus  comes  home  from 
his  day-job  as  an  administrator  at  Southern 
Illinois  University  and  logs  on  for  a  two-  to 
three-hour  chat  session  with  a  splinter  group  of 
screenwriters  who  call  themselves  the 
Viewmasters  [www.viewmasters.org].  "There 
was  such  fierce  competition  at  Zoetrope's 
screenwriting  site  that  a  few  of  us  decided  to 
start  our  own  group,"  he  says.  "It's  a  chance  for 
us  to  get  more  personal  support  than  we  could 
otherwise."  Not  that  Bacus  was  disappointed  in 
Francis  Ford  Coppola's  on-line  screenwriting 
workshop.  Quite  the  contrary.  He  still  visits  the 
Zoetrope  site  [www.screenplays.fcoppola.com] 
regularly  and  says  it  was  instrumental  in  making 
him  a  better  screenwriter.  "I  can't  say  enough 
good  things  about  the  Zoetrope  site,"  he  says. 
"It's  invaluable  for  people  like  me  who  are  non- 
professionals." 

Bacus  is  just  one  of  about  6,000  users,  from 
complete  amateurs  to  serious  writers,  who  are 


taking  advantage  of  Coppola's  free  website.  Il 
has  only  one  restriction:  those  who  wish  tc 
fully  participate  in  the  site  and  post  their  owr 
screenplay  must  read  and  seriously  review  foui 
other  screenplays  first.  "It's  an  excellent  rule,' 
Bacus  says.  "I  think  it's  really  what  makes  the 
site  work." 

Coming  from  a  background  of  writing  stage 
plays  and  poetry,  Bacus  says  he  had  never  ever 
considered  screenwriting  until  a  play  he  sub- 
mitted to  a  competition  placed  as  a  finalist 
One  of  the  contest's  co-sponsors  happened  tc 
be  Zoetrope.  At  that  time,  Zoetrope  had  e 
website  for  submissions  to  their  short  story 
magazine,  All-Story.  "I  got  a  note  through  tc 
[Coppola]  about  setting  up  a  similar  site  foi 
stage  plays,  and  I  was  flattered  to  see  that  he 
responded,  saying  he  thought  it  was  a  great 
idea,  but  to  keep  my  head  up  for  a  screenplay 
website."  Since  then,  Bacus,  one  of  the  first  tc 
sign  onto  the  site  when  it  went  up  in  Octobei 
of  1998,  has  become  a  formidable  screenwriter, 
penning  a  work  called  Slow  Takes  the  Dana 
Floor  that  recently  caught  the  eye  of  a  WGA 
signatory  who  approached  him  for  representa- 
tion. Although  as  yet  no  scripts  have  beer 
acquired  by  Zoetrope,  they  are  "in  discussion' 
with  several  writers,  according  to  Tom  Edgar 
the  site's  webmaster.  A  six-member  board  ol 
reviewers  helps  that  process  along  by  flagging 
the  best  submissions  (based  on  peer  reviews). 

"The  screenplays  that  get  good  [peer] 
reviews  are  usually  really  good  screenplays,' 
Edgar  says.  "We've  had  some  wonderful  sub- 
missions." In  total,  about  8,000  users  have  i 
logged  onto  the  Zoetrope  site  since  it  started 
according  to  Edgar.  "There's  a  wide  range  ol 
people  out  there,"  he  says.  "Several  have  hac 
screenplays  produced."  He  described  on-line 
workshops  as  basically  being  a  classroom  with- 
out a  teacher  and  says  that  although  one  differ- 
ence between  on-line  workshops  and  in-clas.' 
sessions  is  that  everyone  is  equal,  the  main  sell- 
ing point  is  the  diversity  of  feedback  that  yoi 
can  get  on  the  Internet. 


14     THE    INDEPENDENT     November    1999 


QT^Z 


Marc  Bacus,  with  his  son  Spencer,  one  of 

the  founders  of  www.viewmasters.org  and 

a  frequenter  of  the  Zoetrope  site. 


"I'm  one  of  those  people  who  went  to  NYU 
film  school,  then  moved  to  L.A.  to  write 
screenplays,"  Edgar  says.  "I  used  to  go  to  writ- 
ers' workshops  that  were  full  of  people  just  like 
me.  But  that  can  be  a  very  limiting  experience, 
whereas  on  the  Internet,  you  may  get  a  guy 
from  London  and  someone  from  Saipan,  from 
ages  15  to  80,  reading  your  script,  each  coming 
from  very  different  life  experiences." 

It  was  also  Edgar's  suggestion  that  a  prereq- 
uisite be  made  of  reading  and  reviewing  four  of 
one's  peers  before  being  handed  the  key  to  the 
website.  "That  was  done  in  order  to  limit  the 
number  of  submissions  to  those  who  are  serious 
about  really  participating,"  he  says.  "The  gold- 
en rule  is  that  if  you  give  good  feedback,  others 
will  give  you  good  feedback.  If  someone  gets  on 
and  just  writes  a  few  quick  sentences,  no  one  is 
going  to  read  his  screenplay." 

Mark  Bacus  strongly  agrees  and  goes  one 
further,  saying,  "You  have  to  market  yourself 
within  the  site.  And  the  best  way  to  do  that  is 
by  going  in  and  saying,  'Hey,  does  anyone  have 
something  they  want  me  to  read  and  critique? 
And  by  the  way,  I  have  something  you  may 
want  to  see,  as  well.'  "  Coppola's  involvement 
with  the  site  is  surprisingly  visible.  "He's  very 
paternal  about  these  sites,"  says  Bacus  of  the 
screenwriting  and  short  story  sites.  "He'll  even 
pop  in  time  to  time  and  make  a  comment  dur- 
ing a  chat  session." 

But  Zoetrope  is  not  the  only  game  in  town.  One 
of  the  newest  and  most  promising  alternatives  is 
MovieBytes'  workshop  [www.MovieBytes.com]. 
Some  have  criticized  the  Zoetrope  site  as  being  too 
much  of  a  competition  to  get  a  screenplay  in  the 


right  hands, 
and  less  as  a 
forum  for  feed- 
back. And  for 
those,  a  site  like 
MovieBytes  is  a 
blessing. 
"Most  of  the 
people  using 
our  site  are 
beginners," 
says  Frederick 
Mensch,  who 
operates  the 
website  on  his 
spare  time  as  a 
programmer. 
A  40-year-old 
NYU  film 

school  alum 
now  living  in 
Chicago  who's 
had  a  few  scripts  optioned,  he  says  the  vast 
majority  of  users  choose  to  post  their  work  pri- 
vately, sending  out  passwords  to  those  they 
wish  to  read  it,  who  in  turn  give  feedback.  But 
not  all  are  reclusive  neophytes,  either.  A  script 
posted  by  Richard  Garrison,  for  example, 
recently  won  third  place  in  the  American 
Screenwriter's  Association  Screenwriting 
Awards 

"I  really  needed  to  have  other  writers  who 
took  the  craft  seriously  take  a  look  at  my  work," 
says  Sara  Cody,  a  beginning  screenwriter  who 
posted  her  work  on  MovieBytes.  "It  helped  me 
develop  a  slightly  thicker  skin  and  hone  my 
own  intuitive  sense  of  when  my  writing's  work- 
ing and  when  it  isn't — so  even  the  negative 
feedback  ended  up  being  useful." 

Unlike  Zoetrope,  MovieBytes  charges  a  $50 
fee  to  post  a  script  for  60  days,  and  an  addition- 
al $25  for  each  rewrite.  But  as  Mensch  points 
out,  one  would  easily  surpass  that  in  copying 
costs  by  sending  out  scripts  by  mail.  MovieBytes 
also  includes  a  wealth  of  information  on  compe- 
titions and  has  recently  launched  a  subscription 
section  called  "Who's  Buying  What"  that 
includes  a  searchable  database/address  book  of 
film  executives  and  tells  which  studios  are  buy- 
ing what  kind  of  scripts. 

Meanwhile,  Edgar  says  Zoetrope  is  planning 
to  expand  the  concept  into  other  areas  of  film- 
making, as  well,  but  declined  to  give  details. 
Stay  tuned  for  developments. 

Richard  Baimbridge,  contributing  editor  at 

The  Independent,  is  currently  living  the  high-life 

in  Stockholm,  Sweden,  and  wishes  you  were 

here — but  will  see  you  on-line,  instead. 


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HJS^A-Lu-n  Advantage,  «*»£*£ 

Howard  |ohnson  sold  every  copy  of  his  auto 
b^raprncal  video.  When  asked  to  comment  on  h, 
sucLs  wi*  the  ptogam,  he  satd,    Lne  you,  baby. 

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is  a  registered  trademark  of  Amazon.com  Inc. 


SOME  PROJECTIONS  ON 
DIGITAL  PROJECTION 

by   Mark   London   Williams 


How  CineComm's  digital  satellite  projection  system  tunctions. 

"In  terms  of  technology,  it's  definitely 
here."  That's  Mark  Stolaroff,  Next  Wave  Films' 
director  of  postproduction  and  finance,  talking 
about  the  state  of  digital  projection,  something 
George  Lucas,  the  fella  who  has  been  described 
as  "the  most  successful  independent  filmmaker 
of  all  time,"  put  to  the  test  with  recent  high-res- 
olution digital  screenings  of  Phantom  Menace. 
But  what  will  it  mean  for  filmmakers  working 
outside  the  studio  gates? 

It,  or  rather  when,  digital  projection  of  movies 
becomes  commonplace,  the  idea  of  going  direct- 
ly from  the  Avid  to  some  form  of 
big-screen  projection,  without  pit- 
stopping  to  make  a  35mm  print,  will 
definitely  change  P&A  costs.  "The 
'P'  wouldn't  be  as  important," 
Stolaroff  allows,  adding  that  "the  'A' 
part" — advertising — could  become 
even  more  important.  In  other 
words,  if  you  think  there  are  a  lot  of 
movies  being  made  and  shown  now,  just  wait. 

But  how  close  are  we  to  such  a  new  technol- 
ogy becoming  ubiquitous?  According  to  Bob 
Greenberg,  director  of  marketing  communica- 
tions for  Texas  Instruments'  Digital  Light 
Processing  (DLP),  "It's  our  opinion  that  digital 
cinema  will  be  entrenched  in  the  next  two 
years."  This  company  manufactures  one  of  the 
projection   systems   at   the   forefront   of  the 


CineComm's  new  digital 
projector. 


race — in  their  case,  utilizing 
a  semiconductor  chip  with 
an  array  of  over  a  million 
micro-mirrors  making  a  high 
resolution,  color  digital 
image  possible. 

The  likeliest  scenario  is  that 
in  this  age  of  multiplexes,  cin- 
emas 1-10,  say,  will  stay  "tra- 
ditional film"  venues,  while 
doors  1 1  &  1 2  take  you  to 
showrooms  wired  for  digital. 

Of  course,  once  they  go 
digital,  those  doors  are  open 
for  more  than  just  movies. 
Greenberg  calls  it  "better 
yield  management"  and  it 
means  that  if  a  film  sudden- 
ly takes  off — like  Titanic,  or, 
better  yet,  The  Blair  Witch  Project — owners 
won't  have  to  wait  for  extra  prints  to  accom- 
modate swelling  crowds;  you  just  keep  re-load- 
ing shows  on  additional  screens. 

But  according  to  Chuck  Collins,  national 
marketing  development  manager  for  electronic 
cinema  at  Georgia-based  Digital  Projection — 
one  of  the  outfits  turning  Texas  Instrument's 
DLP  chips  into  projectors — it  also  "opens  up  a 
world  of  opportunities  for  concerts  and  meet- 
ings." Theaters,  by  getting  multi-purposed, 
"could  be  open  24  hours  a  day." 

Which  might  mean  a  filmmaker 
could  just  as  easily  see  her  film 
bumped  for  a  big-screen  Super  Bowl 
broadcast  as  for  a  Tinseltown  block- 
buster. She  might  also  find  road- 
blocks in  surprising  places.  "Most 
festivals  still  screen  on  film," 
Stolaroff  observes,  though  accord- 
ing to  Collins,  Digital  Projection 
will  have  been  at  Telluride  by  the  time  this  arti- 
cle sees  print  and  is  planning  on  demos  and 
tours  of  several  other  festivals. 

Outside  the  festival  circuit,  observes 
Greenberg,  it's  simply  a  matter  of  waiting  for 
either  a  studio  or  a  large  theater  circuit  "to  pull 
the  switch"  and  order  a  large  batch  of  digital 
systems,  thus  rolling  out  the  installed  base. 
Once  that  happens,  the  road  will  be  clear,  as 


16     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


DOES  YOUR  LIBRARY 
HAVE 


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Milttj} 


lake  this  coupon  to  your 
school  or  public  librarian  and 
request  a  subscription  today! 

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Include  shipping  address  and  contact  information.  Please  allow  2-4  weeks  for  delivery 


G 


* 


Stolaroff  envisions  it,  for  a  kind  of  regional  cin- 
ema. Hometown  filmmakers — "if  your  home- 
town isn't  L.A.  or  New  York" — can  four-wall  or 
just  get  booked  into  a  product-hungry  multi- 
plex, and  with  local  renown,  "it  could  get 
reviewed  and  who  knows?" 

And  moviegoers  may  be  ready.  As  Blair 
Witch's  executive  producer,  Kevin  J.  Foxe,  says, 
his  runaway  hit  taught  him  that  "audiences  are 
willing  to  take  lesser  [visual]  quality  for  con- 
tent." 

But  with  the  advent  of  digital  projection 
apparently  closing  the  loop  begun  in  the  hand- 
held cameras  of  putative  auteurs,  are  the  walls 
of  traditional  movie  biz  gatekeepers  about  to  be 
smashed.7  Perhaps  not.  You  still  have  to  get 
images  out  of  those  cameras  and  desktop  sys- 
tems onto  a  screen.  And  for  that,  even  with 
digits,  you  need  a  distribution  system.  That's 
where  L.A. -based  CineComm  enters  the  pic- 
ture, according  to  company  Chief  Technical 
Officer  Russ  Wintner.  The  company's  role,  he 
explains,  is  "entire  network  management — not 
equipment,"  helping  digital  movies  "get  coordi- 
nated and  delivered  in  a  safe  way,  taking  the 
capital  risk  and  technology  risk  off  Hollywood's 
shoulders." 

Think  of  them  as  a  modern,  snappier 
National  Screen  Service.  Wintner  sees  "more 
like  a  5-8  year  rollout"  of  digital  projection 
technology  and  thinks  when  that  happens,  stu- 
dios "will  opt  for  satellite  [delivery]  for  a  num- 
ber of  reasons."  Chief  among  those  is  that 
"satellite  is  ubiquitous — fiber  optics  aren't."  But 
not  without  a  lot  of  expense.  And  while  he 
allows  that  the  Post  Office  also  has  ubiquity, 
studios  won't  "want  the  hard  medium" — that 
is,  a  disc  or  digital  tape — "lying  around  after 
the  movie's  over." 

So  if  movies  are  broadcast  to  theaters, 
instead  of  prints  being  flown  or  trucked,  is  the 
net  result  the  same — a  relatively  closed  distrib- 
ution system.7  Greenberg  terms  Texas 
Instruments  as  "bit  agnostic,"  noting  their  DLP 
will  work  happily  with  CDs,  streamed  data,  or 
the  aforementioned  satellite,  and  even  Wintner 
talks  about  a  "black  box"  system  that  would 
allow  for  "different  cards  to  decode  signals." 
Meaning,  even  if  you  can't  arrange  a  satellite 
broadcast,  like  The  Last  Broadcast,  you  can  still 
bring  your  disc  down  to  the  theater — and  if  you 
can  cajole  an  unoccupied  screen  out  of  them, 
your  film's  gonna  be  as  big  and  clear  as  the  $200 
million  opus  playing  next  door. 

Mark  London  Williams  [grizzledbear@bigfoot.com] 

covers  old  and  new  media  for  Variety,  Digital  Coast 

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November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       17 


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SITE  SEEING 

By   Lisa   Vasta 


www.nogatekeepers.org 


DID  VOO  KNOW7 


Cable  and  phone 

companies  could 

restrict  the  content 

you  see  on  the  Web. 


Set  up  to 
counter  cable 
companies'  self- 
appointed  role  as 
future  gatekeep- 
ers of  the 
Internet,  nogate- 
keepers.org  is  an 
information,  edu- 
cational, and  lobbying  site  which  takes  the  pub- 
lic access  battle  into  the  on-line  arena.  The 
site's  goal  is  to  keep  broadband  networks  acces- 
sible in  order  to  maintain  competition  and 
diversity  in  the  Internet  access  market.  The  site 
warns  that  with  cable  companies  exercising 
monopoly  control  over  high-speed  cable  access 
to  the  Internet,  consumers  may  end  up  paying 
twice  to  use  another  service  provider — once  for 
the  cable  company's  ISP  and  again  for  the  ser- 
vice provider 
they  want. 
The  site's 
motto  — 
"Preserve 
diversity  and 
choice  on- 
line"— is  as 
much  a  call 
to  arms  as  a 
working  slogan,  and  its  links  encourage  site  vis- 
itors to  lobby  against  the  restriction  of  con- 
sumer choice  (e.g,  AT&T's  merger  with 
MediaOne  and  the  suit  for  open  access  taken 
against  the  City  of  Portland,  OR) . 

www.dv.com 

This  is  the  first 
stop  for  anyone  con- 
templating the  pro- 
duction of  a  digital 
film.  The  site's  news 
section  features 

short    write-ups    on 
all  the  latest  video, 
audio,  and  3D  equip- 
ment, with  informa- 
tion on  new  enhancements,  as  well  as  pricing 
and  availability.  The  site  also  has  a  large  section 
devoted  to  tutorials  to  help  new  digital  users 


learn  the  various  systems.  These  are  grouped 
under  four  topics — After  Effects,  3D,  audio, 
and  video.  The  format  is  simple:  you're  given 
an  instructive  summary  and  two  downloads. 
The  site  also  has  a  stock  media  resource  (2D, 
3D,  textures,  audio,  and  video)  and  an  exhaus- 
tive buyer's  guide. 

The  key  feature  of  the  site,  however,  is  DV 
magazine,  a  must-have  for  the  digitally 
inclined.  Its  archive,  Data  Vault,  is  very  easily 
navigatable  and  contains  lists  of  issues  and 
product  topics.  A  search  for  compression/ 
decompression,  for  instance,  came  up  with  the 
QuickTime  4  Player  Pro  and  a  link  to  the 
Apple  website.  Digital  Toolkit  is  a  list  of  links  to 
freeware,  shareware,  and  demos.  The  maga- 
zine's news  section  also  features  industry  news, 
an  international  events  calendar,  and  a  confer- 
ence connection. 

www.ic.media.mit.edu/Iviews 

I-VlEWS  CONTAINS  OVER  80  CLIPS  ABOUT  JUNIOR 
Summit  '98  culled  from  over  100  hours  of 
video  footage.  Developed  by  Pengkai  Pan,  a 
Masters  candidate  in  the  Interactive  Cinema 


Group  at  MIT's  Media  Lab,  the  summit  was  a 
conference  about  the  future  of  digital  technol- 
ogy alongside  sociopolitical  issues  such  as  envi- 
ronmental awareness,  telecommunications 
access,  and  child  welfare.  There  were  1,000 
children  between  the  ages  of  10  and  16  includ- 
ed in  the  six-month  forum,  while  100  delegates 
from  54  countries  presented  their  plans  at  the 
six-day  summit  at  MIT. 

The  interesting  aspect  here  is  that  viewers 
can  use  the  site  to  make  their  own  statement 
in  five  easy  steps.  Begin  by  viewing  as  many 
clips  as  you  like,  save  the  ones  of  interest,  and 
finally  edit  them  any  way  you  see  fit.  By  nam- 
ing your  sequence,  you  can  then  compare  it  to 
other  videos  of  a  similar  theme,  viewing  some 
of  these  other  clips,  and  even  emailing  the 
filmmakers.  This  is  a  very  hands-on  way  of 
expressing  yourself  while  learning  about  the 
technology. 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      19 


Stei?e  Lawrence 

VIS  AVIS 

by  Aaron  Krach 


Video-conferencing  has  never  been  as 
cool  as  it  was  supposed  to  be  (think  Star  Trek 
or  The  Jetsons).  But  it  is  the  lynchpin  in  an 
exceptional  documentary  television  project, 
Vis  a  Vis,  which  uses  digital  video  links  to  illus- 
trate some  of  the  most  troublesome  social  and 
political  conflicts  of  our  time. 

Already  a  success  in  Europe  and  coming  to 
PBS  stations  in  2000 
under  the  guidance 
ot  Brooklyn  produc- 
er Steve  Lawrence, 
Vis  a  Vis  establishes 
video  links  between 
strangers  in  different 
parts  of  the  world. 
Over     a     four-day 
period,  two  individ- 
uals speak  to  each 
other    as    often    as 
they  wish,  introduc- 
ing each   other   to 
their     homes     and 
families    with    the 
help  of  the  produc- 
ers.  The   conversa- 
tions are  then  edited  into  an  hour-long  pro- 
gram. Each  show  offers  a  first-hand  account  of 
the  conflict  at  hand,  while  also  exposing  the 
intricacies  of  budding  personal  relationships 
between  the  participants. 

The  American  pilot,  which  aired  last  year, 
established  a  link  between  two  female  high 
school  teachers — one  in  Tehran,  Iran,  and  the 
other  in  Rockville,  Maryland.  The  women  talk 
cordially  about  everything  from  skin  color  to 
public  safety  until  the  conversation  veers 
towards  politics,  and  then  they  reach  a  stand- 
off over  the  role  of  women  in  society  and  ulti- 
mately agree  to  disagree.  In  spite  of  their  dif- 
ferences, however,  by  the  end  of  four  days,  the 
two  women  have  taken  an  interest  in  each 
other  and  are  seen  starting  a  correspondence. 

Vis  a  Vis  was  initiated  in  1992  by  Kim 
Spencer  at  Internews  Network,  a  nonprofit 
organization  that  seeks  to  "use  the  media  as  a 
tool  to  reduce  conflict  within  and  between 
countries,"  and  Patrice  Barrat  at  Point  du  Jour, 
a  Paris -based  production  company.  Vis  a  Vis  is 


a  direct  descendant  of  one  of  Spencer's  first 
projects  at  Internews — live  video  dialogues 
between  Americans  and  Soviets  during  the 
1980s. 

The  producers  found  European  television 
enthusiastic  about  their  program.  Vis  a  Vis  was 
originally  funded  through  France  3,  a  French 
broadcast  channel  that  gave  the  show  a 
monthly  slot.  Other  European  broadcasters 
came  on  board  as  co-financiers  and  outlets, 
including  TV2  Denmark,  the  French- 
Canadian  channel  TV  Ontario,  the 
French/German  channel  Arte,  and  others  in 
Spain,  Switzerland,  and  Sweden.  A  program 
on  Somalia — linking  relief  workers  in 
Mogadishu  with  UNICEF  administrators  in 
New  York — was  co -financed  by  the  UK's 
Channel  4-  Eight  programs 
subsequently  aired  on  Planete, 
a  French  documentary  channel 
that  airs  in  Italy,  Germany,  and 
Poland. 

Steve  Lawrence  served  as  the 
line  producer  on  the  Brooklyn 
segment  of  the  very  first  Vis  a 
Vis,  called  Rose  and  Nejma:  The 
City.  The  producers  linked 
Rose,  a  Haitian  immigrant  in 
Brooklyn,  and  Nejma,  an 
^^^^      Algerian  immigranl  living  out- 


/ 


South  African  police  officers  talk  to  their  Philadelphia  counterparts  on 
screen.  Top:  Steve  Lawrence,  U.S.  coordinating  producer  of  Vis  a  Vis. 


side  Paris.  Speaking  French,  the  language  they 
shared,  the  two  women  talked  about  raising 
families  in  the  inner  city.  Since  then,  Lawrence 
has  gone  on  to  become  the  coordinating  pro- 
ducer for  the  American  version  for  PBS.  After 
two  successful  pilot  episodes  that  aired  in  the 
fall  of  1998,  PBS  commissioned  Lawrence's 
Yerosha  Productions  to  complete  five  to  six 
new  episodes  for  the  2000/2001  season.  The 
first  will  link  two  performance  artists,  one  a 
Native  American  from  California,  and  the 
other  an  Australian  Aborigine.   Other  pro- 


grams are  currently  being  developed  on 
Israeli/Palestinian  issues,  the  Serb/Kosovar 
conflict,  and  American  immigration  policies. 

To  link  such  disparate  sites,  the  producers 
use  technology  that  has  been  in  existence  for 
several  years:  regular  ISDN  phone  lines  that 
are  able  to  carry  64  KB.  It's  far  less  costly  than 
using  a  $10,000  Inmarsat  B  satellite  dish  with 
a  high-speed  data  card  and  better  quality  than 
the  Internet  which,  while  virtually  free,  only 
offers  a  small  jerky  image. 

"One  of  the  beauties  of  Vis  d  Vis  is  that  we 
can  have  these  long  dialogues  because  they 
don't  cost  anything,"  says  Lawrence.  "For  what 
we  are  trying  to  accomplish,  which  is  good 
face-to-face  dialogue  and  communication,  you 
don't  need  a  broadband  signal.  If  you've  got 
really  clean  audio  and  decent  video  running  at 
15  or  20  frames  per  second,  that's  really  good 
enough." 

Lawrence's  background  makes  him  an  ideal 
candidate  for  overseeing  this  merger  between 
technology  and  international  dialogue.  After 
graduating  from  the  Gallatin  Division  of  New 
York  University,  Lawrence  worked  his  way 
from  public  access  to  MTV  and  back  to  public 
interest  programs  like  Vis  a  Vis,  with  a  sojourn 
to  the  Soviet  Union  in  between. 

"At  MTV,  I  was  constantly  trying  to  broad- 
en the  format  and  show  a  variety  of  pop  musi- 
cal culture  from  around  the 
world.  When  I  found  out  about 
the  underground  Soviet  rock 
scene,  I  knew  there  was  an 
important  story  there.  Once  I  left 
MTV,  I  spent  a  lot  of  time  in  the 
former  Soviet  Union  making 
films  and  TV  programs  that 
would  convey  to  the  West  the 
monumental  changes  taking 
place  there,"  he  explains. 

"I  suppose  what  we're  trying  to 
do  with  Vis  a  Vis  is  present  a  par- 
adigm for  a  way  that  technology 
can  help  us  understand  other  cul- 
tures, and  in  some  cases,  help 
resolve  misunderstanding,  prejudice,  and  con- 
flict. We  believe  the  next  series  of  programs 
will  help  inspire  viewers  to  think  more  about 
how  we,  as  Americans,  relate  to  the  rest  of  the 
world." 

Contact:  Yerosha  Productions,   73   Spring 

Street,  Ste.  607,  New  York,  New  York  10012; 

(212)  966-1095;  fax:  966-3193;  slawrence® 

internews.org;  visavisCft  internews.org 

Aaron  Krach  [aaronkrach(a atl.net] 
lives  and  writes  in  New  York  City. 


20     THE    INDEPENDENT     November  1999 


Marc  Weiss 

WEB  LAB 


by  Larry  Loewinger 


The  selling  of  sex  and  suds  is  what  drives 
most  American  media.  When  the  Internet 
evolved  some  years  ago,  it  was  originally  a 
means  of  scientific  communication.  It  later 
mushroomed  into  the  vehicle  for  far-out  dis- 
course of  any  kind.  But  when  the  world  wide 
web  appeared  with  its  graphic  interface  and 
linking  mechanisms,  commerce  could  once 
again  grab  center  stage.  And  grab  it  did. 

Web  Lab  [www.weblab.org]  is  a  very  differ- 
ent kind  of  organization.  Its  mission  is  to  cut 
through  the  Internet  chatter  by  designing  soft- 
ware, funding,  co-authoring,  and  consulting  in 
the  making  of  web  sites  dedicated  to  genuine 
dialogue  about  the  important  social,  political, 
and  economic  issues  of  the  day.  As  the  New 
York  Times,  Salon,  and  Wired  News  have  all 
noted,  Web  Lab's  goal  is  to  facilitate  reasoned 
dialogue  in  a  structured  environment.  Though 
Web  Lab  is  tiny — a  nonprofit  David  compared 
to  the  commercial  Goliaths  on  the  web — it  has 
definitely  made  its  presence  felt. 


Web  Lab  is  the  brainchild  of  Marc  Weiss,  a 
founding  board  member  of  the  Association  of 
Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  and  the 
driving  force  behind  the  establishment  of 
P.O.V.,  the  independent  documentary  series 
on  PBS.  In  his  own  words,  "Web  Lab  is  a  non- 
profit organization  set  up  to  encourage  and 
support  innovation  on  the  web, 
with  a  special  emphasis  on  develop- 
ing the  potential  of  the  web  to  bring 
people  together  to  explore  both  per- 
sonal and  public  issues  in  powerful, 
transforming  ways." 

A  look  back  at  Weiss'  career  sug- 
gests that  forming  community, 
relating  the  political  to  the  person- 
al, and  stretching  boundaries  are 
the  poles  of  his  creative  life. 
Computers,  as  he  came  to  discover, 
wired  into  the  Internet  could  form  a 
powerful  interactive  grid  over 
which  people  could  either  yell  at 
each  other  or  talk  calmly  about 
complex  and,  sometimes,  painful 
issues.  "Once  I  started  creating  sites 
and  saw  how  people  responded  to 
them,"  Weiss  says,  "the  next  step 
was  automatic." 

The  Web  Development  Fund 
[www.weblab.org/wdf.html],  the 
first  entity  in  the  Web  Lab  equation, 
was,  itself,  a  first  on  the  web.  Started 
in  the  fall  of  1997  and  funded  by, 
among  others,  the  Ford  Foundation 
and  PBS,  it  gives  development  money 
in  the  ranges  of  $5,000-10,000  and  $13,000- 
26,000,  for  actual  web  site  development,  and  it 
offers  technical  support  and  editorial  direction. 
Each  of  the  sites,  in  different  ways,  is  designed 
with  the  notion  that  people  will  share  experi- 
ences, often  in  small  discussion  groups.  By  means 
of  the  technology,  they  will  talk  to  rather  than  at 
each  other.  Some  of  the  sites  funded  include 
Adoption:  A  Gathering  [www.pbs.org/  web- 
lab/gathering],  about  the  adoption  experience; 
Living  with  Suicide  [www.pbs.org/weblab/  liv- 
ing], a  site  in  which  people  share  the  experi- 
ence of  loss;  and  Dark  Museum,  intended  to 
explore  the  "toxic  effects"  of  the  Cold  War  on 
American  culture. 

Therein  lies  a  story.  As  the  web  site  address- 
es indicate,  these  sites  are  often  done  to 
enhance  and  continue  the  impact  of  PBS  pro- 
gramming. That  suggests  that  Web  Lab  may 
impose  editorial  guidelines,  which  it  sometimes 
does.  In  the  case  of  Dark  Museum,  the  web  site 
producer  resisted.  After  an  effort  to  resolve  the 


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November  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


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conflict,  the  project  was  dropped.  The  lesson  to 
be  learned  is  that  the  Web  Development  Fund 
acts  more  like  a  commissioning  editor  rather 
than  a  no-strings  attached  granting  agency. 

Web  Lab  has  also  initiated  its  own  sites. 
Reality  Check  [www.RealiryCheck.com],  put 
on  line  as  the  House  of  Representatives  was 
beginning  its  impeachment  hearings,  com- 
menced a  dialogue  about  the  impeachment 
process  and  moved  into  other  areas  of 
American  politics.  Web  Lab  has  worked  exten- 
sively with  P.O.V  to  create  the  technology  and 
format  for  the  RO.V.  Salon,  where  the  first 
small  group  dialogues  took  place.  Web  Lab  has 
also  consulted  on  or  produced  several  of  the 
significant  PBS  sites — for  instance,  Jennifer 
Fox's  multi-part  series,  An  American  Love  Story 
[www.pbs.org/weblab/lovestories]. 

In  its  very  short  life,  Web  Lab  has  over- 
achieved  its  goals,  but  money  remains  tight. 
The  MacArthur  Foundation  recently  declined 
to  offer  Web  Lab  a  grant  that  would  have 
enhanced  the  Web  Development  Fund.  That 
reflects  on  the  difficulties  foundations  in  gener- 
al have  in  perceiving  the  web  as  an  agency  for 
social  change.  Even  if  the  foundations  become 
more  receptive  to  Web  Lab's  agenda,  as  is  like- 
ly, Weiss  realizes  he  must  move  "in  the  direc- 
tion of  partnerships  where  we  join  with  anoth- 
er organization  or,  possibly,  several  other  orga- 
nizations to  create  sites  that  are  exemplary,  that 
can  inspire  others."  Much  as  he  created  P.O.V. 
as  a  vehicle  for  independent  film  and  video,  his 
goal  now  is  to  create  "a  meta  community  of 
people  who  are  creating  sites."  And  those  sites 
will  take  the  controversial  issues  confronting  us 
and,  through  an  interactive  dialogue,  touch  us 
directly. 

"It  is  not  enough  to  make  a  film,"  Weiss  con- 
cludes. "That  doesn't  change  the  way  people 
think  about  the  world.  What's  on  the  screen  is 
abstract.  Only  when  it  becomes  personal  does 
it  have  the  potential  for  changing  the  way  peo- 
ple think." 

Web  Lab:  (212)  366-9600;  info@weblab.org; 
www.weblab.org 

Larry  Loewinger  is  a  filmmaker 
and  audio  engineer. 


AIVF  ON-LINE 

Find  back  issues  of  The  Independent,  advocacy 

reports  &  updates  on  AIVF  events,  along  with 

bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons,  and 

databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


22     THE    INDEPENDENT     November  1999 


Jeff  Meyers  and 
left  ones 


EMPEROR  OF  HEMP 


by  Thomas  White 


♦  »♦♦♦♦ 


As  the  World  Wide  Web  continues  to  wield 
its  power  as  an  alternative  universe  of  informa- 
tion, recreation,  and  convocation,  web-crawl- 
ing filmmakers  have  been  turning  it  into  a  vast 
global  swap  meet.  Though  filmmakers  have 
been  setting  up  their  own  sites  for  years,  it  was- 
n't until  The  Blair  Witch  Project  phenomenon 
this  year  when  'netizens  and  citizens  alike  fully 
embraced  the  web  as  the  now  and  future  mar- 
keting tool. 

When  producer  Jeff  Meyers  and  director  Jeff 
Jones  were  finishing  their  documentary  video 
Emperor  of  Hemp,  which  profiles  marijuana- 
legalization  activist  Jack  Herer  and  examines 
the  issues  surrounding  marijuana  legislation, 
they  knew  that,  given  the  controversial  subject 
matter  of  the  film,  the  Internet  would  be  the 
best  means  to  promote  and 
sell  it.  "Controversy  thrives  on 
the  Internet,"  the  Ventura, 
California-based  Meyers  says. 
"Hemp  and  marijuana  web 
pages  draw  thousands  of  visi- 
tors every  day.  Our  main  audi- 
ence was  on  the  web,  so  we 
had  the  web  page  designed 
and  had  that  pretty  much 
ready  to  go  when  we  were." 

The  challenge  in  marketing 
a  film  over  the  Internet,  how- 
ever, is  marketing  the  web  site 
itself.  The  Blair  Witch  Project 
was  mentioned  on  the  popular 
aintitcoolnews.com  site,  and 
that  triggered  the  onslaught  of 
hits  to  its  site.  Meyers  and  Jones  had  a  much 
smaller,  more  specialized  audience  for  their 
film,  but  given  the  abundance  of  subcultures  on 
the  web,  they  knew  where  that  audience  might 
be.  "There  are  various  web  pages  within  the 
hemp/marijuana  movement — hightimes.com, 
marijuananews.com.  We  bought  [advertising] 
banners  on  those,  and  we  also  got  reviews  on 
those  sites.  And  there's  some  newsgroups  that 
are  involved  with  the  issue,"  says  Meyers. 
"People  who  have  seen  a  rough  cut  have  post- 
ed messages  onto  newsgroup  bulletin  boards, 


and  things  like  that.  We're  getting  the  word 
out,  but  the  question  is,  what  is  the  scope  and 
size  of  the  audience?  There's  no  way  of  know- 
ing that." 

Indeed,  getting  an  audience  to  your  web  site 
is  only  the  first  step  in  getting  them  to  buy  your 
product,  as  Meyers  found  out.  "I  think  our 
expectations  were  a  little  too  high.  Because  of 
the  subject — the  story  about  the  guy  who  pret- 
ty much  launched  the  hemp  movement  world- 
wide— we  thought  there  was  a  huge  audience 
out  there.  His  book  had  sold  600,000  copies,  so 
we  thought,  well,  that's  600,000  potential  cus- 
tomers right  there.  And  1%  of  that,  that's 
6,000!  We  were  expecting  the  deluge  to  start, 
but  it  doesn't  really  work  that  way.  I  don't  think 
people  automatically  buy  something  just 
because  it's  a  documentary  or  it  has  to  do  with 
their  favorite  person.  They  have  to  be  persuad- 
ed to  part  with  their  money."  After  the  first  two 
months  that  their  site  was  up,  Meyers  and 
Jones  had  sold  over  1,000  copies;  Meyers  esti- 
mates that  the  site  has  attracted  up  to  500 
unique  visitors  per  day. 

The  Emperor  site,  [www.emperorof  hemp, 
com],  includes  reviews  from  High  Times,  mari- 
juana news.com,  and  Cannabis  Culture  maga- 
zine, as  well  as  testi- 
monials from  people 
who  have  purchased 
the  video  already. 
Links  to  marijua- 
nanews.com  and  ban- 
ners on 
hightimes.com  and  its 
subsidiary  site, 
420.com,  have  helped 
attract  new  visitors. 
Meyers  estimates  that 
65%  of  the  business 
comes  from  the  latter 
two  sites. 

But  a  subculture  is 
a  finite  audience. 
Once  that  market  is 
tapped  out,  the  challenge  lies  in  identifying  the 
larger  market  and  knowing  how  to  reach  it. 
Meyers  has  been  pitching  to  film  sites  for  arti- 
cles and  reviews,  and  he  and  Jones  are  in  the 
process  of  revamping  their  site  to  accommo- 
date a  three -minute  streaming  video  clip. 
Making  their  site  user-  and  buyer-friendly  has 
been  an  ongoing  task.  They  started  selling 
other  products,  such  as  t-shirts  and  the  World 
War  II  propaganda  film  Hemp  for  Victory.  In 
the  process,  the  filmmakers  noticed  that  vis- 
tors,  after  loading  up  their  shopping  cart  with 


Emperor  of  Hemp  director,  Jeff  Jones 


goodies  and  the  video,  stopped  short  of  pur- 
chasing those  items  with  a  credit  card  over  the 
web.  In  response,  the  filmmakers  added  an  800 
number  to  accomodate  people  uneasy  with  on- 
line commerce. 

All  told,  selling  a  film  on  the  Internet  isn't 
just  a  matter  of  throwing  up  a  web  site.  It  takes 
the  same  kind  of  marketing  savvy  and  acumen 
as  in  the  non-cyber  world — knowing  who  your 
customers  are,  knowing  how  to  reach  them, 
convincing  them  that  your  product  is  worth 
buying,  and  knowing  how  to  get  them  to  buy.  "I 
don't  think  you  can  do  it  with  any  film," 
Meyers  maintains.  "It  has  to  be  something  that 
has  a  niche  audience  that  is  fanatic  about  the 
issue.  Without  that,  you  really  don't  know 
where  to  go.  The  web  has  millions  and  millions 
of  people  on  it,  but  how  do  you  reach  them? 
You  can't  just  rely  on  search  engines,  and  you 
really  can't  do  a  massive  email — that's  spam- 
ming.  You  have  to  advertise  on  sites  that  relate 
to  your  subject  matter,  and  you  need  to  contact 
newsgroups,  things  like  that.  But  unless  you 
specifically  know  who  your  audience  is,  I  don't 
see  how  you  can  just  go  on  the  web  and  sell 
something." 

Contact:  www.emperorofhemp.com 

Thomas  WJiite  is  associate  editor  of 
International  Documentary  magaziy~ie. 


November  1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


YVONNE  RAINER 
Oi  Woman  Wfia . . . 

Essays,  Interviews,  Scripts 

When  Yvonne  Rainer  started  making  films 
in  the  mid-1970s,  works  such  as  Lives  of 
Performers  and  Film  About  a  Woman 
Who  .  .  .  quickly  established  her  at  the 
forefront  of  independent  cinema.  Her 
work  has  been  the  subject  of  more  than  a 
dozen  retrospectives,  most  recently  at  the 
Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center.  This  wide- 
ranging  collection  of  Rainer's  interviews, 
essays,  talks,  and  other  writings  includes 
the  scripts  of  her  two      ^>mKJ.jt  , 
most  recent  feature- 
length  films,  Privilege 
and  MURDER  and 
murder. 

PAJ  Books: 
Art  +  Performance 
Bonnie  Marranca  and 
Gautam  Dasgupta, 
Series  Editors 

$19.95  paperback 


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WE  ACCEPT  ALL  MAJOR  CREDIT  CARDS 


Caspar  Stracke 

CIRCLE'S  SHORT  CIRCUIT 

by  Ilana  Goldberg 

Caspar  Stracke's  art  in  Circle's  Short 
Circuit  might  best  be  likened  to  that  of  an  engi- 
neer at  a 
theme  park 
who  designs  a 
carousel  ride 
that  spins 
viewers  past 
visual  wonders 
and  conceptu- 
al surprises.  A 
teature-length 
experimental 
work  that 

defies  classifi- 
cation, Circle's 
Short  Circuit 
combines 
philosophical 
agility  with  a 
sense  of  the 
burlesque  as  it 
uses  fantastic 
scenarios  to 
investigate  its 
theme  —  the 
prevalence  of 
interruption  in 
contemporary 
forms  of  com- 
munication. 

Subtitled  An  Anthology  of  Interruption,  the 
film  ironically  has  none,  designed  to  be 
screened  as  a  loop  without  beginning  or  end. 
Structured  in  five  parts  with  "only  a  fragile  the- 
oretical thread  that  combines  them,"  Stracke 
says  he  "tried  to  fuse  the  five  episodes  into  a 
circular  progression,  so  that  each  one  inter- 
locks into  the  other,  with  an  object  or  an  actor 
carrying  an  object,  as  in  a  torch  run." 

The  idea  resonating  within  each  episode  is 
how  interruption  functions  as  a  permanent  fea- 
ture of  communication,  and  how  modern  media 
technology  encourages  and  exaggerates  this.  "I 
wanted  to  find  stories  that  would  address  my 
own  ambivalent  relationship  to  interruptions  in 
my  daily  life,"  Stracke  explains.  "I  first  sought 
strategies  against  disruption,  to  the  point  where 
constant  interruption  became  a  trigger  for  the 
imagination — even  pleasurable,  at  times." 


The  interpretive  key  to  the  film  is  found  in 
the  episode  "Electric  Speech"  featuring  cultur- 
al theorist  Avital  Ronell,  who  points  to  the 
telephone  as  a  paradigm  of  imminent  disrup- 
tion and  disconnection.  Other  stories  drama- 
tize the  issue  through  different  genres.  Moving 
between  documentary,  experimental  collage, 
narrative,  and  silent  film,  Stracke  recapitulates 
film  history  and  simultaneously  deconstructs 
the  stylistic  conventions  of 
each  genre.  The  various 
episodes  also  assail  the 
viewer  with  the  actual 
experience  of  disruption. 
The  nonlinear  narrative  of 
the  "Hooks"  segment,  for 
instance,  deliberately 

exploits  the  fast-forward 
function  of  the  VCR  as  a 
dramaturgical  time  ele- 
ment. The  surreal  silent 
film  in  "Hobart"  plays  with 
the  jarring  effect  of  title 
cards  "to  highlight  what  it 
means  to  switch  constantly 
back  and  forth  from  a  read- 
ing mode  to  a  mode  of 
viewing  images,"  Stracke 
explains,  "and  what  would 
happen  if  you  were  trapped 
by  being  presented  blank 
titles  in  between,  instead  of 
images." 

Stracke's  work  has  al- 
ways been  free -ranging  in 
style  and  discipline. 
Trained  in  painting  and 
film  at  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts  in 
Braunschweig,  Germany,  where  structuralist 
filmmakers  Brigit  and  Wilhelm  Hein  were  his 
mentors,  Stracke  decided  eventually  to  focus 
on  film  and  video,  letting  go,  for  the  most  part, 
of  earlier  pursuits  in  music  and  performance. 
But  the  expressiveness  of  gesture  and  the  use  of 
elaborate  decor,  make-up,  and  lighting  remain 
a  hallmark  of  his  film  work. 

After  his  arrival  in  New  York  in  1994  on  a 
post-graduate  scholarship,  Stracke  began  work 
on  Circle's  Short  Circuit.  Many  of  the  elements 
in  the  film  are  developments  of  earlier  preoc- 
cupations, particularly  his  interest  in  the 
photo-chemical  alteration  of  found  footage 
and  a  fascination  with  silent  film.  But  Stracke 
also  ventured  onto  new  ground,  dipping  into 
narrative  and  documentary.  "It  was  important 
for  me  to  go  out  on  a  limb  as  a  filmmaker,  into 
a  situation  for  which  I'm  not  trained." 


24    THE    INDEPENDENT     November  1999 


Equally  important  for  Stracke  was  the  explo- 
ration of  the  space  between  film  and  video  for- 
mats— a  divide  many  mediamakers  find  diffi- 
cult to  straddle.  "So  few  filmmakers  made  this 
transition  and  continued  to  find  in  video  simi- 
lar parameters  or  styles  in  which  to  continue 
their  very  personal  film  language,"  says 
Stracke.  Shooting  in  both  35mm  and  digital 
video,  Stracke  intended  Circle's  Short  Circuit  to 
be  a  deliberate  amalgamation  and  embrace  of 
these  supposedly  disparate  universes.  In  the 
episode  "Doublestream,"  for  example,  a  set  is 
constructed  twice — once  indoors  and  once 
outside.  On  the  street,  it  is  shot  in  35mm  using 
a  deep  depth-of-field  that  shows  the  actress  in 
the  foreground  and  pedestrian  movement 
through  the  windows  in  the  background. 
Indoors,  where  it  is  shot  in  video,  the  windows 
are  replaced  with  blue  screen  and  show  a  rapid 
succession  of  images;  they,  in  effect,  become 
channel-surfing  TV  monitors.  In  the  edited 
piece,  there  is  an  almost  (but  not  quite)  seam- 
less mid-scene  transition,  so  the  quasi-realistic 
setting  with  the  street-view  melds  into  the 
more  surreal  video  scene,  and  then  again  back 
to  35mm. 

Transferring  the  different  formats  to  a  high- 
quality  35mm  print  produced  an  intriguing 
visual  look.  "I  feel  that  people  overlook  that 
there  is  a  third  aesthetic,"  says  the  filmmaker. 
"In  making  this  piece,  I  learned  that  inevitably 
you  never  end  up  as  film,  but  as  something  else 
that  interests  me  highly — an  aesthetic  right 
between  the  two.  It  is  neither  film  nor  video, 
but  a  fusion  of  both,  because  it  is  video  which 
suddenly  has  color-separated  layers  of  film. 
And  at  the  same  time  you  see  a  quality  of 
video  in  it." 

Along  with  the  narrative  surprises,  it  is  this 
third  look  that  contributes  to  the  wonder  and 
bafflement  of  film  audiences.  "I  am  now  suspi- 
cious of  everything — you've  utterly  destroyed 
my  sense  of  what  to  expect  from  a  film,"  com- 
mented one  viewer  during  a  discussion  at  the 
Flaherty  Film  Seminar  last  June.  This  is  exact- 
ly what  Stracke  wants:  to  indicate  future  direc- 
tions and  possibilities  inherent  in  digital  film- 
making. 

Circle's  Short  Circuit  tours  the  U.S.  this  fall, 
showing  in  New  York,  Los  Angeles,  and  San 
Francisco  this  month.  Contact:  Caspar 
Stracke,  the  video  kasbah,  (212)  473-3914; 
kasbahtahotmail.com 


llaiw  Goldberg  is  a  filmmaker  and  writer 
livmg  in  New  York  City. 


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Owned  and  run  by  its  members,  New 
Day  Films  has  successfully  distributed 
documentary  film  and  video  for  twenty- 
five  years. 

Call  415.332.7172 


Seeking  energetic 
independent  makers 
of  social  issue 
documentaries  for 
new  membership. 


http:// 


www.  newt 


November  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


-itfif  Ai 


CIRCUIT 


The  Point  of  No  Return 

On-line  Film  Festivals,  Showcases  &  Distributors 


by   Eugene   Hernandez 


One  thing  is  clear:  there's  no  turning  back.  While  the  promise  of  distributing  indie  films  over  the  Internet  has 
been  hotly  debated  for  years,  the  possibility  has  recently  turned  into  a  reality.  Yes,  there  are  limitations  and 
drawbacks,  but  the  time  has  come  for  filmmakers  to  explore  online  distribution  as  a  viable  outlet.  Over  the  past 
nine  months,  the  number  of  players  in  the  on-line  distribution  field  has  proliferated.  The  spectrum  is  changing 
rapidly,  investments  are  rolling  in,  and  competitive  attitudes  are  forming.  With  so  many  options,  informed,  inno- 
vative filmmakers  can  carve  out  a  unique  niche.  What  follows  is  a  concise  overview  of  the  more  promising  sites. 


The  Bit  Screen 

www.thebitscreen.com 

Launched:  July  1998 

Plug-ins  required:  RealPlayer 

Audience  (per  month):  100,000  page  views, 

download  totals  unavailable. 

Contact:  Druid  Media,  Box  343,  Narberth, 

PA  19072;  (610)  664-6945;  info@druidmedia 

.com 

"It's  really  not  about  distributing  films 
over  the  Internet,"  says  Bit  Screen  creator  Nora 
Barry.  "To  me,  it's  a  completely  new  art  form." 
On-line  in  the  summer  of  1998,  more  than  six 
months  before  other  Internet  distributors,  The 
Bit  Screen  got  a  big  shot  in  the  arm  after  a  New 
York  Times  profile  last  January. 

Barry  describes  the  site,  run  by  herself  and  a 
staff  of  four,  as  a  laboratory  where  filmmakers 
can  experiment  on-line.  "It's  the  site  where  I 
want  people  to  come  and  try  things  out.  That 
doesn't  mean  it's  always  going  to  work,  but  I  am 
willing  to  take  the  trip." 

With  an  eye  on  the  future,  Barry  is  launch- 
ing the  Cinema  Lounge  this  month  as  a  special 
site  for  high-speed  broadband  users.  It  will 
screen    independent    tilms,    list    local    film 


resources,  and  offer  other  information  for  film- 
makers and  enthusiasts.  The  site,  created  with 
MediaOne,  is  rolling  out  in  select  cities  through 
January. 

Most  movies  screen  on-line  for  about  two 
weeks.  "If  the  goal  is  to  get  your  work  seen, 
then  it's  worth  shooting  for  the  Internet,"  she 
says.  "There  don't  seem  to  be  as  many  barriers 
tor  entry  as  there  are  on  the  festival  circuit." 


'J^— u/\ 

Oh 

1 

7— 

m 

NETWORK 

iFilm  Network 

www.ifilm.net 

Launched:  February  1999 

Plug-ins  required:  RealPlayer 

Audience:  [figures  not  available] 

Contact:  832  Sansome  St.,  San  Francisco,  CA 

94111;  (415)  773-2080;  fax:  773-1506;  contact 

(§  ifilm.net 

"If  the  consumer  thinks  'films',  we  want 
them  to  come  to  iFilm  as  their  first  point  of 
entry,"  says  iFilm  founder  Rodger  Raderman. 
"We  see  ourselves  as  the  portal,  the  first  stop  on 
the  web  for  all  things  film-related." 

With  that  goal  in  mind,  Raderman  is  taking 
the  industry  by  storm.  This  summer  he  poached 


two  key  staffers  from  Variety — film  editor 
Andrew  Hindes  and  sales  and  marketing  head 
Coco  Jones.  iFilm  now  has  offices  in  three  cities 
(New  York,  LA,  and  San  Francisco)  and 
employs  more  than  40  people. 

iFilm  offers  filmmakers  a  "nonexclusive, 
performance -based,  revenue-sharing  deal," 
says  Raderman.  (Through  a  new  on-line  rev- 
enue tracking  system,  filmmakers  can  find  out 
how  many  people  are  downloading  their 
movie  and  see  how  much  money  they're  mak- 
ing.) The  site  had  over  450  movies  on-line  by 
the  end  of  the  summer,  with  1,000  expected  by 
the  time  this  article  is  published.  iFilm  rejects 
home  movies  and  pornography,  but  everything 
else  is  fair  game.  It's  "very  democratic,  but  it  is 
also  a  meritocracy;  [we]  let  everybody  have 
their  chance  and  let  the  good  stuff  bubble  to 
the  top."  Raderman  adds,  "We  don't  want  to 
become  a  filter.  That's  not  what  the  Internet  is 
about." 

Filmmakers  attracted  to  the  Internet, 
Raderman  proclaims,  "are  young,  enthusiastic, 
fundamentally  empowered.  They  know  that  if 
they  make  a  film,  they  can  get  it  seen  these 
days.  That's  a  shift;  you  can  almost  call  it  a 
revolution." 

AtomFilms 

www.atomfilms.com 

Launched:  March  1999 

Plug-ins  required:  RealPlayer 

Audience  (per  month) :  800,000  content  plays 


26     THE    INDEPENDENT     November    1999 


'atom 


FILMS 


and  downloads;  company  does  not  disclose 
page  views 

Contact:  Seattle  Headquarters:  80  S. 
Washington,  Ste.  303,  Seattle,  WA  98104; 
(206)  264-2735;  LA  office:  531  North  Flores 
St.,  Ste.  5,  LA,  CA  90048;  (323)  653-0476 

"Shorts  are  cool  and  we  want  to  make 

them  a  viable  part  of  the  entertainment  spec- 
trum," says  Mika  Salmi,  founder  and  CEO  of 
AtomFilms.com  To  that  end,  AtomFilms  is  not 
only  webcasting  shorts,  but  acting  as  a  sales 
agent  and  making  deals  with  airlines,  cable  net- 
works, and  other  websites  for  the  few  hundred 
short  films  and  animations  now  in  its  fold,  [see 
Distributor  F.A.Q.,  p.  46] 

Unlike  some  other  online  distributors,  Atom 
takes  a  "less  is  more"  approach.  In  order  to 
serve  his  audience,  Salmi  believes  AtomFilms 
needs  to  be  selective.  Shorts  are  chosen 
through  an  internal  process  that  can  include 
screenings  before  small  audiences. 

The  company  recently  created  an  "artist's 
fund"  that  rewards  its  filmmakers  with  owner- 
ship in  the  company  through  an  artist's  fund 
which  provides  stock  options  to  filmmakers, 
along  with  fees  generated  by  deals  that  Atom 
makes.  The  company  also  announced  the  addi- 
tion of  several  high-profile  Hollywood  execu- 
tives to  its  boards  of  directors  and  advisors: 
NBC's  Warren  Littlefield,  Viacom's  Frank 
Biondi,  and  the  WB  Network's  Craig  Hunegs. 

Outwardly  focused  on  nurturing  new  talent, 
Salmi  adds,  "We  want  to  create  and  find  hits." 
The  company  has  already  found  at  least  one  in 
J.J.  Keith's  Holiday  Romance,  which  was  nomi- 
nated for  an  Academy  Award  after  Keith 
worked  with  Atom  to  book  the  short  in  a  Los 
Angeles  theater  to  guarantee  Oscar  eligibility. 

"We  want  to  develop  a  market  and  make  the 
short  format  popular,"  says  Salmi.  "We  think 
that  shorts  will  work  well  on  the  Internet." 

Always  Independent  Films 

www.alwaysinclependent.com 

Launched:  April  1999 

Plug-ins  required:  RealPlayer 

Audience   (per  month):  60,000  page  views; 

8,000  downloads 

Contact:  27  Water  Street,  Milford,  OH  45150; 


(513)  965-0049;  fax:  965-0067 

"We  accept  all  formats,"  explained  Always 
Independent  Films  (AIF)  president  Gary 
Zeidenstein.  "We  do  have  a  screening  process, 
[but]  as  long  as  it's  not  the  backyard  home- 
made movie,  we're  going  to  post  it  on  the  site." 
In  its  first  few  months  AIF  received  some  300 
entries  and  about  50  were  rejected. 


alwaysindependentfilms 

I    /IMMj/ 

m 


Based  in  Ohio,  AIF  stole  the  spotlight  from 
iFilm  and  AtomFilms  when  it  announced  a 
pact  with  the  on-line  distribution  powerhouse 
Broadcast.com.  This  immediately  gives  AIF  a 
high  profile  via  Broadcast. corn's  highly-traf- 
ficked site.  (Yahoo!  acquired  Broadcast.com 
earlier  this  year.) 

AIF  President  Gary  Zeidenstein  touts  his 
company's  decision  to  focus  on  feature  work, 
"because  that's  the  future."  This  decision  was 
enabled  by  the  Broadcast.com  deal.  "[The  part- 
nership] helped  us  with  bandwidth  [and  has] 
given  us  the  opportunity  to  stream  a  whole 
film."  For  those  with  shorter  attention  spans, 
AIF  launched  a  TV  section  with  short  pieces 
and  original  programming  in  the  works,  includ- 
ing a  hip  hop  show,  comedy,  a  dating  show, 
indie  filmmaker  interviews,  and  a  doc  series 
about  women  and  minorities  in  filmmaking. 

Zeidenstein  also  highlights  the  site's  on-line 
film  festival  which  streamed  83  films.  They 
plan  to  host  two  or  three  festivals  per  year  at  no 
cost  to  filmmakers.  Other  plans  include  an  e- 
commerce  section  for  filmmakers  to  sell  their 
works  online,  as  part  of  the  nonexclusive  deal  it 
makes  with  producers 

On2.com 

www.on2.com 

Expected  launch: 

November  1999 

Plug-ins 

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Audience:     Not 

launched  at  press 

time. 

Contact:        375 

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941-2400;  fax:  941-3853;  info@on2.com 


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November    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      27 


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"We  are  basically  creating  an  environment 
where  a  user  can  build  their  own  television 
show,"  explains  On2. corn's  Joel  Roodman.  A 
former  executive  at  Miramax  who  also  headed 
Gotham  Entertainment,  Roodman  states, 
"Everybody  believes  that  broadband  is  the 
future;  [our]  sole  focus  is  on  the  broadband 
consumer." 

On2.com  is  starting  with  content  about 
movies,  including  film  trailers  and  shows  that 
highlight  films  and  filmmakers.  "We'll  be  taking 
existing  content  and  wrapping  original  content 
around  it,"  says  Roodman.  Plans  include  offer- 
ing outtakes  from  documentaries  and  a  heavy 
festival  focus,  where  they  will  follow  partici- 
pants and  build  shows  related  to  the  event. 

"The  challenge  is  to  make  sure  that  broad- 
band is  in  as  many  homes  as  possible,"  says 
Roodman.  "It  is  a  great  opportunity  for  video- 
rich  content." 


MediaTrip 

www.mediatrip.com 

Launched:  October  1999 
Plug-ins  required:  Flash,  RealPlayer,  Quick- 
Time, or  Windows  Media  Player 
Audience:  Not  available  at  press  time 
Contact:    (323)    933-0797;   fax:    933-0866; 
intoi"  mediatrip.com 

Announced  this  summer  with  a  full-page  ad 
in  Variety,  Media  Trip  is  a  new  site  from  some 
familiar  faces:  Robert  Faust  (president), 
founder  of  the  Los  Angeles  Independent  Film 
Festival;  Patrick  Lynn  (VP  of  acquisitions),  a 
well-known  producer's  rep  and  former  distribu- 
tion executive;  and  Tom  Brunelle  (director  of 
programming  and  marketing),  former  associate 
publisher  of  Filmmaker.  The  company's  CEO  is 
Austin  Harrison,  formerly  of  Hollywood.com 

MediaTrip  is  targeting  films,  music,  and  orig- 
inal programming  for  the  18-34  demographic. 
With  a  focus  on  what  Faust  calls  "sophisticated 
or  edgier  programming,"  the  site  will  have  new 
programming  weekly,  ranging  from  new  movies 
to  news  programming  about  film  and  music. 

With  an  eye  on  broadband  down  the  road, 
the  company  is  currently  providing  program- 
ming for  normal-speed  dial-up  visitors. 
MediaTrip's  first  acquisition  is  Joe  Nussbaum's 


short  George  Lucas  in  Love,  which  played  at  the 
Toronto  Film  Festival.  "We  are  focusing  on 
quality,"  offers  Robert  Faust.  "Our  first  acquisi- 
tion makes  that  statement — we  want  to  build  a 
brand  with  a  sense  of  quality  to  it." 


Pitch  TV 

www.pitchtv.com 

Launched:  September  1999 
Plug-ins  required:  Flash  and  Quick  Time 
Audience:  Not  available  at  press  time 
Contact:  304  Hudson  St.,  6th  floor,  New  York, 

NY  10013;  (212)  584-5840;  fax:  584-5845; 
infofo'pitchtv.com 

"It's  a  home  for  people  within  the  industry 

to  view  interesting  work,"  explains  Linda 
Walsh,  describing  Pitch  TV,  a  new  site  which 
debuted  this  fall.  Launched  by  the  folks  behind 
PITCH,  the  New  York  City-based  animation 
and  commercial  company,  Pitch  TV  is  a  way  to 
showcase  their  work  and  that  of  media  artists. 

"One  of  the  things  that  Pitch  TV  brings  to 
the  party  is  the  experience  of  the  people  behind 
it,"  adds  Walsh.  The  effort  is  a  combination  of 
work  by  S.D.  Katz,  Jean-David  Boulnah  and 
Walsh,  among  others.  Walsh  indicated  that 
they  all  come  from  the  television,  commercial, 
or  film  production  communities,  and  are  deter- 
mined to  use  their  experience  as  a  way  careful- 
ly to  select  qualified  work. 

Site  sections  include  a  festival  area  for 
screening  short  films  from  a  variety  of  sources, 
a  news  section  covering  indie  films,  filmmaking 
and  festivals,  and  finally  a  survey  of  interna- 
tional movies  spotlighting  a  new  country  and 
new  filmmakers  each  month.  Additionally, 
Pitch  TV  plans  to  offer  an  off-line  experi- 
ence— live  monthly  screenings  of  new  work. 

"Electronic  Cinema  and  the  Internet  open 
up  new  ways  to  reach  an  audience,"  explains 
Katz.  "I  can  write  a  short  story,  a  musical,  an 
animated  short  or  a  feature  and  build  a  follow- 
ing without  the  usual  layers  of  approvals.  When 
you  take  selling  out  of  the  equation,  you  find 
you  gain  a  lot  of  creation  time." 

Eugene  Hernandez  [eug(fi  indiewire.com]  is  co-founder 

and  editor-in-chief  of  indieWIRE  and  a  consultant  to 

AIVF  and  the  Creative  Capital  Foundation. 


28     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


CE*EEL 


wmMUUF 


Video  Ventures 

Exploring  New  Turf  at  the  New  York  Video  Festival 


From  Chris  Kondek's  The  Emperor  Jones,  an  offering  from  the  Wooster 
Group  at  the  New  York  Video  Festival. 


The  late  French  film  critic  Serge  Daney  once 

likened  watching  television  to  mass-packaged 
tourism  and  watching  film  to  genuine  travel.  At 
present,  the  medium  of  video  may  be  suspended 
somewhere  between  the  two,  but  the  New  York 
Video  Festival  is  aimed  strictly  at  travelers  willing 
to  go  out  on  a  limb.  This  is  one  of  the  few  high- 
profile  New  York  showcases  where  intrepid  view- 
ers can  explore  avant-garde  and  experimental 
work,  packaged  by 
curators  Marian 
Masone,  Gavin 
Smith,  and 

Jocelyn  Taylor  into 
dense  programs  of 
grouped  themati- 
cally  shorts,  music 
videos,  and  perfor- 
mance art. 

Some  of  this 
year's  work  simply 
carries  avant- 
garde  film  tradi- 
tions into  the  medium  of  video  and  DV.  Michael 
Ginsburg's  Moorings,  which  uses  digital  editing  to 
turn  a  still  shot  of  a  forest  into  a  pulsating  strobe, 
and  Scott  Stark's  in.side.out  both  owe  a  clear  debt 
to  structural  films  by  the  likes  of  Ernie  Gehr  and 
Michael  Snow.  Kelly  Reichardt's  Ode,  shot  on 
super  8  but  intended  to  be  shown  on  video,  show- 
cases a  different  kind  of  experiment.  By  combin- 
ing the  two  formats,  she  creates  a  haunting  palate 
of  grainy  textures,  perfect  for  evoking  the  isolated, 
deeply  repressed  small  town  in  the  Deep  South 
where  Kelly  sets  the  story,  based  on  the  novel  that 
inspired  the  song  "Ode  to  Billie  Joe." 

Alexander  Sokurov's  four-and-a-half-hour 
Confession  might  sound  like  torture  to  sit 
through,  but  it's  oddly  compelling.  This  is  a  min- 
imalist epic  about  life  on  board  a  Russian  naval 
submarine  stationed  in  the  Arctic  Sea,  which  is 
paced  so  slowly  that  even  Chantal  Akerman 
might  get  restless.  Accompanied  by  a  voiceover 
of  the  captain's  existential  musings,  the  talky 
video  initially  seems  a  perverse  turn-around 
from  the  director's  quiet,  painterly  films. 
However,  Sokurov  creates  a  hypnotic  rhythm 
out  of  the   ritualized   chores — scrubbing   the 


by   Steve   Erickson 

floor,  loading  equipment,  lining  up  for  a  med- 
ical inspection — that  eventually  rewards  our 
patience.  Although  the  captain's  philosophiz- 
ing can  seem  rather  half-baked,  Coiifession's 
primal  images  of  ice,  fire,  water  and  snow  are 
quite  eloquent  on  their  own. 

Chris  Petit's  Negative  Space  is  both  a  travel- 
ogue, depicting  the  director's  trip  to  the 
Southwest  to  interview  art  critic  Dave  Hickey 
and  film  critic/ 
painter  Manny 
Farber,  and  an 
illustrated  lecture 
of  Farber's  critical 
methods,  which 
emphasizes  mise- 
en-scene  and 
detail  over  a  strict 
focus  on  charac- 
ter and  narrative. 
Although  Petit's 
ruminations  on 
the  romance  of 
the  road  don't  add  much  to  this  well-worn  ter- 
rain, he's  willing  to  step  aside  long  enough  to 
provide  a  showcase  for  Farber's  in-depth  formal- 
ist— it  not  to  say  fetishist — analysis  of  a  scene 
from  Rainer  Werner  Fassbinder's  The  Merchant 
of  Four  Seasoris.  Like  many  fin-de-siecle  medita- 
tions on  the  last  century  of  cinema  (especially 
Jean-Luc  Godard's  Histoire(s)  du  Cinema), 
Negative  Space  adopts  a  rather  melancholy  tone, 
and  the  irony  of  making  a  video  about  film  crit- 
icism becomes  all  the  more  glaring  when  Petit 
reduces  such  cinematic  touchstones  as  Jacques 
Tourneur's  Out  of  the  Past,  Roberto  Rossellini's 
Voyage  to  Italy,  and  Godard's  Breathless  and 
Contempt  to  snapshot-sized  fragments  in  the 
middle  of  the  frame. 

Petit,  like  the  bulk  of  makers  in  the  video  fes- 
tival, opted  to  shoot  on  digital  video.  As  he 
explains,  this  allowed  him  "to  continue  the 
inquiry  in  the  cutting  room  (through  refilming 
and  reframing  and  reworking  detail)  without 
resorting  to  any  outside  process.  The  split  screen 
became  part  of  the  working  process,  whereas 
until  quite  recently  it  would  have  had  to  wait 
until  the  end  of  the  edit  and  be  done  in  an 


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expensive  postproduction  house."  Nevertheless, 
Petit  expresses  some  misgivings  about  the  for- 
mat: "Most  [digital]  cameras  are  too  automatic, 
not  allowing  for  enough  manual  over-ride  dur- 
ing shooting.  The  image  on  Hi8  could  be  manip- 
ulated much  more  during  shooting.  Generally, 
the  image  on  DV  is  too  bright  and  too  clean.  It 
lacks  grit  and  dirt  and  often  looks  too  instant." 

Ken  Kobland's  Transit  Riders  of  the  Earth  Arise! 
Walk  Dog  Eat  Donut,  also  made  on  digital  video, 
doesn't  hesitate  to  confront  some  of  the  ugliest 
aspects  of  life  in  big  cities.  Over  a  jarring  mon- 
tage of  footage  shot  in  Berlin  and  New  York's 
subways,  Kobland  adds  epigrammatic  journal 
entries  ("gray  morning  usual  vague  dread"  sets 
the  tone),  melancholy  Russian  music,  and  sound 
bites  from  Fellini's  8  1/2.  His  superimpositions 
reduce  people  to  ghostly  presences,  overwhelmed 
by  the  trains'  speed  and  noise,  yet  they're  also 
nuanced  enough  that  Transit  Riders'  sensory 
overload  never  becomes  monotonous.  Kobland 
seems  to  view  these  cities  from  the  point  of  view 
of  a  harried  worker  with  nerves  on  edge,  and  his 
piece  succeeds  marvelously  both  as  a  metaphor 
for  urban  despair  and  a  piece  of  social  realism. 

Christopher  Wilcha's  The  Target  Shoots  First, 
by  far  the  most  accessible  video  in  the  programs 
I  saw,  deals  directly  with  the  workplace  tensions 
addressed  obliquely  in  Confession  and  Transit 
Riders.  Wilcha  has  carefully  constructed  his  doc- 
umentary as  a  compelling  narrative  chronicling 
the  disillusionment  of  a  young  man  making  his 
way  through  corporate  America.  Initially  hired 
for  an  entry-level  position  at  the  Columbia 
House  CD  club,  he  decided  to  bring  a  Hi8  video 
camera  to  the  office  to  liven  up  his  job,  which 
gave  him  some  priceless  opportunities  to  capture 
the  absurdities  of  white-collar  office  politics. 
When  his  bosses  discover  his  knowledge  of  punk 
rock,  he's  finally  given  a  chance  to  exercise  some 
creativity  through  the  design  of  a  new  Nirvana- 
inspired  "alternative  catalogue."  Initially  thrilled 
by  this  challenge,  he  soon  realizes  that  he's  only 
aiding  the  absorption  of  the  music  he  loves  by 
the  lowest-common-denominator  marketing  and 
blind  consumerism  he  despises.  Although 
Wilcha's  initial  naivete  seems  more  than  a  little 
disingenuous,  The  Target  Shoots  First  offers  an 
absorbing  look  into  the  pressures  from  which 
most  movies  are  designed  as  escapes. 

The  co-optation  of  all  things  "alternative" 
that  it  describes  so  well  is,  of  course,  proceeding 
just  as  quickly  in  the  film  industry.  Thankfully, 
the  New  York  Video  Festival  shows  that  sites  of  i 
resistance  still  remain. 

Steve  Erickson  is  a  freelance  writer  who  lives  in  New  Yt>rk. 

He  has  contributed  to  the  Village  Voice,  Time  Out  New 

York,  Interview,  Cineaste,  and  Film  Quarterly. 


30     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


Q 


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CIRCUIT 


Friend  or  Foe? 


An  Indie  Does  Reconnaissance  at  Siggraph  '99 

BY     KA  REN     VOSS 


Imagine  Bladerunner  inside  a  huge 
convention  center.  Digital  screens  tower 
over  you.  Kinetic  electronics  throb  about 
you — everything  from  the  most  costly 
animation  technology  to  hyper-real  sim- 
ulation environments.  It's  very  easy  to 
feel  uncomfortably  bombarded  by 
Siggraph's  assaultive  mise-en-scene. 

Luckily  Siggraph  provides  "pathfind- 
ers," folksy  types  who  help  you  sort 
through  the  convention's  phonebook- 
thick  schedule  of  events,  panels,  and  dis- 
plays, and  craft  the  trajectory  best  for 
you.  I  told  my  assigned  pathfinder  I  was 
there  on  behalf  of  independent  film-  and 
videomakers.  What  should  I  seek  out  for 
them,  my  people?  She  looked  like  she 
had  been  slapped  but  regained  her  com- 
posure and  suggested  I  concentrate  on 
the  animation  track. 

While  Siggraph  emphatically  caters  to 
extremely  high-end  computer  graphics  users — 
and  there's  no  shortage  of  Industrial  Light  & 
Magic,  Dreamworks,  and  Pixar  muscle  on 
hand — the  annual  convention  also  exposes  you 
to  the  vast  array  of  places  where  advances  in 
digital  rendering  are  reshaping  the  contours  of 
contemporary  life.  This  is  definitely  the  place  to 
scope  out  a  lucrative  day  job.  You  find  every- 
thing from  simulated  internal  anatomy  for  med- 
ical residents  to  simulated  military  weaponry 
training  to  simulated  planetary  movements  to 
virtual  pilgrim  settlements  for  museums  of  the 
future — Siggraph  brings  everyone  working  with 
any  facet  of  computer  graphics  together  under 
one  roof.  But  beyond  the  flash,  a  vital  transi- 
tional moment  is  being  debated  that  impacts 
and  may  very  well  reconfigure  filmmaking  across 
the  board.  With  digital  environments,  extras, 
and  archival  footage  increasingly  accessible,  why 
go  outside?  Siggraph  makes  you  believe  that  dig- 
ital effects  will  soon  blanket  all  media,  not  just 
spectacle  storytelling.  Independent  mediamak- 
ers  shouldn't  ignore  Siggraph  for  two  reasons, 
one  cynical  and  one  more  hopeful. 

The  cynic  will  want  to  scout  the  opposition. 
The  old  adage  of  keeping  one's  friends  close 
and  one's  enemies  closer  occurred  to  me  as  I 
surveyed  the  stupefying  heights  of  special  effects 


From  the  HDTV  work  Luminous  Dream  by  Yoichiro  Kawaguchi,  one  of 
few  experimental  artists  plying  his  trade  at  Siggraph. 


technology.  The  big  Hollywood  guns  were  there, 
and  attendees  were  treated  to  every  minute  dig- 
ital detail  of  the  year's  blockbusters.  I  know 
more  about  the  special  effects  of  The  Phantom 
Menace  and  the  upcoming  Stuart  Little,  for 
example,  than  a  non-Hollywood  practitioner 
should.  A  strange  feeling  of  empowerment  wash- 
es over  you  when  you  begin  to  understand  the 
parameters  of  digital  effects  and  the  networks  of 
smaller  providers  that  swim  alongside  the  sharks 
and  make  the  blockbuster  effects  happen. 

I  sat  unexpectedly  enraptured,  for  example, 
at  one  panel's  elaboration  of  the  "problems"  of 
digital  fur  (for  the  animated  mouse  in  Stuart 
Little).  Each  digital  hair  is  assigned  a  mathe- 
matical value  and  subsequently  entered  into  an 
algorithm  to  mathematically  define  a  "clump- 
ing area."  Clumped  tur,  slightly  moist  fur  vs.  wet 
fur,  windblown  fur — I  was  made  to  care  very 
deeply  about  the  behind-the-scenes  physics 
that  makes  this  look  real. 

Of  course,  most  of  us  have  no  practical, 
immediate  use  for  information  like  this.  Most 
exhibitors  I  spoke  to,  however,  insisted  that 
independents  owed  it  to  themselves  to  keep  up 
with  the  latest  advances  in  digital  and  effects 
hard-  and  software  because  the  time  will  soon 
come  when  struggling  indies  will  be  able  to 
endow  their  own  workstations  with  lower-cost 
versions  of  these  tools,  and  that  makes  for 


interesting  speculation.  The  future  indepen- 
dent, in  fact,  might  decide  to  forego  film  school 
and  invest  $5,000  in  the  right  digital  set-up, 
make  a  digital  short,  and  put  oneself  into  the 
pipeline  that  way.  Siggraph  is  crucial  if  you 
want  to  try  this  direction. 

But  Siggraph  also  holds  something  for  the 
artists  among  us.  As  a  convocation  of  animators 
and  academics  as  well  as  traditional  computer  pro- 
fessionals, Siggraph  exhibits  the  artistic  communi- 
ty. One  of  the  most  invigorating  components  of 
the  convention,  in  fact,  is  the  population  of  artists 
stubbornly  applying  the  latest  technological 
advances  to  purely  aesthetic  ends.  A  sake  barrel 
reception  for  artists,  who  had  gathered  to  check 
out  Yoichiro  Kawaguchi's  HDTV  works,  con- 
firmed a  world  where  digital  art  thrives. 
Kawaguchi's  complex,  dancing  digital  permuta- 
tions are  an  apropos  updating  of  modern  art's 
imperative  to  test  artistic  form  in  all  its  manifesta- 
tions. A  professor  at  the  University  of  Tokyo, 
Kawaguchi  updates  contemporary  art's  formal 
experimentation  to  the  digital  frontier.  Imagine 
every  stroke  of  an  Abstract  Expressionist  painting 
digitally  animated  and  three-dimensional,  moving 
along  mathematical  trajectories.  This  gets  you 
close  to  the  kaleidoscopic  pulse  of  computer-gen- 
erated works  by  Kawaguchi  and  the  digital  art 
community. 

Just  as  one  oriented  to  the  specific  challenges 
and  ideals  of  a  given  artistic  moment  arguably 
gets  more  out  of  that  moment's  art,  first-timers 
like  myself  benefit  most  from  Siggraph's  own 
explanations  of  the  status  of  the  computer  graph- 
ics field.  Their  high-definition  video  documen- 
tary, The  Story  of  Computer  Graphics,  is  quite  a 
ride.  Narrated  by  Leonard  Nimoy  and  intended 
for  broad  appeal,  the  documentary  points  to  his- 
torical landmarks  in  computer  graphics  with  an 
infectious  bravado.  Just  as  any  visual  art  requires 
a  trained  eye,  the  documentary  shows  you  what 
should  wow  you  about  the  intricacies  of  comput- 
er rendering.  One  animated  short  shown  in  an 
earlier  festival,  Fiat  Lux,  seemed  at  first  viewing  a 
study  of  textures:  big,  apparently  brass,  balls  cas- 
cade through  a  cathedral-like  interior  (Freudian 
interpretation  anyone?).  Interesting  perspective, 
I  naively  thought.  The  documentary  later 
detailed  the  labyrinthine  invisible  physics  that 
made  the  complex  light  reflections  and  shadows 
across  those  complicated  surfaces  and  I  felt  a  bit 
flushed.  Siggraph  surely  opens  a  world  for  you, 
with  horizons  both  intimidating  and  inviting  to 
the  independent  vision. 

Karen  Voss  is  a  freelance  writer,  part-time  multimedia 

instructor,  and  independent  media  enthusiast 

working  out  of  Los  Angeles. 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


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Revel ry  in  the  Rockies 

The  Banff  Television  Festival 


EVERY  YEAR  HUNDREDS  OF 
filmmakers,  producers, 
directors,  broadcasters, 
television  executives,  and 
industry  salespeople  don 
goofy  cowboy  hats,  eat 
enormous  slabs  of  roast 
beef,  kick  up  their  heels  to  country, 
and  learn  how  to  line  dance.  Where 
does  this  happen?  At  the  Banff 
Television  Festival's  infamous  barbe- 
cue high  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  of 
Alberta,  Canada. 

In  its  20th  year,  the  Banff  TV 
Festival  is  an  annual  event  that  cele- 
brates excellence,  innovation,  and 
collaboration  in  television.  Each  year 
the  festival  doles  out  Rocky  awards 
to  the  best  in  documentary,  drama 
(one-off  and  series),  children's  and 
animation  television.  The  eight-day 
event  (June  6-1 3  this  year)  also  gives 
recognition  to  individuals  who  repre- 
sent excellence  in  television  (past 
winners  include  Steven  Bochco, 
Diane  English,  and  Don  Hewitt)  and 
technology  (to  the  likes  of  Avid  and 
Sony),  and  it  pays  tribute  to  interna- 
tional broadcasters  (past  recipients 
include  WGBH  Boston,  Channel  4 
in  the  UK,  and  BBC  Drama). 

The  big  draw  for  independents, 
however,  is  the  opportunity  to  schmooze  and  get 
new  projects  off  the  ground.  The  Banff 
Television  Festival  has  long  been  heralded  as  a 
place  where  independent  producers  and  direc- 
tors can  meet  face  to  face  with  broadcasters, 
distributors,  and  decision-makers  in  an  incred- 
ibly intimate  and  breathtakingly  beautiful  set- 
ting. Deals  are  made.  Hands  shake.  Money 
flows.  Hopes  rise.  Elk  graze.  Majestic  moun- 
tains sit  rather  idly. 

This  year  the  festival  hit  an  all  time  high 
with  attendance  of  over  1,750  delegates  (70% 
Canadian,  15%  from  the  U.S.,  15%  from 
Europe  and  Asia).  Prior  to  the  festival,  many 
veteran  attendees  wondered  if  Banff  would  suf- 
fer from  growing  pains  and  lose  its  intimacy.  As 


by   Trish   Dolman 


What  if  somebody  held  a  festival  and  everyone  wore  the  same  hat? 
Festival-goers  enjoy  Banff's  view  and  victuals. 


the  festival  came  to  a  close,  however,  it  was 
proclaimed  the  best  ever.  Not  only  did  the  fes- 
tival pull  off  increased  attendance,  but  it  pro- 
vided more  opportunities  for  attendees.  In 
short,  Banff  asserted  itself  as  one  of  the  hottest 
places  to  make  deals  in  television. 

The  festival  provides  various  ways  for  inde- 
pendents to  peddle  their  wares  and  get  their 
hands  on  some  cold  hard  cash.  "The  Market 
Simulation"  is  a  standing  tradition  whereby 
selected  independents  are  given  10  minutes  to 
pitch  their  project  to  a  crowd  of  several  hun- 
dred. Festival  president  Pat  Ferns  then  runs 
amongst  the  crowd  asking  for  commitments 
from  international  players.  The  most  interest- 
ing pitch  this  year  came  from  Canadian  film- 


32     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


maker  Bobbi  Jo  Krals  and  writer  Sherry  Shaw 
Froggatt.  Their  one-hour  documentary  called 
Shrinkage,  which  aims  to  use  comedy  as  a 
refreshing  way  to  approach  the  subject  of 
depression,  definitely  got  broadcasters  talking. 

Another  networking  opportunity  is  "Two  in 
a  Room,"  a  festival  competition  whereby  two 
broadcasters  (matched  up  by  festival  president 
Pat  Ferns  each  year)  dis- 
cuss the  criteria  for  a 
documentary  project 
they  would  jointly  com- 
mission. The  pair  then 
puts  out  a  call  for  submis- 
sions from  festival  dele- 
gates and  select  five 
finalists.  Little  did 
Canadian  jazz  musician 
David  Johanns  know 
that  he  would  leave  Banff 
with  cash  in  his  pocket. 
He  and  Vancouver  pro- 
ducer Erin  Mussolum 
submitted  a  documentary  idea  on  renowned 
piano  players  and  their  relationship  to  the 
piano  to  Hans  Robert  Eisenhauer  from  Arte 
and  Paul  Gratton  from  Bravo!  Canada.  Of  the 
five  finalists  chosen,  Johanns  and  Mussolum 
walked  away  with  $10,000  (Cdn)  in  develop- 
ment funds  from  the  two  broadcasters. 

There  were  also  other  cash  in  hand  opportu- 
nities. Japanese  broadcaster  NHK,  which  spon- 
sored a  Master  Class  on  producing  for  HDTV, 
offered  $10,000  in  development  funds  for  a 
winning  HDTV  proposal.  The  Banff  Centre  for 
the  Arts,  which  runs  the  new  media  portion  of 
the  festival,  put  on  a  Cyber  Pitch  similar  in  for- 
mat to  Two  in  a  Room,  but  with  a  focus  on  new 
media  proposals. 

Prior  to  the  festival,  pre -registered  delegates 
are  also  able  to  sign  up  for  Take-a-Decision- 
Maker  to  Breakfast  or  Lunch.  Chosen  in  a  lot- 
tery system,  six  lucky  delegates  have  breakfast 
or  lunch  with  the  likes  of  Amy  Briamonte, 
director  of  documentary  programming  from 
AekE  or  Louise  Clark,  CTV's  head  of  indepen- 
dent production  for  Western  Canada.  There 
are  also  Master  Classes,  which  provide  relief 
from  the  relentless  pace  of  pitching  and  give 
opportunity  for  discussion  of  this  craft  we  do. 
Highlights  this  year  included  a  workshop  by 
Tom  Fontana,  writer/producer  of  St.  Elsewhere, 
Homicide:  Life  on  the  Street,  and  Oz,  and  docu- 
mentary director  Lucy  Blakstad  from  the  UK, 
who  most  recently  directed  a  four-part  series  for 
the  BBC  on  how  people  feel  about  their  bodies. 

If  these  group  events  aren't  enough  to  keep 


Indie  producers  David 

Johanns  and  Erin 
Mussolum  walked  away 

with  $10,000  in 

development  funds  from 

two  broadcasters,  thanks 

to  the  festival's 

"Two  in  a  Room' 

competition. 


up  with,  there's  also  the  task  ot  individually 
finding  the  people  you  want  to  meet,  setting  up 
the  meetings,  and  actually  getting  people  inter- 
ested in  your  projects.  David  Springbett,  a  nat- 
ural history  documentary  producer  from 
Astetisk  Productions  in  Victoria,  came  for  only 
one  day  in  order  to  save  money  (admission  to 
the  festival  runs  at  $800-$  1,100  for  the  week  or 
$200-250  per  day, 
depending  on  how  early 
you  register).  "It's  a  $500 
cup  of  coffee,"  he  says, 
"but  I  had  an  offer  of  a 
meeting  I  couldn't 
refuse."  Though  he 
thinks  Banff  is  getting 
harder  to  work  because 
it  has  doubled  in  size  in 
the  last  few  years,  he 
admits,  "The  coffee  line- 
up is  amazing  for  ran- 
dom interactions." 
Working  Banff  is  an  art 
unto  itself.  Seanna  McPherson,  a  producer  and 
Banff  first-timer  who  comes  from  an  Arts 
Council  background,  found  her  experience  to 
be  "like  going  to  camp  for  the  first  time."  Her 
conclusion  is  that  "the  most  important  thing  is 
to  come  here  and  say  hello  to  people.  .  .  .  There 
are  impenetrable  barriers,  but  there  are  oppor- 
tunities for  bumping  into  people."  Jeannie 
Harco,  a  Vancouver-based  writer/producer 
concurs.  She  finds  her  experience  keeps  build- 
ing on  itself.  "In  my  first  year,  I  didn't  have 
much  luck  selling  anything.  Now,  in  my  third 
year,  I  am  working  with  people  I  met  in  my  first 
year.  Broadcasters  know  who  I  am,  not  just 
someone  who  doesn't  know  anything." 

Veteran  producer  Glen  Salzman  from 
Montreal-based  Cineflex  (God  Comes  as  Child, 
A  Brush  with  Life,  Power)  agrees.  "Banff  is  still  a 
great  place  to  meet  decision-makers  on  a  rela- 
tively informal  basis.  You  can  gracefully  'hit'  on 
a  decision-maker  at  a  function  and  set  up  a 
meeting,'  he  says.  "A  lot  can  be  accomplished  in 
a  few  days." 

The  coup  of  pitching  came  from  Vancouver- 
based  producer  Mark  Achbar  (Manufacturing 
Consent),  who  had  been  "languishing  in  devel- 
opment hell."  He  walked  away  from  Banff  with 
a  commitment  from  TV  Ontario  and  interest 
from  BBC  Bristol  on  a  series  he  is  developing 
entitled  The  Corporation.  It  just  goes  to  show 
that  donning  a  cowboy  hat  and  learning  how  to 
two  step  may  be  well  worth  it. 

Trish  Dolman  is  a  filmmaker  based  in  Vancouver  who 

has  produced  and  directed  for  die  Discovery  Channel, 

Vision  TV,  WTN,  and  CBC  In  Canada. 


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Getting  Hooked  Up 

Some  Must-Have  Accessories 
for  the  Canon  XLI 


by   Robert   M.   Goodman 


The  Canon  XLI  remains  the  hottest 
miniDV  camcorder  on  the  planet. 
Whether  you  attribute  its  enduring  popu- 
larity to  cutting  edge  design  or  exception- 
al value,  the  XLl's  legions  of  fans  have 
encouraged  manufacturers  to  introduce  dozens 
of  accessories.  Over  the  past  three  months,  I've 
field  tested  many  accessories  from  battery  packs 
to  wide  angle  lens.  Each  was  judged  on  useful- 
ness, performance,  and  value.  This  article  is 
about  the  best  of  the  best — accessories  that 
have  a  real  impact  on  the  results  or  correct  the 
camera's  deficiencies. 


Microphones 


The  microphone  that  comes  with  the  XLI  is 
barely  adequate,  a  characteristic  it  shares  with 
most  on- camera  microphones.  Why  should  you 
care  about  audio?  Michael  Moore  argues, 
"Sound  is  actually  more  important  than  pic- 
ture. Now,  most  filmmakers  will  not  say  this 


[but]  this  is  what  I  have  come  to  see.  The  audi- 
ence will  forgive  the  quality  of  the  picture  as 
long  as  the  story  is  strong;  they  will  not  forgive 
you  if  they  cannot  hear  it.  And  especially  in 


(left  to  right): 

Fuzzy  does  it:  Light  Wave  System's  windscreen  is  a  vast 
improvement  over  the  standard  foam  sock. 

Varizoom's  device  for  smoothing  out  zooms  and  rack  focus. 

Tiffen's  quick-release  steady  stick — better  than  Ben  Gay 
for  aching  shoulders. 


video,  people  are  not  spending  enough  time 
focusing  on  the  sound.  If  you  can't  hear  it  well, 
if  you  have  to  strain  to  hear  it.  .  .  you've  com- 
pletely lost  the  audience." 

The  solution,  if  you  can  afford  it,  is  to  buy  a 
high-end  professional  microphone.  Or  to  trans- 
form the  XLl's  microphone  with  three  out- 
standing accessories  from  Light  Wave  Systems. 
You  can  purchase  these  audio  accessories 
through  Canon  dealers  or  direct  from  Light 
Wave. 

The  System  Isolator  (Model  SI-XL1,  $125) 
fits  in-between  the  viewfinder  assembly  and  the 
viewfinder  mount.  This  coupler  isolates  the 
viewfinder  and  microphone  from  vibrations 
and  shock.  Our  tests  demonstrated  that  lens 
motor  and  handling  noises  were  lowered  signif- 
icantly. There  are  other  benefits.  The  System 
Isolator  strengthens  the  XLl's  fragile  viewfind- 
er mount  because  it's  flexible,  allowing  for  rota- 
tional and  angular  movement. 

This  accessory  also  favorably  changes  the 
balance  of  the  XLI:  the  viewfinder  is  pushed  2- 
3/8"  further  forward.  As  a  result,  the  camera's 
flat  base  sits  naturally  on  most  people's  shoul- 
ders. There's  less  strain  and  weight  on  your 
elbow  when  hand-holding  the  camera.  The 
improvement  is  so  dramatic,  that  in  my  opin- 
ion, the  System  Isolator  is  an  absolute  must- 
have  accessory  for  every  XLI  owner. 

To  further  enhance  the  microphone's  perfor- 
mance, you'll  need  the  Universal  Mini-Mount 
(Model  MM-XL1,  $150),  a  low  profile  light- 
weight floating  microphone  mount.  All  the 
camera,  lens  and  handling  noises  were  eliminat- 
ed when  used  in  conjunction  with  the  System 
Isolator.  The  final  piece  of  the  puzzle  is  the 
Equalizer  (Model  EQ-XL1,  $150),  a  high-per- 
formance windscreen  that  provides  real  wind 
noise  protection  and  mid-range  sweetening  for 
crisp  voice  recording  outdoors.  The  Equalizer  is 
a  vast  improvement  over  the  microphone's 
foam  sock,  which  it  replaces.  In  our  tests,  com- 
bining these  three  accessories  transformed  the 
quality  of  recordings   made   with   the   XLl's 


microphone  from  barely  acceptable  to  very 
good.  There  are  sleeves  ($20  each  from  Light 
Wave  Systems)  to  mount  other  professional 
microphones  on  the  XLI  using  the  Mini- 
Mount. 

Lenses 

Lenses  designed  for  Canon's  XLI  rely  on  a  con- 
centric focusing  system:  there  are  no  gears  and 
no  end  points.  Adjusting  the  focus  is  difficult 
because  turning  the  focus  ring  has  a  geometric 
rather  than  an  arithmetic  impact.  Racking  focus  is 
also  very  difficult  because  of  a  slight  time  lag.  Until 
recently,  the  only  work-around  was  to  spin  the 
focus  ring  and  tap  the  auto  focus  button. 

Varizoom's  VZ-Pro-L  ($399)  offers  a  real 
solution  for  rack  focusing  and  variable  speed 
zoom  control  for  any  camera  that  uses  the 
LANC  protocol.  The  VZ-Pro-L  is  a  heavy-duty, 
machined  aluminum  box  that  mounts  on  a  tri- 
pod pan  handle  or  jib  arm.  A  LANC  cable — six 
feet  long — connects  this  five  function  remote 
to  the  camera.  A  rocker  switch  controls  the 
zoom  direction  and  a  dial  adjusts  the  zoom 
speed.  The  speed  control  was  adjustable  from  a 


slow  creep  to  a  fast  snap  and  was  perfectly 
smooth  throughout  the  range  in  our  tests.  The 
VZ-Pro-L  also  has  a  record  trigger  with  an  LED 
indicator,  a  wake -up  button  for  the  camera  if  it 
goes  into  standby  mode,  and  two  manual  focus 
buttons,  one  for  each  direction.  Doing  critical 
focus  or  a  rack  focus  was  simple.  The  ergonom- 
ics make  it  easy  to  adjust  the  zoom  speed  or 
focus  as  you  zoom.  The  VZ-Pro-L  successfully 
replicates  the  handle  mounted  controls  used  on 
television  studio  cameras.  Varizoom  is  develop- 
ing a  follow  focus  version  for  digital  filmmak- 
ing. 

Another  common  complaint  about  the  XLI 
is  that  it's  front  heavy,  which  it  is.  The  16X  lens 
weighs  one  and  a  half  pounds  without  acces- 
sories. It  can  be  extremely  tiring  to  shoot  hand- 
held with  this  camera  unless  you  have  some 


34     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


support.  The  best  of  the  camera  support  sys- 
tems we  tested  was  Tiffen's  Davis  &  Sanford 
Steady  Stick  ($150):  a  telescoping  pole  with 
quick  releases  at  both  ends.  A  tripod  plate 
screws  into  the  camera  and  snaps  onto  one  end 
of  the  pole.  The  bottom  of  the  pole  slides  into  a 
bracket  and  is  secured  with  a  screw.  An  elastic 
band  attaches  the  bracket  to  your  belt.  The 
Steady  Stick  eliminates  the  stress  on  your 
elbow  and  freely 
allows  you  to 
move  the  cam- 
era, even  above 
your  shoulder. 
Plus,  this  support 
system  works 
well  with  the 
System  Isolator, 
which  wasn't  true 
of  the  other 
products  we  test- 
ed. 

The  Canon's  standard  16X  Zoom  lens  is,  in 
35mm  still  terms,  39  millimeters  at  its  shortest 
focal  length.  That's  not  wide  enough  for  docu- 
mentaries or  shooting  in  cramped  quarters.  To 
get  a  wider  angle  of  view,  the  best  choice  is 
Canon's  3X  Extreme  Wide  Angle  Zoom 
($1,550).  This  lens  is  a  3.4  x  10.2mm,  fl.8-2.2 
with  a  minimum  focus  distance  of  20mm.  In 
35mm  still  terms,  that's  a  24mm  to  72mm  lens. 
The  3X  has  no  image  stabilization  and  no  visi- 
ble barrel  distortion,  even  at  its  widest  angle  of 
view.  However,  the  price  may  relegate  this 
accessory  to  the  rental  category. 

The  alternative  is  to  put  a  wide  angle 
adapter  on  the  standard  lens.  There  are  three 
types:  full  zoom  through,  partial  zoom  through, 
and  fixed  focal  length  adapters.  Century 
Precision  Optics's  value  series  for  the  XL-1 
makes  use  of  the  front  bayonets  on  Canon  lens 
with  a  nicely  designed  double  ring  locking  sys- 
tem. The  Century  0.7X  Converter  (VS-07WA- 
XL,  $795;  a  $100  factory  rebate  is  available 
until  12/31/99)  doesn't  limit  the  zoom  range  on 
either  the  16X  or  3X  lens  though  it  will 
vignette  at  the  widest  angle  on  the  3X  zoom. 
Our  tests  noted  minimal  barrel  distortion  with 
no  other  visible  optical  aberrations.  A  sunshade 
(VS-SA95,  $195)  with  a  holder  for  4.5"  round 
filters  is  available.  Another  option  is  Cavision's 
PWC06X72  ($580  including  duty  and  priority 
shipping),  a  three  element  0.6X  zoom  through 
converter  that  screws  into  the  72mm  threads  on 
XL1  lens.  Cavision's  converter  is  slightly  wider 
with  similar  optical  characteristics  to  the 
Century  converter.  Both  weigh  18  ounces  so 
you'll  need  a  camera  support  aid. 


Both  firms  offer  a  0.6X  partial  zoom  through 
adapter  that  restricts  the  lens  to  the  wider  half 
of  its  zoom  range.  The  specifications  indicate 
that  these  converters  should  increase  the  16X 
lens's  angle  of  view  to  the  same  angle  as  the  3X 
zoom  lens.  In  actuality,  the  angle  of  view  was 
not  quite  as  wide  as  the  3X  lens.  Century's  VS- 
06  WA-XL2  ($395)  is  small  and  weighs  less 
than  seven  ounces,  so  there's  no  real  change  in 
the  camera's  balance.  A  sunshade/filterholder 
for  4-1/2"  rounds  (VS-SA90,  $195)  is  available. 
Optically,  Century's  adapter  exhibited  minimal 
barrel  distortion  with  no  other  perceptible  aber- 
rations. Cavision's  PWA06X72  ($230  delivered) 
is  almost  identical  in  size  and  performance.  It 
weighs  four  ounces  and  evidenced  slightly  more 
barrel  distortion.  If  you  need  a  wider  angle  of 
view  and  don't  mind  noticeable  barrel  distor- 
tion, Cavision's  PWA042X72  ($485  delivered) 
is  the  0.6X  adapter  and  a  0.7X  adapter,  the 
BWA07X95,  which  when  screwed  together 
create  a  0.42X  adapter.  This  combination  is 
1.5"  thick,  4-75"  in  diameter  and  weighs  17 
ounces.  The  calculated  angle  of  view  is  equiva- 
lent to  a  16.5mm  35mm  still  lens  when  mount- 
ed on  the  standard  lens. 

If  you  need  the  widest  possible  view,  consid- 
er Century's  Fisheye  Adapter,  the  VS-FEWA- 
XL,  ($495).  It  weighs  9.5  ounces  and  supplies 
an  85  degree  angle  of  view.  Barrel  distortion  is 
severe,  however.  Mount  this  adapter  on 
Canon's  3X  zoom  for  images  with  circular 
vignetting.  At  higher  f-stops,  chromatic  aberra- 
tion, specifically  misconvergence,  is  noticeable. 
All  in  all,  a  really  cool  effect. 

The  XLl's  interchangeable  lens  mount 
opens  up  other  possibilities.  Optex,  distributed 
by  Z-G-C  in  the  United  States,  makes  an 
adapter  to  mount  a  Nikon  still  lens  on  the  XL1. 
The  35mm  still  format  is  7.2  times  larger  than 
the  CCDs  in  the  camera.  So,  the  focal  length  of 
a  35mm  still  lens  when  mounted  on  the  XL1 
must  be  multiplied  by  this  extension  factor. 
Hence,  a  200mm  still  lens  becomes  a  1440mm 
XL1  lens.  Optex's  Nikon  to  XL  Adapter  ($265) 
works  with  Nikon  AI  or  later  lens.  There  are  no 
optics  or  electronics;  it's  just  a  machined  metal 
adapter.  In  use,  the  no  lens  indicator  continual- 
ly flashes  in  the  viewfinder.  So,  why  is  this  a 
must-have  accessory? 

The  resolving  power  is  spectacular.  A  20mm 
Nikkor  on  the  XL1  has  a  minimum  focusing 
distance  of  nine  inches  and  enormous  depth  of 
field.  With  the  f-stop  at  16,  everything  was  in 
focus  from  nine  inches  to  infinity.  We  filled  the 
frame  with  a  bottle  cap  and  panned  to  a  build- 
ing without  changing  the  focus.  This  adapter 
gives  you  the  first  close  focusing  macro  tele- 


Are  You  a  Pro? 

Then  Outfit 

Your  Canon  XL-1 
with  All  Pro  Gear! 

Want  Manual  Focus, 

Zoom, 

and 

Iris 

Control? 

XLPRO 

1  4  x  5.5mm  zoom 
with  back  focus 
adjustment  and  macro 
capability 
Now  available  with  optional  Zoom  Control! 

Lens  Mounts 
and  Adapters 

Nikon  Al  SLR  lenses 
Sony  type  B4  2/3"  lenses 
Canon  FD  lenses 
Canon  EF  lenses 

Matte  Boxes 

OpTex  Bellow  Matte  Box 
Holds  two  4x4  inch  filters 

Chrosziel  DV  Sunshade 

Holds  two  3x3  inch  filters 

Both  with  optional  bracketry 
for  the  XLPRO  lens! 

Other  Accessories 

Wide  Angle  Attachments  .  7x  and  .5x 
BeachTek  DXA-4C  Dual  Audio  Adapter 
Concertina  Shuttered  Eyepiece 
Rycote  Windjammer 
Sachtler  and  Cartoni  Tripod  Sysfems 
KATA  Compact  Camera  Bag 

Shooting  Underwater? 

SurfAce  Splashbag 

Shooting  in  the  Dark? 

OpTex  Model3000  Night  Vision 
fits  between  camera  body  and  lens 


264  Morris  Avenue 

Mountain  Lakes,  NJ  07046 

973.335.4460    barb@zgc.com 

www.zgc.com 

Authorized  Canon  Dealer 
U.S.  Distributor  -  OpTex  Internationa/,  U.K. 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

155  E  31  ST  STREET 

SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


Shooting for#  I 

W'  hy  did  prominent  film  pro- 
ducer Dale  Pollock  leave  24 
active  projects  in  Hollywood  to  be- 
come Dean  of  the  School  of  Film- 
making at  the  North  Carolina  School 
of  the  Arts?  "Because  I  think  we 
have  the  potential  to  be  the  best  film 
school  in  the  world,"  he  says. 
With  12  feature  films  to  his  credit  - 
including  SET  IT  OFF,  BLAZE,  A 
MIDNIGHT  CLEAR,  and  MRS.  WINTERBOURNE  -  and  a 
best-selling  biography  of  George  Lucas,  Pollock  ought  to  know. 

School  of  Filmmaking 
Offering  B.F.A.  and  College  Arts  Diploma 

North  Carolina 
School  of  the  .Ajrts 

For  information  about  our  school  year  or  summer  session,  contact: 
Admissions,  North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St., 
Winston-Salem,  NC  27 1 27-2 1 88;  336-770-3290;  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina 


Introducing 

FilmLogic8 

The  Software  Tool  for 
Independent  Filmmakers 

www.filmlogic.com 


photo  with  fantastic  depth  of  field.  If  you  own 
Nikon  lenses,  this  is  a  must-have  accessory.  Just 
imagine  shooting  wildlife  with  a  2880mm  lens 
(a  400mm  Nikkor)  or  duplicating  that  shot  of 
the  sun  in  Lawrence  of  Arabia. 

Matte  Box 

Finally,  no  director  of  photography  would  be 
caught  dead  shooting  without  a  matte  box  to 
control  flare.  Cavision's  4X4  Matte  Box  (Model 
MB4A,  $414  delivered)  is  a  bellows  design  with 
two  filter  stages:  one  rotates,  the  other  is  fixed. 
It's  a  sturdy,  lightweight  matte  box  that  comes 
with  three  adapter  mounting  rings.  A  screw 
mechanism  compresses  a  plastic  ring  that  fits 
around  the  outside  of  the  lens  to  hold  the  matte 
box  in  place.  It  takes  careful  positioning  to  pre- 
vent the  bayonets  on  the  Canon  lens  from 
interfering  with  the  rotating  stage  and  still 
securely  fastened  to  the  matte  box.  Cavision  is 
designing  a  better  mounting  system  to  correct 
the  problem,  which  should  be  available  at  time 
of  publication.  The  matte  boxes'  two  machined 
metal  filter  holders  accept  standard  4"  square 
glass  filters.  The  fit  and  finish  was  excellent  for 
a  moderately  priced  matte  box.  A  featherweight 
alternative  is  the  LEE  Filter  Wide  Angle  Lens 
Hood  (WALH2S,  $298).  This  bellows  has  two 
2mm  nonrotating  filter  slots  that  hold  lighter, 
thinner,  and  less  expensive  resin  filters.  A  LEE 
AR072  ($42)  72mm  adapter  ring  screws  into 
the  lens.  The  hood  snaps  on  and  rotates  freely. 
One  tip:  use  a  polarizer,  like  Tiffen's  UltraPol, 
on  the  lens.  You'll  see  a  noticeable  improve- 
ment in  the  camera's  rendition  of  color. 

With  these  accessories,  it's  possible  to  turn 
Canon's  XL1  into  an  exceptional  tool  for  digital 
filmmaking.  All  at  a  cost  unimaginable  even 
two  years  ago.  So  go  ahead  and  shoot  your 


36    THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


dream  project. 

Robert  Goodman,  an  award-winning  writer  and  Emmy 

nominated  director,  based  in  Philadelphia,  is  finishing  his 

first  feature  Gifts  in  the  Mail  and  developing  several 

new  projects.  Send  your  comments  to  him  at 

goodman@histories.com 


WHERE  TO  FIND  THEM 


Canon  U.S.A.,  Inc.,  One  Canon  Plaza, 
Lake  Success,  NY  11042;  (800)  828-4040; 
www.canondv.com 

Century  Precision  Optics,  11049  Magnolia 
Blvd.,  North  Hollywood,  CA  91601; 
(818)  766-3715;  www.centuryoptics.com 

Optex,  20-26  Victoria  Rd.,  New  Barnet, 
N.London,  England;  Oil  44  181  441-2199 


' 


U.S.  distributor:  ZGC,  Inc.,  264  Morris  Avenue, 
Mountain  Lakes,  NJ  07046;  (973)  335-4460; 
www.zgc.com 


Cavision,  North  American  sales-.  Select  Image 
Corporation,  25763  Robertson  Crescent, 
Langley,  British  Columbia,  Canada  V4W  1W4; 
(604)  856-6760 

Varizoom  Lens  Controls,  Box  27378,  Austin, 
TX  78755;  (888)  826-3399; 
www.varizoom.com 

Light  Wave  Systems,  21029  Itasca  St., 
Chatsworth,  CA  91311;  (818)  727-9900; 
www.lightwavesystems.com 

Tiffen  Manufacturing  Corp.,  90  Oser  Avenue, 
Hauppauge,  NY  11788;  (800)  645-2522; 
www.tiffen.com 

LEE  Filters,  2237  North  Hollywood  Way, 
Burbank,  CA  91505;  (800)  576-5055 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212)  889-1775 


CALL      FOR       ENTRIES 

5TH  ANNUAL  STONY  BROOK  FILM  FESTIVAL 

July  1 9  -  29,  2000 

Staller  Center  for  the  Arts 

State  University  at  Stony  Brook,  Long  Island,  NY 

Competitions  in  1 6mm  and  35mm  films  including 
features,  shorts,  documentary  and  animation. 
Largest  venue  (1 ,000+  seats)  and  film  screen 
in  the  region  (40  ft.  wide)!  Previous  guests  and 
honorees  include  SteveBuscemi,  Rod  Steiger, 
Eli  Wallach,  Bai  Ling  and  Cliff  Robertson. 

For  more  infomation,  call  516-632-7233 

or  email  pcohen@notes.cc.sunysb.edu 

Entry  forms  are  available  online  at 

stallercenter.com/festival  or  write  to: 

Stony  Brook  Film  Festival,  Staller  Center  for  the  Arts, 

rm  2032,  SUNY  Stony  Brook,  Stony  Brook,  NY  1 1794-5425 

Entry  Deadline:  April  1 ,  2000 


2000  Stony  Brook 

Film  Festival 

July  19-29 

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Congratulations  to  the  1999  Stony  Brook  Film  Festival  Winners! 

"The  Waiting  Game,"  Director  Ken  Liotti  •  "Row  Your  Boat,"  Director  Sollace  Mitchell 
"God,  Sex  &  Apple  Pie,"  Director  Paul  Leaf,  Producer/Writer/ Actor  Jerome  Courshon 
"More,"  Director  Mark  Osbourne  •  "The  Fishmonger's  Daughter,"  Director  Caroline  Sax 
"Roberta,"    Director    Eric    Mandelbaum    •    "Rudy    Blue,"    Director    John    Werner 


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November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


The  small  and  unassuming  VX1000  helped  Dempsey  Rice  ajic 
Jim  Denault  get  through  sensitive  interviews  for  her  doc 
Daughter  of  Suicide.  (Pictured:  Rice  with  her  mothft)* 


Mr  ««  **»* 


l&.^Mtf .  A'l 


*:     r'y^^^M 


A  Cinematographer's  Persgectiv^ 


by   Holly   Willis 

In  1976,  Jean-Luc  Godard  began  dreaming  of  a  35mm  camera  that 
would  be  small  enough  to  fit  into  the  glove  compartment  of  a  car.  He 
wanted  a  camera,  in  other  words,  that  he  could  cart  along  and  use  to 
shoot  images  spontaneously,  as  he  came  across  them,  rather  than  have 
bulky  equipment  determine  the  time  and  place.  "You're  in  Holland," 
he  said  in  an  interview  in  Camera  Obscura,  "out  in  the  country,  and  you 
see  a  windmill  that  is  completely  motionless.  .  .  .  You  take  the  camera 
out  of  the  glove  compartment,  you  shoot,  and  you  get  a  35mm  image 
with  the  highest  resolution  possible  in  cinema  or  television.  Suddenly 
you  think  of  Foreign  Correspondent  (the  sequence  when  the  windmill 
turns  the  wrong  way).  Or  of  something  else.  Because  you  already  have 
an  image,  and  once  you  have  an  image,  you  do  something  else  with  it." 

The  result  of  Godard's  desire  was  a  lengthy  and  contentious  collab- 
oration with  Jean-Pierre  Beauviala,  an  inventor  with  Aaton,  but  what 
Godard  so  forcefully  illustrates  is  that  filmmaking  equipment  deter- 
mines the  kinds  of  images  that  can  be  made,  as  well  as  the  ways  in 
which  stories  can  be  told.  For  a  long  time,  directors  have  been  dream- 
ing of  what  until  recently  was  a  filmmaking  oxymoron:  lightweight, 
portable  cameras  with  high-quality  image  output. 

The  advent  of  the  new  consumer-level  digital  video  cameras  answers 
Godard's  desire.  Small,  lightweight,  and  cheap,  these  cameras  produce 
a  broadcast-quality  picture,  and  suddenly  cinema  as  we  know  it  is  shift- 
ing. People  who  have  traditionally  been  limited  or  excluded  from  film- 
making for  financial  reasons  are  now  making  films,  and  those  stories 
that  seemed  too  intimate  or  intense  for  big,  bulky  cameras  and  large 

38    THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


crews  are  getting  made.  Over  the  last  two  years  we've  seen  a  range  of 
amazing  digital  projects,  from  Bennett  Miller's  The  Cruise  to  Wim 
Wenders'  The  Buena  Vista  Social  Club.  And,  as  Gene  Youngblood  so 
rightfully  noted  in  his  1970  book  Expanded  Cinema,  "New  tools  gener- 
ate new  images,"  so  we're  seeing  new  aesthetics,  from  the  campy  comic- 
book look  of  Dan  Clark's  The  Item,  to  the  luscious  faltering  blur  of  Hal 
Hartley's  The  Book  of  Life,  to  the  hypnotic  lyricism  of  Jon  Reiss's  Better 
Living  through  Circuitry.  What  follows  is  an  overview  of  shooting  digi- 
tally through  the  eyes  of  several  directors  and  cinematographers.  They 
outline  the  methods  they  used,  the  results  they  achieved,  and  the 
advantages  and  difficulties  of  an  array  of  cameras. 

One  reason  to  shoot  digital  is  obvious:  money.  Consumer- 
level  digital  cameras  like  the  Sony  VX  1000  or  the  Canon  XL  1  are 
available  for  well  under  $5,000.  "The  main  reason  I  chose  digital  video 
was  affordability,"  notes  Dempsey  Rice,  who  recently  completed 
Daughter  of  Suicide,  a  documentary  on  the  impact  of  her  mother's 
death,  using  a  Sony  VX  1000.  "I  could  go  out  and  buy  the  camera  and 
sound  equipment  and  start  shooting,  rather  than  waiting  around  to  get 
the  money  to  shoot  on  film." 

And  affordability  reverberates  throughout  the  whole  filmmaking 
experience,  allowing  for  all  kinds  of  things  that  are  way  too  expensive 
when  filmmakers  are  shooting  film.  Writer/director  Eva  Brzeski,  who 
recently  finished  a  rough  cut  of  her  first  feature,  Last  Seen,  and  who 
shot  on  the  Sony,  explains:  "I  like  having  the  ability  to  experiment  and 
play,"  she  says.  "I  like  to  surprise  myself  in  the  middle  of  things,  to  use 
the  camera  to  sketch  images  and  ideas.  If  we'd  been  forced  to  have  a 
polished  script  and  financing  before  we  began,  this  film  never  would 


have  been  made.  As  it  was,  we  got  it  in  the  can  for  $5,000,  and  more 
than  half  of  that  was  spent  on  turkey  sandwiches  for  the  crew." 

Director  Miguel  Arteta  (Star  Maps)  also  chose  to  shoot  digital  for  his 
new  feature,  Chuck  and  Buck.  "When  you're  shooting  on  film,  every 
time  you  yell  'action,'  you've  spent  $150,"  he  says.  "That's  very  fright- 
ening for  an  independent  filmmaker."  He  continues,  "We  tried  to  raise 
the  money  to  do  Chuck  and  Buck  on  film,  but  it's  very  challenging 
material  and  I  wanted  total  freedom  in  casting  and  cutting.  DV  let  me 
have  that  freedom."  Chuck  and  Buck  is  one  of  the  first  projects  for  Blow 
Up  Pictures,  the  digital  production  company  founded  by  Open  City's 
Jason  Kliot  and  Joanna  Vicente  and  run  by  Sharan  Sklar. 

But  Arteta  didn't  only  choose  digital  for  financial  reasons.  "When 
we  were  researching  digital  video,  we  saw  Celebration  and  thought,  'My 
God,  all  those  close-ups  look  great.'  I  think  that  if  you're  doing  a  char- 
acter-driven story,  this  format  is  perfect.  Also,  when  you're  making  an 
independent  film,  the  performances  are  everything.  Nobody  really 
cares  about  fancy  camera  work.  But  how  do  you  get  good  perfor- 
mances? By  shooting  a  lot  of  material.  We  shot  80  hours  of  footage — 
three  times  as  much  as  Star  Maps — and  the  performances  are  excellent." 

Todd  Verow,  who  has  shot  a  long  list  of  projects  on  video,  including 
Shucking  the  Curve,  which  was  shot  digitally,  concurs.  He  notes  that 
shooting  on  video  allows  him  to  get  the  best  performances — not  only 
does  he  shoot  a  lot  of  material  before  and  after  a  particular  scene,  but 
he  tends  to  shoot  in  sequence,  letting  the  actors  progress  organically 
through  the  narrative. 

And  it  is  this  particular  shift  that  some  people  claim  will  be  DV's 
most  appreciable  factor.  "I  think  digital  video  will  revolutionize  acting 
more  than  anything  else,"  says  Kliot.  "The  relationship  between  the 
actors  in  both  films  could  not  have  been  set  up  with  the  traditional 
approach.  You  couldn't  have  gotten  the  complex,  intricate  perfor- 
mances with  traditional  filmmaking." 

Directors  note  that  both  the  size  of  the  camera  and  the  lack  of  stress 
over  wasted  footage  contributes  to  an  on-set  ease  which  in  turn  can 
build  to  an  intensity  that  simply  isn't  possible  on  film.  For  documentary 
filmmakers,  the  camera's  innocuous  presence  allows  for  an  intimacy 
that  is  often  difficult  to  achieve  with  a  film  camera  and  crew.  Daughter 
of  Suicide  is  a  good  example.  Dempsey  Rice  worked  with  cinematogra- 
pher  Jim  Denault,  whose  previous  projects  include  Michael 
Almereyda's  Trance,  Another  Girl,  Another  Planet,  and  Nadja,  as  well  as 
Hal  Hartley's  The  Book  of  Life.  "Daughter  of  Suicide  is  a  very  intimate 
film,"  explains  Rice.  "I  was  going  into  situations  in  which  people  had 
experienced  very  intense  and  painful  things,  and  it  just  wasn't  possible 
to  bring  in  a  large  crew.  Since  we  were  shooting  digital,  though,  Jim 
and  I  could  do  it  alone,  and  his  personality  worked  well,  making  it  very 
easy  to  get  the  intimacy  we  needed."  Eva  Brzeski  agrees:  "The  camera 
in  a  certain  way  disarms  people.  There  seems  to  be  less  pressure,  and 
in  the  more  documentary- like  situations,  people  don't  even  notice  the 
camera  because  they  are  so  ubiquitous." 

Another  way  that  DV  contributes  to  this  sense  of  intimacy  is  in 
its  lighting  requirements — the  cameras  tend  to  do  very  well  with  low 
lighting.  This  is  not  to  say  that  there  aren't  a  series  of  tricks  for  getting 
the  images  you  want,  or  that  lighting  can  be  ignored  altogether. 
Cinematographer  Howard  Krupa  shot  Mary  Katze's  feature  Tuesday 
Morning  Coffee  in  Minnesota  in  March.  "This  was  an  aggressive  project 
with  a  lot  of  locations,"  he  says,  "and  we  treated  it  as  if  it  were  a  regu- 
lar feature  film  project.  We  got  a  complete  lighting  truck  with  fresnels, 
HMIs,  and  tungsten  lights,  and,  as  with  film,  we  used  the  HMIs  for 
daytime  interiors  and  the  tungsten  for  nighttime.  However,  with  video 


you 
usually  have  so  much 
light  that  the  issue  is 
not  about  getting 
enough  illumination, 
as  it  is  with  film,  but 
rather  containment  or 
taking  light  away." 
Krupa  advocates 

using  small  light  sources  and  being  very  careful  not  to  over  light. 

Another  thing  to  look  out  for  with  DV  is  your  range.  "You  have  to 
be  very  careful  with  your  highlights  and  avoid  letting  them  get  too  hot, 
and  you  have  to  watch  your  darks  so  that  they  don't  disappear,"  notes 
cinematographer  Michael  Barrow,  who  is  perhaps  best  known  for  his 
work  in  35mm  on  films  like  Toni  Kalem's  A  Slipping- Down  Life,  and 
whose  two  digital  projects  so  far  are  the  short  film  Rosen's  Son  and  Alan 
Wade's  The  Pomographer — a  Love  Story  (another  Blow  Up  Pictures  pro- 
ject). "I  think  lighting  for  DV  is  similar  to  lighting  for  film,  except  at 
windows  where  you  can  get  those  highlights.  On  both  films  we  often 
just  used  sunlight  on  the  windows  and  then  NDed  them  down." 

Rice  notes  that  she  and  Denault  were  sensitive  to  the  Sony's  limit- 
ed range,  and  with  the  individual  interviews,  chose  not  to  light  as  you 
would  for  film.  "The  abject  is  to  light  things  pretty  flat,"  she  says.  "The 
black  outline  that  you  get  that  way  creates  depth.  If  you  light  like  you 
would  for  film,  the  contrast  would  be  way  too  broad  for  the  camera  to 
handle." 

Barrow  also  notes  another  helpful  feature:  "In  low  light  situations 
you  can  turn  up  the  gain."  The  gain  is  the  adjustment  feature  on  video 
cameras  that  boosts  the  signal  from  the  existing  light,  allowing  film- 
makers to  get  an  image  in  low  light,  but  at  a  cost.  As  you  increase  the 
gain,  you  also  increase  the  noise  in  the  image.  The  result  is  a  distinct- 
ly video  look  which  some  people  avoid  at  all  costs,  and  which  others 
prize  as  one  of  the  best  features  of  video.  "My  favorite  images  are  the 
low  light  ones,"  says  Brzeski.  "The  image  gets  broken  up  and  looks 
painterly,  and  the  color  becomes  very  sepia.  Sometimes  I  couldn't  even 
see  much  through  the  viewfinder,  but  the  result  was  beautiful.  You  lose 
all  contrast  and  depth,  and  the  image  becomes  this  strange  jumble  of 
motion."  Rice  also  used  the  gain  adjustment.  "As  the  gain  increases,  a 
lot  of  chunky  grain  starts  coming  through.  I  think  it's  gorgeous." 

Accepting,  and  even  accentuating,  the  qualities  of  video  seems  so 
far  to  have  produced  the  most  interesting  results.  Denault  did  a  range 
of  entirely  inappropriate  things  to  create  a  rich  new  look  for  The  Book 
of  Life.  "Rather  than  trying  to  make  it  look  like  film,  we  went  the  other 
direction,"  he  explains.  "We  wanted  that  Wired  magazine,  cyberpunk 
look.  I  started  by  going  to  B  +  H  Photo  to  get  these  plastic  filters  that 
are  for  amateur  photographers  to  do  these  jazzy  special  effects.  I  also 
used  gel  swatches  from  a  swatch  book  to  get  these  wild  colors.  None  of 
it  was  really  preplanned  or  rational — we'd  go  through  the  book  and 
say,  'This  looks  like  a  cool  color!'  and  the  fun  part  was  that  we  had  this 
image  in  mind,  but  it  wasn't  anything  we'd  ever  seen  before." 

One  of  the  key  adjustments  that  Denault  used,  or  abused,  for  artis- 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


tic  reasons  was  the  shutter  speed.  "There's  a  little  switch  on  the  cam- 
era called  a  shutter  speed  switch,  and  we  set  it  at  15  fps  or  lower  for  the 
entire  shoot."  He  continues,  "One  of  the  things  that  makes  video  looks 
so  distinctively  like  video  is  the  frame  rate.  In  video,  the  screen  never 
goes  dark,  as  it  does  with  film.  Instead,  there  are  two  interlaced  fields, 
and  some  part  of  one  of  them  is  always  glowing.  In  film,  however,  liter- 
ally half  of  the  time  you're  in  the  dark  because  the  screen  is  black  every 
other  l/48th  of  a  second.  So  psychologically,  film  and  video  are  very 
different.  Also,  the  longer  shutter  speed  of  24  fps  film  gives  each  frame 
a  little  more  blur,  which  makes  the  motion  feel  smoother.  So,  even 
though,  technically,  it's  not  the  same,  the  slower  frame  rate  on  the 
video  camera  feels  more  like  film,  and,  as  important,  masks  the  motion 
artifacts  that  occur  when  transferring  30  fps  video  to  24  fps  film.  It  pro- 
duces the  same  effect  you  get  with  step -printing  film.  On  a  film  shoot 
this  is  particularly  helpful  when  shooting  in  low  level  light.  It  you're 
shooting  12  fps,  which  is  half  the  normal  frame  rate,  you  get  twice  as 
much  light  on  each  frame.  This  is  why,  I  suspect,  you  see  this  effect  in 
the  films  of  filmmakers  like  Wong  Kar  Wai,  who  shoots  a  lot  at  night 
with  available  light.  When  you  then  print  each  frame  twice,  the  action 
plays  out  at  the  same  speed  as  it  did  in  lite,  but  is  broken  up  into  only 
12  intervals  rather  than  24.  Adjusting  the  shutter  speed  on  the  video 
camera  lets  you  do  the  same  thing." 

The  result  in  The  Book  of  Life  is  a  gorgeous  series  of  blurring,  trailing 
images  that  convincingly  establishes  a  new  aesthetic  direction  for 
video.  As  Sklar  of  Blow  Up  Pictures  notes  about  the  film,  "It's  explor- 
ing the  medium  in  terms  of  color  and  motion,  and  it's  definitely  push- 
ing the  boundaries  in  interesting  ways." 

The  film's  colors  are  also  spectacular,  and  indeed,  as  Brzeski  notes, 
adjusting  the  shutter  speed  affects  color.  "I  like  to  play  with  the  shut- 
ter speed  because  that's  when  you  get  these  beautiful  saturated  colors, 
colors  like  those  produced  by  super  8  Ektachrome."  She  continues, 
"Film  has  a  kind  of  literal  quality,  but  the  video  image  has  this  very  sur- 
real, dreamy  quality." 

Denault  also  notes  that,  compared  to  35mm  film,  which  has  an  image 
area  of  about  1"  diagonal,  the  very  small  target  areas  of  video  cameras — 


1/2"  on  professional  digital  cameras  and  1/4"  on  consumer  level 
cameras — give  the  cameras  tremendous  depth  of  field,  another  dis- 
tinctly video  look.  "Usually  with  film  you  are  trying  to  increase  the 
light  to  increase  the  depth  of  field  to  get  an  acceptably  sharp  image, 
but  with  video  the  problem  is  too  much  depth  of  field.  It's  harder 
with  video  to  separate  the  foreground  from  the  background  using 
focus.  So  I  try  to  shoot  in  low  light.  I  tend  to  want  to  shoot  wide 
open  to  reduce  the  depth  of  field." 

Howard  Krupa  says  that  he  used  the  wide  angle  attachment 
on  the  Canon  XLI  for  both  of  his  projects,  as  did  Brzeski  on  her 
film.  "You  absolutely  need  the  wide  angle  attachment  for  the 
Canon,"  Krupa  says,  "because  when  you're  shooting  in  tight  sit- 
uations, like  in  a  car,  you  can't  get  wide  enough."  And  Brzeski 
notes,  "I  like  to  use  a  wide  angle  anyway.  I  like  the  optics — a 
wide  angle  gives  the  image  an  edge." 

As  far  as  camera  movement  is  concerned,  most  cinematogra- 
phers  exploit  the  camera's  light  weight  to  shoot  handheld.  As 
Denault  says,  "Putting  a  handicam  on  a  dolly  seems,  to  me,  to 
defeat  the  main  advantage  of  digital  video.  Handicams  are  the 
next  evolutionary  step  beyond  the  Steadicam.  Why  would  you 
want  to  go  back  to  the  Stone  Age?  If  that's  what  you  want  to  do, 
you  probably  should  be  working  with  a  more  polished  medium." 
And  Denault  should  know.  In  describing  some  of  the  more 
exciting  moments  on  The  Book  of  Life  shoot,  Denault  recalls  get- 
ting a  shot  in  the  Queens  Midtown  Tunnel:  "I  was  hanging  out  the 
window  with  the  camera  about  a  foot  off  the  ground  with  everyone 
yelling  that  I  was  going  to  die,"  he  laughs.  He  also  notes  that  he  was 
able  to  shoot  without  permits  on  the  Staten  Island  Ferry  for  the  scene 
at  the  end  of  the  film,  at  La  Guardia  Airport,  on  the  subway,  and  at 
Tower  Records.  "These  scenes  were  the  most  fun — we  could  just  walk 
in  and  shoot,  and  no  one  knew  or  cared  what  we  were  doing." 

Although  the  cameras  for  the  most  part  offer  terrific  advan- 
tages,  several  people  commented  on  basic  problems.  Krupa  notes  that 
the  Canon's  viewfinder  is  not  accurate,  while  Denault  notes  that  the 
Sony  lens  is  less  than  great.  "It's  really  difficult  to  focus,  and  if  you're  at 
all  used  to  a  professional  camera,  it  takes  a  lot  of  getting  used  to." 
Brzeski  says  the  Sony  is  not  good  for  zooms.  "It  has  an  automatic  zoom 
that  you  can't  override,  and  it  lurches  forward  in  a  way  that  makes  it 
almost  unusable."  Barrow,  who  shot  The  Pomographer  on  digital  beta 
using  the  PAL  system  and  the  Sony  DVW  700,  says  that  he  doesn't  like 
the  design  of  the  viewfinder.  "There  is  no  safety  zone  outside  the 
frame,"  he  says.  "With  a  film  camera  you  generally  have  between  six 
and  1 5  percent  more  room  at  the  top,  bottom,  and  sides  of  the  frame 
so  you  can  see  a  problem  coming  and  adjust  for  it  before  it's  too  late." 

That  said,  however,  the  cameras  offer  yet  one  more  advantage.  "I 
was  just  sitting  in  the  editing  room  with  my  co-writer,  Holiday 
Reinhard,"  says  Brzeski,  "when  we  realized  we  needed  a  shot.  I  un- 
hooked the  camera  from  the  Avid,  ran  into  the  bathroom,  got  the  shot, 
and  came  back,  and  now  I'm  editing  it  into  the  film."  She  concludes: 
"That  ability  to  have  that  first  raw  image  look  so  right  is  amazing  to  me. 
This  camera  has  brought  me  closer  to  my  own  process  as  an  artist." 

Miguel  Arteta  also  comments  on  the  effect  of  the  new  cameras: 
"When  we  started,  several  other  directors  were  looking  into  digital 
filmmaking,  and  there  was  a  real  sense  of  discovery  and  a  sharing  of 
information.  I  think  digital  video  has  energized  the  American  inde- 
pendent film  community."  He  continues,  "But  for  me,  the  best  thing  is 
that  there  will  never  be  another  year  that  I  won't  make  a  movie." 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


N 


Alternative    Cameras 


y 


vi/. 


A 


The  history  of  cinematic  technology  has  not  simply  been  a  series 
of  improvements  in  film  stocks,  sound  recording  devices,  lenses, 
and  cameras  but  instead  a  complex  negotiation  of  ideological 
and  economical  concerns  that  has  little  or  nothing  to  do  with 
offering  filmmakers  more  ways  to  make  movies.  That  said,  there 
are  a  number  of  interesting  and  potentially  empowering  cameras 
that  were  introduced  for  amateur,  non-professional,  do-it-your- 
selfers during  the  last  half-century.  These  cameras  do  not  mere- 
ly produce  images;  they  also  produce  technologies  of  vision  that 
expand  cinema  beyond  the  confines  of  the  studios.  Whether  it's 
the  direct  cinema  of  the  1 960s  spawned  by  crystal  synch  and  the 
Eclair,  or  the  rich  tradition  of  activist  video  made  possible  by  the 
Sony  PortaPak,  or  now,  in  1999,  the  burgeoning  DV  revolution, 
alternative  camera  technologies  have  transformed  the  nature 
and  possibilities  of  American  independent  filmmaking.  Below  are 
several  out-moded  cameras  that,  for  a  while  anyway,  left  their 
mark  on  the  history  of  cinema. 

/\UriCOn  When  Andy  Warhol  made  the  transition  from 

painting  to  filmmaking,  his  legendary  rationale  was  that  "filmmak- 
ing is  easier."  This  was  possibly  true  of  early  con- 
ceptual films  such  as  Sleep,  but  more  diffi- 
cult to  believe  of  synch  sound  narra- 
tive features  like  My  Hustler.  Luckily, 
V  Warhol  discovered  the  Auricon. 
Originally  developed  for  news  pho- 
tography in  1949,  Auricon  16mm 
cameras  had  the  unusual  feature  of 
recording  an  optical  soundtrack  direct- 
ly on  the  film,  meaning  you  could  skip  all  the 
hassle  of  sound  transfers,  editing,  mixing,  and  optical  negatives. 
The  camera  is  rarely  used  by  filmmakers  today,  but  its  optional  144- 
degree  shutter  makes  it  ideal  for  kinescopes. 

F aircnilci  In  the  mid-1950s,  the  Fairchild  8mm  movie 

camera  resurrected  the  camera/projector  concept  first  developed  by 
the  Lumieres  at  the  turn  of  the  century.  Its 
modular  design  included  one  housing 
for   the   lens   and   film   advance 
mechanism   and    two   separate 
backs.  One  back  made  the  cam- 
era a  camera;  the  other  back, 
which   held    a   projector   lamp, 
turned  it  into  a  projector. 

SynCrOnSX   Before  Kodak  came  out  with  magnetic 

sound  on  super  8  stock,  there  were  several  dual-system  super  8  set- 
ups, including  the  Syncronex,  which  used  a  camera  connected  to  a 
cassette  recorder.  The  camera,  which  came  out  in  the  mid-sixties, 
generated  a  pilot  tone  on  the  audio  cassette  tape;  the  tape  was  later 


played  back  on  the  cassette  player/recorder,  which  was  connected  to 
the  projector  to  maintain  synch. 

raStaX Developed  for  scientific  motion  analysis  photog- 
raphy, the  Fastax  was  one  of  a  number  of  ultra  highspeed  16mm 
cameras  offering  frame  rates  up  to  16,000  fps.  Discovered  by 
George  Maciunas'  Fluxus  group  in  the  1960s,  these  cameras 
enabled  an  entire  sub-genre  of  excruciatingly  slow-paced  experi- 
mental films  including  Yoko  Ono's  legendary  One,  a  five-minute 
film  of  a  single  eye  blink. 

PolaVISIOn   Polaroid's  short-lived  Polavision  Motion 

Picture  Camera,  first  issued  in  1978,  was  a  victim  of  extraordinari- 
ly bad  timing.  Virtually  concurrent  with  the  introduction  of  con- 
sumer-level video  cameras,  the  Polavision  brought  together  two 
novelties  in  amateur  photography:  super  8  home  movies  and 
instant  Polaroid  pictures.  Images  were  recorded  onto  super  8-like 
film  in  a  cartridge  similar  to  a  video  cassette  and  then  processed  in 
a  matter  of  minutes  in  the  Polavision  Player.  The  system  failed  dis- 
mally— the  grainy  images  could  not  be  edited  or  viewed  anywhere 
but  on  the  small  rear-screen  Polavision  player,  and  the  relatively 
high  cost  of  the  film  seemed  absurd  in  comparison  with  the  mini- 
mal costs  of  videotape. 

PXL-2000  The  PXL-2000  was  introduced  in  1987 

by  Fisher-Price  as  a  low-cost  video  camera  for  kids.  Its  chunky,  con- 
trasty   black-and-white    image   caught   the 
attention  of  filmmakers  and  video  artists 
like   Steve   Fagin,    Eric    Saks,   Pat 
Tierney,  Michael  Almereyda,  and 
Sadie    Benning    who    made    it 
famous  with  a  series  of  autobio- 
graphical tapes  shot  in  her  bed- 
room  when   she   was   a   teenager. 
Rumors    continue    to    circulate    that 
Fisher-Price  will  reintroduce  the  camera,  but  so 
far,  they're  only  available  at  flea  markets  and  pawn  shops. 

35mm    Half  Frame  Filmmakers  also  make 

their  own  cameras.  In  the  world  of  motion  control  and  minia- 
tures, a  35mm  SLR  Nikon  with  a  motor  drive  can  become  a 
motion  picture  camera  capable  of  maneuvering  through  spaces 
too  small  for  a  traditional  35mm  camera.  The  Nikon's  precision 
frame  advance  mechanism  can  be  modified  for  half-frame  photog- 
raphy, and,  turning  the  camera  sideways,  filmmakers  can  make  pix- 
illated  or  animated  35mm  movies  without  paying  thousands  of  dol- 
lars for  a  motion  picture  camera. 

—   Steve  Anderson   and   Holly   Willis 

Holly  Willis  is  one  of  the  founders  of  Filmmaker  magazine  and  currently 

works  on  a  freelance  basis  writing  about  independent  film  for  a  number  of 

publications.  Steve  Anderson  is  a  filmmaker  and  freelance  writer  in  LA. 


November   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


FOR  SELF-PUBLISHERS  EVERYWHERE — WHETHER  THEY'RE 
activists,  advocates,  renegade  film  critics,  or  opin- 
ionated cranks — you  can't  beat  the  web  for  access 
and  reach.  All  you  need  is  an  idea  and  an  ISP,  and 
your  work  is  available,  globally.  Meanwhile,  the 
recent  emergence  of  online  bazaars  like  eBay  have 
made  it  possible  for  anyone  to  sell  anything  (while 
making  some  fascinating  comment  on  the  mutable 
nature  of  worth). 
But  just  as  anyone  with  a  modem  can  put  their 
macrame  up  for  sale  on  an  auction  site,  or  post  a 
web  site  from  which  to  promote  and  espouse,  the 
open  access  of  the  web  also  results  in  a  certain  saturation  of  the  indi- 
vidual, an  un-navigable  glut  of  one-offs  and  dross.  For  self-publishers, 


The  Advantage  program  was  originally  set  up  for  Amazon's  book 
trade  in  February  of  1998.  "The  whole  program  was  started  because  of 
the  request  of  publishers  who  were  listed  on  our  site  as  special  order 
titles,"  says  Diane  Zoi,  who  runs  the  Advantage  program.  Special 
orders  typically  take  four  to  six  weeks  to  reach  customers,  but  by  stock- 
ing a  few  copies  of  a  specialty  title  on  consignment,  Amazon  could  list 
it  as  available  within  2-3  days.  "It  was  originally  thought  to  be  a  pro- 
gram that  would  be  for  quirkier  titles.  But  now  we  have  a  lot  of  titles 
from  publishers  who  just  say,  'Hey,  I  can  do  this  on  my  own  now.  I  don't 
need  to  go  through  a  big  publishing  house.'  " 

This  ability  to  circumvent  the  entrenched  distribution  system  has 
an  appeal  that  goes  beyond  the  realm  of  book  publishing.  So  with  the 
initial  success  of  Advantage  Books,  Amazon  rolled  out  the  program  to 
music  in  November  of  '98  and,  earlier  this  year,  to  video. 


ama 


Netscape:  Amazon.com-s Video  Store 


More  to  txplore 
81«jt  Witch  Propel 

<5e*  scared  vo  as 

\  ef;  over  »g*m  «e 

of  Qtflttesfrom 


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that  Dawjf  wait  now 
tun  its noflr  Qc 
■    I 

deliver;  tf*  eprstwy 

l  olMoseivwihgJttt 
sweep,  respect  and 
panache  resulting  m« 

nchtMruly«wnfeexpe«n«  !n^*° 

»m  Releases 

YeSow  Submanne 

ywtnu  Submarine   has 

sailed  into  'he  sun  and 
found  the  sea  of 
green -and  not  a 
moment  too  soon  This 
tong-awai*d  DVD 


It4_e©_Top 


li%i"->JjLii^,'"--'"ii'jt— 


More  YtdeoIopjSeUenL 


What's  the  advantage  to 
their  Advantage  Program? 

by   Adam    Pincus 


promoting  work  on  the  web  can  be  like  putting  up  a  billboard  on  high- 
way 50  in  Nevada  ("The  Loneliest  Road  in  America").  The  real  estate 
may  be  cheap,  but  traffic  is  typically  scarce. 

Hence  the  rise  on-line  of  The  Big  Brand.  Eerily  reminiscent  of  the 
rest  of  consumer  culture  is  the  notion  that  a  familiar  name  can  draw 
crowds  a  mom-and-pop  operation  won't.  And  chief  among  the  Big 
Brands  to  emerge  on  the  web  is  Amazon.com.  So  when  the 
book/music/video/bric-a-brac  vendor  announced  that  they  would 
carry  titles  on  consignment  from  micro-distributors  and  individuals, 
the  initiative,  called  the  Advantage  program,  was  greeted  with  enthu- 
siasm by  self-publishers  of  every  stripe. 


Independent  filmmakers  can  now  leverage  Amazon's  brand-aware- 
ness, not  to  mention  its  considerable  customer  base,  to  draw  potential 
consumers  to  their  product.  But,  as  a  number  of  filmmakers  selling 
tapes  through  the  program  point  out,  a  listing  in  the  Amazon  database 
doesn't  translate  into  sales  on  its  own.  Presence  is  not  promotion. 
Success  is  a  matter  of  relative  scale.  Niche  marketing  remains  the  key. 

VIDEO  France  IS  A  small  video  distributor  based  in  Bethesda, 
Maryland,  where  they  have  a  retail  store  that  caters  to  the  local 
French  community  and  Americans  who  have  lived  abroad  and  devel- 
oped a  taste  for  French  film.  The  company  has  been  in  business  for  20 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


years,  distributing  American  films  (most- 
ly made-for-TV  fare  like  Hallmark  Hall  of 
Fame's  Merlin  or  Noah's  Ark)  to  the 
French  video  market.  In  1993  they  began 
bringing  French  product  out  on  video  in 
the  United  States,  mostly  films  that  never 
received  theatrical  distribution  here. 
Video  France  is  the  sole  distributor  of  La 
Grande  Vadrouille,  which  stars  France's 
leading  comic  actor  Louis  De  Funes,  and 
held  the  box  office  record  in  France  for  30 
years  (until  it  was  overturned  by  Titanic). 
"Video  distributors  didn't  think  French 
comedies  had  an  audience  in  this  coun- 
try," says  Danna  Sayada  one  of  the  com- 
pany's founders.  "And  no  one  ever  bought 
the  video  rights." 

"We're  a  very  specialized,  niche  entity. 
We  specialize  in  the  things  that  everybody 
else  has  overlooked."  Video  France  has 
deals  in  place  with  boutique  distributors 
like  Chicago's  Facets  and  Tapeworm.  It's 
been  more  difficult  forge  relationships 
with  mainstream  video  wholesalers  like 
Ingram  or  Baker  &  Taylor.  "Baker  & 
Taylor  would  never  take  us — and  I've 
tried — because  the  company  is  too 
small."  So  small,  in  fact,  that  Sayada  sub- 
titles the  films  they  distribute  herself 

Video  France  promotes  its 
product  through  a  creative 
grab-bag  of  techniques  that 
have  included  a  TV  show 
called  "France  Vision"  that  has 
aired  on  various  cable  and 
satellite  channels,  as  well  as  an 
800  number.  They've  operated 
a  web  site  [www.france 
vision.com]  for  over  six  years — 
a  glacial  age  in  the  fast-track 
world  of  the  web.  "We  knew 
that  this  was  coming.  It's  slowly 
gotten  to  the  point  where  on- 
line sales  are  getting  to  be 
about  half"  of  the  company's 
revenue. 

For  Video  France,  the  Ad- 
vantage program  represents  a 
new  avenue  of  distribution. 
"It's  allowed  me  to  circumvent 
these  companies  who  were  so 
short  sighted,"  she  says. 
Amazon's  profile  as  a  search 
mechanism  is  an  additional 
plus.  "It's  been  wonderful  to 
have  Amazon.com,  because  I 
can  get  out  there  to  a  large 


lU 


^A^-1 


French  Fried  Vacation,  one  of  the  many  French  comedies  sold  by  the 
small  company  Video  France  through  Amazon. 


Amazon's  best-selling  video  is  as  niche  as  they  get:  Raising  Your  Dog  With  the  Monks 
of  New  Skete. 


base  of  people  who  have  been  looking  for 
these  films  but  have  never  been  able  to 
find  them." 

But  the  Advantage  program  doesn't  repre- 
sent a  distribution  solution.  "I  don't  expect 
anything  from  them,  to  be  honest,"  she 
says,  with  a  certain  Gallic  stoicism.  "And 
it's  not  a  big  part  of  our  business.  But  each 
month  is  getting  better  than  the  month 
before."  Is  she  satisfied  with  the  terms  of 
the  deal?  In  a  word:  oui,  "considering  that 
they're  giving  me  a  market  I  wouldn't  oth- 
erwise have.  I'm  just  happy  to  be  able  to 
get  out  there." 

It  doesn't  get  MORE  NICHE  THAN  Raising 
Your  Dog  with  the  Monks  of  New  Skete,  one 
of  the  top-selling  titles  available  through 
the  Advantage  program.  One  Leg  Up 
Productions  is  based  in  Boulder,  Colorado, 
and  they're  a  video  distributor  with  this 
single  title  in  their  catalog.  The  company 
is  actually  a  sub-division  of  What  Are 
Records,  an  independent  record  label  spe- 
cializing in  college-oriented  music  and 
funk  (Maceo  Parker  is  on  the  label). 

One  Leg  Up  was  set  up  by  Rob  Gordon, 
a  former  AR  executive  at  EMI  records, 
especially  to  handle  distribution  for  Raising 
Your  Dog.  The  tape  was  produced 
by  a  former  EMI  colleague,  Matt 
Murray  and  his  company 
Atmosphere  Entertainment. 

Before  the  Advantage  program, 
One  Leg  Up  had  been  selling  to 
Amazon  a  unit  or  two  at  a  time.  It 
was  the  tape's  consistent  sales  that 
prompted  Amazon  to  contact  the 
distributor,  and  when  Advantage 
launched  this  year,  Raising  Your 
Dog  with  the  Monks  of  New  Skete 
was  one  of  the  initial  offerings,  at 
$59.95  a  tape. 

Atmosphere  Entertainment 
has  its  own  Web  site  [www.  dogs- 
bestfriend.com]  which  generates 
sales  for  the  tape  equal  to  those 
from  Amazon.com.  One  Leg  Up 
Productions  promotes  the  tape 
through  print  advertising  in  spe- 
cialty dog  publications  and  new 
age  magazines.  They  take  their 
wares  to  trade  shows  and  produce 
infomercials  that  run  on  cable  sta- 
tions. Raising  Your  Dog  can  be 
found  in  retail  outlets,  big  ones  like 
Borders    Books    and    Music    and 


r   1 W    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


ies  &  Noble.  They  distribute  to  inde- 
cent books  stores  and  dog  boutiques. 
They  work  it. 

And  it  works.  One  Leg  Up  sells  an  aver- 
age of  twenty  thousand  units  a  year  through 
a  combination  of  retail,  catalog  and  direct 
response,  800  numbers  and  online  com- 
merce. Online  sales  represent  "probably 
around  10  or  15  percent  right  now,"  accord- 
ing to  Halperin.  The  company  is  pursuing 
partnerships  with  other  specialty  web  sites 
like  Petopia  and  pets.com.  and  he's  opti- 
mistic about  the  potential.  "As  a  natural 
progression,  I  think  the  on-line  sales  are 
going  to  increase  year  to  year." 

Amazon  is  an  excellent  springboard,"  says 
filmmaker  Lance  Weiler.  The  Last  Broadcast,  a 
film  Weiler  directed  and  starred  in  with  part- 
ner Stefan  Avalos,  was  another  title  available 
in  the  initial  launch  of  the  Advantage  pro- 
gram. The  filmmakers  actively  pursued  a  vari- 
ety of  alternative  distribution  tactics,  included 
a  trial  on  the  Independent  Film  Channel's 
broadband  site  and  a  limited  release  via  satel- 
lite that  garnered  press  for  the  film.  "Amazon  was  aware  of  our  title.  They 
actually  contacted  us." 

The  Last  Broadcast  would  be  typical  for  independent  film  titles  look- 
ing tor  video  distribution  through  the  Advantage  program,  but  for  one 
thing:  The  Blair  Witch  Project.  Similarities  between  the  two  films  result- 
ed in  a  media  controversy  that,  trankly,  was  good  for  business.  "The 
latest  controversy  with  Blair  Witch  obviously  helped  us,"  admits  Weiler. 
The  filmmakers  made  The  Last  Broadcast  available  for  sale  exclusively 
on  Amazon.com  and  sold  an  impressive  1,000  tapes  at  $19.95  apiece 
in  20  days.  According  to  Weiler,  it  was  Amazon's  third  best- selling  title 
at  the  time. 

"The  volume  that  we  did  is  misleading,"  counsels  Weiler.  "A  large 
number  of  those  users  came  from  our  mailing  list.  Maybe  two-fifty  or 
three  hundred.  The  other  seven  hundred  came  out  of  the  controver- 
sy." Nonetheless,  on  the  basis  of  their  media  profile  and  sales,  the  film- 
makers brokered  an  exclusive  deal — for  a  better  percentage — with 
Hollywood  Video.  Hollywood  will  ship   16,000  copies  of  The  Last 


Wavelength's  The  Last  Broadcast  sold  an 
impressive  1,000  cassetes  this  summer  through 
Advantage. 


**       m 

Kr 

4r\             m* 

UP     M     »   ^ 

^Pjr?    9fcf 

^NhCm^m 

n. 

iv\ 

With  photos  like  this,  how  can           '   Js*  •/" 
tyou  resist  Training  tour  Dog 
with  the  Monks  of  New  Skete? 

k 

Broadcast  to  stores  for  rental  only.  The  exclu- 
sive deal  runs  out  in  late  November.  Then  the 
filmmakers  plan  to  return  to  selling  DVDs  and 
VHS  tapes  with  unseen  footage,  potentially 
through  Amazon.com. 

"We  had  a  great  response  on  Amazon.  People 
were  posting  and  talking  about  the  movie." 
And  not  all  the  commentary  was  glowing.  For 
every  "So  Much  Better  Than  BWP.  This  Is 
The  Most  Frightening  Movie  I  Have  Ever 
Seen  In  My  Life,"  there's  a  "This  film  is  just 
painfully  BAD,  BAD,  BAD.  Terrible  acting, 
directing,  and  photography.  JUST  DONT 
WASTE  YOUR  TIME."  Negative  comments 
notwithstanding,  the  tape  moved. 

For  the  makers  of  The  Last  Broadcast,  the 
Advantage  program  has  been  useful  leverage 
in  an  ongoing  campaign  of  alternative  distrib- 
ution. And  it's  generated  some  actual  income. 
"I've  already  gotten  a  check  from  them,"  says 
Weiler.  "I've  seen  money  back  from  them.  I 
don't  know  how  many  people  can  say  that  for 
distributors." 

For  55%  of  retail  sales,  Amazon  will  stock  a 
handful  of  tapes  on  consignment,  post  a  page 
of  details,  and  list  the  title  in  the  site's  database.  As  such,  the 
Advantage  program  can  certainly  be  an  effective  mechanism  for  self- 
distribution.  But  "self"  is  the  keyword  here.  "It's  still  up  to  the  film- 
makers to  make  it  happen  for  their  careers,"  says  Advantage's  Zoi. 
"You've  got  to  more  than  show  up."  Indeed,  the  program  puts  the  onus 
on  the  maker.  "This  is  a  fantastic  way  to  get  into  instant  distribution. 
But  it  doesn't  take  the  fact  away  that  you've  got  to  work  really,  really 
hard.  When  you're  trying  to  rise  above  the  noise,  and  get  your  title  to 
bubble  up  to  the  top,  you're  still  pounding  the  pavement,  and  doing 
interviews,  and  trying  to  make  it  happen.  That'll  never  go  away." 

Adam  Pincus  is  a  writer/producer  at  Sundance  Cliannel,  a  freelance  writer  on 
independent  film  and  technology,  and  a  new  media  consultant. 


Amazon.com  for  Dummies 


Amazon's  Advantage  program  takes  product  on 
consignment  in  exchange  for  55%  of  the  gross 
sales.  Amazon  will  make  an  initial  order  of  2-5 
units.  The  publisher — whether  it's  a  vanity  press, 
independent  record  label,  or  independent  film- 
maker— supplies  Amazon  with  a  disk  that 
includes  a  synopsis,  cover  art,  and  promotional 
material.  Publishers  can  update  their  pages  and 
check  on  sales  and  inventory  through  a  pass- 
word-protected extranet  site.  Filmmakers  receive 
45%  of  the  retail  price  of  their  videotape — a  price 
they  set  themselves.  Tapes  are  priced  on  average 
in  the  $14-95 — $19.95  range.  Contact  www.ama- 
zon.com/advantage  or  advantage(«/amazon.com 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     November    1999 


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AT0MFILMS.COM 

BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

AtomFilms.com,  80  S.  Washington  St.,  Ste.  303,  Seattle,  WA  98015;  (206)  264-2735;  fax:  264- 
2742;  info@atomfilms.com;  www.atomfilms.com;  contacts:  Mika  Salmi,  CEO/founder;  Jannat 
Gargi,  director  of  acquisitions 


What  is  AtomFilms.com? 

Atom  is  a  next  generation  entertainment  company  that 
specializes  in  the  best  short  films  and  animation  from 
all  over  the  world.  It's  the  coolest 
place  for  consumers  to  see  up- 
and-coming  and  established 
artists. 

Why  do  you  consider  your- 
selves distributors? 

We  actually  consider  ourselves 
marketers  and  entertainment 
innovators,  but  we  do  license 
content  to  both  on-line  and  off- 
line companies,  including  domes- 
tic and  international  TV.  airlines, 
VHS/DVD,  major  Internet  sites, 
and  many  other  emerging  chan- 
nels. We  also  display  and  sell 
directly  to  consumers  via  our  web 
site  and  some  theatrical  outlets. 

Unofficial  motto  or  driving 
philosophy: 

Shorts  are  cool. 

Who  is  AtomFilms.com? 

A  potent  combo  of  people  who  wear  platform  shoes  and 
people  who  wear  pocket  protectors. 

How  big  is  your  staff? 

36  employees,  with  offices  in  Seattle  (HQ),  LA,  and 
London. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  AtomFilms.com  come  into 
being? 

Mika  has  been  a  fan  of  shorts  since  childhood  and  col- 
lected animation  as  a  kid.  When  he  moved  from  France 
to  New  York  City  in  1994  in  order  to  work  in  the  music 
biz,  he  was  frustrated  that  it  was  so  hard  to  find  his 
favorite  stuff — outside  of  film  festivals,  that  is.  (Mika 
had  various  international  roles  for  both  Sony  and  EMI. 


Having  discovered  and  signed  two  major  artists — Nine 
Inch  Nails  and  The  Presidents  of  the  USA — Mika  dis- 
covered his  true  passion  for  finding  new  talent  and 
helping  artists  get  their 
'big  break.')  He  wrote  a 
business  plan  to  market 
shorts  in  the  same  way 
you  market  independent 
bands.  He  chickened  out 
in  executing  the  business 
plan,  but  was  re-energized 
while  working  at 
RealNetworks  and  seeing 
the  potential  of  the 
Internet  for  shorts.  He  left 
RealNetworks  and  hit  up 
some  rich  friends  for  initial 


If  I  went  to  AtomFilms.com's  site,  what  would  I  find? 

A  site  design  like  you've  never  seen  before — very 
active  and  engaging.  Plus,  a  ton  of  films  and  animation 
to  watch;  new  ones  are  added  daily.  There  is  also  an 
active  "community"  of  fans/users  and  filmmakers.  The 
site  is  very  deep  in  information  about  each  film/anima- 
tion and  who  created  it. 

How  is  the  site  organized? 

Daily  Picks,  Animation,  Films,  Downloads,  Audience 
Favorites,  and  "Spotlight." 

On  the  web,  what's  the  difference  between  distribu- 
tion and  exhibition? 

The  level  of  rights.  In  other  words,  can  I  show  this  only 
on  my  site  or  do  I  have  the  right  to  license  it  to  other 
sites  (or  off-line  channels)? 

What's  the  difference  between  AtomFilms.com  and 
a  traditional  distributor? 

We  are  more  a  marketing  company  than  a  middleman. 
We  are  interested  in  the  long-term  success  of  our 
artists  and  take  that  view  in  everything  we  do,  from  the 
contracts  to  the  promotions.  We're  more  of  mini-studio 
or  record  label,  so  we  have  a  vested  interested  in  cre- 
ating success  stones. 


What's  appealing  to  a  filmmaker  about  having 


funding  for  Atom.  They  thought  he  was  crazy  but  gave 
him  the  money  anyway.  AtomFilms  was  born  in  October 
1998  and  the  site  launched  in  March  1999. 

Where  does  the  money  come  from  to  fund 
AtomFilms.com's  activities? 

A  combo  of  individual  investors,  venture  capitalists,  and 
industry  heavyweights  who  want  to  be  part  of  the  "web 
thang,"  like  [former  CEO  of  Universal  Films,  and  current 
AtomFilms.com's  board  member]  Frank  Biondi,  Jr. 


his/her  work  on  AtomFilms.com? 

Lots  of  people  will  see  their  work  all  over  the  world, 
including  some  Hollywood-types  in  thin-soled  shoes 
with  tassels. 

Do  filmmakers  whose  work  you  handle  ever  see  any 
income  from  their  web  release,  either  directly  or 
indirectly? 

Yes. 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


'•'■m-'-'-l--^ 


Acid  Drink,  from  Lough  House 
Animation's  Sid  Sidesplitter 
series,  created  by  Andy 
Wyatt. 


Oz  Milburne  and  Eva  Pope  in 
J.J.  Keith's  Holiday  Romance. 

In  the  Mirror  of  the  Sky  by 
Carlos  Sailes. 


How  is  a  typical  AtomFilms.com  contract  struc- 
tured? 

An  upfront  advance  plus  royalties  on  every  sale. 

Do  you  have  exclusive  webcast/web  distribution 
deals? 

Yes. 

What  territories  and  media  are  covered  in  a  stan- 
dard AtomFilms.com  contract? 

Our  business  model  relies  on  distributing  shorts  to  as 
many  channels  as  possible — small  pieces  will  hopeful- 
ly equal  a  big  pie.  In  other  words,  we  need  as  broad  of 
rights  as  possible  to  do  our  job  properly  and  serve  the 
artist  the  best. 


Best  known  titles  and/or  directors  on  AtomFilms.com: 

Hmm  ...  I  don't  think  I'll  pick  favorites  at  this  time! 

How  do  you  decide  what  titles  to  add  to  the  site? 

We  do  some  initial  filtering  between  two  to  four  people 
in-house  and  look  for  production  quality,  acting,  story, 
etc.  However,  there  are  plenty  of  films  that  don't  meet 
any  of  those  standards  but  still  have  a  certain  "I  don't 
know  what"  (/e  ne  sais  quoi,  I  stole  that  line  from  Austin 
Powers),  so  we  test  things  with  our  on-line  audience 
and  let  them  decide.  On  the  one  hand,  we  don't  want  to 
have  a  bewildering  amount  of  stuff  (like  mp3.com),  and 
we  want  to  make  sure  the  visitors  to  our  site  aren't  dis- 
appointed. On  the  other  hand,  tastes  vary  greatly,  and 
we  don't  want  to  play  God  too  much.  Finally,  there  is  a 


umall  classEs  &  tutorials 

in  D  1  G  1  TA  L 

AUDIO,  VIDEO  &  INTERACTIVITY 

Interdisciplinary  Certificate  Program 

C    U    L   I    1    V   A    I    1    N    G       TALENT 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts 

[212]  431-1130 

596  Broadway  Suite  602  inSoHo 

harvestw@  dti.net/www.harvestworks.org 

Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


cz 


uu 


S335EPi^iD 


MSRCER  STREET 

SDUHD 


MEDIA  1QOJLS- 

Discounts  for  Independents      PRQ    TOOLS    2  Zl 


^ 

^^^ 


Sound  Editing 


.   Sound  Design 


Non-Linear  Video  Editing 
Voice  Over     « 


ff 


)     Sound  Effects 


Original  Music 
503-11  Broadway  Rm.  519,  NYC    212.966.6794 


Documentary  Makers: 
Video  Animation  Stand 

3    CCD    CAMERA 


Smooth  Moves 
Best  Price  In  New  York 

CONTACT:    PETER    CASCONE 

419  park  Avenue  South     New  York,  NY  10016 
TEL:   212-689-7678  Fax:   212-689-7544 


editing  •  Dim  and  video  production  •  post  production  supervision 
•  sew  evaluation  and  budgeting  •  web  casting 


snnnn 


business  decision  involved,  as  we've  gotten  pretty  good 
at  knowing  what  certain  channels,  like  television,  want 
to  buy. 

Where  do  you  find  titles  to  put  on  AtomFilms.com? 

Under  rocks. 

Can  makers  approach  you  directly? 

Yes!  Send  us  a  videotape  or  point  us  to  a  web  page  that 
has  your  work. 

What  sort  of  licensing  and  copyright  issues  do  mak- 
ers need  to  make  sure  they've  cleared  before  a  web 
release  on  AtomFilms.com? 

SAG  and  music  are  the  main  two. 

How  many  "hits"  are  recorded  daily  on 
AtomFilms.com? 

We  had  over  20  million  hits  in  June,  and  it  has  gone  up 
substantially  since  then. 

Who  do  you  think  those  people  are? 

The  bulk  are  18-34  year  olds,  but  they  really  are  all  over 
the  map.  We  got  a  great  letter  from  a  70  year  old  who 
says  he  shares  our  site  with  all  his  friends! 

How  do  people  and  find  out  about  AtomFilms.com? 

We  have  syndication  deals  with  major  sites  like  Go, 
Snap,  RealNetworks,  Warner  Bros.,  and  many  others. 
But  to  date,  it  has  mainly  been  word  of  mouth  via  peo- 
ple emailing  each  other. 

Biggest  challenge  in  reaching  your  audience: 

Meeting  the  needs  of  a  diverse  audience — in  other 
words,  delivering  targeted  programming. 

The  most  important  issue  facing  AtomFilms.com 
today  is . . . 

that  our  office  has  no  air  conditioning. 

A  year  from  now  AtomFilms.com  will . . . 

still  be  here. 

Five  years  from  now  AtomFilms.com  will . . . 

still  be  here. 

If  you  weren't  running  AtomFilms.com,  you'd  be . . . 

really  bummed  out. 

Upcoming  AtomFilms.com  projects  to  keep  an  eye 
out  for: 

Sid  Sidesplitter,  a  very  funny  series  of  animations. 

Distributor  FAQ  is  a  column  conducted  by  fax  questionnaire 
profiling  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  independent  film  and 
video.  Send  profile  suggestion  to  Lissa  Gibbs,  c/o  The 
Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft,  New  York,  NY  10013,  or 
drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlink.net 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT     November    1999 


THE   ASSOC  I  AT  I 

VIDEO   AN 


)F    INDEPENDENT 
LMMAKERS 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 
Offering  support  for  individuals  and 
advocacy  for  the  media  arts  field 
The  Association  of  Independent  Video 
and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a  national 
membership  organization  of  over 
5,000  diverse,  committed  opinionated 
and  fiercely  independent  film  and 
video  makers.  AIVF  is  supported  by 
the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  a  501(c)(3) 
nonprofit  offering  a  broad  slate  of 
education  and  information  programs. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  you 
need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent 
Film  Sr  Video  Monthly,  or  through 
the  organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  ATVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  reminding  you 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 

J  J  FILMS,  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
Membership  provides  you  with  a 
year's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
Thought-provoking  features,  artist 
profiles,  news,  and  regular  columns  on 
business,  technical  and  legal  matters. 
Plus  festival  listings,  distributor  and 
funder    profiles,    funding    deadlines. 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities,  programs  and 
services.  Special  issues  highlight 
regional  activity  and  focus  on  subjects 
including  experimental  media,  new 
technologies,  and  media  education. 
Business  and  non-profit  members 
receive  discounts  on  advertising  as 
well  as  special  mention  in  each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  AIVF 
suppliers,  including  health  insurance 
and  production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  stock  and  expendibles, 
film  processing,  transfers,  editing, 
shipping,  and  other  production 
necessities.  Members  also  receive 
discounts  on  purchases  of  the  AIVF 
mailing  list  and  classified  ads  in  The 
Independent. 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 
Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  www.aivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 
on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent. 


We  also  publish  a  series  of 
practical  resource  books  on 
international  festivals,  distribution, 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members  (see  the 
other  part  of  this  insert  for  a  list). 

With  over  600  volumes,  our 
office  library  houses  information  on 
everything  from  preproduction  to 
sample  contracts,  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  the  independent  producer. 

COMMUNITY 

AIVF  Regional  Salons  occur  in  cities 
across  the  country.  These  member- 
organized  member-run  get-togethers 
provide  a  unique  opportunity  for 
members  and  non-members  alike  to 
network,  exhibit,  and  advocate  for 
independent  media  in  their  local 
area.  To  find  the  salon  nearest  you 
check  The  Independent  or  visit  the 
salon  section  of  the  AIVF  website.  If 
you're  interested  in  starting  a  salon 
in  your  area,  ask  for  our  startup  kit! 

ADVOCACY 

Over  the  past  25  years  AIVF  has 
been  outspoken  in  our  efforts  to 
preserve  the  resources  and  rights  of 
independent  mediamakers,  as  well  as 
to  keep  the  public  abreast  of  the 
latest  issues  concerning  our 
community.  Recent  activities  have 
included  a  successful  campaign  to 
restore  the  short  documentary  Oscar 
category,  and  to  keep  DBS  providers 
accountable  to  the  public.  Members 
receive  periodic  advocacy  alerts, 
information  on  current  issues  and 
public  policy,  and  the  opportunity  to 
add  their  voice  to  collective  actions- 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  •  discounts 
on  goods  and  services  from  over  80  affiliated  Trade  Partners  •  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information 
services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events  •  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  • 
advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 

subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both. 

BUSINESS  &  INDUSTRY/NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  each  issue  of  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES     Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr.  □  $100/2  yrs. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr.  □  $l£0/2  yrs. 

Student  □  $35/1  yr.  □  $60/2  yrs. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Business  &  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization        □  $100/1  yr. 

LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 


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Address 

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MAILING  RATES 

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□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

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□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


*  Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  501(c)(3). 


\ 


Membership  cost 

Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF* 

(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

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Signature 


Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  fl,  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  507-1400  x236,  by  fax 

(212)  463-5519,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org.  Your  first  issue  of  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  4-6  weeks. 


■  JI'LWJ'-.i^.-..^ 


THE  FOUNDATION  CENTER 


by  Michelle  Coe 


The  Foundation  Center,  79  5th  Avenue,  New  York,  NY  10003;  feedback@fdncenter.org; 
www.fdncenter.org/onlib/librarian.html;  Contact:  Online  Librarian. 


What  is  www.foundation- 
center.org? 

The  Foundation  Center's  Web 
site  [www.fdncenter.org,  or 
www.foundationcenter.org — 
both  will  take  you  there]  is 
"Your  gateway  to  philanthropy 
on  the  World  Wide  Web." 


When  and  why  did  the 
Foundation  Center  come 
into  being? 

The  Foundation  Center  was 
founded  in  1956  as  a  library 
and  independent  information 
resource,    emerging    from     Expert  help  and  assistance 

Congressional  McCarthy-era  hearings  about  the  secre- 
tiveness  of  foundations.  Its  mandate  from  the  beginning 
was  "to  foster  public  understanding  of  the  foundation 
field." 

Since  our  founding,  the  center  has  fulfilled  that  mis- 
sion by  creating  libraries  around  the  country — first  in 
New  York  and  then  in  Washington,  D.C.,  Cleveland,  San 
Francisco,  and  Atlanta.  We  began  publishing  The 
Foundation  Director/  in  1960,  and  today  we  publish  more 
than  50  grantmaker  directories  and  grant  guides  about 
the  work  of  foundations.  In  the  last  five  years,  we  have 
expanded  our  publishing  efforts  into  the  digital  realm  by 
launching  our  web  site  in  1994  and  publishing  the  first 
version  of  FC  Search:  The  Foundation  Center's  Database 
on  CD-ROM  in  1996.  Our  resources  are  also  available  in 
more  than  200  Cooperating  Collections  across  the  coun- 
try [www.fdncenter.org/collections/index.html] 

Your  driving  philosophy  is. . . 

To  foster  understanding  of  the  foundation  field  and  act 
as  a  bridge  between  grantmakers  and  grantseekers. 

Who  is  your  constituency? 

Grantseekers,  grantmakers,  researchers,  policy  makers, 
the  media,  and  the  general  public. 

What  percentage  are  film  or  media  arts-centered? 

A  relatively  small  percentage.  Our  grantseeker  audi- 
ence, as  defined  by  organization  focus,  looks  something 
like  this:  education  (25  percent),  social/human  services 
(20  percent),  health  (10  percent),  arts  (10  percent), 
religion  (5  percent),  the  environment  (4  percent)  public 
interest/advocacy  (3  percent),  job  seekers  (2  percent), 
science  and  technology  (1  percent),  and  international  (1 


is  always  available  at  the  Foundation  Center's  libraries. 

percent).  Everyone  else — about  20  percent  of  the 
total — falls  into  the  "Other"  category,  and  a  sizable 
portion  of  that  group  is  individual  grantseekers. 

Are  your  physical  offices  set  up  simply  as  resource 
libraries,  or  do  you  offer  consultations  or  other  per- 
sonalized services? 

The  librarians  are  more  than  willing  to  direct  library 
patrons  to  appropriate  resources  and  are  happy  to 
instruct  our  patrons  in  the  best  use  of  those  resources. 
They  do  not  offer  personalized  services  to  patrons  or 
offer  suggestions  about  specific  funders. 

You  offer  grantwriting  courses  at  your  offices 
around  the  country.  Do  you  offer  a  parallel  version 
online? 

The  Center's  Proposal  Writing  Short  Course,  available 
online  at  www.fdncenter.org/onlib/shortcourse/propl. 
html,  is  one  of  the  best  introductions  to  proposal  writ- 
ing on  the  web. 

The  Foundation  Center  has 
different  chapters  across  the 
U.S.;  where  are  these  locat- 
ed? 

The  Center  has  five  libraries 
across  the  country: 
New  York:  (212)  620-4230; 
Washington,  D.C.:  (202)  331- 
1400;  San  Francisco:  (415) 
397-0902;  Cleveland:  (216) 
861-1933;  Atlanta:  (404)  880- 
0094. 


How  comprehensive  is  the  web  site's  listing  of  foun- 
dations and  other  resources? 

More  than  900  searchable  links  to  grantmaker  web 
sites  and  350-plus  links  to  other  nonprofit  resources.  A 
feature  called  Foundation  Finder  [www.lnp.fdncen- 
ter.org/finder.html]  provides  basic  facts  on  more  than 
50,000  private  and  community  foundations  in  the  U.S. 
Later  this  fall,  we'll  be  launching,  for  a  monthly  fee, 
the  Foundation  Directory  On-line,  a  searchable  data- 
base of  the  10,000  largest  private  and  community  fun- 
ders in  the  U.S. 

Name  a  few  media-related  grantmakers  in  your 
searchable  database. 

On  the  Private  Foundations  on  the  Internet  section  of  our 
site  [www.fdncenter.org/grantmaker/gws_priv/priv. 
html]  a  search  on  the  keyword  "media"  will  list  19  pri- 
vate foundations  with  a  stated  interest  in  funding 
media-related  projects  of  one  kind  or  another.  Each 
name  in  that  list  links  you  to  a  more  complete  descrip- 
tion of  that  foundation.  If,  after  reading  the  description, 
you  want  to  learn  more  about  that  particular  funder, 
you  can  jump  directly  to  the  foundation's  own  web  site. 

After  you've  exhausted  the  private  foundation  possi- 
bilities move  on  to  the  corporate  grantmaker 
[www.fdncenter.org/grantmaker/gws_corp/corp.html] 
and  grantmaking  public  charity  sections  of  the  site 
[www.fdncenter.org/grantmaker/gws_pubch/pubch.ht 
ml].  Granted,  the  free  features  at  our  site  will  only  give 
you  a  partial  list  of  funding  prospects.  But,  again, 
they're  the  best  and  most  comprehensive  free 
resources  of  their  kind  on  the  web. 

A  comprehensive  search  of  the  foundation  field  is 
possible  using  FC  Search,  our  CD-ROM  product,  which 
is  available  to  the  public  at  no  charge  in  all  five  of  our 
libraries  as  well  as  in  most  of  our  Cooperating 
Collections. 

Which  items  on  your  site  are  specifically  for  indi- 
viduals? 

Check  out  the  FAQ  section  of  our  Online  Library 
[www.fdncenter.org/onlib/faqs/faq.html]  under  "Individ- 
ual Grantseekers."  The  answer  to  the  question,  "What 


November    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


is  a  fiscal  agent,  and  how  do  I  find  one?"  is  at 
[www.fdncenter.org/onlib/faqs/faq07.html] 

Will  filmmakers  realistically  be  able  to  find  specific 
leads  as  much  as  general  guidance? 

I  think  so,  although  our  site  is  not  yet  a  replacement  for 
our  libraries.  Remember,  your  results  are  partly  a  func- 
tion of  patience  and  your  skill  at  online  searching.  Don't 
forget  to  search  the  archives  of  Philanthropy  News 
Digest  [www.fdncenter.org/pnd/search.cfm],  another  of 
the  center's  services. 

What  are  the  chances  that  your  site  will  list  contact 
info  for  all  the  grant  givers  mentioned  in  such  a 
search? 

We  try  to  include  links  to  individual  grantmaker 
web  sites — which  usually  provide  (at  a  mini- 
mum) a  mission  statement,  a  brief  history  of  the 
organization,  program  descriptions,  application 
guidelines  and  procedures,  and  contact  infor- 
mation— in  all  our  grantmaker  search  products. 
But,  remember,  of  the  50.000-plus  private 
and  community  foundations  in  the  Center's 
main  database,  fewer  than  800  have  a  web  site 
or  presence  of  their  own.  Use  our  Foundation 
Finder  lookup  database  [www.lnp.fdncen- 
ter.org/finder.html]  for  the  more  than  50,000 
private  and  community  foundations  in  the  U.S. 

What  information  does  your  site  present  on 
each  grantmaker? 

The  Grantmaker  Information  area  of  the  site 
[www.fdncenter.org/grantmaker/index.html] 
offers  more  than  700  paragraph-length  descriptions  of 


individual  funders  who  are  already  on  the  web. 
These  are  organized  by  foundation  type  (private 
foundations,  corporate  grantmakers,  grantmak- 
ing  public  charities,  and  community  founda- 
tions), and  can  be  searched  by  keyword  or 
phrase. 

Later  this  fall  we  plan  to  launch  the 
Foundation  Directory  Online,  a  fee-based  ver- 
sion of  our  flagship  print  publication,  The 
Foundation  Directory.  The  Directory  Online  will 
provide  quick,  convenient  access  to  current 
information  about  more  than  10,000  of  the 
largest  private  grantmakers  in  the  United 
States.  In  addition  to  the  name,  address,  con- 
tact person,  and  telephone  number  for  the 
foundation,  each  record  in  the  Directory  Online 
database  will  include  the  foundation's  estab- 
lishment date,  type,  financial  data,  purpose  and 
activities,    fields    of 
interest,  types  of  sup- 
port, limitations,  publi- 
cations,    application 
information,  names  of 
officers  and  trustees, 
number  of  staff,  and, 
where  available,  a  list 
of  up  to  ten  selected  grants. 

What  other  special  resources 

should  independent  mediamakers  know  about  on 

your  website? 

Philanthropy  News  Digest  [www.fdncenter.org/pnd/ 
current/index  html],  our  weekly  compendium  of  news  in 
the  field,  is  an  invaluable  resource  for  grantseekers,  as 
it  covers  the  activities  of  foundations,  government 
agencies,  and  other  funders  regardless  of  whether 
they're  on  the  web  or  not.  The  free  PND  archive  com- 
prises some  220-plus  issues  and  more  than  2,400  indi- 
vidual abstracts  dating  to  January  1995  and  is  search- 
able by  keyword  or  phrase. 


Grantseekers  who  are  new  to  the  process  should 
take  a  look  at  our  Online  Orientation  to  Grantseeking 
[www.fdncenter.org/onlib/orient/introl. 
html]  and/or  our  "User-Friendly  Guide  to  Funding 
Research  and  Resources"  [www.fdncenter.org/onlib/ 
ufg/index.html]. 

Name  a  few  essential  web  resources  for  individual 
artists  seeking  funding  from  private  or  government 
foundations  (i.e.  online  databases,  journals,  etc.)? 

First  stop  for  individual  artists  seeking  funding  should 
be  the  terrific  ArtsWire  site  [www.artswire.org],  spon- 
sored by  the  New  York  Foundation  for  the  Arts 
[www.nyfa.org],  which  has  an  excellent  (though  some- 
what pokey)  site  of  its  own.  Open  Studio:  The  Arts 
Online  [www.openstudio.org],  a  national  initiative  of 
the  D.C.-based  Benton  Foundation  [www.benton.org] 
and  the  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 
[www.arts.endow.gov/]  is  a  must,  as  is  the  NEA  site. 


philan(hn>py  news  digest 

— ^^-  r    — ^* ^^  Thp  Pnunnntion  CVfifo*' 


The  half  dozen  or  so  regional  arts  organizations  in  the 
U.S. — the  Mid-Atlantic  Arts  Foundation,  the  New 
England  Foundation  for  the  Arts,  Arts  Midwest — are 
good  places  to  check  out,  as  are  many  of  the  state  arts 
organizations  and  state  humanities  councils. 

What  advice  do  you  give  individuals  who  are 
searching  for  that  perfect  foundation  for  their  pro- 
ject? 

Do  your  homework.  The  only  way  you're  going  to  find 
the  "perfect"  foundation  is  to  exhaust  all  your  research 
possibilities. 

What's  the  most  common  mistake 
individuals  make  when  fundraising 
within  the  world  of  foundations? 

That  foundation  program  officers  sit 
around  waiting  for  grantseekers  to 
knock  on  their  doors.  These  are  incred- 
ibly busy  people  who  sift  through 
mountains  of  wonderful — and  not-so 
wonderful — proposals  every  year. 

Famous  last  words. 

If  at  first  you  don't  succeed,  try,  try 
again.  It's  amazing  what  you  can  do 
with  pluck  and  a  thick  skin. 


Budding  grant-hunters  surf  the  web  at  The  Foundation  Center's  library. 


Michelle  Coe  is  AlVF's  program  and 
information  services  director. 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


by   Scott   Castle 

listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes,  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months  prior 
to  cover  date  (jan.  1  for  march  issue).  include 
festival  dates,  categories,  prizes,  entry  fees, 
deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info.  send  to: 
scott@aivf.org 

Domestic 

ASPEN  SHORTSFEST,  April  5-9,  CO.  Deadline:  Dec.  1  (early); 
Jan.  15  (final).  Fest  is  a  premier  int'l  competitive  showcase  for 
short  films  (40  min.  &  less).  Fest  seeks  entries  of  originality, 
integrity  &  artistic  merit  in  following  categories:  animation, 
comedy,  doc,  drama  &  children's  films.  Student  &  int'l  entries 
welcome.  Fest  incl.  a  juried  competition  w/  awards  &  cash 
prizes  totaling  over  $20,000.  Any  style  or  genre.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  70mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $30  (early), 
$40  (final),  $50  (late).  Contact:  Shortsfest,  110  East  Hallam, 
Ste.  102,  Aspen,  CO  81611;  (970)  925-6882;  fax:  925-1967; 
shortsfest@aspenfilm.org;  www.aspen.com/filmfest 

CANYONLANDS  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  6-9,  UT.  Deadline:  Dec. 
15.  Fest  gives  special  consideration  to  works  presenting 
thought-provoking  material,  in  cats:  dramatic 
features,  dramatic  short,  doc  feature,  doc  short, 
westerns,  and  Southwestern  regional  issues  (or 
work  filmed  in  the  region).  Other  cats.  incl.  avant- 
garde/exp.,  comedy,  outdoor  adventure  (mountain 
biking  &  river  running),  student  produced  &  ani- 
mation. Any  genre  which  offers  solutions,  ideas 
&/or  hopeful  futures  based  on  positive  change 
given  special  consideration.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Betacam,  3/4",  1/2".  Preview  on  1/2"  VHS. 
Entry  fees:  $30  (35mm);  $25  (16mm  &  all  video 
formats);  $20  (student  w/  ID).  Obtain  entry  form 
directly  off  web  site.  Contact:  Canyonlands  Film 
Society,  59  South  Mam  St.,  Ste.  214,  Moab,  UT 
84532;  (970)  382-9528;  canyonfilm@ 
hotmail.com;  www.moab-utah.com/film 


ebrates  the  power  &  artistry  of  doc  cinema.  Fest  is  a  show- 
case for  important  new  film  &  videos  &  compelling  docs  from 
the  past  in  annual  four-day  event.  The  organization  champi- 
ons the  work  of  independent  filmmakers,  provides  a  forum  for 
examination  of  the  ideas  in  their  work  &  seeks  recent  creative 
doc  work  to  screen  in  its  General  Submissions  category.  Over 
40  programs  make  up  the  General  Submissions,  curated 
Thematic,  Int'l,  and  Career  Award  segments.  Competition 
films  are  eligible  for  awards.  Docs  must  have  been  complet- 
ed after  Jan.  1,  1998  &  be  between  5  &  180  min.  in  length. 
Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  Digital  Betacam,  Betacam.  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $35;  $50  (late).  Incl.  completed  entry 


After  recently  changing  its  name  from  the  Sinking  Creek  Film 
Celebration,  the  Nashville  Independent  Film  Festival  is  big- 
gee  than  ever,  screening  175  films  this  year  and  drawing  over 
80  filmmakers  plus  an  audience  of  nearly  7,000.  As  an  added 
bonus  for  filmmakers  with  shorts  &  animation,  the  festival  is 
an  "Academy  Award  Qualifying  Festival"  for  those  two  cate- 
gories and  enters  accepted  works  into  the  nomination  pool 
for  that  year.  In  addition  to  the  annual  festival,  organizers 
present  workshops,  classes,  and  opportunities  for  filmmak- 
ers year-round  including  youth  programs  &  camps  as  well  as 
separate  tests  for  Asian,  Latino,  and  African  Americans.  See 
listing. 


Haven,   CT   06536;   (203)   865-2773;   fax:   865-2773; 
info@filmfest.org;  www.filmfest.org 

GEN  ART  FILM  FESTIVAL,  Late  April,  NY  Deadline:  Dec.  14 
(early);  Feb.  15  (final).  Now  in  its  4th  year,  Gen  Art  is  New  York 
City's  foremost  curated,  non-competitive  fest  championing 
American  indie  film  &  its  audiences,  Fest  offers  gala  NYC  pre- 
miere attended  by  enthusiastic  filmgoers,  critics  &  industry  pro- 
fessionals followed  by  a  spectacular  party  at  one  of 
Manhattan's  hippest  nightspots.  Fest's  unique  format  of 
screening  only  one  feature  &  one  short  film  per  night  for  seven 
nights  allows  fest  to  truly  highlight  the  work  of  all  participating 
filmmakers.  Cats:  animation,  feature,  experimental,  doc,  short. 
Submitted  work  should  be  com- 
pleted after  Jan.  1999.  NYC  the- 
atrical premiere  required.  All 
genres  of  films,  incl.  narrative, 
doc,  experimental  &  animated 
works  are  accepted.  No  videos 
or  works  in  progress  will  be 
shown.  Make  checks  payable  to 
Gen  Art.  Entries  must  incl.  plot 
synopsis,  cast,  crew,  credits, 
prod,  notes  &  one  b&w  still. 
Cassettes  returned  w/  SASE 
only.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees: 
(early)  $15  shorts  (up  to  59 
min.),  $25  features  (60  + 
mm.);  $25  &  $35  (final). 
Contact:  GA,  Deena  Juras,  fest 
dm,  145  W.  28th  St.,  Ste.  11C,  New  York,  NY 
10001;  (212)  290-0312;  fax:  (212)  290- 
0254;  genart@emedia.net;  www.genart.org 


CLEVELAND  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

March  16-26,  OH.  Deadline:  Nov.  30.  Fest  is  Ohio's  premiere 
film  event.  Presents  approx.  80  new  features  from  around 
world  in  various  cats  &  more  than  100  shorts  presented  in 
collected  programs.  Film  forums  follow  selected  films,  giving 
audiences  opportunity  to  discuss  films  w/  filmmakers,  critics 
&  other  guest  panelists.  Audiences  estimated  at  35,000. 
Entries  submitted  must  have  been  completed  after  Jan.  1, 
1998  &  not  previously  submitted.  In  recent  yrs,  cash  awards 
of  $500  have  been  presented  for  American  Independent 
Feature,  Best  Short,  Student  Short,  Ohio  Short,  African- 
American  Short,  Women's  Short  &  Doc  Short.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $35  shorts,  $60 
features.  Contact:  CIFF,  Tonya  Page,  Entry  Coordinator,  2510 
Market  Ave.,  Cleveland,  OH  44115;  (216)  623-3456;  fax: 
623-0103;  cfs@clevelandfilm.org;  www.clevelandfilm.org 

DOUBLETAKE  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  6-9, 
NC.  Deadline:  Dec.  28;  Jan.  7  (late).  3rd  annual  int'l  fest  eel- 


form,  synopsis  of  film  &  two  still  publicity  shots  &  send  to: 
DDFF,  Attn:  Karen  Cinllo,  1317  W.  Pettigrew  St.,  Durham,  NC, 
27705;  (919)  660-3699;  www.cds.aas.duke.edu/filmfestival 

FILM  FEST  NEW  HAVEN.  April  9-11,  CT.  Deadline:  Jan.  15. 
4th  annual  fest  is  broadly  focused,  accepting  works  of  all 
types:  drama,  doc,  experimental  on  any  subject  &  in  any 
genre.  Fest  accepts  shorts  as  well  as  feature-length  films  or 
videos.  Goal  is  to  expose  audiences  to  work  of  new  innovative 
filmmakers  &  to  foster  contacts  between  filmmakers  &  dis- 
tributors. Filmmakers  may  enter  in  or  out  of  competition.  Ail 
entries  eligible  for  Audience  Choice  &  other  awards.  New 
Century  Writers  Awards  screenplay  competition  w/  cash 
prizes.  Any  style  or  genre.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  experimental. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  video.  Preview  on  1/2"  VHS  (NTSC 
only).  Include  SASE  for  return  of  preview.  Incl.  stamped  post- 
card for  acknowledgment.  Entry  fees:  $35  (or  $25  for  entries 
postmarked  before  Dec.  1).  Contact:  FFNH,  Box  9644,  New 


LOS  ANGELES  INDEPENDENT  FILM  FES- 
TIVAL, April  13-18,  CA.  Deadline:  Dec.  10 
(early);  Jan.  10  (final).  6th  annual  fest 
showcases  &  celebrates  the  diversity  of 
American  independent  film,  giving  filmgo- 
ers a  place  to  discover  &  support  emerging 
talent  in  all  genres  of  the  medium.  Open  to 
full-length  feature  films,  shorts  &  docs 
completed  after  Jan.  1,  1998.  Awards: 
Audience  Awards  for  best  feature,  short 
director  &  writer.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm. 

Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $25  shorts,  $45  features  (early); 

$35  shorts,  $65  features  (final).  Contact:  LAIFF,  Catherine 

Ribb,  5455  Wilshire  Blvd.  Ste.  1500,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90036; 

(323)     937-9155;     fax:     937-7770;     info@laiff.com; 

www.laiff.com 

NASHVILLE  INDEPENDENT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June  7-11,  TN. 
Deadline:  Dec.  17  (early);  Feb.  1  (final).  Now  in  its  31st  year, 
this  is  the  longest-running  fest  in  the  South  &  has  an  int'l  rep- 
utation for  its  support  &  encouragement  of  indie  media.  Many 
well-known,  award-winning  filmmakers  have  had  their  work 
premiered  at  fest,  which  incl.  workshops,  panels  &  Artist 
Coffees.  Cats:  features,  student,  docs,  experimental,  anima- 
tion, short  films  &  young  filmmaker  (high  school  &  below). 
New  cats:  episodic/television  pilot  &  family/children's  films. 
Films  &  videos  of  all  lengths  accepted.  About  150  films  shown. 
Fest  is  competitive  w/  cash  prizes  awarded  for  all  cats.  1st 
prize  in  the  Short  Narrative  &  Animation  cats  qualifies  film  for 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       51 


( _3+_±$£i'jSJ;  •/•-'    '  ,-^i  ) 


&m& 


mentary 
estival 


April  6-9,  2000 

Durham,  North  Carolina 


Call  for  Entries 


Deadline 
December  28, 1999 

Late  Deadline 
January  7, 2000 


For  information  and  entry  forms, 

contact  the  Festival  at 

91 9.660.3699  or  ddff@duke.edu 


Oscar  consideration.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta  &  DVD. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $30-$60.  Contact:  NIFF,  Box 
24330,  Nashville,  TN  37202;  (615)  742-2500;  fax:  (615) 
742-1004;  niffilm@bellsouth.net;  www.nashvillefilmfesti- 
val.org 

ROCHESTER  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  AND  VIDEO 
FESTIVAL,  May  10-13,  NY.  Deadline:  Dec.  18;  Feb.  12  (late). 
42nd  annual  fest  is  open  to  all  films  &  videos  under  40  min. 
in  length  in  all  genres.  Formats  (screening  &  preview): 
16mm,  8mm,  super  8,  3/4",  U-matic,  VHS,  S-VHS  (NTSC 
only).  Entry  fees:  $20;  $30  (late).  Contact:  RIFF,  Movies  on  a 
Shoestring,  Box  17746,  Rochester,  NY  14617;  (716)  242- 
0191;  ren@eznet.net;  www.rochesterfilmfest.org 

SEDONA  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  5-7,  AZ. 
Deadline:  Dec.  1  (early);  Jan.  8  (final).  5th  annual  fest  fea- 
tures the  finest  in  current  American  &  int'l  independent  cine- 
ma, docs  &  shorts,  tributes,  "brown  bag"  panel  discussions  & 
a  pre-festival  workshop  entitled  "Sound  Thinking:  Sounds  for 
the  Motion  Picture."  Cats:  dramatic  &  doc  (features  &  shorts) 
&  animation.  Awards:  Audience  choice — Best  of  Festival  for 
full-length  &  short.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm.  Preview  on  VHS. 
Entry  fees:  $35  (shorts,  30  min.  &  under),  $50  (features),  $10 
discount  for  entries  postmarked  before  Dec.  1.  Send  VHS 
tape,  synopsis  &  complete  production  credit  list.  Contact:  (by 
mail)  SIFF,  Box  2515,  Sedona,  AZ  86339;  (by  delivery  service) 
SIFF,  1725  W.  Hwy.  89A,  Ste.  #2,  Sedona,  AZ  86336;  (800) 
780-2787  or  (520)  282-0747;  fax:  282-5358;  scp@ 
sedona.net;  www.sedona.net/scp/festival.html 

WILLIAMSBURG  BROOKLYN  FILM  FESTIVAL,  June,  NY. 
Deadlines  (postmark):  Dec  15  (early);  Feb  15  (final). 
Presented  in  collaboration  w/  Williamsburg  Art  &  Historical 
Center.  Int'l  fest  showcases  works  in  film  &  video  in  follow- 
ing cats:  feature  (above  75  min),  doc,  experimental  &  short 
subject.  Selected  entries  will  be  awarded  the  "Chameleon" 
statuette  &  prizes.  Filmmakers  will  participate  in  Q&A  ses- 
sions &  panel  discussions.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  Beta, 
1/2".  Preview  on  1/2"  only — non-returnable.  Entry  fees:  $25 
(early);  $40  (final).  Contact:  WBFF,  Marco  Ursino,  Fest. 
Director,  WAH  Center,  135  Broadway,  Brooklyn,  NY  11211; 
(718)  388-4306;  WBFF99@aol.com;  www.wahcenter.org 

Foreign 

FIPA,  Jan.  18-23,  France.  Deadline:  Nov.  19.  The  Int'l 
Audiovisual  Programs  Festival  looking  to  recognize  excellence 
in  works  not  created  for  theatrical  film  distribution.  Eligible 
works  must  not  have  been  previously  entered  in  any  int'l  fes- 
tivals or  competition  &  produced  in  12  months  prior  to  fest. 
Cats:  creative  docs,  fiction  made  for  TV,  series,  performing 
arts  &  short  programs,  and  reportage  &  current  affairs. 
Awards:  Non-cash  prizes.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  Beta  SR 
Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  FIPA,  14  rue  Alexander  Parodi, 
75010,  Paris,  France;  Oil  33  1  4489  9999;  fax:  33  1  4489 
9960;  fipa@wanadoo.fr;  www.perso.wanadoo.fr/fipa;  (in 
U.S.):  Henri  Behar,  138  West  Houston  St.  #3,  New  York,  NY 
10012;  tel/fax:  (212)  777-7383;  henri4fipa@aol.com 

LONDON  LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  30-Apnl 
13,  UK.  Deadline:  Dec.  10.  14th  annual  int'l  noncompetitive 
fest  addressing  lesbian  &  gay  identity  &  experience. 
Submissions  must  not  have  been  previously  screened  in  UK 
&  must  have  been  produced  in  last  2  years.  Cats  incl.  fea- 
tures, docs  &  shorts.  Formats:  8mm,  16mm,  35mm,  70mm, 


video.  Preview  on  VHS  (PAL,  Secam  or  NTSC)  or  U-Matic 
(PAL,  NTSC).  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  LLGFF,  Carol  Coombes, 
Fest.  Asst.,  South  Bank,  Waterloo,  London  SE1  8XT,  UK  ; 
Oil  44  171  815  1322;  fax:  44  171  633  0786; 
carol.coombes@bfi.org.uk 

MALMO  CHILDREN  &  YOUTH  FILM  FESTIVAL  (BUFF), 
March,  Sweden.  Deadline:  Early  Dec.  Fest  is  competitive. 
100  titles  are  shown  to  audiences  estimated  at  13,000  over 

5  days.  Main  feature  is  latest  films  from  Nordic  countries 
plus  Int'l  Panorama.  Program  incl.  seminar  for  teachers  & 
others  who  use  film;  different  theme  each  year.  Co-produced 
w/  Swedish  Film  Inst.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  experimental,  short, 
animation.  Competition  for  short  &  feature  films.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact: 
MCYFF,  Ola  Tedin,  Fest.  Director,  Box  179,  S-201,  21  Malmo, 
Sweden;  Oil  46  40  30  78  22;  fax:  46  40  30  53  22; 
buff@kajen.com;  www.kajen.com/buff 

NAMUR  INTERNATIONAL  ARTS  AND  CRAFTS  FILM  FESTI- 
VAL, May  5-7,  Belgium.  Deadline:  Dec.  31.  Fest  seeks  films 

6  videos  that  deal  w/  artists  at  work.  Consideration  esp. 
given  to  works  which  have  "a  contemporary  feeling  taking 
into  account  cultural  diversity."  All  genres  of  work  under  60 
mins.  in  length  &  completed  between  Jan.  1, 1990  &  Dec.  31, 
1999  considered.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  U-Matic,  Beta. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  NIACFF,  Maison  de  la  Culture  de  la 
Province  de  Namur,  14  Avenue  Golenvaux,  B-5000  Namur, 
Belgium;  Oil  32  81  22  90  14;  fax:  32  81  22  17  79 

POTTER'S  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  SCHOOL  FESTIVAL,  Mar 

13-19,  France.  Deadline:  Nov.  15.  Fest  open  to  films  made  in 
film  schools  or  professional  institutions.  Multimedia  projects 
also  accepted.  Unspecified  videos  accepted  out  of  competi- 
tion. Awards:  Cash  &  non-cash  prizes.  Formats:  16mm, 
35mm,  video.  Contact:  PIFSF,  1  Place  de  la  Cathedrale, 
86000  Poitiers,  France;  Oil  33  5  49  41  8000;  fax:  33  5  49 
41 7601;  festival-poitiers@rihl.org;  www.rihl.org 

TAMPERE  INTERNATIONAL  SHORT  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March 
8-12,  Finland.  Deadline:  Dec.  7.  30th  annual  fest  features 
latest  in  Finnish  &  int'l  productions  &  selected  films  from 
earlier  years  for  audiences  of  over  40,000,  w/  over  200  int'l 
guests  &  large  group  from  Finnish  film  industry  &  press.  Over 
400  films  from  40  countries  showcased.  3  cats  in  int'l  com- 
petition (100  films):  animated  films,  docs  &  fiction.  Running 
time  may  not  exceed  30  min.  &  films  must  have  been  com- 
pleted after  Jan.  1,  1998.  Awards:  Grand  Prix  25,000  FIM 
(approx.  $4,500);  Cat  Prizes:  5,000  FIM  (approx.  $910)  for 
best  film  in  each  cat;  Special  Prize  of  the  Jury:  5,000  FIM 
($910);  Diplomas  of  Merit.  About  20  thematic  programs. 
There  is  also  a  film  market  (w/  over  2,000  shorts)  &  semi- 
nars. Entries  must  contain:  entry  form,  dialogue  list  &  photo. 
Remember  to  mark  packages  "No  commercial  value." 
Educational,  industrial,  advertising  &  tourist  films  not 
accepted.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry 
fee.  Contact:  TISFF,  Box  305,  FI-33101  Tampere,  Finland;  Oil 
358  3  213  0034;  Competition  hotline:  358  3  3146  6149;  fax: 
358  3  223  0121;  filmfestival@tt.tampere.fi;  www.tam- 
pere.fi/festival/film 


TRUST  US'. 

No  one  beats  The  Independent  for  festival  listings. 

Unlike  other  outlets,  we  verify  information 

directly  with  each  festival  and  don't  rely  on 

second-hand  info. 


52    THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


(5^^) 


notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  cur- 
rent, deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.,  jan.  1  for  march, 
issue).  complete  contact  info  (name,  address  & 
phone)  must  accompany  all  notices.  send  to: 
independent  notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as  current  as  pos- 
sible, but  double-check  before  submitting 
tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

$10,000  SCREENPLAY  CONTEST  for  unproduced  feature 
length  scripts  only.  Deadline:  Dec.  31,  1999.  $10,000  grand 
prize  must  be  awarded!  All  genres.  No  restrictions.  Winning 
script  (&  others)  may  be  further  optioned  or  purchased  for 
production  by  Plastic  Entertainment,  Inc.  (you  retain  all  rights 
until  sale  is  negotiated).  Send  script  w/  $40  entry  fee  (check 
or  money  order),  payable  to:  Plastic  Entertainment,  Inc., 
8424-A  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  West  Hollywood,  CA  90069. 

2000  APPLE  AWARDS  COMPETITION  accepts  all  types  of 
educational  formats,  from  docs  to  instructional  programs  & 
CD-ROMs,  for  largest  educational  media  competition  in  U.S., 
sponsored  by  Natl  Education  Media  Network.  Deadline:  Nov. 
1;  late  postmark  Nov.  30.  For  more  info  or  entry  form,  call 
(510)  465-6885,  check  out  www.nemn.org  or  email 
nemn@nemn.org 

6TH  ANNUAL  SHORT  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION  awards 
$300  &  video  copy  of  16mm  film.  Any  subject  or  genre,  orig- 
inal or  adaptation  (if  you  have  rights);  suitable  to  up  to  30 
min.  low-budget  production.  No  entry  fee  or  application; 
scripts  will  not  be  returned.  Deadline:  Dec.  1.  Send  screen- 
play synopsis  to:  Screenplay  Competition,  School  of  Comm., 
Grand  Valley  State  Univ.,  Allendale,  Ml  49401.  For  more  info, 
call  Prof.  Philbin  (616)  895-3668  or  philbinj@gvsu.edu 

ERIK  BARNOUW  AWARD  recognizes  outstanding  reporting  on 
network  or  cable  TV  or  in  documentary  film  about  American 
history.  Only  works  released  in  '99  are  eligible.  $500  prize. 
Deadline:  Dec.  1.  Contact:  Erik  Barbouw  Award,  Organization 
of  American  Historians,  112  N.  Bryan  St.,  Bloomington,  IN 
47408;  (812)  855-7311;  fax:  855-0609. 

FILM  ESCAPADE:  Juried  competition  seeks  shorts  &  fea- 
tures. Cash  prizes.  Cats  incl.  narrative,  doc,  animation, 
experimental,  music  video.  Preview  on  VHS,  16mm.  Entry 
fee:  $15  (shorts);  $20  (features).  Deadline:  Dec  10.  To  enter 
send  SASE  to  Miller/McCann  Film  Escapade,  Box  54320, 
Philadelphia,  PA  19105;  fax:  (610)  992-9128; 
www.filmescapade.freeservers.com;  FilmMiller@aol.com; 
Dzoga24@aol.com 

MONTEREY  COUNTY  FILM  COMMISSION  SCREENWRITING 
CONTEST.  Open  to  writers  who  have  not  yet  sold  scripts  to 
Hollywood.  All  genres  &  locations  accepted.  1st  prize:  $1,000. 
Entry  fee:  $40.  Deadlines:  Dec.  10  (early);  Dec.  31  (final). 
Rules  &  entry  forms  at  www.filmmonterey.org;  or  send  SASE 
to:  MCFC,  Box  111,  Monterey,  CA  93942;  (408)  646-0910. 


ORIGINAL  MOVIE  SCENE  CONTEST:  You're  invited  to  craft  a 
sensational  movie  scene  (1,500-2,000  words)  in  which  La 
Grande  Dame  Champagne  is  the  star.  The  winning  scene  will 
be  posted  on  www.clicquot.com  &  the  grand  prize  is  "An 
Academy  Award  Weekend  for  Two."  Send  your  double- 
spaced,  typed,  original  scene  to  Vanity  Fair  Promotion  Dept., 
350  Madison  Ave.,  NY,  NY  10017,  Attn:  La  Grande  Dame 
Contest.  Deadline:  Dec.  31.  More  into:  (212)  888-7575; 
www.clicquot.com 

SANTA  FE  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION  wants  to  send  you 
money  for  being  one  of  their  winners.  The  new  competition  is 
accepting  submissions  now  through  Nov.  30.  Each  entry  will 
receive  a  script  critique,  plus  notes  &  edited  script  pages  by 
co-founders  Rick  Reichman  &  Larry  N.  Stouffer.  For  applica- 
tion, call  (505)  424-1501  orvisitwww.SFeSC.com 

SCREAMPLAY  COMPETITION:  if  you  love  Twilight  Zone,  The 
Outer  Limits  &  Creepshow,  then  this  is  for  you.  Grand  Prize 
winner  gets  their  screenplay  produced.  2nd  &  3rd  place  win- 
ners have  the  chance  for  their  scripts  to  be  optioned.  Entries 
no  longer  than  45  pgs.  All  contact  info  must  be  on  front  page 
of  script.  Deadline:  Dec.  31.  Entry  fee:  $20.  Send  to: 
Dreamline  Productions,  4130  Hamilton-Middletown  Rd., 
Indian  Springs,  OH  45011;  (513)  737-0077;  dreamline- 
prods@hotmail.com 

VIDEO  SHORTS  ANNUAL  COMPETITION  seeks  short  videos 
for  juried  screenings  open  to  public.  Ten  entries  chosen  as 
winners;  top  two  receive  $100,  other  eight  receive  $50,  plus 
any  revenue  received  from  rental  or  sales.  Max.  length:  6 
min.  Entry  fee:  $20;  add  $10  for  each  additional  entry  on 
same  cassette;  max.  3  entries  per  entrant.  All  entries  must 
include  entry  form.  Tapes  &  boxes  must  be  labeled  w/  name, 
titles  &  running  times.  Tapes  must  be  in  3/4"  or  3/4"  SP  VHS 
or  S-VHS  or  DV  VHS  tapes  also  accepted  in  PAL  &  SECAM. 
Incl.  SASE  if  want  tapes  returned.  Deadline:  Feb.  5, 2000.  For 
entry  form,  contact:  Video  Shorts,  Box  20295,  Seattle,  WA 
98102;  (206)  322-9010.  www.videoshorts.com 

Conferences  •  Workshops 

AVID  FEATURE  FILM  CAMP  &  Avid  Short  Film  Camp:  Digital 
Media  accepting  submissions  for  its  1999  Filmcamps. 
Filmcamp  offers  free  nonlinear  postproduction  on  feature 
films  &  shorts.  Editors-in-training,  under  supervision  of  an 
experienced  feature  editor,  learn  postproduction  on  multiple 
Avid  Media  Composers  while  editing  your  film.  Thirteen  fea- 
tures &  four  shorts  will  be  accepted  before  end  of  1999. 
Principal  photography  &  transfer  must  be  completed  on  fea- 
ture-length film  (70+  min.)  or  short  (under  70  min.).  Can  be 
doc,  narrative,  or  experimental.  Contact:  Jaime  Fowler,  AFFC 
director,  (503)  297-2324;  www.filmcamp.com 

JOIN  STORY  WEB:  Internet  workshop  for  stories  to  be  impro- 
vised on  video.  We  need  scenarios  for  high  schools,  corpora- 
tions &  the  city  of  Springfield,  MA.  Work  w/  David  Shepard, 
inventor  of  Group  Creativity,  the  first  professional  (nonprofit) 
theater  of  improv.;  flecher@crocker.com 

MALI— NAMAC's  Media  Arts  Leadership  Initiative  2000 — 
an  intensive  workshop  "designed  to  build  visionary  leader- 
ship in  the  media  arts  field"  is  accepting  appls.  tor  its  Feb  2- 
6  session.  Interactive  exercises,  readings,  screenings,  pre- 
sentations will  take  place  at  the  Namaste  Retreat  Center  near 


Portland,  OR.  Registration  costs  $300  for  NAMAC  members  & 
includes  lodging,  meals,  airport  shuttle.  Applications  avail, 
through  NAMAC  but  hurry — space  is  limited!  Contact:  (415) 
431-1391;  namac@namac.org 

Films  •  Tapes  Wanted 

AIR  YOUR  SHORTS:  new  public  access  cable  show  seeks 
short  films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No  pay,  just  sat- 
isfaction &  publicity  of  having  films  aired.  Sean  (714)  531- 
7623;  www.shortfilmz.com 

AMERICAN  CINEMATHEQUE  accepting  entries  for  its  on-going 
program,  The  Alternative  Screen:  A  Forum  for  Independent  Film 
Exhibition  &  Beyond.  Send  submissions  on  1/2"  VHS  tape. 
Feature-length  independent  film,  doc  &  new  media  projects 
wanted.  1800  N.  Highland,  Ste.  717,  L.A.,  CA  90028.  For 
more  info,  call  (323)  466-FILM  or  461-2020  x.  117. 

ANOMALOUS  VIDEO  THEATER  seeks  works  of  60  min.  or  less 
tor  unorthodox  local  access  TV  showcase  in  experimental, 
abstract  &  doc  categories.  Those  featuring  unusual  or  unique 
points  of  view  especially  encouraged.  Formats:  VHS  &  S-VHS 
only.  Must  have  originated  on  some  video  format.  Submission 
implies  consent  to  broadcast.  Send  sufficient  SASE  for 
return.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Anomalous  Video 
Theater,  1335  Huron  River  Dr.  #19,  Ypsilanti,  Ml  48197. 

BALLYHOO!  television  show  is  dedicated  solely  to  the  pro- 
motion &  exploration  of  independent  films.  Each  episode 
weaves  together  short  films,  local  filmmaker  interviews  &  an 
exciting  event  or  activity  hosted  by  celebrity  Anne  Deason. 
Ballyhoo  is  currently  airing  in  Pittsburgh,  Chicago,  Malibu, 
Orlando,  Tampa  &  Austin  (approx.  2.5  million  viewers.) 
Ballyhoo  celebrated  its  two-year  anniversary  in  May  of  this 
year.  Ballyhoo  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30  min. 
Submit  VHS  tape  &  return  postage  to  Frameworks  Alliance, 
c/o  Ballyhoo,  1906  E.  Robinson  St.  Orlando,  FL  32803;  (407) 
898-0504;  Ballyhoo@offvf.org 

BIJOU  MATINEE,  showcase  for  independent  shorts,  appears 
weekly  on  Channel  35  leased  access  Manhattan  Cable  South 
(below  86th  St.)  every  Sat.  at  2:30  p.m.  Submissions  should 
be  25  min.  or  less,  on  VHS,  3/4",  or  DV  formats.  Send  copies 
to  Bijou  Matinee,  Box  649,  NY,  NY  10159;  or  call  (212)  505- 
3649;  www.BijouMatinee.com 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS  accepts  video,  film,  computer- 
art  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for  monthly  screening 
program  "Independent  Exposure."  Honorarium  paid.  Looking 
for  exp,  erotic,  dramatic,  animation,  underground  works,  but 
will  review  anything  for  possible  screening.  Submit  VHS  (or  S- 
VHS)  clearly  labeled  w/  name,  title,  length,  phone  number 
along  w/  any  support  materials,  incl.  photos.  Incl.  $5  entry  fee 
(returned  if  work  not  selected)  &  SASE  if  you  wish  work(s)  to 
be  returned.  Send  submissions  to:  Blackchair  Productions, 
2318  2nd  Ave.,  #313-A,  Seattle,  WA,  98121.  Into:  (206)  568- 
6051;  joel@speakeasy.org;  www.blackchair.com 

BOWERY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  film/video  works  for 
monthly  screening  at  Dixon  Place.  Looking  for  literate/artistic 
narratives  &  experimental  work.  Occasional  docs  &  longer 
works  will  be  screened.  Not  looking  for  "calling  card"  shorts; 
send  us  your  more  adventurous  work.  Deadline:  on-going. 
Contact:  Send  VHS  preview  tape  w/  SASE  to  Bowery  Video 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


^r£^£) 


Lounge,  c/o  Detour  Film  Video,  151 1st  Ave.  #9,  NY,  NY  10003; 
(212)  228-1914;  fax:  228-1914;  david@detournyc.com 

CSUH  CABLENET  TV:  Do  your  films  deserve  an  airing?  A 
stipend  is  offered  for  films  from  all  genres,  of  any  length  &  in 
any  broadcast  quality  format.  To  reach  half  a  million  house- 
holds &  educational  channels  in  the  Bay  Area,  contact: 
Noreen  Ash  MacKay  at  CNTV:  (212)  627-9629. 

D.FILM  Digital  Film  Festival  (www.dfilm.com)  is  a  traveling 
showcase  of  shorts  made  w/  computers  &  other  new  &  radi- 
cal technologies.  D.FILM  was  the  official  digital  film  program 
at  the  1999  Cannes  Film  Festival.Visit  the  web  site  to  make 
your  own  movie  online  w/  the  Movie  Maker  Game. 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  w/  up  to  350  industry 
attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up  & 
coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams,  Doboy's 
Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA 
90028;  (323)  293-6544;  doboydozen@aol.com 

DOCUMENTAL:  doc  &  exp.  bimonthly  film  video  series  at  LA's 
historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of  any 
length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough/Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54,  3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm. 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@ 
drexel.edu-,  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

EXHIBITION  SPACE:  Sleeping  Girl  Productions,  a  nonprofit  pro- 
duction company  in  Chicago,  is  opening  the  nation's  first  60- 
seat  film  theater  that's  avail,  for  rent  to  any  IL  filmmaker  for  a 
night,  weekend,  or  extended  run.  Contact:  Jason  Tugman,  SGR 
839  W  Sheridan  #  502,  Chicago,  IL  60613;  (773)  472-0525. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  world- 
wide audience?  Seeking  shorts  &  features  of  all  genres. 
Contact:  info@filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  is  accepting  shorts  &  works-in- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  All  productions  should 
be  digital.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino, 
(212)  971-5846;  www.fimshingpictures.com 

GOWANUS  ARTS  EXCHANGE  is  accepting  submissions  of 
short  16mm  films  &  videos  (up  to  30  min.)  by  NYC  artists  for 
the  Independent  Film  &  Video  Series.  Any  genre  or  subject 
matter.  Deadline:  On-going.  Send  tape  &  SASE  to  ; 
Independent  Film  &  Video  Series/Gowanus  Arts  Exchange. 
421  5th  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11215;  info/details  (718)  832- 
0018;  mfo@thegowanus.org 

INDEPENDENT  RADIO  PRODUCERS  seek  indies  to  work  on 

new  weekly  one-hr  public  radio  program  on  arts  &  culture 
being  launched  in  late  fall  1999.  Interested  in  unconventional 
material  that  gets  at  heart  of  the  issue.  Program  aspires  to 
represent  differing  points  of  view  &  multiple  voices.  Content 
should  be  appropriate  for  late  Sunday  morning  slot,  which 
encourages  open-minded  sensibility.  Send  letter  w/  ideas, 
resume  &  sample  tapes  to:  Susan  Morris,  exec,  producer, 


WNYC,  1  Centre  St.,  30th  fl,  NY  NY  10007.  (No  phone  calls 
please.) 

INDUSTRIAL  TELEVISION:  cutting-edge  cable  access  show 
is  looking  for  experimental,  narrative,  humorous,  dramatic 
erotic,  subversive,  animation  &  underground  works  for  inclu- 
sion in  the  fall  season.  Controversial,  uncensored  &  subver- 


And  your  feet  won't  stick  to  the  floor... 


The  New  Venue  is  the  first  site  for  movies  made  specifi- 
cally for  viewing  on  the  Internet.  The  site  is  a  kind  of  dig- 
ital film  toolkit/archive  set  up  as  a  movie  theater.  And  the 
Concession  Stand  has  every  refreshment  your  computer 
needs — Netscape,    Explorer,    QuickTime    &    Flash. 
"Flicktips"  is  the  New  Venue's  guide  to  making  a  digital 
video,  displaying  tech  information  to  take  you  from  pre- 
production  through  postproduction.  The  Virtual  Theater  is 
showing  The  Qui-gon  Show-a  film,  created  by  Venue 
Filmmakers  from  the  best 
short  script  sent  in  by  view- 
ers. Don't  forget  to  check  out 
the  film  archive  before  you 
go  &  see  what  other  films  the 
Venue  has  exhibited  over  the 
past  year.  See  listing. 


OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for  our 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audience. 
Works  longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  regular 
group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on 
16mm  w/  optical  track.  Send  films,  together  w/ 
completed  entry  form  (download  from  web  site) 
to:  Short  Film  Curator,  Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  & 
Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th  St.,  Brooklyn,  NY 
11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713;  ocularis@bill- 
burg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 


sive  material  encouraged.  We  guar- 
antee   exposure    in    NYC    area. 
Contact:  Edmund  Varuolo  c/o  2droo- 
gies  productions,  Box  020206,  Staten  Island,  NY  10302; 
www.2droogies.com 

KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS  seeks  work  w/  relevance  to  alter- 
native youth  culture  for  screening  &  distribution  w/in  under- 
ground community.  DIY  exp.  &  activist  work  encouraged. 
Send  VHS  to-.  Kinofist  Imageworks,  Box  1102,  Columbia,  MO 
65205;  kinofist@hotmail.com 

NETBR0ADCASTER.COM  SEEKS  FILMS  &  VIDEOS  for 

streaming  on  the  net.  Expose  your  feature  or  short  to  an  int'l 
audience.  Seeking  all  genres  &  formats  from  drama,  horror, 
indie,  comedy,  animation,  docs,  experimental,  music  videos, 
short,  as  well  as  reality-based  videos.  We  want  it  all.  Site 
launches  this  fall  &  is  hosted  by  Alchemy  Communications, 
one  of  the  largest  ISPs  on  the  net.  Email  for  details: 
films@alchemy.net 

NEW  VENUE  lwww.newvenue.com]  showcases  movies  made 
specifically  for  thr  Internet,  offering  filmmakers  a  guide  to 
optimizing  video  for  the  web.  Submit  your  digital  flick  for  Y2K 
season  NOW — QuickTime  or  Flash,  5MB  or  less  (or  15  min. 
or  less  for  streaming). 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  admin,  fee  to: 
NY  Film  Buffs,  318  W.  15th  St.,  NY,  NY  10011;  (212)  807- 
0126;  newyorkfilmbuffs.com 


RO.V,  PBS's  award  winning  showcase  of  inde- 
pendent, non-fiction  film,  seeks  submissions 
for  its  next  season.  All  styles  &  lengths  of  inde- 
pendent nonfiction  films  welcome.  Unfinished 
work  at  fine-cut  stage  may  be  eligible  for  com- 
pletion funds.  Deadline:  July  31,  2000.  (212) 
989-2041  x.  318;  www.pbs.org/pov 

PERIPHERAL  PRODUCE  is  a  roving,  sponta- 
neous screening  series  & 
distributor  of  experimental 
video.  Based  in  Portland,  OR 
&  a  project  of  Rodeo  Film  Co., 
series  seeks  to  promote 
experimental,  abstract  & 
media-subversive  work. 
Formats:  16mm,  VHS,  super 
8.  Entry  fee:  $5.  Deadline: 
on-going.  Contact:  Peripheral 
Produce,  c/o  Rodeo  Film  Co., 
Box  40835,  Portland,  OR 
97240;  perph@jps.net; 
www.jps.net/perph 

PUBLIC  ACCESS  INTERNET  TV  wants  your  home  TV  shows  & 
movies.  5-30+  min.  If  you  have  one  show,  great,  if  you  can 
do  it  weekly,  even  better!  We  are  aiming  for  more  of  an  adult 
viewing  crowd.  Basically  anything  goes  as  long  as  it's  legal! 
Open  your  mind  &  see  what  falls  out.  Also  Flash  anima- 
tions/movies/cartoons/3D  rendered  short  films.  pbtv2@ 
yahoo.com;  www.members.xoom.com/pbtv2/ 

PUT  MONEY  IN  YOUR  SHORTS:  Centerseat.com  Film 
Festival  is  now  licensing  short  films  for  broadcast  on  its 
December  launch.  No  cost  to  you  ever!  Earn  royalties 
instead.  To  submit  your  film  for  our  premiere  season,  log  on 
towww.centerseat.com/indie/submit 

QUEER  PUBLIC  ACCESS  TV  PRODUCERS:  Author  seeks 
public  access  show  tapes  by/for/about  gay,  lesbian,  bi,  drag, 
trans  subjects,  for  inclusion  in  an  academic  press  book  on 
queer  community  programming.  All  program  genres  are  wel- 
come. Incl.  info  about  your  program's  history  &  distribution. 
Send  VHS  tapes  to:  Eric  Freedman,  Asst.  Professor,  Comm. 
Dept,  Florida  Atlantic  Univ.,  777  Glades  Rd„  Boca  Raton,  FL 
33431;  (561)  297-3850;  efreedma@fau.edu 

ROGUE  VALLEY  COMMUNITY  TELEVISION  seeks  video 
shows.  VHS  &  S-VHS  okay,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return, 
incl.  sufficient  SASE.  Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi 
Aufderheide,  Southern  Oregon  Univ.,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou 
Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR  97520;  (541)  552-6898. 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


SHORT  CIRCUIT  is  a  monthly  showcase  of  short  films  & 
videos  produced  by  Films  Arts  Foundation.  Series  screens 
monthly  at  the  Minna  St.  Gallery.  No  submissions  deadline. 
Considering  works  on  all  subjects  &  in  all  genres.  Films  & 
videos  (16mm  &  3/4",  previews  on  VHS)  must  be  under  45 
min.  to  be  considered.  Showcase  pays  $2/min.  &  covers  all 
shipping  costs.  Preview  tapes  can't  be  returned.  Contact:  fax: 
(415)  552-0882;  festival@filmarts.org;  www.filmarts.org 

SHORT  TV,  new  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  directed 
to  show  &  promote  short  films,  seeks  submissions.  For  more 
info,  call  (212)  226-6258. 

SOUTHERN  CIRCUIT,  a  tour  of  six  artists  who  travel  on  an 
11-day,  9-city  route,  is  now  accepting  applications  from 
film/video  artists.  Submit  appl  form  &  VHS,  3/4",  Beta,  or 
16mm  film  program  of  45  mm.  to  2  hrs  in  length  (can  be  cued 
for  a  30  min.  section  for  judging  purposes)  in  addition  to 
resume,  press  materials  &  $20  fee.  Performance  &  installa- 
tion art  not  accepted,  nor  works-in-progress.  (Some  Circuit 
sites  do  not  have  film  projection  capabilities.)  After  pre- 
screening  process,  40  finalists  will  be  judged  by  selection 
panel  in  April  2000.  Deadline:  Jan.  15, 2000.  For  appl.  &  info 
contact:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission,  Attn:  Susan 
Leonard,  Media  Arts  Center,  1800  Gervais  St.,  Columbia,  SC 
29201;  (803)  734-8696;  fax:  734-8526. 

SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST:  Net's  first  on-going  film  festival 
seeks  short  noncommercial  indie  films  &  videos.  Web  users 
can  vote  for  their  fav  shorts  in  each  of  six  cats:  animation, 
doc,  experimental,  less  than  a  mm.,  narrative,  made  for  the 
Net.  New  films  added  each  month  &  there  are  new  winners 
every  min.  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl. 
music.  Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  at  site):  Carla  Cole, 
The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd„  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD 
20740;  info@thesync.com;  www.thesync.com 

TAG-TV  is  accepting  short  films,  videos  &  animations  to  air 
on  the  Internet.  Check  out  www.tag-tv.com  for  more  info. 

TV/HOME  VIDEO  production  company  is  seeking  original 
short  films  (preferably  10  min.  or  less)  for  broadcast  on  a 
new  cable  comedy  series  &  inclusion  in  upcoming  video 
anthology  collection.  Send  films  in  VHS  or  S-VHS  format  to: 
Salt  City  Productions/Big  City  TV,  Box  5515,  Syracuse,  NY 
13320;  SCVP@aol.com 

UNDERGROUNDFILM.COM  is  creating  a  sophisticated  web 
space  that  will  help  filmmakers  find  work,  improve  their  skills 
&  connect  w/  collaborators,  investors  &  new  audiences.  We 
are  now  working  on  acquiring  experimental  film  libraries  so 
that  today's  emerging  filmmakers  can  see  other  generations' 
visions  of  film  &  look  beyond.  Must  be  QuickTime  process. 
(212)  206-1995;  www.undergroundfilm.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  expos- 
ing innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  indie  works  in  all 
genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send 
submissions  to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTV,  3141  Chestnut  St. 
Bldg.  9B  Rm.  406,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927; 
fax:  895-1054.  dutv@.drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  animation,  experimental  or  doc 
videos  for  on-going  series  at  the  Knitting  Factory.  Send  VHS 
tape  w/  brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220,  NY,  NY 
10013;  info@videolounge.org;  www.videolounge.org 


VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment. 
Send  VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  w/  description,  name,  phone  &  SASE 
to:  Videospace,  General  Submissions,  9  Myrtle  St.,  Jamaica 
Plain,  MA  02130. 

WGBH-TV,  Boston,  looking  for  films  &  videos  to  be  part  of  our 
annual  broadcast  film  test  "Viewpoint"  to  air  April  2000. 
Series  showcases  work  from  U.S  &  Canada — New 
Englanders  are  encouraged  to  submit.  Doc  or  fiction,  short  or 
features  up  to  90  min.  Preview  on  VHS,  master  format-video- 
1".  Beta  or  D3.  Deadline:  Dec.  3.  Send  to  Chad  Davis, 
Broadcast,  WGBH,  125  Western  Ave.,  Boston,  MA  02134 

ZAO  an  exhibition  space  which  just  opened  in  Sept.,  current- 
ly accepting  short  film/videos  any  genre  or  subject.  Send  VHS 
tape  w/  biography  &  SASE  to:  Tahari,  ZAO,  1114  Ave.  of  the 
Americas,  NY,  NY  10036,  Attn:  Lisa  Schroeder. 

Resources  •  Funds 

ASIAN  AMERICAN  ARTS  ALLIANCE  offers  two  grant  pro- 
grams: Technical  Assistance  &  Regrant  Initiative  (TARI)  & 
Chase  Manhattan  SMARTS  Regrants  Program.  Total  of 
$75,000  in  awards  avail,  to  NYC  Asian  American  arts  organi- 
zations w/annual  budgets  of  $100,000  or  less.  Deadline: 
Dec.  14.  Contact:  Christy  Carillo,  (212)  941-9208  for  appli- 
cation details  &  deadlines. 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690. 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  programs 
for  performing  arts.  Contact:  CA  Arts  Council,  1300  I  St.,  Ste. 
930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916)  322-6555;  (800)  201- 
6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@cwo.com;  www.cac.ca.gov 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.:  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
org.  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is  planning 
to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  &  is  look- 
ing for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  lighting  & 
editing  equipment,  computer  notebooks  &  screenwriting  soft- 
ware in  good  working  order.  Donations  of  equipment  are 
gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan 
Blanchfield,  Exec.  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.,  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects 
are  ineligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be 
done  in  combination  w/  S-8,  Hi-8,  audio,  performance,  pho- 
tography, artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  incl.  Amiga,  special 
effects,  A&B  roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  SASE  for  guidelines 
to:  The  Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  NY,  NY  10014; 
(212)  924-4893. 

SECOND  ANNUAL  CHICAGO  UNDERGROUND  FILM  FUND: 

$500-$2000  post-production  completion  grant  for  any  length 
&  genre,  super  8,  16mm  or  35mm.  Emphasis  placed  on 
works  that  fit  CUFF's  mission  to  promote  films  &  videos  that 
innovate  in  form  or  content.  Deadline:  Feb.l,  2000.  Contact 
CUFF,  3109  North  Western  Ave.,  Chicago,  IL  60618;  (773) 
327-FILM;  info@cuff.org;  www.cuff.org 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


Mill 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  i\t  MicroNef  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  -  NYC 
212  253  9472 


INDEPENDENT 
FILM  FESTIVAL 

Feb.  4-5,  20.00  •  Starkville,  MS 


Our  3rd  annual  "Mag"  welcomes  oil  lengths,  all 
genres.  Cash  awards,  "Mags"  given.  Entries 
screened  in  16mm,  Beta,  VHS.  Directors  who  attend 
stay  free .  No  entry  fee.  Past  winner's  include: 
Mark  Edgington's  "Anna  in  the  Sky";  Eric  Cooper's 
"Jesus  2000";  Kyle  Rankin's  "Mr.  Pennington". 

For  entry  form  write  to: 

Ron  Tibbett,  Festival  Director 

Magnolia  Independent  Film  Festival 

2269  Waverly  Dr. 

West  Point,  MS  39773 

Phone  (601) 494-5836 

Fax  (601)  494-9900 

www.magfilmfest.com 


Entry  deadline  March  1,  2000 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


CI 


■ 


The  13th  New  York  Lesbian  &  Gay 
Experimental  Film/Video  Festival 

November  10-14 

Anthology  Film  Archives 

2nd  St.  @  2nd  Ave. 

For  Schedule  &  tickets  visit 

www.mixnyc.org 

or 

www.ticketweb.com 

or  call 

212«501«2309 

Advanced  tickets  may  be  purchased 

at  TLA  Video  on  8th  St. 


the  Advocate 


n^y 


EXPERIMENTAL  TELEVISION  CENTER  provides  grants  & 
presentation  funds  to  electronic  media/film  artists  &  orga- 
nizations. Program  provides  partial  assistance;  max 
amount  varies.  Presentations  must  be  open  to  public;  Itd.- 
enrollment  workshops  &  publicly  supported  educ.  institu- 
tions ineligible.  Applies,  reviewed  monthly.  Deadline:  On- 
going. Contact:  Program  Director,  Experimental  TV  Center, 
109  Lower  Fairfield  Rd.,  Newark  Valley,  NY  13811;  (607) 
687-4341. 

JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION  pro- 
vides partial  support  to  selected  doc  series  &  films  intend- 
ed for  nat'l  or  mt'l  broadcast  &  focusing  on  an  issue  w/in 
one  of  Foundation's  two  major  programs  (Human  & 
Community  Development;  Global  Security  & 
Sustainability).  Send  preliminary  2-  to  3-page  letter  to: 
Alice  Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine  T.  MacArthur  Foundation, 
140  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Ste.  1100,  Chicago,  IL  60603-5285; 
(312)  726-8000;  4answers  @macfdn.org; 
www.macfdn.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt., 
foundation,  or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists 
need  nonprofit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audio- 
tape restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact: 
Dara  Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

MEDIA  ACTION  GRANTS  offered  by  Media  Alliance  pro- 
vides organizations  w/  up  to  $1 ,000  for  conferences,  work- 
shops &  events  designed  to  strengthen  upstate  media  arts 
communities  &  networking  at  a  state-wide  level.  Events 
should  take  place  between  Jan.  1-June  30, 2000.  Grant  not 
intended  to  duplicate  funds  from  other  sources,  particular- 
ly NYSCA.  Deadline:  Nov.  9.  Contact:  Media  Alliance  c/o 
WNET,  450  W.  33rd  St.,  NY,  NY  10001;  (212)  560-2919; 
fax:  560-1314;  mediaactiongrant@hotmail.com; 
www.mediaalliance.org 

NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES'  Division 

of  Public  Programs  provides  grants  for  the  planning,  script- 
ing &  production  of  film,  TV  &  digital  media  projects  that 
address  humanities  themes.  Deadlines:  Nov.  2  (planning 
grants  only);  Feb.  1, 2000  (planning,  scripting  &  production 
grants).  Download  applic.  guidelines  fron 
www.neh.gov/html/guidelin/  pub_prog.html;  (202)  606- 
8267;  publicpgms@neh.org 

NEW  YORK  STATE  COUNCIL  on  the  Arts'  Electronic  Media 
&  Film  Program  announces  the  availability  of  up  to  $5,000 
in  funds  for  distributions  of  recently  completed  indepen- 
dent media  arts  projects  by  NY  artists.  Open  to 
audio/radio,  film,  video,  computer-based  work  &  installa- 
tion art.  Deadline:  March  1.  For  more  info:  (212)  387- 
7057;  NYSCA-EMF  Program,  915  Broadway,  NY,  NY  10010; 
dsilverfine@  nysca.org;  cmeyer@nysca.org 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  the  Independent  Film 
Channel,  offers  finishing  funds  &  other  vital  support  to 
emerging  filmmakers.  Focus  is  on  English  language,  fea- 
ture-length films  (fiction  or  non-fiction)  that  will  be 
released  theatrically.  Contact:  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th 
St.,  Ste.  E,  Santa  Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  fax: 
399-3455;  launch@nextwavefilms.com;  www.nextwave- 
films.com 


OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  equipment 
program  offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system 
for  first  serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or 
narrative  form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered. 
Provides  camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  dead- 
line, but  allow  10  week  min.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana 
Meaux,  Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle, 
WA  98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  MWitcher® 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  incl.  student  thesis  films.  Send  SASE  w/  55  cent 
stamp  to:  Kelly  Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program, 
Panavision,  6219  DeSoto  Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367. 

SHORT-TERM  ARTISTS'  RESIDENCY  PROGRAM  sponsored 
by  Illinois  Arts  Council  provides  funding  for  IL  nonprofit  orga- 
nizations to  work  w/  professional  artists  from  IL  to  develop  & 
implement  residency  programs  that  bring  arts  activities  into 
their  community.  Each  residency  can  range  from  5  to  30  hrs. 
IAC  will  support  50%  of  artist's  fee  (up  to  $1,000  plus  trav- 
el; the  local  sponsor  must  provide  remaining  50%  plus  other 
expenses.  Appls.  must  be  received  at  least  8  weeks  prior  to 
residency  starting  date.  IAC  encourages  artists  to  seek  spon- 
sors &  initiate  programs.  Call  for  avail,  of  funds.  Special 
Assistance  Grants  also  avail.  IAC,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  toll-free  in  IL  (800)  237-6994;  (312) 
814-6750;  fax:  814-1471;  www.state.il. us/agency/iac 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  mt'l  doc  films  & 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  initial  seed  funds  (grants  up  to 
$15,000),  projects  in  production  or  post  (average  grant 
$25,000,  but  max.  $50,000).  Highly  competitive.  For  info.: 
Soros  Documentary  Fund,  Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th 
St.,  NY,  NY  10019;  (212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, doc  &  experimental/animation/multimedia.  Deadline: 
Jan.  1, 2000.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on  grants). 

VISUAL  STUDIES  WORKSHOP  MEDIA  CENTER  in  Rochester, 
NY,  accepts  proposals  on  on-going  basis  for  its  Upstate 
Media  Regrant  Program.  Artists,  ind.  producers  &  nonprofits 
awarded  access  at  reduced  rates,  prod.  &  postprod.  equip- 
ment for  work  on  noncommercial  projects.  For  appl.,  tour,  or 
more  info,  call  (716)  442-8676. 


AIVF  ON-LINE 

Find  back  issues  of  The  Independent,  advocacy 

reports  &  updates  on  AIVF  events,  along  with 

bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons,  and 

databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


v£r± 


- 


DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH  MONTH,  2  MONTHS  PRIOR 
TO  COVER  DATE  (E.G.  JAN.  1  FOR  MARCH  ISSUE). 
CLASSIFIEDS  OF  UP  TO  240  CHARACTERS  (INCL. 
SPACES  &  PUNCTUATION)  COST  $25/ISSUE  FOR  AIVF 
MEMBERS,  $35  FOR  NONMEMBERS;  240-480  CHAR- 
ACTERS COST  $45/ISSUE  FOR  MEMBERS,  $65  FOR 
NONMEMBERS;  480-720  CHARACTERS  COST  $60/ 
ISSUE  FOR  MEMBERS,  $90  FOR  NONMEMBERS.  ADS 
OVER  720  CHARACTERS  DEALT  W/  ON  CASE-BY  CASE 
BASIS.  INCLUDE  VALID  MEMBER  ID#.  ADS  EXCEEDING 
REQUESTED  LENGTH  WILL  BE  EDITED.  ALL  COPY 
SHOULD  BE  TYPED  AND  ACCOMPANIED  BY  A  CHECK  OR 
MONEY  ORDER  PAYABLE  TO:  FIVF,  304  HUDSON  ST.,  NY, 
NY  10013.  TO  PAY  BY  CREDIT  CARD,  INCLUDE:  CARD 
TYPE  (VISA/MC);  CARD  NUMBER;  NAME  ON  CARD; 
EXPIRATION  DATE;  BILLING  ADDRESS  &  DAYTIME 
PHONE.  ADS  RUNNING  5+  TIMES  RECEIVE  $5  DIS- 
COUNT PER  ISSUE.  CONTACT:  (212)  807-1400  X.229; 
FAX:  463-8519;  scott@aivf.org 

Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

AVID  MC  1000  PCI  SYSTEM  FOR  RENT:  Complete  system 
with  AVR's  3,  12,  70,  75,  77,  Betacam  deck,  Mixer,  36  GB, 
8:8:8  audio,  3  DVE  Alladin  Pinnacle  (optional).  Low  rates  for 
long-term  rentals.  Contact:  (202)  363-9454  or  email:  silver- 
pro@erols.com 

AVID  RENTAL  $750/wk  Media  Composer  off-line  system  w/ 
MultiCam,  ProTools,  mixer,  and  45  gigs  hard  drive.  24  hr. 
access,  own  phone  line,  fax,  computer,  kitchen  access. 
Contact  Sarah  or  Jim  at  Ginger  Group  Prods.  (212)  505-0138. 

CHEAPEST  AVIDS  in  New  York  City.  Off-line  &  On-line.  Special 
prices  for  long-term  rentals  and  AIVF  members.  Experienced 
editors  also  available.  Call  Jonathan  at  (212)  462-4515 

DP  w/  Canon  XL-1.  Beta-SP  deck  rental  avail.  I  shoot  all  for- 
mats: film/video.  Non-linear  editing  w/  all  video  formats.  12 
yrs  exp  w/  Academy  Award  nomination.  Affordable  rates. 
DMP  Productions  (212)  967-1667;  www.members.tri- 
pod.com/~dmpfilm 

ECLAIR  NPR  16MM  CAMERA  PKG  for  sale,  24/30  fps,  12- 
120  zoom,  new  battery  w/  power  cord  and  charger,  sun  shade, 
(2)  400'  mags  w/  case,  camera  case.  Asking  $4,500.  Contact 
Peter  at  (303)  722-7195;  email:  deakflicks@aol.com 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in 
your  space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable 
Chelsea  location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400,  Beta  deck,  36GB 
storage.  Free  cappucino.  Call  (212)  579-4294. 

FOR  RENT:  SONY  3-CHIP  DIGITAL  CAMERA  (DCR-VX1000). 
Also  available.-  mike,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both 
short  &  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  dats,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429;  sohoaudio@earthlink.net 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I 

Deliver!  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW-1800)  $150/day, 
$450/wk.  DV  deck  $150/day.  S-VHS  off-line  edit  system 
$450/wk.  Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $125/day.  Lights, 
tripods,  mics  &  mixers.  David  (212)  362-1056. 


WANNA  SHOOT  UNDERCOVER?  Rent  a  broadcast  quality 
Digital  Video  hidden  camera  system  for  only  $250/day.  Use 
as  a  Purse  Cam,  Shirt  Cam,  or  Tie  Cam.  Used  by  HBO  &  all 
the  networks.  Call  Jonathan,  Mint  Leaf  Productions  (718) 
499-2829. 

Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Representing  out- 
standing video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disabilities  & 
related  issues.  Our  films  win  Oscars,  Emmys,  Duponts, 
Freddies  &  more.  Join  us!  Fanlight  Productions:  (800)  937- 
4113;  www.fanlight.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  considera- 
tion. Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr., 
Derry,  NH  03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5 
Powderhouse  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquanusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax  594-6461. 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR?  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 

violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribu- 
tion. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distrib, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassettes  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Suite  506,  NY,  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com;  Ask  for  our 
Distribution  Services  brochure. 

Freelancers 

35MM  /  16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cinematographer.  Complete 
studio  truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib 
crane,  lighting,  grip,  Nagra. . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the  low- 
budget  feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video, 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net;  www.magonia.com 


ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172; 
AndrewD158@aol.com 

AVID  SUITE:  AVR  77  with  or  without  experienced  editor. 
Available  for  long  term  or  short  term  projects.  Comfortable 
room  with  large  windows,  sofa  and  24hr.  access.  Please  con- 
tact Andre  at  Viceroy  Films:  (212)  367-3730. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  Nuria  Olive- 
Belles  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  &  DVCAM  Videographer  with  both  cameras,  lights, 
monitors,  mics  &  wireless.  Very  portable,  light  weight  &  I'm 
fast.  Experience  includes:  documentaries,  industrials, 
fundraisers  &  fashion.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334- 
3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand  held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SP, 
cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel. 
Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT  Director  of  Photography  w/ 15  feature 
credits  &  dozen  shorts.  Owns  35  Arri,  Super  16/16  Aaton, 
HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Credits:  Tromeo  and 
Juliet,  The  Offering,  Fine  Young  Gentlemen,  Brushfire;  Call 
for  quotes  &  reel  at  tel/fax:  (212)  226-8417; 
ela292@aol.com.  www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs.  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  loca- 
tion package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects. 
Michael  (212)  691-1311. 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  productiv- 
ity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/  Std.  16  Aaton 
XTR  Prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277;  wacass@concen- 
tric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Aaton  reg/S-16mm  pkg  w/  video  tap 
&  more.  Credits  in  features,  shorts  &  music  videos  of  diverse 
styles  w/  special  interest  in  docs.  Great  rates  for  compelling 
visions.  Kevin  Skvorak  (212)  229-8357. 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/Arn  16SR  Package  &  35IIC,  w/  over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195. 

COMPOSER,  20  yrs  experience  in  film,  theater,  dance.  World 
renowned  composer/performer/director  expert  in  world/eth- 
nic &  modern  music  styles  to  distinguish  &  enrich  your  film. 
Broad  contacts  among  great  ethnic  musicians.  Dir.  "Woody 
Guthrie-Pastures  of  Plenty"  touring  int'l.  Cred.  incl.  Ryl 
Shakespr  Co/Nat'l  Geo/Nik.  Makes  great  stir  fry.  Call  for  CD 
incl.  Copland  award-winning  symphony  based  on  Hebraic 
theme.  Bill  Vanaver,  Vanaver  Caravan  Prod.  Inc.,  (914)  658- 
9748;  vanaverc@aol.com 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


GREAT  FILMS 

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•  AATON  XTRprod  SUPER  16/1 6mm 

•  SONY  HDW-700A  HIGH-DEFINITION 

•  GRIP,  LIGHTING  &  POWER 

•  STEADICAM  PRO 

•  FIELD  AUDIO 


nmffi 


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MODERN  M9UIE 

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RUN  BY  FILMMAKERS  FOR  FILMMAKERS 

888-569-7200 

www.modernmovie.com 

HOUSTON,    TEXAS 
FREE  SHIPPING  ON  WEEKLY  PACKAGE  RENTALS 


ei    /  il    €&  &   & 


non-linear  video  editing 

{      Y£jCL¥£j  in  the  comfort 
of  a  private  edit  suite 


component  interformat  studio: 

betacam-sp,3/4",hi-8,s-vhs 

3d  animation/graphics/cg 


Video  for  Art's  Sake 

Independent  Post  Production 
in  the  East  Village 


Meg  Han  ley,  Editor 


212.254.1106 


>wme4«ot4eecoc4C4W6e<e«4e«»«4«»M«c 


COMPOSER  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively 
score  your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style. 
Extensive  credits  include  nationally  released  features,  TV 
dramas,  documentaries,  animation,  on  Networks,  MTV, 
Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA  in  composition;  full  digital  studio; 
affordable.  Demo  reel  available.  Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721- 
3218;  or  email:  Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/intial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein;  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  MFA  (NYU/Tisch)  and  extensive  experience  with 
theater,  dance  &  Sundance  filmmakers.  Will  work  with  any 
budget  in  styles  ranging  from  classical  to  drum  &  bass  to 
African-Hungarian  jazz.  Low  budget  services  include  digital 
studio  &  live  cello.  Contact  Raul  Rothblatt  (212)  254-0155; 
deblatt@interport.net 

COMPOSER  Miriam  Cutler  loves  to  collaborate  with  filmmak- 
ers— features,  docs.  Sundance:  Licensed  To  Kill,  Death  A 
Love  Story  I  Peabody:  The  Castro  I  POV:  Double  Life  of 
Ernesto  Gomez  &  more  (323)  664-1807;  mircut@pacific- 
net.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  for  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to 
techno-you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance, 
Absolut.  Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiappetta 
(718)  383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@el.net 

COMPOSERS-PRODUCERS  for  film.TV,  video,  all  media. 
Award-winning  original  music:  rock,  orchestral,  techno,  jazz. 
No  project  too  large  too  small.  Free  VHS  demo.  Info  1-800- 
349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@soundmechanix.com 

DANCE  CHOREOGRAPHER:  10  yrs  in  NYC  dance/perfor- 
mance/theater, now  moving  into  film/video.  Ready  to  work  on 
your  next  project.  Skilled  in  many  dance  styles,  coaching  for 
actors.  No  tap.  No  job  too  big  or  small.  Call  for  reel.  (212) 
465-2536. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO;  DP  w/  Sony  VX1000  digital  camera,  Pro  Sound 
&  accessories.  Exp.  in  features,  docs,  dance  &  theatre.  Mac  G3 
Firewire  editing  available.  John  Newell  (212)  677-6652. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/D.R  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performace;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  email:  alan- 
roth@mail.com 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.  features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York  based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (718)  930-7969. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  Beta  SP  production  pkg., 
Sony  VX-1000  digital  camera,  Bolex  16mm  &  Super  8mm 
cameras.  Also  lighting/grip  equip.  &  wireless  mics.  Looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Experienced.  Reel  available.  Alan 
(212)  260-7748. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 
pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew:  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos.  Travel 
no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953-1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/awards,  talent,  savvy  & 
experience.  Owned  Aaton  16mm/Super  16mm  pkg.,  35mm 
package  available.  Call  for  my  reel.  Bob  (212)  989-7992. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video 
DP  w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear 
&  complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  868-0028 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle 
rates. 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE;  experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 
available  to  work  on  interesting  and  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs, 
shorts,  features).  Call  Kevin  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR;  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212)352-4476. 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID  SYMPHONY  (9000XL)  I  am  an  experi- 
enced video  editor,  willing  to  work  with  an  independent  film- 
maker, free  of  charge,  to  gain  experience  in  film.  My  Avid  has 
complete  24  fps  capability.  Please  contact  Charlene  at  (561) 
744-6704  if  interested  (Jupiter,  Florida). 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  Former  AIVF  exec.  dir.  and  an 
ITVS  founder  offering  legal  &  business  services  to  indies  at 
reasonable  rates.  Over  4  years  experience  as  biz  affairs  exec, 
at  NYC  production/distribution  companies.  Contact  Lawrence 
Sapadin:  (718)  768-4142. 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED,  AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR  w/  Avid  suite 
avail,  for  short  &  long  term  projects.  Rock  bottom  rates.  I've 
cut  it  all;  features  to  DP  reels.  Looking  for  exciting  &  cre- 
ative projects  &  fruitful  collaborations.  Call  Josh  (212)  475- 
8781. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  crew  &  equipment; 
16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212)  995- 
0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


MTV,  feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

GRANTWRITER/FUNDRAISER  Extensive  exp.  w/  indie  media 
projects.  Successful  proposals  to  NEA,  NEH,  ITVS,  NYSCA, 
INYCH  &  many  foundations,  excellent  int'l  co-prod  contacts. 
Fast  writer,  reasonable  rates.  W.  Bershen,  (212)  598-0224; 
wb22@pipeline.com 

INDIE  PRODUCTION  COMPANY  offers  full  scale  production 
management  for  shorts,  features  &  docs.  Experienced  line 
producer  will  prepare  breakdowns,  schedule  &  budget  with 
Movie  Magic.  Beta  SP  camera  package  to  rent  at  budget  con- 
scious rates  with  versatile  videographer  available.  For  more 
information  call  bluestocking  films  (212)  505-6676  &  ask  for 
Lisette. 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national Network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Kosovo,  Beirut,  El 
Salvador,  Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising. 
Equipment  maintained  by  Sony,  tel:  (718)  278-7869;  fax: 
278-6830. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  time  code 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget 
projects.  Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  cell: 
(917)  319-3365;  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

MUSIC  MUSIC  MUSIC!  We  have  it!  Original  music  &  scoring. 
Stock  available  for  temps.  Digital  sound  design  too.  Free  VHS 
demo.  Info  1-800-349-SOUND;  email:  juliajohn@sound- 
mechanix.com 

WRITER  FOR  HIRE;  L.A.-based  w/  out-of-state  clients.  15 
yrs.  exp. — all  formats  &  genres;  docs,  features,  literary,  pro- 
posals, treatments,  scripts.  I  can  help  organize,  edit,  rewrite  & 
improve  material.  Reasonable  rates.  Jeanette  (909)  629-7473. 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

asst/assoc  professor,  experimental  animation. 

tenure  track.  Significant  record  of  achievement  in  filmmak- 
ing, MFA  or  equivalent  prof.  exp.  and  prior  teach  exp.  neces- 
sary. Expertise  in  experimental  narrative,  optical  printing, 
and/or  computer-based  production  is  desirable.  Send  vitae 
and  names/contacts  of  3  references  by  Jan.  15  to:  Diane 
Kitchen,  Film  Dept.,  Univ.  of  Wisconsin-Milwaukee,  PO.  Box 
413,  Milwaukee,  Wl  53201.  AA/EOE 

EDITOR  WANTED  with  own  equipment  access  for  Digital  fea- 
ture/comedy/pseudo  doc.  (Award-winning  writer  director). 
Some  cash,  some  deferred.  Call  (212)  979-6269. 

NY  BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  talented  directors 
and  camera  crews  for  travel/doc  series.  Send  resumes  & 
reels:  307  7th  Ave.,  Ste.  1607,  NY,  NY  10001. 

TENURE  TRACK  FACULTY  POSITION  IN  DOC  FILM  &  VIDEO 

The  Dept.  of  Communication  at  Stanford  Univ.  is  seeking 
applicants  for  a  tenure  track  asst.  professor  in  the  area  of 
Documentary  Film  &  Video.  Areas  of  interest  incl.,  but  are  not 
limited  to,  doc  film  &  video  production,  digital  media,  and 
history,  theory  &  criticism  of  film  &  video.  Applicants  will 
teach  &  mentor  graduate  students  in  the  Doc  Film  &  Video 
M.A.  program  &  will  be  expected  to  teach  production  &  stud- 
ies courses  at  the  undergraduate  &  graduate  levels. 


Candidates  should  have  a  demonstrated  commitment  to 
their  own  creative  development  or  research  related  to  the 
field.  The  Doc  Film  &  Video  M.A.  program  in  the  Dept.  of 
Comm.  offers  an  intensive  2-year  curriculum  emphasizing 
the  conceptual  &  practical  tools  for  the  production  of  nonac- 
tion film  &  video.  In  addition  to  an  undergraduate  major  that 
is  not  oriented  toward  professional  training,  the  graduate 
M.A.  programs  offer  professional  instruction  in  journalism  & 
doc  film  &  video.  The  dept's  Ph.D.  program  trains  communi- 
cation scholars.  The  appointment  will  begin  on  Sept.  1, 2000. 
Women  &  minorities  are  particularly  encouraged  to  apply. 
Stanford  Univ.  is  an  equal  opportunity,  affirmative  action 
employer.  For  full  consideration,  applicants  should  send  a 
curriculum  vitae,  a  brief  statement  of  creative  &  research 
goals,  &  the  names  &  addresses  of  3  references  to:  Prof. 
Kristine  Samuelson,  Chair,  Film/Video  Search  Committee, 
Dept.  of  Comm.  Bldg.  120,  Rm.  110  Stanford,  CA  94305.  To 
be  considered,  applies,  should  be  received  by  Dec.  1,  1999. 

TENURE  TRACK  FILM  PRODUCTION  POSITION:  San  Diego 
State  University's  School  of  Communication  has  a  position 
avail,  in  its  Television,  Film  &  New  Media  Production  Program 
beginning  academic  year  1999-2000.  Rank  &  salary  compet- 
itive. Position  requires  Ph.D.  or  M.F.A.  w/  professional  expe- 
rience, &  ability  to  teach  undergraduate  &  graduate  courses 
in  film  production.  Applicants  should  have  experience  in 
adjacent  areas  such  as  video  &  especially  the  digital  media 
arts.  Applicant's  research  &/or  creative  work  &  teaching 
should  emphasize  film  production,  but  not  necessarily 
exclude  research  in  areas  of  history  &  theory.  TFM  Program 
is  in  the  top  tier  of  film  programs  outside  LA  &  NYC,  w/  stu- 
dents producing  35-50  short  films  per  year.  It  graduates 
between  60  &  80  students  per  yr.  To  apply,  send  cover  letter 
describing  research/creative  work  &  teaching  experience; 
sample  reel  on  VHS;  vita;  3  to  5  current  letters  of  reference 
to:  TFM  Search  Committee,  Attn:  Greg  Durbin;  SDSU,  School 
of  Comm.,  5500  Campanile  Dr.,  San  Diego,  CA.  92182. 
Application  screening  will  begin  Nov.  20  &  continue  until 
position  is  filled.  SDSU  is  an  equal  opportunity  employer  & 
does  not  discriminate  against  persons  on  the  basis  of  race, 
religion,  nat'l  origin,  sexual  orientation,  gender,  marital  sta- 
tus, age  or  disability.  Women,  ethnic  minorities  &  persons 
with  disabilities  are  encouraged  to  apply. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 

Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  MC,  Visa,  Amex. 
Indie  rates  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

DGA  AWARD  WINNING  Writer/Director  looking  to  cofinance 
feature  project.  Must  be  commercial,  mainstream.  If  you 
have  an  entertaining  project  with  some  financing  already  in 
place,  call  (718)  341-2619. 

EMMY-AWARD  WINNING  documentary  filmmaker  seeks  cross 
cultural  footage  (film,  video  photos)  of  girls'  puberty  rituals 


AVIDS  TO  GO 


Lu/ia  detirers. 


X 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

j  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


lirilhli'nH 


November    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       59 


o 


i) 


SPLRSH 


DIGITAL  AUDIO  POST 
212-271-8747 

DIALOG,  FX  EDITING, 

ADR,  FOLEY  RECORDING 

&  MIXING 

168  5th  Avenue.  5th  Floor  N.W. 

New  York,  New  York   10010 

Fax:   212  271    8748 

e-mail:   bplprod@aol.com 


s^8!ryam 


We  provide  artists  and 
non-profit  organizations  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  at 
discount   rates. 


Film  to  Tape  Transfer  $1  75/hr. 

DigiBeta  to  DigiBeta  OnLine         $1  20/hr. 
InterFormat  OnLine  Editing  $  85/hr. 

Animation  Stand  $  85/hr. 

Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr. 

All  services  include  an  Editor/Operator. 


Contact  Us  for  Services  &  Info. 

PO  Box  184  NY,  NY  10012-0004 
Tel:   212.219.0951 
Fax:   212.219.0563 


www.standby.org 


0 


from  anywhere  in  world  &  examples  of  use  of  color  red  in  cer- 
emonies, rituals,  daily  life.  Will  pay.  Roberta  (323)  669-0680. 

INTERNATIONAL  PRODUCTION  COMPANY  offers  production 
services  and  personnel  including  directors,  producers  and 
videographers  with  DV  camera  package  in  the  U.S.  and 
Europe.  Pahni  Inc.  (718)  243-0775  or  visit  our  web  site  at: 
www.pahni.com 

MEDICAL  EDITOR;  Medical  scenes  are  too  often  filled  with 
errors  &  omissions.  25  yr.  RN  w/  strong  proofreading,  writing 
&  editing  skills  can  assure  your  script's  accuracy  &  realism. 
National  accredidation.  Reasonable  rates.  Contact  Kathy  at 
kj3cats@ameritech.net 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  for  major  studios,  indies, 
and  private  clients.  Full  analysis,  commercial  assessment. 
Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays:  (212)  567-8820  (M-F  9-6 
EST),  web  site:  http://members.aol.com/Actfour4/;  email: 
Actfour4@aol.com 

SCREENWRITER  looking  to  collaborate  on  project  with  inde- 
pendent filmmaker.  Will  be  an  erotic  film  with  philosophical 
overtones.  Plot  deals  with  life  and  relationships  in  our  mod- 
ern, post-industrial  society.  Call  Jason  (618)  344-7132. 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
m-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771,  or  eves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm  post 
services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock  screening, 
16mm  mag  xfers  (.06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding  (.015/ft)  Call 
Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!  (212)  375-0785;  (212)  982-7658. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 
able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  EDITOR;  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  rez.  Beta  SR  DAT,  extra  drives,  Pro-tools 
editing  &  mixing,  and  your  Avid  or  mine.  Fast  and  easy  to  get 
along  with.  Credit  cards  accepted.  Drina  (212)  561-0829. 

AVID  EDITOR  with  own  system:  editing,  training,  skilled  edi- 
tor, lowest  prices  in  NYC.  Third  Eye  Productions  (212)  472- 
3315. 


AVID  MEDIA  COMPOSER  SUITE:  Online/Offline,  AVR  77, 
Beta  SR  3D  RealTime  Graphics,  Intraframe,  888  Digidesign 
Audio  Interface,  Digidizmg  Video  Slave  Driver,  professional 
recording  studio  monitors,  2  20"  viewing  monitors,  SMPTE 
viewing  monitors,  DAT  recorder,  16  channel  mixer,  ProTools, 
After  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator.  350  MHz/128  MB  G3. 
Creative,  skilled  staff  editors  or  use  your  own.  Spacious, 
charming  environment.  24  hr  access.  Best  rates  in  NYC. 
Ph/Fx  (718)  802-9874. 

BOSTON  MEDIA  100  for  rent.  Indie  rates:  $20/hr!  Top  of  the 
line  system;  broadcast  quality;  32  gigs;  Beta  SP  deck;  tech 
support.  Office  w/  24  hr  access,  full  kitchen  &  beautiful  gar- 
den. Award-winning  editors.  Astrea  Films  (617)  266-2418. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal 
only.  Regular  8mm,  super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or 
Betacam  SP  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by- 
scene  only.  Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948- 
7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 
DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater.com; 
807-4142. 


MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8. . .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech 
support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212)  868- 
0028. 

MEDIA  LOFT,  "High-end  look  at  low-end  prices!"  VHS  &  3/4 
suites,  Hi-8  video,  reg.  8,  super  8,  16mm,  film  transfers, 
audio  &  photo  services.  Good,  fast  editor  avail.  Call  Bill 
Creston:  (212)  924-4893. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  all  Media  100  V-4.5 
broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS;  AfterEffects,  Deck  2. 
Lots  of  drive  space;  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates, 
free  coffee.  718-599-2385.  Williamsburg;  outpostvideo.com 

POSTPRODUCTION  SOUND;  Composition,  mixing,  noise 
reduction,  etc.  I  have  excellent  ears  &  I'm  quick.  I  have  the 
same  toys  as  Magno  or  Soundone  but  without  the  inflated 
costs.  Call  (718)  237-8703. 


Let  The  Independent's 
Classifieds  work  for  you! 

Get  your  message  to  vast  numbers  of 
film-  and  videomakers  from  across 
the  country  at  true  bargain  prices 

Ads  start  at  only  $25,  with 
discounts  for  ads  run  5  +  times 

call:  (212)  807-1400  x.  229 

fax:  (212)  463-8519 

email:  scott@aivf.org 


60     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


The  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 
m§\  cash  re- 
serve fund 


IMEilX 

Campaign  JF*u.n.al. 


for  the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  by  our  25  th  anniversary 
in  the  year  2000.  Since  its  inauguration 
in    1997,   we   have   raised   more   than 

$100,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on 
the  Arts;  Ovation;  Washington  DC  Film 
Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 
AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck,  Timed 
Exposures;  Peter  Buck;  Hugo  Cassirer, 
Felix  Films;  Martha  Coolidge;  Linda  & 
Boh  Curtis;  Jacob  Burns  Foundation,  Inc.; 
Loni  Ding;  Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen 
Freedman  &  Roger  Weisberg;  Julie 
Goldman,  WinStar  Productions;  David 
Haas;  Henry  Hampton',  Blackside,  Inc.; 
Nik  Ives;  Bill  Jersey,  The  Catticus 
Corporation;  Richard  Kaplan;  Deborah 
Kozee,  C&S  International  Insurance 
Brokers;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz,  Forest 
Creatures  Entertainment;  Richard  Kylberg, 
Communicom;  Tom  LeGoff;  Helaine  & 
Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner;  Peter 
Lewnes;  Rick  Linklater,  Detour  Film 
Foundation;  Juan  Mandelbaum;  John  Bard 
Manulis;  Diane  Markrow;  Jim  McKay, 
C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins; 
David  &  Sandy  Picker;  R.E.M./Athens 
LLC;  Barbara  Roberts;  James  Schamus, 
Good  Machine;  Robert  L.  Seigel;  Liza 
Vann  Smith;  Miranda  Smith;  Michael 
Stipe;  Ann  Tennenbaum;  Tower  Records/ 
Videos/Books;  Walterry  Insurance  Co.; 
Marc  N.  Weiss  &  Nancy  Meyer;  Martin 
Wills,  TCI/District  Cablevision;  Robert  E. 
Wise;  Susan  Wittenberg;  Lawrence  Zicklin, 
Jewish  Communal  Fund.  (*deceased) 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals 
and  organizations  who  have  recently 
made  or  renewed  generous  donations  of 
$100  or  more  as  MCF  Friends  (8/16/99 

to  9/30/99): 

Hugo  J.  Cassirer,  Felix  Films  Inc.;  Loni 
Ding;  James  Herbert;  Robert  L.  Seigel; 
Buddy  Squires;  Gei  Zantzinger 


The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF) ,  supports  a  variety 
of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent  media  community,  including  publication  of 

The  Independent  and  operation  of  the  Festival 
Bureau,  seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  infor- 


i#w*Yff-VrtT-l 


mation  clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would  be  possible  without  the  generous  sup- 
port of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following  organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Jerome  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation  John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

Forest  Creatures  Entertainment,  Inc.  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

Home  Box  Office  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation  The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation  The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 

Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


«? 


NYSCA 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Dinque  Entertainment,  Inc;  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  Vineyard 
Ventures;  Labyrinth  Productions;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz  Co.;  Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  RJB 
Productions;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3;  Heidi  McLean;  Intrepid  Film  &  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Thunder  Head 
Productions;  GA:  Mark  Morton;  IL:  Optimus;  MA:  Blackside  Inc.;  CS  Associates;  MD:  Imagination 
Machines;  MI:  Jes  &.  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  MS:  Second  Annual  Magnolia  Film  Festival;  NC: 
Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC;  Black  Maria  Film  Festival;  NY:  Arc  International 
Entertainment  Corp.;  Asset  Pictures;  Bee  Harris  Productions;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Bravo  Film  And 
Video;  The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  Catherine  Carey;  Choices,  Inc.;  Cine  LMod  Inc.;  Citystuff.com; 
Dependable  Delivery,  Inc.;  Dekart  Video;  DV8  Video  Inc.;  Dynamism;  Engel  Production;  Ericson 
Media  Inc;  The  Filmworkers  Club;  Films  for  Educators;  Fireballs  Films,  Ltd.;  G  Productions;  Golden 
Cinema  Enterprises,  Inc.;  Harmonic  Ranch;  Historic  Film  Archive;  Island  Media  International;  Jr. 
Video;  Julia  John  Music;  Kitchen  Cinema;  LD  Media  Corp;  Mad  Mad  Judy;  Media  Principia; 
Middlemarch  Films;  NYT  Television;  Parallax  Pictures,  Inc.;  Paul  Dinatale  Post,  Inc.;  Pitch  Productions, 
Inc.;  Prime  Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Sea  Horse  Films;  Stuart  Math  Films  Inc.;  Sundance  Channel 
LLC;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune  Pictures;  Undergroundfilm.Com;  WinStar  Productions;  Wonder 
Entertainment;  PA:  DUTV-Cable  54;  RI:  AIDS  FILMS— RI;  TX:  Graham  Dorian,  Inc.;  PBLK  Com, 
Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  UT:  Rapid  Video,  LLC;  VA:  Henninger  Media  Services;  WA: 
Amazon.com;  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona  University;  CA: 
Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  KOCT; 
UC/Media  Resource  Center;  NAMAC;  Nat'l  Educational  Media  Network;  USC  School  of  Cinema  TV; 
University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  Denver  Center  for  the  Performing  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest 
New  Haven;  GA:  Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii/Manoa;  IL: 
Community  Television  Network;  Facets;  MacArthur  Foundation;  Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The 
Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  MA:  Long  Bow  Group  Inc;  LTC  Communications;  MD:  Laurel  Cable 
Network;  Ml:  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  WTVS  Channel  56;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships;  IFP/North; 
Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  NC:  Cucalorus  Film  Foundation;  NE: 
Nebraska  Independent  Film  Project,  Inc.;  NJ:Thomas  Edison  Media  Arts  Consortium;  NY:  AARP  New 
York  State;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.;  Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Center  for  New 
American  Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications  Sociery;  Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital 
Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Educational  Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film 
Society  of  Lincoln  Center;  Ford  Foundation;  Guggenheim  Museum  Soho;  Irish  American  Film 
Foundation;  John  Jay  High  School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood 
Network;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Sociery 
Institute/Soros  Documentary  Fund;  Opposable  Thumb  Prod.,  Inc;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange; 
The  Roth  School  Library;  Stony  Brook  Film  Festival;  Squeaky  Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo  Dept.  Media 
Studies;  SUNY  College/Fredona;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13;  Women  Make 
Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  &.  Video;  Cincinnati  Community  Video;  City  of  Cleveland; 
Cleveland  Filmmakers;  Media  Bridges  Cincinnati;  Ohio  University-Film;  Wexner  Center;  OR: 
Communication  Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA:  Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  New  Liberty 
Productions;  PA/Council  On  The  Arts;  Philadelphia  Film/Video  Assoc;  Scribe  Video  Center;  Univ.  of  the 
Arts;  Temple  Univ./Dept.  of  Media;  RI:  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts 
Commission;  TN:  Nashville  Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Film  Society;  Austin  Film  Festival; 
Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film 
Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio -TV- Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WA:  91 1  Media  Arts  Center  WI: 
Madison  Film  Forum;  India:  Foundation  for  Universal  Responsiblity;  Mexico:  Centro  De  Capacitacion 
Cinematografica;  Norway:  Hogskulen  I  Volda/Biblioteket 


November  1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      61 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office:  304 
Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  6k  Vandam)  6th  fl.,  in 
New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9  (Houston  St.);  C,  E 
(Spnng  St.);  A  (Canal  St.). 
AIVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registration 
and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events  Hotline  with 
Visa,  American  Express,  or  Mastercard  info  or 
mail  a  check  or  money  order.  (Please  note:  your 
check  must  be  received  one  week  prior  to  the  event  to 
reserve  your  seat.  Seats  are  sold  on  a  first-come 
first-served  basis.) 

The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please  visit 
our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest  information. 


November  Events 

MEET  &  GREET: 
Blow  Up  Pictures 

When:  Tues.,  Nov.  16th  6:30-8pm 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free/AIVF  members  only;  $10  general 

public 

"The  digital  revolution  is  essential  to  the  future 
of  independent  film,"  states  Open  City  Films  co- 


and  Buck,  Alan  Wade's  The  Pomographer:  A  Love 
Story  [see  feature  story  pg.  38],  and  Beth  B's 
Fields  of  Recovery. 

PANEL  DISCUSSION  &  NETWORKING: 

Music  Collaboration: 
Composer  &  Director 

Details  Pending 

In  partnership  with  the  American  Composers 
Forum-NY,  AIVF  presents  an  opportunity  for 
filmmakers  to  connect  with  composers.  The 
event  begins  with  a  discussion  on  the  collabo- 
rative process  between  the  director  and  the 
composer  and  how  music  enhances  a  film's 
story  and  characters.  Later  on,  AIVF  members 
can  show  5  min.  clips  of  work  in  the  interest 
ot  finding  potential  composer  collaborators. 
Complete  details  will  be  posted  in  late 
October  on  the  AIVF  website  (www.aivf.org), 
and  at  www.composersforum.org. 

aivf co-sponsors: 
Behind  Every  Man 

presented  by 

New  York  Women  in  Film  &  Television 

Details:   Monday,  Nov.  15th,  7-8:30  p.m. 
Fashion  Institute  of  Technology,  Art  &.  Design 
Building  (corner  of  7th  Ave/27th  St.,  NYC.)  For 
more  information  &  to  RSVP:  NYWIFT   (212) 
679-0870. 


B 


A  panel  of  women  producers  who 
collaborate  with  some  of  today's  most 
influential  directors,  including 
Barbara  DeFina  (Martin  Scorsese), 
Jean  Dominian  (Woody  Allen),  Jane 
Rosenthal  (Robert  DeNiro)  and  oth- 
ers. 

AIVF  members  can  attend  this 
panel  for  $5. 


founder  Jason  Kliot.  Presenting  distinctive  and 
uncompromising  director-driven  films,  Open  City 
is  a  New  York-based  production  company.  Blow 
Up  Pictures  is  a  division  of  Open  City  Films,  and 
is  the  natural  extension  of  this  vision,  dedicated 
to  producing  fiction  and  non-fiction  films  in 
Digital  Video  for  theatrical  release.  Blow  Up's 
first  slate  of  films  include  Miguel  Arteta's  Chuck 


Get  Informed! 

AIVF  sends  updates  on  all  events 

&  advocacy  issues  via  email: 

make  sure  we  have  yours! 

members@aivf.  org 


meet  your  maker: 
Jonathan  Berman  & 
My  Friend  Paul 

When:    Thursday,  Nov  18th  7-9  p.m. 

Where:    AIVF  office 

Cost:     $10  (AIVF  members  only) 

Meet  Your  Maker  is  a  series  of  peer  workshops 
allowing  filmmakers  to  share  resources  and 
learn  fromone  another's  approaches  to  film- 
and  videomaking.  The  featured  artist  will 
share  her/his  business  and  creative  strategies 
in  completing  a  specific  project  from  develop- 
ment through  exhibition.  Topics  will  include: 
tundraising,  grantwriting,  budgeting,  schedul- 
ing, shooting,  postproduction,  and  distribution 
approaches  and  alternatives,  all  within  the 
constraints  of  a  small  budget. 
Jonathan  Berman  has  edited,  produced  and 
directed  a  multitude  of  film  and  TV  projects 
over  the  last  12  years.  His  first  film,  The  Shvitz, 
about  the  patrons  of  the  last  American  steam- 
baths,  screened  at  over  50  festivals,  played 
theatrically,  and  has  been  broadcast  on  Public 
TV  in  the  US,  Canada,  and  abroad.  He  has 
received  grants  from  the  NEA  and  NYSCA. 
His  films  have  played  many  festivals  including 
Slamdance,  SXSW,  Munich,  San  Francisco 
Jewish,  and  others.   M}  Friend  Paid  was  pro- 
duced in  association  with  ITVS  and  is  an 
unflinching  portrait  of  friendship  and  life  on 
the  edge.  (Visit  www.myfriendpaul.com) 


62     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


December  Events 
ANNUAL  HOLIDAY  PARTY 

SPONSORED  BY  FOREST  CREATURES  ENTERTAINMENT 

When:  Monday,  December  6,  6:30-9:30  p.m. 
Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members  and  nonmembers 
To  register/hear  more  details:  Please  RSVP. 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Don't  miss  our  annual  bash  that  keeps  gettin' 
merrier  every  year!  Fabulous  food  and  bever- 
ages will  be  offered — with  good  cheer,  of 
course! 

AND  DON'T  FORGET  TO  ATTEND  OUR 
ON-GOING  NYC  CO-SPONSORED  PROGRAMS: 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

This  ongoing  series,  screening  shorts  and  fea- 
tures every  Wednesday  evening  at  Anthology 
Film  Archives,  (2  Ave,  at  2nd  St,  NYC;  (212) 
505-51 10)  gives  independent  film-  and  video- 
makers  the  chance  to  exhibit  their  work  to  the 
public  and  New  York  audiences  the  opportuni- 
ty to  see  outstanding  new  films  at  the  cheapest 


ticket  prices  in  town  ($5  gets  you  into  both 
the  shorts  program  and  the  feature  film) .  To 
submit  your  feature  or  short,  call  (212)  410- 
9404. 

THE  FIFTH  NIGHT 

SCREENPLAY  READING  AND  SHORT  FILM  SERIES 

Series  has  presented  over  150  readings,  with 
nearly  30  scripts  currently  in  production  or 
already  produced.  This  acclaimed  weekly 
program  (every  Tuesday  at  the  Nuyorican 
Poet's  Cafe,  236  E.  3rd  St,  NYC)  presents 
provides  an  inspiring  environment  for 
screenwriters,  producers,  actors,  agents,  and 
financiers  to  network  and  create  community. 
Screenings  of  short  films  precede  all  read- 
ings. For  a  complete  schedule,  contact  Fifth 
Night  at  (212)  529-9329. 

FILM  BYTES 

0NLIN  INDEPENDENT  WEBCAST  SERIES 

Every  Monday  AIVF  co-hosts  FILM  BYTES 
at  8  p.m.  EST  at  www.pseudo.com.  This 
webcast  series  on  independent  media  pro- 
duction is  produced  by  Kinotek  and  Pseudo 
Network. 


AUDIOA'IDHO 
POST  PRODUCTION 


▲ 

VoiceWorks® 
Sound  Studios 
212-541-6592 

Media  100  XS  System 

After  Effects /Boris  Effects 
Scanner  /  Photoshop 

Sonic  Solutions 
Digital  Audio  Editing 

Voice  Over  Casting 
Voice  Over  Recording 
Reasonable  Rates!!! 


353  West  48th  Street  2nd  Floor 
New  York,  New  York  10036 

FAX:  212-541-8139 
F-Muil:  v  works  (n' aol.com 


aivf  presents 

the  new  york  premiere  of 

Chris  Smith's 
American  Movie 

When:  Tuesday,  November  2nd 

•  Sponsor  reception:  6  p.m. 

•  Screening  at  Loews  19th  St.  Cinema: 

8  p.m. 

•  Aiter-Party  at  Bowlmor  Lanes 

10p.m.-12:30a.m. 

•  Screening  of  Coiw  at 

Cinema  Village  at  midnight 
Cost:                                                                 1 
$30  general  public 
$  1 50  Host  donation 

a  B      ■B^^alB  1 4 1  ' 

Mark  Borchardt — Coven  director — in  action! 

Join  him  and  the  creative  team  of  American  Movie  at  a 

bowling  benefit  for  AIVF.  Don't  miss  the  party! 

$10  Coven  tickets  (to  benefit  Mark 

Borschardt) 

Purchase  tickets  by  phone:  (212)  807-1400  ext 

Fuckin'  A,  It's  Party  Time! 

Join  director  Chris  Smith,  producer  Sarah  Prict 
Schank,  producers  Jim  McKay  and  Michael  Sri 
evening  of  events  celebrating  the  film's  nations 
plete  with  filmmaker  Q&A,  a  bowling  after-pai 
ject  of  American  Movie. 

Support  FIVF  by  registering  as  a  Host  Sponsor 
special  pre-screening  reception  and  in  the  ever 

.411-  No  tickets  will  be  sold  at  the  door. 

;,  filmmaker  Mark  Borschardt,  musician  Mike 
pe,  and  other  special  guests  for  a  wicked  cool 
I  opening.  Don't  miss  this  exciting  event,  com- 
ty,  and  a  midnight  showing  of  Coven,  the  sub- 

($150  donation)  and  receive  recognition  at  a 
ling's  program  materials. 

training 


digital/non-linear  editing 


Beginning,  intermediate,  and 
advanced  classes  are  offered 
monthly. 


The  Wexner  Center  for  the  Arts 
is  an  Avid  Authorized  Education 
Center  serving  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Michigan,  Western  Pennsylvania, 
and  Kentucky. 

Call  for  more  information 

Maria  Troy,  674  292-7617 

wexner  center  for  the  arts 
the  ohio  state  university 
1871  north  high  street 
columbus,  ohio  43210 
www.wexarts.org 


November   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       63 


; 


IF  YOU 

HAVEN'T  VOTED 

EARLY, 

VOTE  NOW! 


AIVF 
} 

I 

ASSOCIATION 

OF  INDEPENDENT 

VIDEO  AND 

FILMMAKERS 


Be  sure  to  return  your 
ballot  (or  vote  online)  in 
this  year's  board  member 
election  BEFORE  6pm  on 

Friday,  December  3rd. 
www.aivf.org 


The  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  indepen- 
dents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the 
AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Be  sure 
to  contact  your  local  Salon  Leader  to  confirm 
date,  time,  and  location  of  the  next  meeting! 

See  the  salons  section  at  www.aivf.org 
for  further  information. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  First  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30pm 
Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin  (518)  489-2083; 
mike(y  videosforchange.com 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Contact:  Rebecca  Millner  at  (512)  388-7605; 
rlmillner(«  hotmail.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets 

off  of  Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  mark(«  imagefv.org; 

geninfo(5  imagefv.org 

Birmingham,  AL: 

Contact:  Pat  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories(«  mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

Contact:  Fred  Simon,  (508)  528-7279; 
FSimonC«  aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month  6:30-8:45pm 
Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 
68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolini,  (843)  805-6841; 
filmsalonf"  aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

Contact:  Annetta  Marion  and  Bernadette 
Gillota  (216)  781-1755;  AnnettaLM(«  aol.com; 
OhioIndieFilmFestta  juno.com 

Dallas,  TX: 

When:  Quarterly 

Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999; 

bart(S  videofest.org 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice 

Center,  1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445; 

programming(a  fstv.org  or  Diane  Markrow, 

(303)449-7125 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  the  month,  5:30  pm 

Contact:  Lon  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422; 

dot(§  inetnebr.com; 

www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 


Manhattan,  NY: 

When:  3rd  Monday  of  each  month,  5-8  pm 

Where:  Baby  Jupiter,  170  Orchard  Street 

(1  block  south  of  Houston,  2nd  Ave  stop  on  F) 

Contact:  Joe  Sullivan,  (212)  242-3396 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  &.  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 
allenfu  passionriver.com;  www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675;  mediaart(aconnix.com 

Newport,  RI: 

When:  Second  Monday  of  each  month 
Contact:  George  Marshall,  (401)  861-4445; 
flicksart(S'aol.com;  www.film-festival.org 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  575-2020 

Portland,  OR: 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254; 
betuccia(a'aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 

chuck(«  millmag.com 

San  Diego,  CA: 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811; 
espinosa(aelectriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-6051; 
joelC«  speakeasy.org; 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tampa,  FL: 

Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690-4416; 
rmondarl  (a  tampabay.rr.com 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When:  First  Monday  of  each  month  from  6-8  pm 
Where:  Club  Congress,  3 1 1  E.  Congress. 
Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridgefM'theriver.com;  Robert  Ashle, 
robert(uaccess.  tucson.org; 
www.access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.  4; 
sowande(a<beIlatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll® 
aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,  (914)  948-3447; 
jonkap(a bestweb.net 

Youngstown,  OH: 

Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
artbyrdft/  mindspring.com; 
www.cboss.com/flickdique 


64     THE    INDEPENDENT     November   1999 


WRITE  .  SHOOT  .  DIRECT  .  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE  TOTAL  IMMERSION  PROGRAMS 

FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  LITTLE  OR  NO  PRIOR  FILMMAKING  EXPERIENCE.  WORK  WITH  16MM 

ARRIFLEX  CAMERAS  IN  SMALL  CLASSES  DESIGNED  AND  TAUGHT  BY  AWARD  -  WINNING  INSTRUCTORS. 

NEW  WORKSHOPS  START  THE  FIRST  MONDAY  OF  EVERY  MONTH  IN  NEW  YORK  CITY  ALL  YEAR  ROUND 

ADVANCED  DIRECTING  AND  EVENING  WORKSHOPS  ALSO  AVAILABLE.  TUITION  $4,000. 

NEW  YORK  CITY  -  HOLLYWOOD,  CALIFORNIA   -    LONDON,  ENGLAND 
PRINCETON  UNIVERSITY    -    *UCLA  CAMPUS   -  LOS  ANGELES,  CALIF. 
'CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  -  CAMBRIDGE,  ENGLAND 
THE  AMERICAN  UNIVERSITY  OF  PARIS  -  PARIS,  FRANCE  *summeronly 


All  workshops  are  solely  owned  and  operated  by  the  New  York  Film  Academy 


NEW  yCEK  EILM  ACADEMY 

100  EAST  17TH  STREET  NEW  YORK  CITY  10003    TEL:  212-674-4300    FAX:  212-477  1414 
WEB  PAGE:  www.nyfa.com    E-MAIL:  film@nyfa.com 


ASSOCIATION       DF       INDEPENDENT      VIDEO      AND       FILMMAKERS 


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DDcumentary  Filmmakers 


Photo:  Tom  LeGoff 


Design  Nik  Ives 


TOTALLY  INDfPfHOfHT^ 

-     Contribute  to  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  three  year  Millennium  Campaign  Fund  which  ensures  that  AIVF/FIVF  (publishers   L 
of  Ihe  Independent)  not  only  survive,  but  thrive  in  their  mission  to  serve  the  growing  and  diverse  independent  media  community 


Name. 


Address . 
City 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


State  . 


Zip. 


Home  Phone. 


.Business  Phone. 


I /We  wish  to  be  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


J  $35 
J  $50 
J  $100 
J  Other 


J 
J 


Make  your  check  payable  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form  to  FIVF.  304  Hudson  St..  FJth  Floor.  NY.  NY  10013.  Fur  more  information  call  1212)  807- 
fhe  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization.  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible. 


and  up 

Honorary 

Committee 

Member 

].  ext.  223. 


DECEMBER  1999 


A  Publication  of  The  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film      www.aivf.org 


I 


I 


I 


SPOTLIGHT   ON 


S3.95  usS5.25  can 


'-JB 


/ 


AISO: 

Sizing  Up  Final  Cut  Pro 

The  10  Commandments 
of  Production 

Navigating  NYSCA 

Lisanne  Skyler 


ER  TELESCRIPTION  LIBRARY  •  STUDIO  54  LIBRARY  •  PATHE  NEWS,  INC.  •  THE  BIG  PICTURE 


!«EW5Lv 


L 


Select  from  the  greatest  sources  on  the  planet! 

Over  35,000  hours  of  historic  footage 

and  musical  performance  clips. 

Transferred,  databased,  copyright-cleared 

and  instantly  available! 


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STOCK  FOOTAGE  LIBRARY 

Call  For  Free  Demo  Reel  •  1-800-249-1940  •  631-329-9200  •  631-329-9260  fax 
www.historicfilms.com  •  info@historicfilms.com 

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It's  the  details  that  make  a  light  a  Lowel. 

Quick.  Nimble.  Easy-to-handle.  Light  as  the  breeze.  We  design  our  lights 
to  pack,  fold  and  go.  Light  kits  integrated  with  stands  and  accessories 
that  work  together  like  the  gears  of  a  finely  tuned  machine.  Cases  that 
slip  deftly  into  the  backseat  of  your  grip  truck  of  choice.  Go  with  Lowel. 


800-334-3426  www.lowel.com 


thelndependent 

M  BfHM&VIO£0  MONTHLY 


Publisher:  Elizabeth  Peters 

Editor  in  Chief:  Patricia  Thomson 
leditor@aivf.orgl 

Managing  Editor:  Paul  Power 
lindependent@aivf.org] 

Listings  Editor.-  Scott  Castle 
lfestivals@aivf.orgl 

Interns:  Lisa  Vasta,  Emily  Bobrow 
Contributing  Editors:  Richard  Baimbridge,  Lissa  Gibbs,  Mark  J. 
Huisman,  Gary  0.  Larson,  Cara  Merles,  Barbara  Bliss  Osborn, 

Rob  Rownd,  Robert  L  Seigel,  Esq. 

Design  Director:  Daniel  Christmas 
lstartree@xsite.netl 

Advertising  Director:  Laura  D.  Davis 
(212)807-1400x225: 
ldisplayads@aivf.org] 


National  Distribution: 
Ingram  Periodicals  (800)  627-6247 

Printed  in  the  USA  by  Cadmus  Journal  Services 

POSTMASTER:  Send  address  changes  to: 
The  Independent  Rim  &  Video  Monthly,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft.  NY,  NY  10013. 

The  Independent  Film  &  Video  Monthly  (ISSN  0731-5198)  is  published  month- 
ly except  February  and  September  by  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film 
(F1VF),  a  nonprofit,  tax-exempt  educational  foundation  dedicated  to  the  promotion  of 
video  and  film.  Subscnption  to  the  magazine  is  included  in  annual  membership  dues 
($55/yr  individual;  $35/yr  student;  $100/yr  nonprofit  organization;  $150/yr  busi- 
ness/industry) paid  to  the  Association  of  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF), 
the  national  trade  association  of  individuals  Involved  in  independent  film  and  video. 
Library  and  school  subscriptions  are  $75/yr.  Contact:  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St.,  6fl.,  NY, 
NY  10013,  (212)  807-1400;  fax  (212)  463-8519;  independent®  aivf.org; 
wwwaivf.org  Periodical  Postage  Paid  at  New  York,  NY,  and  at  additional  mailing 
offices. 


W 


Publication  of  The  Independent  is  made  possible  in  part  with  public 
funds  from  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts,  a  state  agency,  and  the 
National  Endowment  for  the  Arts,  a  federal  agency.  Publication  of  any  :"""'." 
advertisement  in  The  Independent  does  not  constitute  an  endorsement. 
AIVF/FIVF  are  not  responsible  for  any  claims  made  in  an  ad  The  Independent  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Press  Association 

Letters  to  The  Independent  should  be  addressed  to  the  editor.  Letters  be  edited  for 
length.  All  contents  are  copynght  of  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film,  Inc. 
Reprints  require  written  permission  and  acknowledgement  of  the  article's  previous 
appearance  in  77ie  Independent  The  Independent  is  indexed  in  the  Alternative 
Press  Index  and  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Press  Association. 

©  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  &  Film,  Inc.  1999 
AIVF/FIVF  staff:  Elizabeth  Peters,  executive  director,  Michelle  Coe,  program  &  infor- 
mation services  director,  LaTnce  Dixon,  membership  &  advocacy  director  Jessica 
Perez,  administrative  director;  Donna  Joyce,  information  services  assistant;  Josh 
Sanchez,  webmaster;  Uza  Donatelli,  Toolkit  coordinator;  Eugene  Hernandez,  web 
consultant;  Bernard  Cistrunk  &  Jessica  Laudicina.  interns. 

AIVF/FIVF  legal  counsel  Robert  I.  Freedman,  Esq.,  Leavy,  Rosensweig  &  Hyman 

AIVF/FIVF  Board  of  Directors:  Loni  Ding  (co-president),  Lee  Lew-lee,  Graham  Leggat, 
Ruby  Lemer*  Peter  Lewnes.  Richard  Unklater,  Cynthia  Lopez*,  Diane  Markrow  (co- 
chair),  Jim  McKay  (secretary,  vice  president),  Robb  Moss  (co-chair),  Elizabeth  Peters 
(ex  officio),  Robert  Richter  (treasurer),  James  Schamus*  Valerie  Soe.  Barton  Weiss 
(co-president). 
*  RW  Board  of  Directors  only 


2    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


December   1999 

VOLUME  22,  NUMBER  10  www.aivf.ors 


Regional  Spotlight:  New  Mexico 

Take  a  closer  look  at  northern  New  Mexico  and 
you'll  see  it's  been  a  fertile  breeding  ground  for  all 
kinds  of  artists.  Ever  since  Edison  first  gazed 
through  a  lens  here  in  1898,  a  wide  range  of  inde- 
pendent mediamakers  have  been  among  the  pack. 
This  section  focuses  on  what's  happening  in  the 
areas  of  Albuquerque,  Santa  Fe,  and  Taos. 

20  Land  of  Enchantment 

An  overview  of  New  Mexico's  film  &  video  sc 

BY  Devin  D.  O'Leary 

20  Feature  Film  Timeline 

A  chronology  of  major  features  shot  in  the  stat 

by  Scott  Castle 

23  New  Mexico  Production  Sampler 

What's  in  production  in  northern  NM. 

by  Devin  D.  O'Leary 

25  All  Things  Great  and  Small 

Profile  of  Albuquerque  producer  Alton  Walpol 

by  Jon  Bowman 

27  Animal  Cracker 

Susie  Whelply,  animal  wrangler. 

by  Rick  Romancito 

28  Brightly  Lit 

Media  literacy  is  flourishing  throughout  the  staf 
BY  Debra  Denker 

29  Bridging  Ancient  &  Modern 

Native  video  &  ceramic  artist  Nora  Naranjo-M 
by  Lynn  Ci  ike 

30  Regional  Resources 

by  Pall  Po\x 


!  ±J±  J'J.jJE±l  J^Lt^J 


Features 

32  Getting  to  Know  Lisanne  Skyler 

With  her  new  feature  Getting  to  Know  You,  direct 
from  documentary  to  fiction  filmmaking  and  earns  i 
screenplay  adaptation  of  several  Joyce  Carol  Oates  stor 
a  sibling,  her  sister  and  co-screenwriter  Tristine  Sk 


ne  Sklyer  makes  a  fluid  tr 
hers  in  her  cap:  making  a  c{ 
Sand  working  closely  and  wi 


35  The  Top  Ten  Commandments  of  Independent  Film  Production 


If  there's  10  good  ruk 


C.  Beer,  Esq. 


Upfront 

7  News 

New  cameras  from  Aaton  and  Sony  add  tuel  to  the  Him  vs.  video  fire. 
by  Scott  Castle 

10  Festival  Circuit 

Getting  high  at  Telluride;  getting  down  and  dirty  in  Toronto. 
by  Isabel  Sadurni;  Patricia  Thomson 


Departments 

16  New  Tech 

Final  Cut  Pro:  revolutionizing  the  world  of  desktop  editing. 
by  Robert  M.  Goodman 


FAQ  &  Info 

38  Distributor  F.A.Q. 

Shadow  Distribution:  What's  up  Down  East 
BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 

41  Funder  F.A.Q. 

New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts:  An  inestimable  force  in  the 
media  arts  world. 

by  Michelle  Coe 


46  Festivals 
50  Notices 
56  Classifieds 


@AIVF 

62  Events 

63  Salons 


COVER  PHOTO:  Tom  LeGoff 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      3 


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IN  THE  PALM  OF  YOUR  HAND 

Making  their  debut:  Aaton's  handycam-sized  film  camera 
and  Sony's  DV  camera  with  5  capture  rates. 


by   Scott   Castle 

TWO  NEW  CAMERAS,  BOTH  DUE  OUT  IN  THE 
spring  of  2000,  will  undoubtedly  raise  the  bar  in 
the  ongoing  debate  between  the  merits  of  film's 
superior  image  quality  and  video's  cost-effec- 
tive convenience. 

A  new  Super  16  camera,  the  A-Minima,  due 
for  release  by  French  camera  manufacturer 
Aaton,  combines  the  lightweight  portability  of 
the  camcorder  with  the  sturdy  metal  housing  of 
a  film  camera.  The  revolutionary  Minima's  size 
(4  1/4"  wide  x  9  1/2"  long) 
belies  its  versatility  and 
other  benefits.  The  cam- 
era is  lighter  (less  than 
five  pounds  with  bat- 
tery pack  and  200' 
film  roll,  sans  lens), 
quieter  (about  26 
dB),  and  less  expen- 
sive (approximately 
$15,000)  than  its 
Super  16  predecessors. 
The  camera  also 
includes  improvements  on 
many  of  Aaton's  past  innovations,  like  a  new 
ultra  accurate  AatonCode  II  (accurate  to  1/4 
frame)  and  the  DistantEye  viewfinder  which 
prevents  fogging  of  running  film  when  the  eye 
is  not  held  against  the  eyecup.  Consistent  with 
all  Aatons,  the  A-Minima  won't  use  a  registra- 
tion pin,  though  this  doesn't  adversely  affect  its 
image  steadiness  (1/2000  of  image  dimensions). 

In  conjunction  with  the  camera's  release, 
Kodak  has  designed  a  special  flexible  flange 
daylight  spool  B-wind  load  for  use  with  the  A- 
Minima's  coaxial  magazine.  The  camera's 
design  moves  the  film  via  a  roller  rather  than 
with  a  torque  motor,  which  helps  to  keep  both 
the  weight  and  noise  minimal. 

The  A-Minima  has  undergone  months  of 
field  testing  since  its  first  public  viewing  at 
docfest  this  year,  spending  time  in  the  hands  of 
filmmakers  who  have  consistently  made  Super 
16  their  format  of  choice.  Filmmakers  including 
Victor  Nunez,  who  shot  Ulee's  Gold  and  Ruby  in 
Paradise  on  Super  16,  Chuck  Levy  of  Woodstock 


fame,  and  others  took  prototypes  into  the  field 
for  evaluation.  Suggestions  made  by  the  film- 
makers after  the  tests  were  considered  by 
Aaton  when  making  adjustments  to  improve 
the  overall  quality  of  the  camera. 

The  camera  is  intended  as  both  a  second 
unit  camera  for  larger  productions  and  the  sole 
camera  for  independent  productions.  Aaton's 
mission  statement  touts  the  camera  as  "the 
economic  way  to  record  high  definition  mater- 
ial and  conserve  it  for  the  unforseeable  future 
in  a  world  dominated  by  video."  Aaton  hopes 

to     get     the 


The  A-Minima  is  portable,  quiet, 
lightweight,  and  best  of  all,  it 
shoots  in  Super  16. 


into  the 
hands  of 
rental 
houses  and 
film  schools,  making  it  available  to  both  cur- 
rent and  upcoming  generations  of  filmmakers. 
Film  schools  are  "looking  for  an  impetus  to 
keep  film  in  their  curriculum,"  according  to 
Aaton's  Jason  Martin,  who  hopes  that  pressure 
from  students  combined  with  the  advent  of  the 
Minima  will  provide  the  encouragement  need- 
ed. "It  provides  students  with  the  opportunity 
to  learn  about  the  use  of  light  as  opposed  to 
merely  framing,"  says  Martin. 

The  Swiss  Army  Knife  of  Video 

From  the  other  side  of  the  fence,  the  Sony 
HDWF  700  is  a  marvel:  a  HDTV  camera  with 
the  capability  to  shoot  domestic  and  interna- 
tional film  speeds  as  well  as  standard  video  cap- 
ture rates.  Working  in  conjunction  with  both 
Panavision  and  Lucasfilm,  Sony's  new  cam- 


EDITED  BY  PAUL  POWER 

corder  could  revolutionize  video  production 
with  the  flick  of  a  switch.  The  camera's  most 
notable  innovation  is  a  setting  which  allows 
shooting  at  five  different  capture  rates:  24,  25, 
and  30  frames  per  second,  and  at  50  or  60  inter- 
lace. This  international  standardization  in  one 
camera  enables  broadcast  anywhere  in  the 
world  through  a  single  lens.  "A  product  that 
can  be  used  worldwide  is  a  first,"  touts  Sony's 
Vice  President  of  Marketing  Larry  Thorpe. 

The  HDWF  700's  accompanying  lenses 
have  been  specially  designed  for  the  camera  by 
Panavision:  the  finished  product  will  also  take 
traditional  35mm  lenses  with  optical  adapters. 
Physically  similar  to  Sony's  digital  Betacam,  the 
HDWF  700  weighs  about  15-16  pounds 
depending  on  your  lens  choice. 

In  common  with  recent  Sony  camcorders, 
the  HDWF  700  shares  the  'memory  stick'  fea- 
ture, which  gives  it  up  to  64  MB  for  storage  of 
files  of  specific  adjustments  to  the  camera's  lens 
or  settings  to  the  camera  for  specific  lighting 
conditions.  The  touch  of  a  button 
returns  the  camera  to  the  desired 
readiness.  The  camera's  digitally 
achieved  white  balance  can  also  be 
memorized  and  recalled,  with  the 
camera's  color  correction  capability 
ranging  from  200  K  to  6500K. 
The  new  700  promises  to  be  a  valuable, 
versatile  tool  for  the  digital  filmmaker — able 
to  take  still  images,  record  footage  frame-by- 
frame  or  in  time  lapse.  It  can  also  record  two 
channels  of  20  bit  digital  audio  sync  sound,  and 
with  an  adapter  can  record  four  channels. 

However,  the  digicam  is  priced  at  $100,000 
for  the  studio  and  portable  versions  and 
$90,000  for  the  camcorder  model.  As  a  result, 
the  technology  will  only  be  a  rental  option  for 
most  independent  mediamakers. 

It  is  important  to  keep  in  mind  that  both 
cameras  are  still  in  the  prototype  phase  at  press 
time  and  further  alterations  and  adjustments 
are  possible  before  they  hit  the  market.  But 
there  is  no  question  that  the  concurrent  debuts 
of  these  revolutionary  cameras  promise  to  alter 
the  media  landscape  forever.  By  providing  film 
purists  with  affordable  portability  and  video- 
makers  with  numerous  broadcast  options, 
opportunities  for  disparate  format  collabora- 
tions abound. 

Scott  Castle  is  the  listings  editor  ut  The  Independent. 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      7 


WRITE  .  SHOOT  .  DIRECT  .  EDIT 

YOUR  OWN  SHORT  FILMS  IN  OUR  HANDS-ON  EIGHT  WEEK  INTENSIVE  TOTAL  IMMERSION  PROGRAMS 

FOR  INDIVIDUALS  WITH  LITTLE  OR  NO  PRIOR  FILMMAKING  EXPERIENCE.  WORK  WITH  16MM 

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All  workshops  are  solely  owned  and  operated  by  the  New  York  Film  Academy 


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WEB  PAGE:  www.nyfa.com    E-MAIL:  film@nyfa.com 


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HAVE 

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request  a  subscription  today! 

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. .  .or  order  both  Toolkit  titles  for  $55  /  $40  members 

Essential  Resources  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers: 

The  AIVF  Guide  to  International  Film  &  Video  Festivals 

Kathryn  Bowser,  ed.;  $17 

The  AIVF  Guide  to  Film  &  Video  Distributors 

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The  Next  Step:  Distributing  Independent  Films  and  Videos 
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Have  other  essential  books  delivered  right  to  your  door! 

Alternative  Visions:  Distributing  Independent  Video  in  a  Home  Video  World  Debra  Franco;  $9.95 

Animation  101  Ernest  Pintoff;  $16.95 

Director's  Journey  Mark  Travis;  $26.95 

Directing  Actors:  Creating  Memorable  Performances  for  Film  and  TV  Judith  Weston;  $26.95 

Film  and  Video  Budgets  Michael  Wiese;  $26.95 

Film  and  Video  Financing  Michael  Wiese;  $22.95 

Film  and  Video  Marketing  Michael  Wiese;  $18.95 

Film  Directing  Shot  by  Shot:  Visualizing  from  Concept  to  Screen  Steven  D.  Katz;  $24.95 

Film  Directing  Shot  by  Shot:  Cinematic  Motion  Steven  D.  Katz;  $24.95 

Film  Scheduling/Film  Budgeting  Workbook  Ralph  Singleton;  $16.95 

The  Filmmaker's  Handbook  Steve  Ascher  &  Edward  Pincus;  $18.95 

New  Challenges  for  Documentary  Alan  Rosenthal,  ed ;  $10.95 

Persistence  of  Vision:  An  Impractical  Guide  to  Producing  a  Feature  Film  For  Under  $30,000 
John  Gaspard  &  Dale  Newton;  $26.95 

Production  Asoiotant  Guidolinoo  Sandy  Curry;  $6.00    currently  out  of  print ! 

The  Search  for  Reality:  The  Art  of  Documentary  Filmmaking  Michael  Tobias,  ed;  $29.95 

Surviving  Production:  The  Art  of  Production  Management  Deborah  Patz;  $26.95 

Thinking  in  Pictures  John  Sayles;  $10.95 

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Your  name: 


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Include  shipping  address  and  contact  information.  Please  allow  2-4  weeks  for  delivery 


21st  Independent  Feature  Film  Market  Tapes 

Cassette  tape  recordings  are  now  available  from  the 

valuable  panels  and  seminars  held  during  the  1999  IFFM. 

COMPLETE  PANEL  DESCRIPTIONS  AND  MEMBERSHIP  INFORMATION  ARE  AVAILABLE  ONLINE:  www.ifp.org 


Individual  Tapes: 

$15:00  each  foT  IFP  members 

$20:00  each  foT  non-members 

1.  Financing  Independent  Films 
2.  Distributing  Indie  Films 

3.  Short  Fever:  Who's  Buying  What 

4.  Deconstructing  Development: 

Scripts  in  the  Pipeline 

5.  The  Art  of  Editing 

6.  International  Sales  Agents 

7.  Visualizing  Sound  From  A-Z 

8.  The  Beat  of  Music  in  Film 

9.  Indie  Feature  Case 
Study:  Tumbleweeds 

10.  Completion  Financing  for  Your 
Work-in-Progress 


Breakfast  Clubs 

Specially    Priced  set:  All  4  Tapes  for 
$50  IFP  Members/  $65  non-members 


11.  Building  a  Community  for 

Your  Film 

12.  Casting  and  Development 

13.  Strategies  for  Successful 
Marketing  Campaigns 

14.  Documentaries  and  the 

Internet  Frontier 

DIGITAL  FILM  PANELS 

Specially   Priced  set:  All  3  Tapes  for 
$40  IFP  Members/  $50  non-members 

15.  New  Tools  for  Creative 

Independent  Production 

16.  Digital  Distribution:  Current 

and  Coming  Alternatives  For 

Indie  Filmmakers 

17.  Digital  Film  Production 


"Meet  the  Buyer"  Series 

Specially    Priced  set:  All  9  Tapes 
$100  IFP  members/  $120  Non-members 

18.  Artisan  Entertainment 
19.  Fine  Line  Features/New 
Line  Cinema 
20.  Fox  Searchlight  Pictures 

21.  Miramax  Films 

22.  Samuel  Goldwyn  Films 

23.  Sony  Pictures  Classics 

24.  Strand  Releasing 

25.  USA  Films 

26.  Winstar  TV  &  Video 

SPOTLIGHT  ON  DOCS 

Specially   Priced  set:  All  5  Tapes 

(includes  tape  no.  14.)  foT 

$60  IFP  Members/  $80  non-members 

27.  3  Paths  to  Success 

28.  A  Producer's  Guide  to  the 

Documentary  Marketplace 

29.  Dramatic  Non-Fiction: 

Building  a  Strong  Narrative 

30.  Documentaries  on  Cable: 

Commissions  or  Acquisitions? 


For  Info,  contact  the  Independent  Feature  Project  at: 
Tel:  212.465.8200  /  Fax:  212.465.8525  /  email:  ifpny@ifp.org  /  website:  www.ifp.org 


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Please  indicate  the  tape  number  and  sets  you  require: 
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SET#         $  AMOUNT 


Please  print  clearly 


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6. 


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10. 


Date: 

Name: 

Address: 


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M.  U...A 


SHOW  AND  TELLURIDE 

The  Telluride  Film  Festival  is  still  the  ticket  for  film  lovers. 

by   Isabel   Sadurni 


Like  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Promised  Land, 
people  travel  year  after  year,  over  mountain 
pass  and  through  storming  skies,  to  the 
Telluride  Film  Festival.  There's  a  religious  fer- 
vor and  near  delirium  that  falls  upon  festival 
attendees  as  they  attend  near  'round  the  clock 
screenings  of  international  productions,  docu- 
mentaries, animated  features,  rare  classics, 
shorts,  student  films,  and  an  occasional  studio 
flick  over  the  Labor  Day  weekend. 
Miraculously,  this  year  the  deluge  that  soaked 
the  Colorado  Rockies  for  63  days  abated  for  the 
length  of  the  festival,  and  It  Was  Good.  Top 
notch  programming  by  co-directors  Bill  Pence 
and  Tom  Luddy  and  this  year's  guest  director, 
Peter  Sellers,  offered  a  engaging,  challenging, 
and  consistently  excellent  filmic  experience  for 
this  A-list  festival,  now  in  its  26th  year. 

Telluride  has  its  own  particular  festival  pro- 
tocol, most  notably  its  refusal  to  announce  the 
program  line-up  in  advance.  As  a  result,  mar- 
ket freneticism  is  replaced  by  visual  pleasure 
and  a  low-key,  home -spun  hospitality  in  this 
former  mining  town.  A  sense  of  egalitarianism 
reigns,  which  is  evident  in  the  enforcement  of 
no  late  seating,  in  the  waiting  lines  all  are  sub- 
jected to  (except  for  the  $2,500  Patrons,  who 
walk  in  first),  in  the  general  availability  of  film- 
makers for  questions  and  comments,  no  matter 
what  their  international  status,  and  in  the  daily 
rounds  of  free  seminars,  forums,  and  outdoor 
screenings  that  are  open  to  the  public. 

Similarly,  a  respect  for  the  filmmaker  per- 
vades the  festival.  Directors  are  provided  with 
accommodations  and  a  personal  sherpa  to 
guide  them  to  screenings,  events,  and  parties. 
Each  screening  is  attended  by  a  festival  rep 
with  a  radio  to  the  projection  booth  in  order  to 
relay  instructions  on  volume  and  framing.  This 
doesn't  happen  at  every  festival. 

Though  Telluride  isn't  market-oriented  and 
distributor  reps  don't  display  their  shopping 
carts,  they  are  in  attendance.  This  year 
Miramax,  Sony  Pictures  Classics,  Fox 
Searchlight,  Artisan,  Lions  Gate,  and  USA 
Films  were  all  present,  along  with  programmers 
from  many  noteworthy  festivals  and  cinemath- 
eques. To  Telluride's  credit,  the  lower  stress 
level  here  allows  distributors  to  have  fairly  con- 
siderate conversations  with  filmmakers.  As 
Mark  Urman  of  Lion's  Gate  Releasing  describes 


it,  Telluride  promotes  a  sense  of  ease;  whereas 
at  other  festivals  distributors  might  feel  "com- 
petitive and  paranoid,"  at  Telluride  they  can 
afford  to  enjoy  each  other  as  friends  and  col- 
leagues. This  relaxed  atmosphere  may  also 
mean  that  distributors  take  the  time  to  enjoy 
your  film  rather  than  evaluate  it  in  20  minutes 
before  running  on  to  the  next  venue.  Though 
films  are  screened  simultaneously  and  it  is  near- 
ly impossible  to  catch  every  one,  most  Telluride 
goers  see  about  80%  of  the  offerings, 
thanks  to  added  screenings  on 
Sunday  and  Monday. 

Adding  to  the  pleasure  compo- 
nent, Telluride  is  one  of  the  most  gor- 
geous Rocky  Mountain  getaways,  surrounded 
by  14,000'  peaks  of  the  San  Juan  Mountains, 
bejeweled  with  waterfalls  and  lakes,  and  pre- 
senting a  quintessential  pastoral  portrait  with  a 
river  winding  past  the  edge  of  town  and  a  bor- 
dering pasture  of  cows.  Music,  dance,  playwrit- 
ing,  and  sports  festivals  abound  nearly  every 
summer  weekend,  and  during  the  winter 
Telluride  metamorphizes  into  a  buzzing  ski 
resort.  Not  surprisingly,  affluent  celebrities  like 
Tom  Cruise  and  Nicole  Kidman  and  TFF  spon- 
sors Ricky  and  Ralph  Lauren  have  converged 
here,  appropriating  Telluride  as  a  more  intimate 
Vail  or  Aspen.  Since  festival  housing  isn't  cheap 
(weekend  rooms  begin  at  about  $200  per  night 
on  average),  it's  nice  to  know  that  there's  a 
campground  ($1 1/night)  within  walking  dis- 
tance from  the  center  of  town.  If  you're  of  stu- 
dent status,  a  partially  subsidized  film  festival 
program  sponsored  by  the  National  Film 
Preserve  provides  students  with  an  admission 
pass  to  all  films  and  social  events  and  an  orga- 
nized discussion  series  with  the  year's  guest 
director. 

Every  year  Telluride  honors  a  director,  actor 
or  actress,  and  film  craftsman  who  have  con- 
tributed uniquely  and  greatly  to  filmmaking  as 
an  art.  This  year's  tributees  included  France's 
glamorous,  confident,  and  cool  blonde 
Catherine  Deneuve,  who  attended  with  two 
new  films  (Place  Vendome,  by  Nicole  Garcia, 
and  Time  Regained,  by  Raul  Ruiz);  dark  and 
twisted  director  David  Lynch,  who  premiered 
his  The  Straight  Story,  about  a  old  man's  journey 
on  a  lawnmower  through  the  American  heart- 
land; and  vanguard  composer  Philip  Glass,  who 


performed  a 
new  score  for  Tod  Browning's  Dracula  in  con- 
cert with  the  classical  Fab  Four,  the  Kronos 
Quartet. 

Also  in  this  year's  spotlight  were  Werner 
Herzog,  who  screened  two  new  documentaries, 
including  M;\  Best  Fiend,  on  his  love/hate  rela- 
tionship with  actor  Klaus  Kinski;  and  filmmak- 
er/theorist Raul  Ruiz,  who  daringly  adapted 
Proust's  great  work  in  Time  Regained.  Georgian 
film  poet  Otar  Iosseliani  premiered  his  ironic 
and  melancholy  Farewell  Home  Sweet  Home, 
and  video  artist  Bill  Viola  introduced  one  of  his 
most  narrative  works,  The  Passing  (1991),  on 
the  spiritual  extremes  of  life  and  death.  Among 
new  initiates  was  Turkish  director  Yesim 
Ustaoglu,  whose  journey  to  the  Sun  sensitively 
interweaves  Turkey's  taboo  scorched-earth  pol- 
icy towards  recalcitrant  Kurds  with  an  impossi- 
ble and  brutalized  love  story.  Israeli  director 
Amos  Gitai  presented  his  Kadosh  (Sacred), 
which  quietly  and  devastatingly  examines  the 
inflexible  tenets  of  ultra- Orthodox  Judaism 
with  an  unflattering  and  emotionally  charged 
portrayal  of  marriage. 

More  adventurous  film-goers  could  seek  out 
treasures  like  Travellers,  from  Iranian 
theater/film  director  Bahram  Bayzai;  Filipino 
Lino  Brocka's  social  rage  of  a  film  Bona;  and 
William  Wyler's  early  masterwork  The 
Shakedown,  which  was  accompanied  by  two  live 
pianists  (presented  by  Telluride's  sister  festival, 
the  Pordenone  Silent  Film  Festival).  This  year's 
roster  also  included  a  surprise  screening  of 
Woody  Allen's  new  jazz  film  Sweet  and 
Lowdown,  as  well  as  Japanese  manga  master 
Hayao  Miyazaki's  Princess  Mononoke.  As  this 
abbreviated  list  shows,  the  festival's  range  is 


10     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


broad,  but  the  programmers  are  incredibly  dis- 
cerning, choosing  only  about  30  features  and 
20  shorts  out  of  approximately  1,500  submis- 
sions. 

Importantly,  Telluride  provides  an  historical 
context  for  newer  works.  Every  year,  classics 
screen  alongside  contemporary  films,  from 
Wyler  to  the  rare  1934  film  Nothing  More  Than 
a  Woman,  which  showcased  Argentinean  leg- 
end and  poet  Berta  Singerman.  This  year's 
guest  director,  Peter  Sellers,  infused  all  events 
with  wit,  charm,  and  political  import  through 
his  eloquent  and  sensitive  introductions.  And 
he  initiated  a  welcome  Asian  Masters  Series 
sidebar,  which  combined  new  works  with  clas- 
sics like  Hou  Hsiao-hsien's  Dust  in  the  Wind,  Im 
Kwon-Taek's  The  Taebeck  Mountains,  and 
Brocka's  Bona. 

Wrapping  up  the  weekend  was  the  Labor 
Day  Party  Picnic,  a  casual  affair  during  which 
critic  Roger  Ebert  brought  out  his  home  video 
camera  to  record  the  crowd  munching  on 
chicken  and  Italian  slaw.  It's  a  rare  festival  that 
makes  everyone  this  loose  and  comfortable 
while  still  maintaining  a  reverence  for  film  as 
art  and  as  a  political  tool.  Telluride  looks 
beyond  the  commercial  imperative  to  honor 
masters  from  the  past  and  to  celebrate  future 
film  architects.  When  prompted  to  speak  about 
what  to  expect  in  his  next  quarter  century  with 
Telluride,  festival  co-director  Tom  Luddy 
implied  that  digital  video  projection  would 
allow  for  some  surprises.  In  keeping  with 
Telluride's  tradition  of  last-minute  announce- 
ments, you'll  have  to  wait  until  next  year  to 
find  out  what  he  means. 

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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      11 


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UP  NORTH 


Art  &  commerce  at  the  Toronto  International  Film  Festival. 


by  Patricia  Thomson 


Once  upon  a  time,  the  Toronto  Inter- 
national  Film  Festival  was  a  like  a  big  happy 
mixer.  Parties  were  open  to  all,  and  stars  and 
star-gazers  commingled  over  free  drinks. 
During  the  daylight  hours,  ordinary  ticket  buy- 
ers could  bump  into  prominent  directors  in  the- 
ater lobbies  or  on  the  street,  where  they'd 
linger  to  converse,  argue,  and  talk  film. 

Toronto's  organizers  have  worked  hard  to 
raise  the  international  profile  of  their  festival 
since  its  founding  24  years  ago — and  have  they 
ever.  Now  Toronto  holds  a  world-class  status 


merlot  at  a  Fine  Line  party  for  Simpatico,  I  had 
the  chance  to  ponder  the  many  ways  stratifica- 
tion marks  the  festival.  Here  in  this  faux  palaz- 
zo,  the  strata  were  made  literal,  with  Nick 
Nolte,  Jeff  Bridges,  and  other  VIPs  tucked  away 
in  a  balcony  overhead,  like  the  blessed  in  a 
medieval  hierarchy,  while  the  masses  chomped 
on  chicken  legs  and  hor  d'oeuvres  in  the  great 
stone  hall  below.  Then  while  comparing  notes 
with  the  film  editor  of  the  San  Francisco 
Chronicle,  the  different  strata  of  festival  pro- 
gramming jumped  to  the  fore.  On  her  list  was 
American  Beauty,  Cider  House  Rules,  Music  of 
the  Heart,  Mansfield  Park,  Breakfast  of 
CJiampions  and  their  attendant  stars:  Kevin 
Spacey,  Michael 
Caine,  Meryl  Streep, 
Bruce  Willis,  and  so 
on.  My  list  looked 
quite  different,  with 
Harmony  Korine, 
Charles  Burnett, 
Kevin  Smith,  Jim 
Jarmusch,  James 
Herbert,  and  Ang 
Lee,  plus  all  the 
ocumentaries  I 
:ould  pack  in.  "It's 
ike  we're  in  parallel 


right  up  there  with  Cannes.  And  since  becom- 
ing the  key  festival  in  the  tall  line-up  for  indus- 
try mavens,  it  has  turned  into  a  whole  different 
animal.  One-on-one  encounters  are  rare. 
Celebrities  are  shielded  from  the  lowly  masses 
by  a  phalanx  of  publicists  and  bodyguards. 
Directors  rarely  get  to  watch  movies,  being 
holed  up  in  hotel  suites  for  back-to-back  inter- 
views. The  parties  have  been  corporatized,  with 
printed  invitations  required  and  elegantly  clad 
but  strict  gatekeepers  stationed  at  entrances 
and  another  layer  guarding  the  VIP  areas, 
where  celebs  are  shielded  from  invitees. 

Such  is  the  price  of  success.  While  nursing  a 


universes,"  she  laughed. 

Happily,  they  co-exist  quite  nicely,  which  is 
what  makes  going  to  Toronto  such  a  pleasure; 
there's  room  tor  all.  The  commercial  and  the 
off-beat.  Art  and  commerce.  Vast  entourages 
and  solo  acts.  They  all  have  their  time  and 
place. 

A  Janus-faced  festival 

As  Toronto  has  grown,  another  kind  of  stratifi- 
cation has  set  in:  the  separation  of  the  public 
and  the  industry  during  the  screenings.  In  most 
respects,  it's  a  good  thing.  Several  years  back, 
only    the    bigger    films    were    given    special 


press/industry  screenings,  and  the  rest  of  the 
festival's  300-plus  films  ran  the  risk  of  selling 
out.  Nice  as  that  sounds,  it  prevented  many- 
potential  distributors,  programmers,  and  press 
from  seeing  those  works — a  disastrous  state  of 
affairs  both  for  a  festival  that's  courting  the 
industry  and  for  filmmakers  looking  for  a  buyer. 
As  a  result,  today  virtually  every  film  gets  a 
press/industry  screening  as  well  as  several  pub- 
lic screenings.  This  development  was  aided 
tremendously  two  years  ago  by  the  remodeling 
of  the  Varsity  multiplex,  located  in  a  shiny 
downtown  shopping  complex.  Its  seven  the- 
aters now  serve  as  ground  zero  for  the  press  and 
industry,  who  bustle  back  and  forth  between 
them,  with  regular  dashes  down  the  escalator 
to  refuel  at  the  dueling  cappucino  bars. 

So  what's  the  downside  of  this  separation? 
Here's  one  example.  I  saw  The  Annihilation  of 
Fish,  a  new  film  by  Charles  Burnett  (To  Sleep 
with  Anger),  at  a  public  screening.  It  was  well- 
attended,  with  over  500  people  packing  the 
theater.  After  a  brief  intro  by  Burnett  and 
actress  Margot  Kidder,  the  lights  dimmed,  a 
hush  fell,  and  Lynn  Redgrave  appeared  on 
screen  as  a  lonely  old  soul  who  believes  herself 
engaged  to  the  19th  century  opera  composer 
Puccini.  When  no  one  will  perform  the  mar- 
riage ceremony,  she  moves  in  despair  to 
California  and  meets  an  equally  lonely 
Jamaican  (James  Earl  Jones),  who  has  his  own 
imaginary  companion,  a  demon  named  Hank 
who  at  inopportune  moments  challenges  him 
to  wrestle. 

The  audience  went  with  it.  They  laughed  at 
the  right  spots,  were  charmed  by  its  supernat- 
ural touches,  and  seemed  to  root  for  this  odd 
couple.  People  lingered  afterwards,  staying  in 
their  seats  throughout  the  Q&A  and  eagerly 
throwing  questions  at  the  director. 

The  press/industry  screening  was  quite 
another  story.  Word  was  that  people  were 
streaming  out  of  the  theater  as  if  from  a  deadly 
contagion.  One  viewer  was  heard  to  say,  "Lynn 
Redgrave  deserves  to  have  the  Oscar  she  won 
for  Gods  and  Mo7\sters  taken  away  for  this!" 

Now,  it  you  were  a  buyer,  which  screening 
would  you  be  more  likely  to  attend?  And  who 
would  you  listen  to?  The  fate  of  many  films  at 
Toronto  has  been  tied  to  these  two  questions.  It 
used  to  be  that  Toronto  was  a  place  where  dis- 
tributors went  to  gauge  the  reaction  of  "regu- 
lar" audiences.  Today  the  twain  rarely  meet. 
Instead,  buyers  are  among  the  bleary-eyed  sit- 
ting through  their  third,  fourth,  even  fifth  film 
of  the  day,  short  of  patience,  long  on  skepti- 
cism. That's  who's  watching  your  films,  and 
those  are  the  conditions.  That's  the  downside. 


12     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Business  as  usual 

Despite  this,  certain  films  do  manage  to  pierce 
the  fog  and  trigger  a  flurry  of  cell  phone  activi- 
ty, negotiations,  and  press  releases.  Hurried 
deals  are  followed  by  hurried  announcements. 
First  we  hear  that  Lions  Gate  acquired  North 
American  rights  to  The  Big  Kahuna,  by  Chicago 
theater  director  John  Swanbeck.  Then 
Miramax  picked  up  Human  Traffic,  a  film  on 
Welsh  drug  culture  by  25-year-old  Justin 
Kerrigan.  Fine  Line  was  kept  busy  pushing 
through  several  deals — for  Jeremy  Podeswa's 
The  Five  Senses,  which  premiered  at  Cannes; 
Frederic  Fonteyne's  A  Pornographic  Affair;  and 
Jamie  Babbit's  debut  feature,  But  I'm  a 
Cheerleader,  a  lesbian  comedy  about  two  girls 
who  hook  up  at  a  homosexual  rehabilitation 
camp.  More  news  follows  later  in  the  week: 
Strand  picked  up  Ventura  Pons'  Spanish-lan- 
guage Beloved/Friend.  Sony  Pictures  Classics 
acquired  Regis  Wargnier's  East-West,  which 
premiered  in  Locarno.  Various  distributors  were 
seen  circling  Tom  Gilroy's  well-received  Spring 
Forward,  Allan  Moyle's  New  Waterford  Girl, 
and  James  D.  Stern's  All  the  Rage. 

Distributors  have  learned  how  to  capitalize 


on  Toronto's  press-inten- 
sive atmosphere  by 
delaying  announcements 
of  earlier  deals  until  the 
festival  is  underway. 
Such  was  the  case  with 
Lions  Gate,  which 
stuffed  industry  mailbox- 
es with  the  news  that 
prior  to  the  festival 
they'd  bought  Kevin 
Smith's  hot  potato, 
Dogma,  from  the 
Weinsteins  (who  had 
personally  taken  it  off 
Miramax/Disney's  hands 
after  they  smelled  a  fire- 
and-brimstone  storm 
brewing)  and  confidently 
planned  a  wide  release  in 
1,500  theaters. 

Meanwhile,  other  dis- 
tributors were  using  the 
festival  to  launch  their 
fall  slate.  With  hundreds 
of  journalists  gathered  in 
one  city,  the  festival 
winds  up  being  an  inex- 
pensive de  facto  press 
junket  for  films  like 
American  Beauty,  which 
opened  in  the  U.S.  directly  on  the  heels  of  its 
gala  screening  north  of  the  border.  Hollywood 
studios  have  long  used  A-list  festivals  for  this 
purpose.  But  increasingly,  smaller  distributors 
have  been  following  suit,  in  large  part  because 
they've  been  buying  films  ever  earlier  in  the 
production  cycle.  Nowadays  to  wait  to  get  your 
checkbook  out  until  a  festival  premiere  is  often 
to  miss  the  boat. 

And  so,  some  of  the  hottest  U.S.  indepen- 
dent features  showing  at  Toronto  had  already 
been  spoken  for.  Such  was  the  case  with 
Kimberly  Peirce's  powerful  Boys  Don't  Cry,  a 
unanimous  favorite  among  critics,  which  Fox 
Searchlight  had  snapped  up  nine  months  earli- 
er after  privately  viewing  a  20-minute  reel  of 
the  work-in-progress  during  Sundance.  The 
film  is  based  on  the  true  story  of  Brandon 
Teena,  a  young  woman  who  cuts  off  her  hair, 
tapes  down  her  breasts,  and  successfully  passes 
as  a  man  in  a  Nebraska  cow-town — even 
among  her  girlfriends — until  some  careless  run- 
ins  with  the  law  expose  her  ruse.  Hitting  the- 
aters just  several  weeks  after  its  Toronto  (and 
New  York  Film  Festival)  playdates,  Boys  Don't 
Cry  is  a  happy  confluence  of  several  major  tal- 


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December    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       13 


^— — aijLLiii 


ents,  including  a  brilliant  performance  by 
Hilary  Swank  as  the  charming  but  reckless  boy- 
in-girl's-skin;  glowing  and  velvety  night  cine- 
matography by  veteran  indie  DP  Jim  Denault; 
the  cachet  and  experience  of  producer 
Christine  Vachon;  and  the  cool  confidence  of 
screenwriter/director  Kimberly  Peirce,  here 
making  her  feature  debut.  Despite  common 
knowledge  of  Brandon  Teena's  fate,  Peirce 
manages  to  sustain  a  level  of  tension  through- 
out, as  Teena  brazenly  weaves  her  way  through 
the  macho  rituals  and  high-testosterone  envi- 
ronment of  the  prairie  town  which  ultimately 
crushes  her. 

Happy  accidents 

Given  the  number  of  films  unspooling  simulta- 
neously, planning  one's  screening  schedule  can 
be  as  complicated  as  a  three-dimensional  chess 
game.  At  a  certain  point,  exhausted  festival- 
goers  throw  their  carefully  highlighted  sched- 
ules to  the  wind  and  just  go  with  the  flow,  mix- 
ing premeditated  choices  with  the  completely 
serendipitous.  Sometimes  it's  these  chance 
encounters  that  yield  the  happiest  surprises. 
This  year  I  had  two. 

One  came  as  a  result  ot  Hurricane  Floyd. 
The  day  of  my  scheduled  departure,  Floyd 
came  roaring  up  the  Eastern  seaboard  and 
Mayor  Guiliani  fought  back  with  typical 
overkill,  shutting  down  the  schools,  the  Stock 
Exchange,  the  subways,  and,  of  course,  the  air- 
ports. I  learned  the  news  from  the  live  TV  cov- 
erage in  a  publicist's  hotel  suite,  and  as  the  real- 
ization sunk  in  that  I  was  stranded  in  a  city  with 
no  room  vacancies,  the  publicist  took  pity, 
seized  the  moment,  and  handed  me  a  ticket  to 
their  film  Beautiful  People.  "You  can  do  this 
tonight,"  he  said  sympathetically. 

So  I  did,  and  the  film  turned  out  to  be  terrif- 
ic. Set  in  modern-day  multicultural  London, 
Beautiful  People  interweaves  five  storylines,  all 
somehow  tied  with  the  conflict  in  Bosnia.  Each 
is  entirely  fresh  and,  of  all  things,  funny.  (The 
best  involves  a  heroin  addled  soccer  fan  who, 
returning  from  the  World  Cup  in  Holland, 
stumbles  onto  the  wrong  plane  and  winds  up 
getting  dropped  with  U.N.  relief  supplies  onto 
Bosnian  soil.)  The  theme  is  not  so  much  about 
culture  clash,  explained  director  Jasmin  Dizdar 
during  the  Q&A,  as  dislocation.  "It's  about  a 
Balkan  state  of  mind,"  he  said,  "people  who 
find  themselves  in  a  new  environment — what 
happens  if  you're  thrown  in  someone  else's  bed- 
room and  you're  not  familiar  with  the  furni- 
ture." 

Dizdar  should  know.   Born  in  Bosnia,  he 


began  directing  shorts  there,  then  moved  to 
Prague,  where  he  learned  a  new  language,  got  a 
film  degree,  and  directed  more  shorts.  In  1989 
he  went  to  England,  learned  yet  another  lan- 
guage, and  started  writing  for  the  BBC. 
Beautiful  People,  his  first  feature,  benefits  from 
Dizdar's  sharp  powers  of  observation,  his 
understanding  of 
the  bewilder- 
ments of  multi- 
culturism,  and 
his  affinity  with 
the  tradition  of 
Central  Europe- 
an filmmaking 
that  combines 
comedy  with 
depth.  The  win- 
ner of  Cannes' 
Un  Certain 

Regard  prize, 
Beautiful  People 
will  reach  Ameri- 
can audiences 
early  next  year, 
thanks  to  a 
Trimark  deal. 
Hopefully,    we'll 


be  seeing  more  of 
this  talented 
director. 

My  second 
stroke  of  luck 
came      when      I 

decided  not  to  walk  out  of  just  Watch  Me: 
Trudeau  and  the  '70s  Generation.  "Great!  A  doc- 
umentary on  Doonesbury,  the  Nixon  years,  and 
the  alluring  Gary  Trudeau,"  I'd  thought  when  I 
saw  the  listing.  Then  while  waiting  for  the 
lights  to  dim,  I  read  the  one-sheet  and  realized 
it  wasn't  about  Gary,  but  Pierre  Trudeau,  the 
former  Prime  Minister  of  Canada.  Yikes.  I  made 
ready  to  escape,  but  with  nothing  else  pressing 
on  my  schedule,  I  slumped  back  in  my  seat. 
And  boy,  am  I  glad  I  stayed. 

A  far  cry  from  the  kind  of  historical  portrait 
you'd  expect,  this  documentary  is  peopled  with 
a  group  of  lively,  engaging,  and  articulate 
Canadians,  now  in  their  thirties,  who  were  all 
affected  by  one  of  Trudeau's  initiatives.  In  order 
to  keep  French  Quebec  in  the  fold,  Trudeau 
endeavored  to  make  all  of  Canada  bilingual.  To 
this  end,  in  the  seventies  he  started  a  language 
exchange  program  between  Anglo  and  French- 
speaking  parts  of  the  country.  For  the  teens  who 
participated,  the  experience  went  far  deeper 
than   language.   As   the   film's  eight  subjects 


relate  (one  of  them  being  Smoke  Signals  actor 
Evan  Adams) ,  their  choice  of  lovers,  spouses, 
jobs,  and  even  self-image  were  all  profoundly 
influenced  by  this  experience.  Each  takes  us  on 
their  personal  journey,  culminating  in  the  emo- 
tional 1995  national  referendum  which  nar- 
rowly defeated  Quebec's   attempt   to  secede 


from  Canada.  Rarely  does  a  film  meld  the  per- 
sonal with  the  political  this  vividly. 

Even  rarer  is  a  documentary  so  visually  styl- 
ish. Influenced  by  Errol  Morris,  direector 
Catherine  Arrau  goes  for  a  filmic  look,  mixing 
4:3  and  16:9  formats  in  the  TV-proportioned 
interviews  and  the  widescreen  shots  of 
Canada's  wintry  landscapes.  "I  wanted  geogra- 
phy as  a  character,"  Arrau  says.  "There  were 
eight  voices  in  the  film,  but  10  characters.  The 
ninth  was  Trudeau,  and  the  tenth  was  the  geog- 
raphy." 

Arrau  was  among  the  young  participants  in 
this  language  exchange  program,  and  it  was 
because  of  her  firsthand  experience  and  her  lin- 
gering questions  about  the  program's  long-term 
success  that  the  National  Film  Board  funded 
the  film.  She  never  appears  on  camera,  howev- 
er. "No  way,"  she  flatly  states,  "partly  for  jour- 
nalistic reasons."  She  also  wasn't  convinced  she 
was  right  for  the  part.  "I  wanted  a  film  that  just 
sung;  it  had  to  sell  Canada,  the  generation.  I 
didn't  think  I  would  help  that  process,"  she  says 
with  a  laugh. 


14    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Nothing  Personal 

Just  Watch  Me  is  about  as  personal  as  it  gets  at 
Toronto.  All  in  all,  this  festival  has  never 
embraced  the  genre  of  personal  documentary 
or  diary  films.  What  we  get  instead  is  an  other- 
wise wide  range  of  approaches.  There's  the 
journalistic  investigation  of  Jawidiced  Eye,  by 
Nonny  de  la  Pena  and  Waco:  The  Rules  of 
Engagement  producers  Amy  and  Dan  Gifford, 
which  questions  the  justice  behind  a  sexual 
abuse  conviction.  There's  the  poetic  lyricism  of 
Juan,  I  Forgot  I  Don't  Remember,  by  Mexican 
director  Juan  Carlos  Rulfo,  who  is  ostensibly 
chasing  memories  of  his  late  grandfather,  but 
winds  up  creating  an  enchanting  portrait  of  the 
village  elders  in  the  southern  state  of  Jalisco. 
There's  the  old-fashioned  wall-to-wall  narra- 
tion of  Homo  Sapiens  1900,  which  traces  the 
early  history  as  eugenics  or  "race  hygiene."  And 
there's  the  opposite:  Chantal  Ackerman's  Sud, 
a  portrait  of  the  south  following  the  brutal  mur- 
der of  James  Byrd  which  remains  as  opaque  as 
her  tracking  shots  are  long.  Then  there's  a  large 
batch  of  character  studies:  Crazy  English,  about 
the  wild  and  crazy  Li  Yang,  who  teaches  English 
and  capitalism  to  crowds  of  Chinese;  Shadow 
Boxers,  which  follows  professional  female  boxer 
Lucia  Rijker  on  her  way  to  the  top;  The 
Humiliated,  a  revealing  verite  portrait  of  Lars 
von  Trier  as  he  shoots  The  Idiots;  and  American 
Movie,  a  paean  to  obstinate,  passionate,  inde- 
pendent filmmaking,  here  in  the  form  of  Mark 
Borschardt,  a  long-haired,  loquacious,  working- 
class  dude  from  Milwaukee  who  makes  cheesy 
horror  films. 

The  only  documentary  to  rate  its  own  press 
conference  during  the  festival  was  Barenaked  in 
America,  Jason  Priestly's  film  on  his  hometown 
buddies  Barenaked  Ladies.  While  traditional  in 
every  way  and  none  too  deep,  this  rock  doc  for- 
tunately has  as  its  subjects  a  group  that's  funny, 
ironic,  and  engaging,  both  on  stage  and  off. 
When  conceiving  the  project,  the  former 
90210  star  had  visions  of  the  silver  screen 
dancing  in  his  head  and  employed  six  cameras, 
a  crane,  a  steadicam,  and  super  16  stock  for  the 
concert  footage.  If  the  3.5  million  fans  who 
bought  the  group's  CD  line  up  for  tickets,  the 
film  should  do  just  fine  in  movie  theaters.  Let's 
hope  some  of  the  other  documentaries  also 
make  it  there.  One  thing  is  certain:  being  show- 
cased at  this  preeminent  festival-cum-market 
significantly  helps  those  chances. 

Patricia  Thomson  is  editor  in  chief  of  The 
Independent. 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      15 


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Final  Cut  Pro 

Apple  throws  down  the  gauntlet. 


by   Robert   M . 
Goodman 

Final  Cut  Pro,  Apple's  long  promised  desk- 
top  video  editing  solution,  was  introduced  at 
this  year's  National  Association  of  Broad- 
casters convention.  Its  slick  design  attracted  a 
lot  of  attention.  Apple's  pitch  to  an  eager 
crowd  was  professional  video  editing  and  com- 
positing for  $999  (that's  about  l/20th  the  cost 
of  Media  100  XR).  The  Independent  tested 
Final  Cut  Pro  vl.01  to  see  whether  its  perfor- 
mance lived  up  to  the  hoopla. 

Approach 

There  are  legions  of  fervent  Apple  loyalists 
who  have  an  attachment  bordering  on  obses- 
sion with  their  Macintosh  computers;  I'm  not 
one  of  them.  Personal  computers  are  tools.  I've 
used  every  operating  system  from  CPM  to  OS 
8.6  and  Windows  NT  over  the  years.  My  phi- 
losophy is  simple.  Use  whatever  works  to  get 
the  job  done. 

Apple   Corporation  supplied   a   Macintosh 


_;    file    Edit    View    Mark    Modify    Sequence    Effects    fools    Wind 


Blue  and  White  G3/300  with  128  MB  of  RAM, 
CD-Rom,  6  Gigabyte  hard  drive,  and  56K 
modem  to  test  Final  Cut  Pro  vl.O.  We  provided 
a  DV  source,  the  Canon  XL1;  a  Sony  profes- 
sional high-definition  monitor  with  pulse  cross 
and  underscan  to  monitor  video;  and  powered 
speakers  to  monitor  audio. 

Installation  &  Setup 

Final  Cut  uses  the  built-in  firewire  ports  on  G3s 
and  G4s  for  DV  input  and  output.  Final  Cut 
Pro  supports  Pinnacle  System's  Truevision 
Targa  boards;  the  1000  and  2000  series  are  sup- 
ported for  analog  composite  or  analog  compo- 
nent editing.  We  did  not  test  Final  Cut  with  the 
Targa  boards.  However,  according  to  several 
knowledgeable  sources,  there  are  unresolved 
issues  with  Final  Cut  Pro  as  an  analog  desktop 
editing  solution;  look  elsewhere  until  the 
plethora  of  bugs  are  fixed.  Final  Cut  Pro  was 
pre-installed  on  our  review  system. 

As  shipped,  Final  Cut  Pro  was  not  properly 
configured  to  capture  and  playback  DV  source 
material.  It  worked  fine  with  the  tutorial  files 


Final  Cut  Pro 


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Full  resolution  DV  in  the  source  window  and  low 
resolution  in  16:9  DV  in  the  canvas  window. 


but  despite  many  attempts,  I  was  unable  to  cap- 
ture video  without  dropping  frames.  There's 
hardly  any  specific  information  about  optimiz- 
ing the  G3  for  Final  Cut  in  the  manual  and 
some  of  it  is  incorrect.  I  was  forced  to  investi- 
gate how  to  setup  Final  Cut  Pro  to  work  as 
advertised. 

Apple's  support  team  was  helpful,  but  the 
best  source  of  information  was  Charles 
McConathy,  President  of  ProMax  Systems,  Inc. 
ProMax  sells  turnkey  Macintosh-based  digital 
video  editing  systems.  His  company  also  manu- 
factures the  TurboMAX  card  that  is  the  basis  of 
an  inexpensive  storage  solution  for  DV  editing 
on  G3s. 

Here's  what  you  need  to  know  should 
you  decide  to  purchase  Final  Cut.  At 
least  90  MB  of  memory  must  be  allo- 
cated to  run  the  program  on  a  G3/300 
(the  minimum  speed  for  DV  editing; 
faster  works  better).  It  and  Final  Cut 
Pro  work  more  smoothly  when  you 
allocate  120  MB  of  memory  to  Final 
Cut.  We  upgraded  the  memory  in  the 
review  system  to  256  MB. 

Final  Cut  Pro  should  be  installed  on 
a  separate  bootable  partition  or  drive.  I 
reinitialized  the  hard  drive  and  created 
two  partitions.  Then  I  reinstalled  OS 
8.5  on  the  first  partition,  set  up  the 
modem,  and  downloaded  the  updates 
for  OS  8.6,  Quicktime,  and  Final  Cut 
Pro  from  the  Internet.  Next,  I  rebooted 
from  the  CD  to  install  a  minimal  ver- 
sion of  OS  8.5  on  the  second  partition 
without  any  networking  or  Internet 
functions.  I  also  removed  any  unneces- 
sary extensions.  After  rebooting  the 
system,  I  upgraded  the  operating  sys- 
tem and  Quicktime  on  the  Final  Cut 


-■' 


V 

n 
-. 


16     THE    INDEPENDENT     December    1999 


partition.  Only  then  did  I  install  Final  Cut  Pro 
and  upgrade  the  program  to  version  1.01.  The 
installation  sequence — operating  system, 
Quicktime,  Final  Cut  Pro  — is  very  important. 
The  last  steps  were  to  turn  off  Virtual  Memory, 
minimize  the  disk  cache,  and  allocate  120  MB 
of  RAM  to  Final  Cut. 

User  Interface 

Final  Cut  Pro  divides  the  desktop  into  four  sec- 
tions: a  viewer  window  for  source  clips;  a  can- 
vas window  to  display  for  playback;  a  browser 
window  for  the  project  bins  which  hold  clips 
and  sequences,  and  an  effects  tab;  and  the 
timeline.  A  narrow  vertical  floating  tool  palette 
can  be  placed  anywhere  you  like.  In  the  preset 
arrangement,  it  fits  on  the  far  right  edge  of  the 
timeline. 

The  "viewer"  window  has  four  tabs  for 
video,  audio,  filters,  and  motion.  These  tabbed 
windows  can  be  separated  or  joined.  The  but- 
tons and  the  viewer  look  similar  to  the 
Quicktime  4.0  player.  In  the  center  are  five  but- 
tons: previous  edit;  play  in  to  out;  play;  play 
around  current  (uses  the  pre -roll  and  post- roll 
settings);  and  next  edit.  There  is  a  mouse  jog 
control  on  the  right-hand  side  and  a  mouse 
shuttle  control  on  the  left.  Underneath  the 
shuttle  control  are  tiny  buttons  for  match 
frame,  keyframes,  user  marks,  and  marking  ins 
and  outs.  There  is  also  a  button  for  accessing 
your  favorite  effects. 

The  "canvas"  window  is  used  to  play  the 
timeline.  It  looks  like  the  viewer  window  except 
that  the  shuttle  and  jog  controls  are  reversed. 
The  canvas  also  has  editing  buttons  for  insert, 
overwrite,  and  replace.  The  "browser"  contains 
all  the  information  about  each  project. 
Sequences  or  timelines  are  stored  along  with 
clips  or  clips  and  bins.  It  was  easy  to  create  or 
delete  bins,  copy  and  move  clips  from  one  bin 
to  another,  or  change  the  way  clips  are  dis- 
played in  the  browser  window. 

You  can  choose  to  display  the  clips  as  tiny  or 
very  tiny  icons  or  in  a  list  view.  The  list  view  has 
35  fields,  including  two  comment  fields.  The 
project  preference  dialogue  box  allows  you  to 
rename  the  headings  for  four  comment  fields, 
though  this  function  only  works  with  the  first 
two  comment  fields.  The  only  place  you  can  see 
all  tour  is  in  the  clip  information  dialogue  box. 
The  fields  in  the  browser  window  can  be  sorted 
in  ascending  or  descending  order,  moved  or 
resized.  Control- clicking  on  a  column  heading 
opens  a  window  that  allows  you  to  hide  that 
column  or  edit  the  heading  and  lists  all  the  hid- 
den columns.  The  search  feature  for  finding 
items  in  one  or  all  open  projects  was  excellent. 

The  timeline  follows  the  accepted  conven- 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       17 


tions  of  nonlinear  editing  and  includes  the 
standard  features.  You  can  expand  or  contract 
the  timeline,  though  the  scale  doesn't  center 
on  the  current  pointer  position.  You  must  re- 
center  the  timeline  manually.  There  are  other 
problems  with  the  user  interface.  The  color 
scheme  makes  it  difficult  to  tell  which  window 
is  active.  Unfortunately,  you  can't  change  the 
color  to  correct  this  problem.  There's  no  way  to 
resize  the  type  and  icons  used  in  the  program 
without  changing  the  resolution  which  creates 
other  problems.  On  a  17"  monitor,  the  buttons, 
icons,  and  type  require  a  magnifying  glass  and 
more  patience  than  most  editors  have. 

Plan  to  purchase  a  19"  monitor,  at  the  mini- 
mum, if  you  intend  to  use  this  software  on  a 
regular  basis.  Most  editors  will  feel  more  com- 
fortable and  be  more  productive  with  a  two- 
monitor  setup.  The  realization,  subsequently 
confirmed  by  one  of  the  designers,  that  Final 
Cut  Pro  was  designed  for  a  dual  monitor  set-up 
radically  changed  my  opinion  about  this  pro- 
gram, which  I  was  prepared  to  write  off  as  a 
useless  consumer  toy. 

Logging  &  Capture 

Final  Cut's  logging  features  are  similar  to  most 
nonlinear  systems:  basic  but  functional.  There 
are  fields  for  scene,  take,  comments,  and  a 
check  box  for  "good"  takes.  Final  Cut  automat- 
ically increments  scene  numbers  and  uses  the 
previous  clip's  mark  out  point  as  the  mark  in  for 
the  next  clip.  The  Apple  Firewire  deck  control 
setting  didn't  work  properly  with  the  Canon 
XL1.  Apple's  explanation  is  that  the  Canon's 
reduced  instruction  set  is  the  cause  of  the  prob- 
lem. You  can  log  and  then  batch  capture  all  or 
selected  off-line  clips  in  a  bin. 

I  had  no  problems  capturing  DV  footage, 
without  dropping  frames,  using  a  25  gigabyte 


EIDE  hard  drive 
connected  to 
P  r  o  M  AX ' s 
Turbo  Max  host 
adapter.  Despite 
what  the  manual 
says,  SCSI  is 
overkill  for  DV 
editing  (see  side- 
bar). Final  Cut 
Pro  has  prefer- 
ence settings  for 
nearly  every  for- 
mat from  mini- 
DV  to  HDTV 
and  PAL, 

though  none  for 
16:9      mini-DV 
You     can     cus- 
tomize the  frame  size,  change  audio  sampling 
rates,  and  store  your  preferences  for  reuse. 

Editing 

Final  Cut's  editing  features  are  impressive.  It 
has  three-point  editing  with  insert,  overwrite, 
and  replace  modes.  You  can  do  match  frame 
and  fit-to-fill  editing.  You  can  ripple,  roll,  slip, 
or  slide  on  the  timeline.  Final  Cut's  trim  win- 
dow isn't  as  functional  as  EditDV's,  however. 
You  can't  switch  back  and  forth  between  tracks 
and  do  split  edit  trimming.  When  you  trim 
audio,  an  icon  is  displayed  in  the  trim  window 
instead  of  the  footage,  making  it  more  difficult 
to  judge  your  actions. 

Up  to  99  levels  of  undo  can  be  set.  Video  and 
audio  tracks  can  be  locked  or  unlocked.  When 
the  video  and  audio  are  out  of  sync,  a  highly 
visible  frame  count  appears  in  the  affected 
tracks.  To  bring  the  tracks  back  into  sync,  lock 
audio  or  video  and  use  the  numeric  keypad  to 


move  the  other  tracks  relative  to  the  locked 
track.  You  can  also  slide  the  tracks  by  dragging 
them.  Control  click  on  the  red  icon  displaying 
the  frame  count.  A  window  opens  which  allows 
you  to  choose  to  move  the  clip  into  syc  or  slip 
it  into  sync.  Final  Cut  offers  all  of  the  editing 
power  of  Premiere,  but  is  far  easier  to  use. 

Audio 

A  major  strength  of  this  program  is  the  ability 
to  mix  up  to  eight  tracks  of  audio  in  real  time. 
If  you  go  beyond  eight,  you'll  need  to  render 
the  additional  tracks  or  mix  down  some  of  the 
tracks.  Final  Cut's  professional  audio  tool  set 
also  includes  a  mixing  board,  waveform  display, 
rubber  banding  on  the  timeline,  three  band 
equalizer,  parametric  equalizer,  and  notch  fil- 
tering. 

Titles  and  Effects 

Final  Cut  has  enough  transitions,  filters,  and 
effects  to  satisfy  most  users.  All  are  modifiable. 
The  only  non  keyframeable  effect  is  clip  speed 
modification.  The  modify  clip  speed  command 
does  not  appear  on  the  motion  tab;  it's  on  the 
modify  menu.  The  motion  tab  includes  all  the 
other  motion  effects  which  are  keyframeable. 
Motion  paths  are  controlled  with  Bezier  and 
in/out  handles.  Transitions  are  first  dropped  on 
cuts  in  the  track,  and  then  edited.  Transition 
settings  can  be  stored  in  the  project  bin  for 
reuse  elsewhere  by  dragging  the  transition  to 
the  project  bin.  To  a  non-critical  eye,  the 
effects  are  sharp.  However,  online  editors  will 
notice  that  none  of  the  borders,  wipe  patterns, 
or  effects  is  anti-aliased  so  there's  a  lot  of  stair- 
stepped  edges  and  visible  jaggies.  As  expected, 
Final  Cut  is  no  match  for  a  quality  switcher, 
though  it  should  satisfy  most  users.  If  you 
intend  to  make  film  prints,  you  should  probably 
redo  the  effects  in  a  digital  on-line  suite. 


ADVICE  FOR  LONG-FORM   EDITING 

ProMAX  recently  introduced  DV  Plus™  ($99),  a  plug-in  for  Final  Cut  and  Adobe  Premiere  (Mac  only)  that  offers  the  world's 
first  low-res  mini-DV  transfers.  We  tested  DV  Plus,  developed  by  Pillow  Software,  with  Final  Cut  Pro.  For  now,  there's  only  one 
level  of  "compression" — about  nine  times  the  normal  rate.  Forty-one  minutes  of  mini-DV  footage,  processed  through  DV 
Plus,  fit  in  one  gigabyte  of  space  instead  of  4.5  minutes.  Sixteen  hours  fits  on  a  25-Gigabyte  hard  drive  ($350).  Great  news 
for  anyone  doing  long-form  programming. 

What  does  low-res  miniDV  look  like?  If  you  stand  six  feet  back  from  the  screen,  the  image  looks  fine;  the  edges  appear 
somewhat  fuzzy.  At  a  normal  distance  from  the  screen.  mini-DV's  imperceptible  pixels  are  now  large  square  blocks.  The  size 
of  the  person  in  the  frame  will  determine  whether  or  not  you  can  see  lip  sync  in  a  shot.  In  my  judgement,  DV  Plus  is  good 
enough  to  do  the  first  go  through  if  you  have  a  lot  of  material  to  cull.  Consider  sitting  further  back  from  the  monri 


Another  tip  is  to  forgo  high-priced  SCSI-based  storage  unless  you  already  own  it.  Inexpensive  EIDE  (also  called  Ultra  ATA 
or  DMA)  hard  drives  are  fast  enough  for  DV  editing.  ProMAX's  Turbo  Max  PCI  Host  Adapter  ($1 29)  allows  you  to  add  up  to  four 
additional  Ultra  ATA-33  hard  drives  to  your  G3  Power  Macintosh.  And  all  five  will  fit  in  the  G3's  case.  ProMAX  recommends 
and  sells  IBM  hard  drives  for  use  with  this  adapter.  We  tested  it  with  an  IBM  25  Gigabyte  5400rpm  hard  drive  partitioned  into 
two  drives.  Capture  and  playback  worked  flawlessly  on  either  partition.  —  R.G. 


18     THE    INDEPENDENT     December    1999 


The  titling  feature  must  have  been  an  after- 
thought. The  interface  is  weird  and  cumber- 
some. Only  one  font  is  selectable  per  page.  You 
must  use  the  DVE  functions  to  position  text. 
On  a  positive  note,  Final  Cut  does  do  soft  drop 
shadows  (user  settable),  a  feature  that  has  been 
unavailable  on  Avid.  The  only  sensible  option 
is  to  create  titles  in  Photoshop  and  import  them 
into  Final  Cut,  even  though  it's  an  extra  step. 

Support 

This  is  a  low- cost  program,  so  don't  expect  a 
24-hour  toll-free  hotline.  Support  is  available 
on  Apple's  website  and  from  other  users  at 
www.2-pop.com,  a  site  devoted  to  Final  Cut 
Pro.  Apple  telephone  support  is  available  for 
$199  per  incident. 

Conclusions 

Final  Cut  Pro  is  off  to  an  impressive  start.  For 
$999,  you  get  a  feature -rich  product  with  real- 
time audio  mixing,  equalization,  99  levels  of 
undo,  slip  and  slide,  and  fit-to-fill  editing,  plus 
support  for  Adobe  plug-ins.  Transition,  filter, 
and  effect  settings  can  be  saved,  moved,  copied, 
and  reused.  Most  are  keyframeable.  Photoshop 
files  import  with  intact  layers.  Final  Cut  han- 
dles Photoshop  and  After  Effects  plug-ins. 

There  are  issues  one  hopes  will  be  fixed.  The 
biggest  problem  is  rendering.  Final  Cut  Pro  ren- 
ders at  half  the  speed  of  its  competitors.  The 
way  the  program  manages  rendering  is  also  not 
very  smart.  Final  Cut  renders  everything 
including  clips  with  no  filters  or  effects  in  the 
timeline.  If  you  hide  a  track,  Final  Cut  deletes 
all  previously  rendered  files  on  that  track.  You 
must  re -render,  which  is  costly  in  time  and 
unnecessary.  When  an  unrendered  clip  plays  in 
the  canvas  window,  a  title  "unrendered"  plays 
instead  of  the  clip.  FCP  should  play  the  clip 
without  the  effect  not  show  me  a  fancy  title. 
The  titling  functions  are  weak.  The  user  inter- 
face needs  tweaking  and  there's  no  preset  scal- 
ing for  16:9  miniDV  footage. 

Version  1.0  of  any  product  is  cause  for  cau- 
tion. Too  often  software  is  rushed  out  the  door 
and  foisted  upon  buyers.  That  isn't  true  of  Final 
Cut  Pro.  It's  usable  and  offers  excellent  value 
on  a  cost-performance  basis. 

This  program  clearly  challenges  competing 
nonlinear  systems  at  every  price  point.  Final 
Cut  is  not  perfect  by  any  stretch  of  the  imagi- 
nation, but  it's  off  to  one  heck  of  a  good  start. 
Apple  has  thrown  down  the  gauntlet.  Who 
responds  and  how  remains  to  be  seen. 

Robert  Goodman  (goodmaniji  histories. com],  an  award- 
winning  writer  and  Emmy  nominated  director,  based  in 
Philadelphia,  is  currently  editing  the  feature  Gifts  in  the 
Mail  and  developing  other  projects  for  televisicm. 


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H       M      W    Help  You  ? 


December    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       19 


HE  FILMMAKING  INDUSTRY 
began  in  New  Mexico  as 
early  as  1898  when  an  inventor 
named  Thomas  Edison  arrived 
in  the  dusty  desert  with  his  new- 
fangled "camera"  to  capture 
flickering  images  of  Isleta 
Pueblo  schoolchildren  for  the  short  Indian  Day 
School.  Since  then,  the  Land  of  Enchantment  has 
been  home  to  hundreds  of  productions,  big  and  small. 
For  decades,  New  Mexico  served  as  a  back- 
drop for  pioneering  Hollywood  filmmakers 
seeking  an  authentic  Old  West  feel  for  their 
horse  operas.  Cowboy  star  Tom  Mix  stepped  off 


a  train  here  in  1914  and  didn't  get  back  on  until 
he  had  shot  17  westerns.  True  independent 
filmmaking  didn't  begin  until  the  1960s,  how- 
ever, when  the  desert  southwest  became  a 
Mecca  for  counterculture  types  seeking  escape 
from  the  corrupted  backdrop  of  big  city 
America.  Hollywood  soon  followed.  Peter 
Fonda  and  Dennis  Hopper  were  frequent  visi- 
tors to  the  communes  of  northern  New  Mexico 
and  chose  to  shoot  their  anti- establishment 
opus  Easy  Rider  in  and  around  New  Mexico. 
Along  w^ith  the  Hollywood  contingent  came  a 
wealth  of  writers,  filmmakers,  and  artists  who 
took  up  residence  in  the  state  and  never  left. 


Today,  New  Mexico's  wildly  varied  land- 
scapes and  wide-open  horizons  have  given 
birth  to  a  fractured  film  and  video  scene. 
Occasional  high-profile  Hollywood  projects 
drift  into  the  state  (Natural  Born  Killers, 
Contact),  briefly  bestowing  employment  on  a 
small  group  of  hearty  technicians  who  refuse  to 
give  in  and  move  to  L.A.  The  state  has  seen  a 
steady  decline  in  studio  productions  since  the 
early  '90s,  and  taking  advantage  of  the  space 
now  afforded  them  are  scattered  pockets  of 
found  footage  assemblers,  super  8  devotees, 
35mm  dreamers,  video  artists,  and  digital  pio- 
neers who  prefer  the  glare  of  the  Southwest  sun 


Land  of  Enchantment 

This  month,  The  Independent  puts  its  spotlight  on  New  Mexico,  which  has  played  host 
to  filmmakers  from  Thomas  Edison  to  Billy  Bob  Thornton. 


c 


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ON    NEW  MEXICO 


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The  splendor  of  the 
Rio  Grande  Gorge  Bridge,  Taos  County. 


A  CENTURY  OF 
CINEMA  IN  NEW 

f*. 

* 

MEXICO 

£_jL  ■ 

1999  ALL  THE  PRETTY  HORSES 
(BILLY  BOB  THORNTON) 

-.  m 

1998  THE  HI-LO  COUNTRY 
(STEPHEN  FREARS)>> 

\ 

T     '"  n 

1994  NATURAL 
BORN  KILLERS 
(OLIVER  STONE) 


1993  ROAD 
SCHOLAR 
(ROGER  WEISBERG) 


1992  GAS.  FOOD 
LODGING 
(ALLISON  ANDERS) 


1988  THE  MILAGRO  BEANFIELD  WA 
(ROBERT  REDFORD) 

1985  LOST  IN  AMERICA 
(ALBERT  BROOKS) 

1979  THE  MUPPET  MOVIE 
(JAMES  FRAWLEY) 

1976  THE  MAN  WHO  FELL  TO  EAR 
(NICOLAS  ROEG)  >  > 


C_l;_^  U-J/S-.J.  Ci-zJsji) 


to  the  glare  of  Hollywood  klieg  light. 

"I  refuse  to  wear  the  hairshirt  and  matching 
panties  that  Hollywood  requires,"  declares  Su 
Hudson,  an  Albuquerque-based  filmmaker 
with  several  shorts  to  her  resume  (including 
Fire  which  premieres  at  the  annual  Weekly  Alibi 
Short  Film  Festival  in  Albuquerque).  Hudson  is 
one  of  the  independent  few  who  garner  their  inspir- 
ation from  the  arid  environment  of  New  Mexico. 

The  decrease  in  professional  gigs,  however, 
has  caused  many  filmmakers  to  guard  jealously 
their  projects.  "[New  Mexico]  filmmakers  tend 
to  be  very  secretive  about  what  they're  doing," 
notes  Hudson.  As  a  result,  many  local  filmmak- 
ers are  genuinely  surprised  to  hear  of  other 
homegrown  projects. 

Michael  Dellheim,  executive  director  of  the 
New  Mexico  Film  Office,  believes  the  decline 
in  studio  film  production  has  driven  the  local 
professionals  to  seek  out  more  independent 
films.  His  office  has  seen  a  sharp  increase  in 
film  professionals  looking  for  local  indie  efforts 
to  round  out  their  empty  dance  cards. 

New  Mexico's  film  scene,  not  unlike  its  art, 
literature,  and  music  scenes,  tends  to  be 
extremely  spread-out — not  surprising  in  a  state 
with  so  much  land  mass  (fifth-largest)  and  so 
few  residents  (1.7  million).  The  state  grew  up 
around  the  endless  appeal  of  Route  66.  As  a 
result,  its  cities  are  marked  by  unchecked  urban 
sprawl  and  a  population  that  can't  seem  to  find 
its  center.  This  lack  of  cohesion  is  visible,  too, 
in  the  indie  film  scene.  Asked  to  define  what 
New  Mexico's  "scene"  is  like,  most  observers 
are  left  at  a  loss  for  words.  That  is  not  to  say,  of 
course,  that  there  isn't  a  flourishing  film  scene 
in  New  Mexico.  You  just  have  to  turn  over  the 
right  rocks  to  find  it. 

Albuquerque,  Santa  Fe  and  Taos,  three  of 
New  Mexico's  most  populous  northern  cities, 
are  the  triangle  around  which  nearly  all  film 
and  video  work  is  based. 

Albuquerque  boasts  a  number  of  well- 
equipped  postproduction  houses,  from  the  large 
(30  Second  Street  with  its  full-service  postpro- 
duction, animation,  and  computer  graphics)  to 


the  small  (Field  &  Frame  with  its  super  8  equip- 
ment rentals,  flatbed  editors,  and  digital  video 
transfer).  Alan  Fulford,  the  owner  of  Field  & 
Frame,  has  worked  for  many  years  as  a  crew 
member  on  countless  in-state  productions, 
from  commercials  to  feature  films.  Fulford's 
business  is  as  much  a  clubhouse  for  under- 
ground filmmakers  as  it  is  a  rental  and  postpro- 
duction facility. 

"I  think  most  people  that  are  doing  films  are 
pretty  happy  here,"  says  Fulford.  "They  know 
they  can  go  work  production  in  Los  Angeles 
just  to  get  a  little  more  experience.  A  lot  of  peo- 
ple do  come  back;  but  a  lot  of  them  give  up 
their  dreams  of  making  a  film.  You  stay  away 
from  the  big  industry,  you're  more  likely  to  be 
directed  about  what  you  want  to  do." 

Encouraging  filmmakers  to  stay  is  the  key. 
Frank  Zuniga  was  born  in  Gallup,  NM,  and 
escaped  to  attend  film  school  at  USC  where  his 
classmates  included  Francis  Ford  Coppola  and 
B-movie  king  Jack  Hill.  Zuniga  spent  much  of 
the  1970s  working  for  Disney  Studios. 
Eventually  he  returned  to  New  Mexico  and 
founded  the  SouthWest  Institute  of  Film  and 
Television  (SWIFT)  in  the  spring  of  1998. 
Zuniga's  goal  was  to  provide  a  voice  for  inde- 
pendent filmmakers,  particularly  Native 
American  and  Hispanic  youth.  SWIFT  has 
taught  classes  in  everything  from  screenwriting 
and  sports  videography  to  stunt  driving.  The 
school  is  currently  negotiating  to  find  itself  a 
permanent  campus,  and  Zuniga  is  working  hard 
to  kickstart  a  program  he  developed  called 
"Videos  from  the  Barrio."  The  program  is  being 
operated  in  conjunction  with  a  local  youth 
development  group  and  seeks  to  teach  video- 
graphy skills  to  inner  city  youth. 

While  the  University  of  New  Mexico's  film 
and  media  arts  departments  remain  underfund- 
ed, UNM's  Department  of  Art  and  Art  History 
has  worked  hard  developing  what  instructor 
Michael  Cook  calls,  "a  very  innovative  field 
study  format."  During  the  last  two  weeks  of 
every  May,  Cook  takes  between  10  and  14  grad- 
uate or  advanced  undergraduate  students  up  to 


the  remote  D.H.  Lawrence  Ranch  outside  Taos 
and  subjects  them  to  an  intense  course  in  video 
art.  Cook,  who  also  functions  as  the  depart- 
ment's Associate  Dean  of  Technology,  is 
intrigued  by  the  idea  of  "taking  rather  sophisti- 
cated technology  and  trucking  it  out  into  the 
woods."  Cook  is  himself  an  award- winning 
videographer  who  specializes  in  short,  installa- 
tion-style video  projects.  His  students  have 
demonstrated  a  stunning  control  of  the  digital 
medium,  producing  fluid,  multi-layered  video 
art  pieces  using  high-tech  digital  cameras  plus 
Avid  Adobe  Premiere  programs  on  Mac  computers. 

Further  north  in  the  state's  capital,  the 
College  of  Santa  Fe's  Moving  Image  Arts  Center 
has  quickly  blossomed  into  an  in-state  Mecca 
for  eager  young  film  and  video  artists.  In  1990, 
the  college  completed  work  on  two  professional 
sound  stages,  the  result  of  a  generous  donation 
from  Oscar-winning  actress  Greer  Garson. 
Garson  Studios  consists  of  a  14,000  square  foot 
studio  with  a  1600  amp,  3-phase  power  system, 
and  a  hard  cyclorama  plus  a  smaller  7,000- 
square-foot,  400  amp  studio.  Both  studios  have 
access  to  production  offices,  wardrobe  facilities, 
and  trailer  hook-ups.  Wild  Wild  West,  The  Hi-Lo 
Country,  and  John  Carpenter's  Vampires  are  a  few 
of  the  films  that  have  availed  themselves  of 
Garson  Studios.  The  students  of  CSF  have  also 
taken  advantage  of  visiting  productions  by  work- 
ing as  interns  on  the  various  shoots. 

Moving  Image  Arts  Department  head 
Jonathan  Wacks  began  work  as  an  indie  produc- 
er/director (Repo  Man,  Pow  Wow  Highway) 
before  revamping  CSF's  film  and  video  depart- 
ment. Because  of  Wacks'  efforts,  the  Moving 
Image  Arts  Department  is  CSF's  largest,  with 
some  175  undergraduates.  This  last  year,  stu- 
dents produced  their  own  35mm  film,  a  20- 
minute  compilation  called  Suitcase. 

The  students  were  granted  special  dispensa- 
tion that  allowed  them  to  use  professional  talent 
for  less  than  scale.  The  result  was  a  dazzlingly 
professional  mini-anthology. 

"Unfortunately,"  admits  Wacks,  "I  would  say 
most  of  my  students  head  for  New  York."  In 


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(GEORGE  ROY  HILL)  >> 


December   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      21 


A  theater  on  Santa  Fe's  San  Francisco  St. 
— a  fine  example  of  desert  Deco. 

From  Pyroglyphs,  a  computer-generated  installation 
by  Steina  Vasulka,  who  founded  The  Kitchen  in  New 
York  with  her  husband,  Woody  Vasulka.  They  reset- 
tled in  New  Mexico  and  are  among  its  devotees. 


u 


order  to  encourage  local  filmmakers  to  stay, 
Wacks  has  been  instrumental  in  founding 
FOCUS  New  Mexico,  an  advocacy  group  con- 
sisting of  more  than  100  film  professionals  ded- 
icated to  luring  more  productions  to  New 
Mexico.  The  group  hopes  to  accomplish  this  by 
encouraging  larger  tax  breaks  (the  state  cur- 
rently grants  only  a  6  percent  waiver)  and  by 
educating  New  Mexico  bankers  about  the  ben- 
efits of  bankrolling  local  films.  For  Wacks,  "it  all 
comes  down  to  financing.  There  isn't  any  here." 

Another  advocate  of  local  film  is  Fidel 
Moreno,  president  of  the  American  Indian 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  an  award-winning 
filmmaker  (Wiping  the  Tears  of  Seven  Genr 
erations,  The  Peyote  Road),  and  founder  of  the 
Native  Visions  Media  Arts  Center.  NVMAC 
was  created  to  use  video  and  film  to  document 
and  preserve  oral  traditions,  history,  and  lan- 
guages of  Native  cultures.  Located  on  the 
Navajo  reservation  outside  Santa  Fe,  the  center 
trains  youth  in  media  literacy  and  technology 
to  establish  cross-cultural  bridges.  Under 
Moreno's  guidance,  the  center  has  produced 
short  films,  PSAs,  and  a  series  of  CD-ROMs 
containing  educational,  cultural,  and  historical 
information  in  a  "multidimensional"  format. 

Since  their  move  from  New  York  to  Santa  Fe 
20  years  ago,  pioneering  video  artists  Woody 
and  Steina  Vasulka  have  seen  many  changes  on 
the  local  arts  scene.  "The  whole  movement  of 
video — I'm  talking  about  independent  work — 
has  moved  from  experimentation  to  kind  of  a 
psychological  work  again  that's  closer  to  televi- 
sion," observes  Woody.  "The  new  generation 


takes  its  complete  resource  from  televi- 
sion, because  they've  not  gone  through 
this  whole  invention  of  the  small  for- 
mat." Of  his  Santa  Fe  contemporaries 
such  as  Godfrey  Reggio  (Koyaanisqatsi) 
and  Alton  Walpole  (The  Tao  of  Steve), 
Woody  notes  "they  have  a  hard  time 
raising  money,"  while  funding  for  the  Vasulka's 
work  comes  from  out  of  state.  Yet  while  most  of 
their  work  goes  overseas  (Steina  recently  had  a 
video  installation  in  The  Windows  Project  66, 
a  multi-venue  exhibit  that  filled  downtown 
Albuquerque  storefronts  with  art  installations) 
they're  working  to  create  another  "artistic  and 
scientific  laboratory"  in  Santa  Fe  similar  to  The 
Kitchen,  which  they  set  up  in  New  York.  Kit 
Fitzgerald,  another  New  York  mediamaker, 
made  "a  personal  move,  not  a  professional 
move"  to  the  southwest,  where  she  teaches  at 
the  College  of  Santa  Fe.  However,  most  of  her 
own  mediamaking  is  still  done  in  New  York 
rather  than  in  New  Mexico.  "The  problem  is 
not  technology,"  she  asserts,  noting  how  desk- 
top systems  have  levelled  the  playing  field. 
"[But]  there  just  aren't  the  number  of  talented 
collaborators  and  trained  production  crews 
here  in  New  Mexico." 

Farther  north,  pushing  toward  the 
Colorado  border,  is  the  tiny  arts  community  of 
Taos.  For  such  a  small  town,  Taos  has  a  surpris- 
ingly vivid  film  scene.  This  is  thanks  in  no  small 
part  to  the  annual  Taos  Talking  Pictures  Film 
Festival  in  mid-April.  While  other  NM  film  fes- 
tivals seem  to  be  on  permanent  hiatus  (such  as 
the  International  Family  Film  Festival  in 
Albuquerque  and  the  Native  Americas  Inter- 
national Film  Exposition  in  Santa  Fe),  the  five 
year-old  Taos  Talking  Pictures  Film  Festival  was 
recently  named  one  of  the  top  10  film  festivals 
in  America  by  Chris  Gore  in  his  Ultimate  Film 
Fest    Survival    Guide.     With    festivals    like 


Sundance    and    Telluride    pushing   maximum  I 
density,  Taos  has  established  itself  as  the  up-l 
and-comer  having  premiered  such  indie  hits  as  I 
Big  Night  and  Gadjo  Dilo.  In  addition  to  hosting  I 
top  U.S.  premieres,  the  festival  has  founded  an  I 
innovative  Media  Literacy  Forum  in  which  a  I 
diverse  collection  of  media  professionals  (found  I 
footage  completist  Craig  Baldwin,  Newsweek 
critic  David  Ansen,  newscaster  Hugh  Dovvnes) 
discuss   and  demystify  TV   and   movies   and 
explore   vital   issues   surrounding   the   mass 
media.  The  festival  also  hands  out  the  presti- 
gious Taos  Land  Grant  Award  (five  acres  on 
Taos  Mesa)  to  the  festival's  most  innovative 
filmmaker.  The  hope  is  to  foster  a  community 
of  talented  artists  who  consider  Taos  their  sec- 
ond  home.   Chris   Eyre    (Smoke  Signals)    and 
David  Riker  (La  Ciudad)  are  among  the  cozy 
neighbors  of  Taos'  most  filmic  neighborhood. 

Like  most  festivals,  Taos  accepts  submissions 
from  all  over  the  world,  but  is  careful  to  include 
programs  of  regional  note.  The  1999  festival 
contained  1 1  Latino-produced  and  themed 
films  and  seven  Native  American  works.  An 
open  sheet  screening  allows  local  artists  to 
show  off  their  wares  every  year  and  a  multi- 
media dance/screening  is  presided  over  by 
Albuquerque-based  micro-cine  group 
Basement  Films.  And  the  Taos  Talking  Pictures 
organization  remains  active  all  year  long,  host- 
ing workshops,  lectures  and  film  screenings 
throughout  northern  New  Mexico. 

While  New  Mexico's  film  and  video  scene 
remains  a  disenfranchised  one,  there  are  those 
who  tough  it  out  for  the  incredible  landscape, 
light,  and  lifestyle  that  New  Mexico  offers. 
Perhaps  Albuquerque -based  Native  filmmaker 
Aaron  Carr  sums  up  New  Mexico  best:  "I  think 
it's  a  really  nice  place  to  be  if  you're  a  filmmak- 
er, because — for  one  thing — there's  an  incredi- 
ble mix  of  people  here.  .  .  I  thought  I  might  go 
to  New  York  or  L.A.  for  school,  but  I've  learned 
a  lot  more  here.  Just  on  my  own  and  hanging 
out  with  other  filmmakers." 

Devin  D.  O'Leary  is  the  film  editor  for 

Albuquerque's  Weekly  Alibi,  a  correspondent  for 

AMG's  (Jlmovk.com,  and  founder  of  the  Short  Film 

Fiesta  in  Albuquerque. 


1959  JOURNEY  TO  THE 
CENTER  OF  THE  EARTH 
(HENRY  LEVIN) 

1955  OKLAHOMA! 
(FRED  ZINNEMANN) 


mam  GRAPES  OF  WRATH 
(JOHN  FORD)  >> 


1920  BILLY  THE  KID 
(KING  VIDOR) 
>> 

1898  INDIAN  DAY 
SCHOOL 
(THOMAS  EDISON) 


22    THE    INDEPENDENT     December  1999 


V  ON 


BY   Devin    D.    O '    Leary 

Space  Cowboys.  Lance  Maurer's  first 
writing/directing  effort  is  a  low-budget  (under 
$100,000)  look  at  alien  abductions  in  the  state 
that  brought  us  the  Roswell  UFO  crash.  The 
film  was  shot  guerilla- style  on  single-camera 
16mm  over  14  days  in  early  '99 — an  impressive 
task  for  a  film  that  employed  over  30  New 
Mexico  locations.  "The  idea  was,"  says  Maurer, 
"if  I  shot  in  16mm  black-and-white  grainy  film 
in  the  outbacks  of  Route  66  New  Mexico,  that 
that  would  be  inherently 
enough  to  see  visually." 
Casting  the  film 
proved  to  be  little 
problem.  "We  had  a  huge 
turn-out,"  says  Maurer.  "We  had 
50  or  60  people  that  we  got  to 
weed  through,  because  there's 
really  a  lack  of  independent  films 
on  the  medium-size  level  [in  New 
Mexico]."  The  transfer  from  film 
to  digital  format  is  completed,  and 
Maurer  hopes  to  have  the  Avid 
work  done  by  December. 

Of  Things  Unknown.  Taos  film- 
maker James  Lujan  is  also  obsessed 
with  aliens.  After  two  well- 
received  documentaries  {High 
Strange  New  Mexico  and  Little 
Rock's  Run),  Lujan  is  working  on 
his  first  dramatic  feature.  This 
"supernatural /psychological 
thriller"  tells  the  story  of  a 
German  woman  searching  for  the 
ultimate  truth  in  a  long-lost 
sacred  relic.  After  locating  the 
object  of  her  desires  in  northern 
NM,  our  heroine  finds  her  mind 
opened  and  realizes  that  the 
entire  fate  of  humanity  rests  on  the  success  or 
failure  of  one  single  marriage.  According  to 
Lujan,  the  film  will  touch  on  three  universal 
themes:  "UFOs,  sex,  and  spirituality."  Lujan 
has  raised  the  initial  $20,000  to  shoot  the  film 
himself  on  digital  video  and  is  hoping  to  raise 
an  additional  $40,000  from  local  investors  to 
transfer  the  footage  to  35mm  at  a  later  date. 
Casting  has  been  completed  and  the  projected 
6-8  week  shoot  will  begin  soon.  Lujan  hopes  to 
have  the  film  cut  in  time  for  next  year's  Taos 
Film  Festival. 

The  Rant.  Director  Su  Hudson's  latest  short 
was  shot  on  16mm,  Hi-8,  and  "a  couple  8mm 
cameras."  Hudson  shot  the  whole  thing  in  one 
marathon  session  at  an  Albuquerque  tiki  bar. 


Hudson  originally  dismissed  the  idea  of  using 
crystal  sync  sound  since  her  16mm  camera  was 
hand-cranked.  She  shot  Hi-8  video  all  the  way 
through  and  used  a  DAT  recorder  for  sound. 
The  quality  of  the  Hi-8  footage  pleased  Hudson 
quite  a  bit,  and  she  now  plans  to  use  primarily 
video  with  film  inserts.  Hudson  spent  a  month 
or  two  in  pre-production/writing  and  hopes  to 
have  the  film  cut  together  before  December. 
The  film's  story  concerns  a  weary  workaday  gal 
who  seeks  shelter  in  bar  and  is  soon  beset  by  a 
gentleman  offering  to  "buy  her  a  drink."  In 
response,  she  unleashes  a  humorous  rant  tear- 
ing down  male  libido 


designers,  make-up,  costumes)  are  expected  to 
be  employed.  The  film  is  being  made  in  cooper- 
ation with  the  Albuquerque -based  local  talent 
agency,  South  of  Santa  Fe  Talent  Guild. 

Mona's  Baby  Shower.  According  to  Native 
filmmaker  Aaron  Carr,  "My  mom's  Navajo  and 
my  father's  Laguna.  They  raised  me  in  a  mod- 
ern setting  but  with  a  very  traditional  outlook." 
Carr's  first  feature  reflects  this  decidedly  New 
Mexican  background.  Thoughout  most  of 
1999,  Carr  was  working  on  Kinaalda,  an  hour- 
long  documentary  for  PBS  about  a  Navajo 
puberty  ceremony  and,  subsequently,  about 
how  all  cultures  view  coming- of- age.  On  week- 


New  Mexico  Production  Slate 

A  sampler  of  up-and-coming  projects  in  New  Mexico. 


and  the  pathetic,  primitive  mating  techniques 
that  it  spawns. 

Night  Flight.  Michael  Montroy  is  the  founder 
of  Moonchaser,  Ltd.,  an  Albuquerque-based 
production  company.  Night  Flight,  the  compa- 
ny's first  film,  revolves  around  an  estranged 
grandfather  and  granddaughter  and  is 
described  as  "a  heartwarming  relationship  film 
with  a  positive  message  for  families."  This 
35mm  feature  will  be  exclusively  produced  in 
New  Mexico  by  New  Mexicans  for  release  in 
2000.  Though  the  film  is  still  in  the  early  stages 
of  pre-production,  the  company  has  raised  "a 
major  portion"  of  its  projected  $2  million  bud- 
get. Estimated  production  time  is  six  months 
and  150-200  New  Mexicans  (actors,  extras,  set 


ends,  Carr  used  short  ends  and  unused  raw 
stock  from  the  documentary  to  shoot  Mona's 
Baby  Shower.  "It's  about  these  two  sisters  who 
are  trying  to  have  a  baby  shower  and  all  the 
complications  that  arise,"  says  Carr,  who  spent 
a  year  and  a  half  honing  the  script.  "It  was  all 
filmed  on  the  Laguna  reservation,"  (30  miles 
west  of  Albuquerque).  The  project  is  entirely 
self-funded  with  quite  a  bit  of  donated  services 
such  as  Avid  editing  and  equipment  rentals.  As 
a  result,  "a  lot  of  weird  things  happened.  It  used 
to  be  three  sisters.  Now  it's  two,"  confesses 
Carr.  Now  that  initial  shooting  has  wrapped, 
Carr  is  trying  to  get  the  film  edited  in  time  for 
Sundance  or  "maybe  possibly  Slamdance." 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      23 


>  CONFERENCE,  FESTIVAL  & 
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NARRATIVE  FEATURE  •  DOCUMENTARY  FEATURE  •  NARRATIVE  SHORT 
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ENTRY  DEADLINE 

NOVEMBER  15,  1999 

LATE  DEADLINE 

DECEMBER  10,  1999 


ALL  THINGS 
GREAT  &  SMALL 

Producer  Alton  Walpole 

makes  a  lifetime  investment 

in  Santa  Fe. 

by   Jon    Bowman 

Ask  producer  Alton  Walpole  about  his 
passion  for  the  desert,  and  he  recalls  his  restless 
youth  in  the  high  plains  around  Mountainair,  a 
New  Mexico  farming  community  where  the 
jackrabbits  outnumber  the  residents. 

Walpole  couldn't  wait  to  skip  town,  con- 
vinced he  had  missed  out  on  a  world  of  oppor- 
tunities lying  somewhere  beyond  the  fringes  of 
the  Continental  Divide.  Filmmaking  fed  his 
wanderlust,  as  he  landed  stints  on  a  string  of 
globe-trotting  features — as  editor  on 
Koyaanisqatsi,  editor  and  production  manager 
on  Chronos,  and  supervising  producer  on 
Baraka  and  A  Passioii  in  the  Desert. 

When  Walpole  eventually  formed  his  own 
film  production  company  in  1989,  he  named  it 
Mountainair  Films,  Inc.,  and  set  up  shop  in 
Santa  Fe  just  up  the  highway  from  his  home 
town.  Looking  back,  with  the  advantage  of  20- 
20  hindsight  on  his  childhood,  he  says,  "I 
wouldn't  have  traded  it  for  anything." 

New  Mexico  is  too  arid  to  qualify  as  a  small 
pond,  but  Walpole  can  stake  a  legitimate  claim 
as  the  state's  big  kahuna,  the  most  active  inde- 
pendent film  producer  on  the  scene.  Jonathan 
Wacks,  producer  of  Repo  Man  and  director  of 
Pow  Wow  Highway,  refers  to  Walpole  without 
hesitation  as  "da  man." 

In  the  last  year  alone,  Walpole  has  helped  to 
package  three  different  features — as  producer 
of  Soundman,  supervising  producer  of  Hand  of 
Fate,  and  co-producer  of  The  Tao  of  Steve — now 
in  varying  stages  of  postproduction  and  promo- 
tion. The  Tao  of  Steve  represents  Mountainair's 
most  ambitious  undertaking  yet — a  romantic 
comedy  shot  in  Santa  Fe,  co-produced  by 
Walpole's  outfit  and  New  York-based  Good 
Machine.  Anthony  Bregman  from  Good 
Machine  welcomed  the  opportunity  to  work 
with  Walpole,  whom  Bregman  describes  as 
"being  very  savvy  in  terms  of  his  ideas  for  film- 
making. He's  been  involved  in  some  of  the  most 
revolutionary  films  made  over  the  last  20  years 
and,  at  the  same  time,  he's  very  grounded  and 


has  a  strong  sense  of  the  business  of  filmmak- 
ing. That's  a  great  combination  to  have." 

Walpole  describes  the  partnership  as  a 
strategic  alliance.  Mountainair  knows  the  local 
terrain  and  shooting  crews,  while  Good 
Machine,  located  at  the  core  of  the  indepen- 
dent film  industry,  has  easier  access  to  distribu- 
tors. 

"Being  [a  filmmaker  in  Santa  Fe]  is  difficult 
to  do,  but  it's  a  great  place  to  live,"  says 
Walpole.  "You  still  have  to  make  all  these  con- 
nections like  everyone  else.  We're  clearly  work- 
ing at  a  disadvantage  in  that  regard.  But  I  don't 
think  we  carry  as  much  baggage  out  on  a  shoot. 
We  can  lay  our  egos  aside  and  immerse  our- 
selves in  the  filmmaking:  no  one  gets  hung  up 
on  the  perks  and  pecking  orders." 

Walpole's  utilitarian  office  suggests  the 
working  parameters  of  his  artistic  credo.  A 
smudge-stick  shrine  hints  at  mystery,  but  it's 
coupled  with  an  air  of  practicality  and  a  whiff  of 
maverick  Western  humor  borne  out  by  a  small 
sign  reading:  "Relax!  It's  Only  a  Movie!"  This 
quirky  independence  befits  a  filmmaker  who 
entered  the  profession  through  the  back-door, 


inspired  by  a  cryptic  poster  he  saw  in  a  mobile 
home  park  proclaiming,  "When  the  Chips  Are 
Down,  Americans  Will  Whip  It."  Then  a  dis- 
enchanted, would-be  architect  studying  at  the 
University  of  New  Mexico  in  the  late  1960s, 
Walpole  teamed  with  a  visiting  Swiss  professor 
Sebastian  Schroeder  to  shoot  a  documentary 
on  mobile  home  parks  for  Swiss  and  German 
television. 

Subsequently,  he  found  work  as  a  TV  cam- 
eraman in  Albuquerque  and  spent  a  fruitful 
summer  collaborating  with  Danny  Lyon  on  El 
Otro  Lado  (1972),  an  expose  about  undocu- 
mented Mexican  farm  workers,  secretly  shot  in 
Barry  Goldwater's  orchards  outside  Phoenix. 

When  cable  access  came  into  vogue  in  the 
go-go  '70s,  Walpole  and  two  friends  founded 
New  Mexico's  first  alternative  media  center, 
the  Armory  for  the  Arts,  inside  an  abandoned, 
14,000-square-foot  National  Guard  building  in 
Santa  Fe.  Walpole  not  only  negotiated  the 
lease,  but  wrote  the  grant  proposal  approved  by 
the  New  Mexico  Arts  Commission,  equipped 
the  facility,  booked  touring  acts,  cleaned  the 
toilets,  spread  the  gospel  of  cable  access  and,  on 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      25 


i  i 


Filmmaker  Says,  "Ciao,"  to  Sagging  Sales 

™Lg  —.com  Advantage,  "dcopro^er 
Howard  lohnson  sold  even'  copy  of  his  auto 
bZaprucal  video.  \XTien  asked  to  comment  on  to 
S  S.  the  program,  he  said,  "Love  you,  baK 


success  with  the  program 
We'll  do  lunch." 


YouVe  Made 

A  Film. 

Want  An  Audience 

Of  10,000,000? 

Join  Amazon.com  Advantage 
and  sell  your  video  on  the 
Internet's  No.  1  video  retailer. 
We'll  scan  in  your  cover  art, 
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quick  shipping.  From  action  to 
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discover  it. 

Sign  up  today.  It's  free. 
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©1999  Amazon.com,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.  Amazon.com 
is  a  registered  trademark  of  Amazon.com  Inc. 


more  than  one  occasion, 
hightailed  it  to  Los 
Angeles  to  supplement 
his  meager  salary. 

"I'd  go  out  for  four  or 
five  weeks,  hire  on  as  a 
grip  or  electrician  on  a 
bad  drive-in  movie,  and 
earn  enough  to  pay  off 
my  bills  for  the  next 
three  months  in  Santa 
Fe,"  he  said.  The  com- 
plex balancing  act  served 
as  his  apprenticeship  for 
feature  producing, 

besides  convincing  him 
he  could  survive  without 
relocating  to  Los 
Angeles.  "I  don't  have  to 
work  a  lot,"  he  says.  "I  just  need  to  make 
enough  to  live  here." 

Walpole  says  many  of  Santa  Fe's  film  artisans 
share  similarly  eclectic  backgrounds.  Often 
moonlighting  as  painters,  novelists,  or  set  and 
costume  designers  at  the  Santa  Fe  Opera,  they 
tend  to  be  "resourceful  and  multi-skilled  indi- 
viduals who  can  cross  over  and  do  different 
jobs."  But,  by  the  same  token,  they  won't  nec- 
essarily leap  into  a  film  project  to  pad  their 
resumes.  "They're  a  little  more  selective,"  he 
says.  "You  have  to  appeal  to  their  instincts  or 
else  they'll  find  something  more  productive  to 
do,  like  build  an  addition  on  their  house." 

He  describes  the  available  production  per- 
sonnel pool  as  "two  or  three  levels  deep," 
explaining,  "it's  not  like  New  York  where  you 
have  50  people  you  can  hire  [for  each  position]. 
The  talent  base  [here]  is  shallow  but  it's  very 
broad  and  very  skilled." 

In  part  due  to  the  nurturing  influence  of  the 
Armory,  many  groundbreaking  video  artists 
streamed  to  Santa  Fe  in  the  70s,  including  The 
Kitchen's  Steina  and  Woody  Vasulka.  Gene 
Youngblood,  author  of  Expanded  Cinema,  came 
to  teach  at  the  College  of  Santa  Fe,  while 
Koyaamsqatsi  director  Godfrey  Reggio  chose  the 
city  as  the  base  for  his  far-flung  Institute  for 
Regional  Education,  a  nonprofit  corporation 
with  the  Utopian  goal  of  advancing  social 
change  through  innovative  media  projects. 

Walpole  says  a  collaborative  spirit  exists 
among  these  artists,  fostered  by  the  College  of 
Santa  Fe's  Moving  Image  Arts  program,  now 
headed  by  Wacks.  The  school's  175  film  stu- 
dents often  intern  on  Walpole's  productions  as 
well  as  on  Hollywood  features  (most  recently, 
Billy  Bob  Thornton's  All  the  Pretty  Horses)  that 


Walpole  is  supervising 
producer  on  Hand  of  Fate, 
Scott  Morgan's  doc 
portrait  of  six  individuals 
who  are  able  to  see  the 
future. 


use   the   Greer  Garson 

Soundstages,  the  only 
such  professional  facili- 
ties anywhere  in  the 
country  attached  to  a 
college  or  university. 

Wacks  says  Walpole 
has  helped  shape  the 
program — an  alterna- 
tive to  UCLA  or  USC, 
"where  students  learn  in 
the  shadow  of 

Hollywood,"  or  NYU 
"with  its  150  years  of 
tradition.  Here,  we  have 
the  opportunity  to 
rework  the  way  in  which 
people  think  about  the 
art  form  and  we  are  seiz- 
ing that  opportunity." 

The  Tao  of  Steve  gave  students  hands-on 
experience  under  the  auspices  of  supervising 
producer  Walpole  and  first-time  director 
Jenniphr  Goodman.  The  comedy  pays  homage 
to  Steve  McQueen,  that  prototypical  icon  of 
cool,  worshipped  by  an  overweight,  oversexed, 
Lao -Tzu- spouting  kindergarten  teacher  (played 
by  Donal  Logue)  who  views  philosophy  as  a 
tool  of  seduction. 

Hand  of  Fate,  directed  by  Santa  Fean  Scott 
Morgan,  has  begun  its  spin  around  the  festival 
circuit.  Like  Koyaanisqatsi,  the  documentary 
spans  the  planet,  introducing  a  handful  of  the 
world's  most  celebrated  clairvoyants,  among 
them  Hindu  mystic  Neela  Baba  and  Rita 
Rogers,  the  British  woman  who  foretold  the 
death  of  Princess  Diana. 

Soundman,  by  another  new  director,  Steven 
Ho,  is  an  anomaly — a  dark,  insider  tale  of 
Hollywood,  shot  almost  entirely  in  the  sunny 
environs  around  Santa  Fe.  Wes  Studi,  Nick 
Stahl,  and  William  Forsythe  lend  support  to 
Wayne  Pere  as  the  Travis  Bickle-like  soundman 
who  comes  unglued  under  the  unsound  bite  of 
the  biz.  Walpole  maintains  a  more  even  keel  by 
bearing  in  mind  the  legacy  of  his  great-great- 
great  uncle  Horace  Walpole,  who  coined  the 
term  "serendipity".  "That's  really  the  way  I 
approach  films,"  he  says.  "It's  not  a  matter  of 
good  luck.  You  make  a  plan  and  everything  has 
to  be  well- organized  and  put  together.  Then, 
invariably,  the  plan  falls  apart  and  you  end  up 
doing  something  better  than  your  original  plan 
was." 

Jon  Bowman  f filmarcle (fiaol.com]  reviews  movies  for 

the  Santa  Fe  New  Mexican.  He  has  written  for  the 

Taos  Talking  Pictures  Festival  and  Tellunde  Film 

Festival,  and  the  Japanese  edition  of  Esquire. 


26    THE    INDEPENDENT     December  1999 


ANIMAL  CRACKER 

Wrangler  Susie  Whelply 

travels  the  state  with  her 

four-footed  extras. 

by   Rick 

romancito 

The  trick  for  an  animal  wrangler  is  to 
look  invisible.  A  horse  grazing  peacefully  in  a 
meadow,  a  dog  playfully  chasing  a  Frisbee  or 
even  chickens  scattering  before  a  pickup  truck 
are  things  that  are  supposed  to  look  completely 
natural  and  spontaneous  on  film.  To  the  audi- 
ence, the  image  of  a  half  dozen  wranglers  run- 
ning around  with  squeeze  toys  and  tasty  treats 
just  out  of  sight  from  the  camera  lens  should  be 
farthest  from  their  minds.  And  yet,  that's  what 
the  bigger  picture  often  reveals  on  sets  that 


incorporate  animals  into  their  action. 

When  wrangler  Susie  Whelply,  33,  watches 
a  movie,  she  notices  things  most  people  would 
probably  overlook.  Instead  of  the  actor  emoting 
woefully  into  a  dog's  limpid  eyes,  Whelply  is 
often  watching  where  that  dog's  eyes  are  really 
directed.  Usually,  she  says,  the  dog  is  looking 
right  at  the  wrangler,  who  is  standing  behind 
the  actor  hoping  the  dog  will  do  exactly  what's 
needed  for  the  scene. 

Whelply  and  her  husband  Keith  own  Red 
Sky  Farms  in  Las  Cruces,  New  Mexico.  There, 
she  and  "my  girls  and  a  few  boys"  raise  and  train 
horses,  the  hunter-jumper  variety,  both  for 
competition  and  for  the  considerable  value  in  a 
fine  animal.  They've  also  performed  in  a  few 
commercials.  Because  "dogs  always  seemed  to 
be  around,"  Whelply  decided  about  four  years 
ago  that  maybe  she  ought  to  try  her  hand  at 
putting  some  of  her  canine  friends  in  the 
movies.  After  advertising  in  a  few  publications, 
Whelply  has  been  fielding  inquiries  from  film- 
makers. 


"In  all,  I've  got  six  dogs  between  me  and  my 
mom,"  Whelply  says.  Her  dogs  are  trained  to 
perform  a  number  of  special  actions — such  as 
sitting  or  staying  for  long  periods  of  time.  She 
has  one  named  Jane  that  is  adept  at  playing 
old — "she  moves  real  slow  and  stiff" — and,  of 
course,  she  can  play  dead  pretty  well  too.  She 
can  also  act  like  a  kind  of  living  Gumby: 
Whelply  said  she  can  be  moved  around  like  a 
loose  rag  doll  and  she'll  stay  that  way  until  told 
otherwise. 

What  sets  Whelply  apart  from  more  expen- 
sive animal  trainers  who  fetch  thousands  of 
dollars  in  fees  for  specific  tricks  is  that  animal 
wranglers  tend  to  handle  creatures  who  are 
more  akin  to  extras  and  day  players  than  A-list 
actors.  More  often  they'll  be  called  upon  to 
provide  an  animal  who  will,  on  "Action!,"  run 
into  a  scene  and  lick  a  sleeping  actor's  face  or 

jump  out  the 

— — ■ — ■ — -"v      back    of    a 

r-»  hew  Mexico^     pickup 

truck  over  a 
camera  mounted  below 
the  tailgate.  But  no 
matter  what  actions 
they're  asked  to  per- 
form, virtually  all  ani- 
mal action  is  overseen 
by  a  member  of  the 
Animal  Humane 

Association. 

Whelply  and  her  dogs 
just  wrapped  a  roman- 
tic comedy,  The  Tao  of 
Steve,  directed  by  Jenniphr  Goodman,  which 
was  shot  in  the  Santa  Fe  area.  Last  year,  a  selec- 
tion of  her  dogs  was  hired  to  work  for  indepen- 
dent writer-director  Rod  McCall's  Lewis  & 
Clark  and  George,  an  independent  feature  star- 
ring Rose  McGowan  and  James  Brolin,  shot 
near  Hillsboro,  NM.  Whelply  said  the  script 
first  called  for  Jane  to  work  for  only  a  couple  of 
weeks,  but  after  the  director  saw  that  the  dog 
could  perform  confidently  in  a  variety  of  set- 
ups, her  role  was  expanded. 

Up  until  now,  Whelply  has  worked  only  on 
independent  features,  something  she  appears  to 
like  a  lot.  "The  sets  are  smaller,  more  relaxed, 
and  I  was  treated  like  an  absolute  queen.  They 
were  always  buying  things  for  my  dogs.  It's  a 
special  experience,  very  gracious." 

As  long  as  they  get  fed  regular,  her  dogs  will 
follow  her  anywhere.    . 

Rick  Romancito  is  the  award-winning  editor  of  Tempo, 
the  arts  and  entertainment  magazine  of  the  Taos  News. 


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December   1999    T  H  E    I  N  D  E  P  E  N  D  E  N  T      27 


BRIGHTLY  LIT 

The  first  state  to  mandate  media  literacy  in  its 

public  schools,  New  Mexico  now  hosts  a  variety 

of  media  ed  innovators. 


by   Debra   Denker 


(#      f  be 

m  and 

m  peopl* 

m  Boh 


HE  MESSAGE  IS  THAT  FOS- 

tering  media  literacy  can 

be  "an  informative,  humorous, 

and  entertaining  way  to  inspire 

people  to  become  activists,"  says 

Boh  McCannon,  director  of  the 

New    Mexico    Media    Literacy 

The 


Project. 

medium  is  any- 
thing from  a  CD- 
ROMs  to  films  to 
multi-media  pre- 
sentations. 

The  New 

Mexico  Media 
Literacy  Project 
(NMMLP),  now 
in  its  seventh  year, 
is  arguably  the 
most  successful 
program  of  its 
kind  in  the  nation. 
Founded  by  Hugh 

Downs  and  daughter  educator  Deirdre  Downs,  it 
was  initiated  in  New  Mexico  because  of  the 
state's  diversity  in  ethnicity,  income,  and  both 
rural  and  urban  settings.  What's  more,  media  lit- 
eracy is  officially  in  the  state's  goals,  standards, 
and  benchmarks,  and  it  is  mandated  by  legisla- 
tion that  every  child  in  New  Mexico  will  receive 
media  literacy  education. 

NMMLP's  approach,  using  high-tech  media 
to  teach  media  literacy  in  an  increasingly  com- 
plex media  environment,  is  "uniquely  effective," 
says  McCannon.  A  large  portion  of  New 
Mexico's  children,  from  elementary  school 
through  high  school,  have  learned  to  "decon- 
struct" advertising,  MTV,  and  entertainment  by 
using  tools  of  analysis  to  understand  methods  of 
persuasion.  They've  learned  what  questions  to 
ask,  and  that  the  answers  are  highly  individual 
and  never  "wrong."  Students  have  become  not 
only  conscious  and  discerning  media  consumers, 
but  savvy  media  producers,  creating  both  "anti- 
ad"  satires  and  content  with  positive  meaning. 

NMMLP  has  recently  completed  several  tools 


for  teachers  in  state  and  elsewhere.  One  is  a  cur- 
riculum for  K-12,  which  integrates  media  litera- 
cy into  language  arts,  social  studies,  and  math, 
in  age -appropriate  ways.  The  curriculum  is 
based  around  five  central  themes.  For  instance, 
"The  Economy  and  Ecology  of  Media"  asks, 
"How  do  we  figure  out  the  difference  between 
'wants'  and  'needs'?,"  while  "Media  and  Health" 
questions  the  relationship  between  media  vio- 
lence and  real-life  violence,  portrayal  of  gender 

and  sexual 
relationships, 
and  the  "cul- 
ture of  com- 
p  u  1  s  i  v  i  t  y  " 
around  body 
image  and 
addiction. 
Another 
teaching  tool 
developed  by 
NMMLP  is  the 
CD-ROM 


Understanding  Media  Literacy,  a  comprehensive 
encyclopedia  of  media  literacy,  with  229  exam- 
ples (74  of  them  video)  and  over  400  pages  of 
text,  including  "hard  questions,"  possible 
answers,  and  solutions. 

The  nearly  completed  CD-ROM 
Media  Literacy:  Reversing  Addiction  in  Our 
Compulsive  Culture  addresses  more  specific  and 
perhaps  thornier  issues  of  substance  abuse  pre- 
vention, using  media  literacy  as  a  strategy. 
NMMLP's  interventions  with  New  Mexico  mid- 
dle schoolers  have  been  so  successful  that  a  sur- 
vey of  10%  of  students  who  participated  indicat- 
ed that  33%  of  student  smokers  quit,  70%  of 
non-smokers  said  they  were  less  likely  to  smoke, 
and  49%  were  more  angry  at  tobacco  companies 
and  their  ads. 

Media  literacy  concerns  all  Americans  whose 
traditions  and  family  values  have  been  negative- 
ly impacted  by  media  saturation.  Longtime  New 
Mexico  residents  Joanelle  Romero  and  Gary 
Robinson,  a  Native  American  husband  and  wife 


filmmaking  team  who  relocated  to  L.A.  to  pro- 
mote their  work  and  vision,  want  to  see  media 
literacy  "taught  in  every  school  and  home,"  says  j 
Robinson.  He  points  to  the  number  of  satellite 
dishes  on  the  remote  and  staunchly  traditional 
Hopi  Reservation.  "Kids  are  wired  into  MTV, 
and  this  has  a  direct  impact  on  how  they  dress, 
talk,  act,  and  how  they  respond  to  their  elders. 
They  have  lost  interest  in  pursuing  their  own 
tribal  ceremonies,  activities  and  values." 

Romero  and  Robinson,  who  recently  initiated 
the  "Think  Indian"  campaign  in  association  with 
the  Screen  Actors  Guild,  believe  that  media  lit- 
eracy, like  their  campaign,  counteracts  stereo- 
types and  empowers  Native  Americans  to  "take 
charge  of  the  process  yourself"  and  use  the  tools 
and  process  of  media.  "You  can  learn  to  manip- 
ulate them  without  them  manipulating  you." 

Dan  Marano,  Media  Forum  Producer  at  Taos 
Talking  Pictures  Festival,  shares  a  similar  vision. 
He  believes  that  the  next  step  in  media  literacy 
is  "not  only  analyzing  but  seeking  out  the  good 
stuff."  Deconstruction  can  lead  to  the  desire  not 
only  to  "enrich  our  lives  with  alternative  media," 
but  to  become  producers  of  that  media. 

The  Media  Forum  puts  that  vision  into 
action.  The  NMMLP-facilitated  Teen  Media 
Conference  at  the  April  '99  festival  brought 
together  a  diverse  group  of  highly  motivated  and 
media-savvy  students  from  all  over  New  Mexico 
and  other  states.  Media  Forum  is  also  currently 
developing  a  Native  video  library  for  Taos 
Pueblo  and  has  plans  to  bring  Chicano  perfor- 
mance artist  Guillermo  Gomez  Pena  to  the  area. 
"We  are  trying  to  contribute  to  a  highly  varie- 
gated palette  of  much  richer,  diverse,  and  conse- 
quently enriching  media  than  is  being  offered 
through  the  myriad  airways,"  says  Marano. 

With  network  TV  an  increasingly  sterile 
environment  of  sitcoms  populated  by  white 
males  and  subservient  white  females,  and  merg- 
ers of  networks  with  content  producers  further 
threatening  creative,  intellectual,  ethnic,  and 
cultural  diversity,  media  literacy's  message 
becomes  ever  more  important.  And  the  message 
is  one  of  freedom.  To  quote  Understanding  Media 
Literacy:  "We  construct  our  own  realities  from 
media.  Many  times  people's  realities  are  differ- 
ent, but  they  are  all  valid."  And  all  are  deserving 
of  the  opportunity  to  be  expressed  through  the 
same  media  we  question  and  analyze. 

The  New  Mexico  Media  Literacy  Project  can 
be  reached  at  (505)  828-3264,  fax:  (505)  828- 
3320,  or  www.aa.edu/media/nmmlp.html;  Taos 
Talking  Pictures/Media  Forum  can  be  reached  at 
(505)  751-0637,  or  http://ttpix.com/ 

Debra  Denker  is  a  Santa  Fe-based  umler  and  filmmaker. 


28     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


BRIDGING  ANCIENT  &  MODERN 

Native  ceramic  and  video  artist  Nora  Naranjo -Morse 


by   Lynn    Clin  e 

In  northern  New  Mexico,  Native  Americans 
witness  watered-down  aspects  of  their  culture 
sold  daily  in  tourist  shops  hawking  factory- 
made  bowls  and  cheap  turquoise  jewelry  as 
authentic  Native  art.  A  response  to  such  com- 
mercialization of  culture  lies  at  the  heart  of  the 
half-dozen  short  videos  created  by  Nora 
Naranjo-Morse,  a  poet  and  ceramic  artist  who 
grew  up  on  Santa  Clara  Pueblo  and  Taos 
Pueblo,  which  are  both  Native  American  com- 
munities in  northern  New  Mexico. 

"Each  video  is  really  a  microcosm  of  the  very 
universal  issue,  the  commercialization  of  any 
culture  and  how  it  is  being  replaced  by  a  differ- 
ent  standard,"    says   Naranjo-Morse.    "We're 


and  decorative  pottery  as  well  as  sculpture.  Her 
poetry  emerges  from  ancient  Pueblo  storytelling 
traditions  that  pass  along  through  generations' 
beliefs  and  teachings  about  the  importance  of 
retaining  cultural  identity 

Looking  through  the  lens  of  a  video  camera 
for  the  first  time  in  1995,  Naranjo-Morse  rec- 
ognized that  the  medium  of  video  clicked  with 
her  artistic  vision.  Even  better,  the  camera 
expanded  her  creative  process. 

"When  I  experience  something,  I  process  it 
and  then  I  go  home  and  write  about  it  or  create 
something  out  of  clay,"  says  Naranjo-Morse.  "If 
I'm  behind  a  camera  and  I'm  looking  at  some- 
thing, I'm  seeing  all  the  creative  opportunities  I 
have  because  everything  has  become,  then, 
very  immediate.  And  my  mind  starts  to  work  at 


caught  in  part  of  the  system  of  purchasing  and 
consuming  based  on  a  standard  that  has  been 
interpreted  for  us." 

Naranjo-Morse,  47,  still  lives  in  Santa  Clara 
Pueblo,  where  clay  has  long  been  an  essential 
part  of  Pueblo  culture  in  the  form  of  functional 


Taos  Pueblo 

native  videomaker  Nora  Naranjo-Morse 


several  different  levels — what  is  the  story  that 
I'm  telling?  How  do  the  images  fit  into  the  story 
that  I'm  telling?" 

Her  first  piece,  What  Was  Taken,  a  five- 
minute  video  created  in  1995,  directly 
addressed    this    point,    combining    archival 


footage  of  a  Pueblo  dance  shot  in  the  early 
1900s  with  contemporary  scenes  of  Pueblo 
Indians  dancing  for  tourists  in  Santa  Fe.  "I  used 
a  very  traditional  Pueblo  song  that  my  mother 
sang  and  a  very  contemporary  rap  song  called 
"Pow  Wow  Girls,"  performed  by  a  local  native 
band,"  she  says.  "I  created  a  montage  effect  to 
the  music,  using  old  songs  and  new  songs,  vin- 
tage footage,  and  new  footage  to  show  that  this 
has  been  going  on  for  a  long  time.  Native  peo- 
ple are  still  performing,  and  we're  learning  how 
to  perform  very  well;  so  how  is  this  affecting  our 
sense  of  identity?" 

Since  then,  Naranjo-Morse's  work  has  com- 
bined poignancy  with  humor,  exploring  the 
negative  impact  of  Indian-owned  casinos  on 
the  soul  and  economy  of  Pueblo  culture  (I've 
Been  Bingoed  by  my  Baby);  the  destruction  of 
the  notion  of  Pueblo  home  by  U.S.  govern- 
ment-built tract  housing  for  Native  Americans 
(Gaia  Song);  and  the  lost  connections  to  native 
food  sources  with  the  government's  implemen- 
tation of  commodity  food  programs  (Sugared 
Up  and  A  Waffle  Garden). 

Her  new  project,  tentatively  titled  Meltdown, 
features  life-size  organic  forms  made  from 
unfired  clay  placed  outdoors,  where  they  are 
destroyed  by  the  natural  elements  of  wind  and 
rain.  The  video  expresses  hope  that  Native 
Americans  can  free  themselves  from  an  unwel- 
come, imposing  society.  "Once  the  clay  melts 
down,  it  can  be  re-gathered  and  used  again," 
Naranjo-Morse  explains.  "And  if  we  are 
allowed  to  follow  a  natural,  more  organic 
course  without  the  constraints  of  commercial- 
ization, then  those  constraints  will  melt  away. 
We  as  a  people  can  gather  up  ourselves  again 
and  begin  to  reconstruct  who  we  are." 

Naranjo-Morse  shows  her  videos  in  native 
festivals  in  Canada  and  the  U.S.  and  at  univer- 
sities where  she  gives  readings  and  lectures 
about  her  work.  Through  video,  she  hopes  to 
reach  an  even  wider  audience  both  within  and 
outside  of  Native  American  communities. 

As  for  the  work  itself,  Naranjo-Morse  con- 
siders herself  an  experimental  mediamaker.  "I 
will    try   different   angles   when   I'm 


filming  or  try  things  that  perhaps 
someone  more  knowledgeable  would 
decide  wasn't  appropriate,"  she  says.  "I 
love  being  able  to  isolate  something,  and  you 
can  do  that  when  you're  looking  from  behind  a 
camera.  I  can  take  the  apron  my  mother  has  on 
and  zero  in  on  its  pattern  of  the  flowers  and 
then  dissolve  into  a  natural  field  when  she's 
walking.  It's  poetry  in  motion." 

Lynn  Cline  is  a  writer  living  in  Santa  Fe,  N.M. 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      29 


tthens 

International 

Film* 

Video 

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estival 

Apr.  28   May  6 
2000 


email 


RY  FORM 

irnationaf 
i  Video  Fesi 
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OH  457 


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APPLY  ON-LIN 


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vwvw.  cats,  ohiou.edu   filmfest 

EADLINL 
Feb.  14 


Regional  Resources 


Film  Commissions 

New  Mexico  Film  Office 

(505)  827-9810;  www.nmfilm.com 
Contact:  Nancy  Everist,  NM  Film  Commissioner 
Provides  assistance  with  location  scouting,  per- 
mits, tax  rebates,  crew  accommodation,  and 
production/personnel  resources. 

Albuquerque  Film  &  Television  Office 

(505)  842-9918  x.  3310 
Contact:  Sara 
Biondi 


C 


ON 


NEW  AA 


^: 


z  r^  rJ 


Santa      Fe 
Film  Office 

(505)  984-6760;  www.santafe.org/sffilm.html 
Contact:  Cathy     Madden,     Santa     Fe     Film 
Commissioner 

Taos  County  Film  Commission 

(505)  757-3646;  www.filmtaos.com 
Contact:  Jonathan    Slator,    Taos    Film    Com- 
missioner 

Festivals 

Taos  Talking  Pictures  Film  Festival 
(505)  751-0637;  www.taosnet.com/ttpix 
Contact:  Morten  Nilssen 

Now  approaching  its  sixth  year  this  April,  Taos 
Talking  Pictures  one  of  the  most  innovative  on 
the  independent  circuit,  with  much  Latino  and 
Native  content,  plus  seminars,  workshops  and 
an  "Open  Sheet"  screening  series  for  all  comers. 
Prizes  include  the  Taos  Land  Grant — a  5-acre 
award  of  land.  [See  festival  listing,  p.  47.] 

Angelciti  International  Film  Market 

(323)  461-4256;  www.AngelCiti.com 
Contact:  Adam  Zoblotsky 
Inaugural    travelling   film   market,    which   is 
aimed  at  independent  filmmakers  in  LA,  Las 
Vegas,  and  Santa  Fe.  Held  early  November. 

Weekly  Alibi  Short  Film  Festival 

(505)  268-8111  x.  230;  www.alibi.com 
Contact:  Devin  O'Leary 

Albuquerque-based  competitive  event,  estab- 
lished in  1994  by  the  Weekly  Alibi  newspaper  6k 
held  in  July.  Prize  fund  of  $4,500  for  any  cate- 
gory of  short  film  (U.S.  and  int'l)  under  25  min. 

Media  Arts  Centers 

Anthropology  Film  Center 

(505)  983-4127;  www.nets.com/anthrofilm 
Ethnographic  and  documentary  film  training 
school  based  in  Santa  Fe. 


:xico 


) 


Plan  B  Evolving  Arts 

(505)  982-1338;  www.planbart.com 
Contact:  Zane  Fischer 

Film  and  visual  arts  community  center.  Also 
runs  screening  series  of  U.S.  independent  and 
foreign  films. 

Native  Visions  Media  Arts  Center 

(505)  989-8898 
Contact:  Fidel  Moreno 

Created  to  use  video  and  film  to  document  and 
preserve  oral  traditions,  history, 
and  languages  of  Native  cul- 
tures. Located  on  the  Navajo 
reservation  outside  Santa  Fe, 
the  center  trains  youth  in  media  lit- 
eracy and  technology  to  establish  cross-cultural 
bridges.  Produces  short  films,  PSAs,  and  a 
series  of  CD-ROMs. 

South  West  Institute  of  Film  and  Television 

(505)  764-9995 

Contact:  Frank  Zuniga 

Workshops    ek    seminar    organization    with 

emphasis  on  storytelling  process. 

New  Mexico  Media  Literacy  Project 

(505)      828-3264;  www.nmmlp.org      or 

www.aa.edu/media/nmmlp.html 

Contact:  Bob  McCannon  [See  p.  28] 

Screening  Venues 

The  Screen  (at  College  of  Santa  Fe) 

(505)  473-6084 
Contact:  Brent  Cleaver 

Basement  Films 

(505)    842-9977;    247-8478;   www.sirius.com/ 

~sstark/org/basement/index.html 

Contact:  Keif  Henley 

Albuquerque-based      collective,      screening 

underground  and  alternative  work. 

Film  Schools 

College  of  Santa  Fe's  Moving  Image  Arts 
Department 

(505)  473-6400;  www.csf.edu/mov 
Contact:  Jonathan  Wacks,  Head  of  Dept. 
Well-respected  school  with  175  students  in  its 
undergraduate   program.    Mainly  production- 
oriented:  students   intern   on   productions   at 
adjacent  Carson  Studios. 

University  of  New  Mexico's  media  arts  center 

(505)  277-4440 

Contact:  Michael  Cook 

Video-oriented  studio  production  training  pro- 


30     THE    INDEPENDENT     December    1999 


gram.  Center  has  TV  studio  plus  editing  bays 
for  its  undergraduate  students. 

Miscellaneous 

Garson  Studios 

(505)  438-1150;  www.garsonstudios.com 
Contact:  Perry  Kesler 

College  of  Santa  Fe-based  soundstages  for  fea- 
ture and  TV  productions  and  commercials, 
with  production  offices,  wardrobe  areas,  stor- 
age facilities,  fenced  parking,  plus  access  to  on- 
campus  student  interns. 

Field  &  Frame 

(505)  255-6099 

Production  hire  and  postproduction  house  run 

by  indie -friendly  Alan  Fulford. 


C^IU.  mm  ENTRIES! 


April  6  -  9,  2000 


RD.  Box  22604  •  Jackson,  MS  39225 
www.crossroadsfilmfest.com 

entry  deadline:  December  31, 1999  •  late  deadline:  February  14, 2000 


FLICKS  ON 
ROUTE  66 


When  Jim  Graebner  decided  to  set  up 
a  film  festival  in  Albuquerque,  he  want- 
ed to  capitalize  on  two  of  the  strengths 
of  the  state's  capital:  its  active  film  com- 
munity and  the  cult  attraction  of  Route 
66.  The  result  was  Flicks  on  66,  which 
will  be  held  from  July  14-21  in  2001, 
the  75th  anniversary  of  the  opening  of 
the  highway. 

Route  66,  which  has  already  been 
immortalised  in  song,  will  now  get  the 
film  treatment,  with  retrospectives  of 
road  movies  plus  a  selection  of  new 
work.  "Albuquerque  has  always  been  a 
transportation- oriented  city,"  says 
Graebner,  noting  how  the  festival  will 
include  exhibitions  of  dashboard  art,  as 
well  as  a  three-pronged  program:  a  "tra- 
ditional aesthetic  arena"  for  features,  a 
section  for  low-budget  guerrilla  film- 
making, with  an  emphasis  on  digital 
work,  and  a  trade  expo  firmly  targeted  at 
low-budget  filmmakers.  "Other  festivals 
talk  or  shop,  but  rarely  shoot  anything," 
he  claims,  indicating  Flicks  on  66's  com- 
mitment to  its  local  community  by 
screening  commissioned  work  shot  on 
DV  the  week  before.  Chrome,  blacktop, 
and  film — who  knows,  it  could  spawn  a 
rival  film  festival  in  biker  Mecca, 
Sturgis,  South  Dakota. 

— Paul  Power 


TAOS  TALKING 
PICTURE  c 

FESTIVAL  t 
2000 

APRIL 
13-16 

For  Information  &  Entry  Form  send  SASE  to: 

TAOS  TALKING  PICTURES 
7217  NDCBU  *  1337  Gusdorf  Ste.  F 
Taos,  New  Mexico  87571 
505.751.0637*  fax  505.751.7385 
www.ttpix.org 

DEADLINE 
JANUARY  15,2000 


"  an  atmosphere  of 

rarefied  collaboration... 

movie  lovers,  filmmakers, 

Southwestern  cultural 

cognoscente  and 

entertainment 

industry  professionals 

convene  for  an  annual 

gathering  that  is  one 

of  the  most  surprising 

successes  of  the  Nineties." 

-Wolf  Schneider,  editor 
Movieline  Magazine 


emm 


TOWN  OF  TAOS 


A  Delta  Air  Lines 

Official  Airline  of  Taos  Talking  Pictures 


■'* — X~'X"-X-"X—'X — X— X-'-*— X — M — M~*H~-H — * — X'-'X — X-"X'—X — X — X — X~-X — X — X — X-"X — X — X'"X"-X'"X — X- 

The  Austin  Film  Festival  1999 

-X — X—X-"X — X—X-'X'"X'"X"-X — X-"X-"X'"X"-X'"X'-'X — X — X — X'"X'-'X — * — X-'X'-X — X — * — X — X'"X"-X'-'X"-X- 


(^ofttzratutatej   the  winners  o%  it 
f999  *U~itm  Competition 


wwTMsDamo 

oWEcT0RCtan  0SW 

vUwmRECioRTrevo 


.99   BLOCKBUSTER  ^l(]\%\Jm 

writes/directors 


"'.t-rtSTWM  C0M 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      31 


ISANNE  SkYLERhas  been  pretty  busy 

lately.  Between  trips  to  European  film  festivals  with  her 
first  narrative  feature,  Getting  to  Know  You,  and  a  move  into  a 
new  apartment  in  Los  Angeles,  she's  also  been  cranking  away  on 
an  edit  of  a  new  feature-length  documentary.  Finding  time  to 
talk  in  person  about  the  path  lead- 
ing  to   forthcoming   the- 
atrical release  of  Getting 


ture  narrative  arenas. 

A  graduate  of  UC  Berkeley  and  San  Francisco  State,  Skyler's  inde- 
pendent filmmaking  career  began  eight  years  ago  with  Oldtimers,  a 
poignantly  beautiful  black-and-white  verite  short  revolving  around  the 
lives  of  a  handful  of  regulars  in  a  neighborhood  bar.  Oldtimers  toured 
widely  and  successfully  on  the  festival  circuit  and  propelled  Skyler  onto 


to  Know  You  has  been  a  bit  of  a  challenge.  But  on  the  morning  after  her 
thirtieth  birthday  party,  precariously  squeezed  between  yet  another 
European  festival  and  some  much  needed  family  time  in  New  York,  the 
statuesque  Skyler  sits  down  to  discuss  the  nefarious  ins  and  outs  of  lit- 
erary adaptations,  collaborations  with  family  members,  and  the  never- 
ending  personal  and  financial  gamble  of  making  independent  films. 

By  most  standards,  Skyler  has  been  lucky  as  a  filmmaker.  Lucky  in 
the  sense  that  she's  been  able  to  make  the  films  she's  wanted  to  make 
when  she's  wanted  to  make  them.  And  lucky,  too,  in  that  she's  suc- 
ceeded in  making  a  name  for  herself  in  both  the  documentary  and  fea- 


her  next  film,  No  Loans  Today,  an  hour-long  documentary  look  at  the 
economics  of  small  businesses  in  South  Central  Los  Angeles,  and  at 
one  pawnshop  in  particular.  No  Loans  Today  premiered  at  Sundance, 
garnered  much  praise,  and  was  then  featured  in  PBS'  P.O.V  series. 

In  1995,  right  around  the  time  Skyler  finished  the  festival  circuit 
with  No  Loans  Today,  she  moved  from  San  Francisco  to  Los  Angeles 
and  began  development  work  with  her  actor/writer  sister,  Tristine,  on 
a  screen  adaptation  of  several  Joyce  Carol  Oates  short  stories.  Long- 
time admirers  of  the  Pulitzer  Prize-winning  author,  the  Skyler  sisters 
had  written  to  Oates  to  ask  about  the  possibility  of  optioning  several 
shorts  from  her  collection  entitled  Heat.  Encouragingly,  Oates  replied 


6S 


32    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Heather 

Matarazzo 

as  Judith  in 

Getting  to 

Know  You. 


to  ihe  correspondence  and  requested  copies  of  Lisanne's  documen- 
taries. The  author's  response  to  these  films  was  so  favorable  that  the 
Skylers  then  paired  up  with  independent  producer  Laura  Gabbert 
(then  a  UCLA  graduate  student)  who  worked  with  them  to  legally 
option  the  stories. 

With  help  on  the  producing  front,  the  sisters  were  then  able  to  sit 
down  in  earnest  to  work  on  a  script.  "Working 
with  family  is  always  emotional;  the  stakes  are 
obviously  very  high,"  says  Lisanne.  "But  we  both 
knew  our  strengths  and  could  help  each  other 
bring  to  life  the  literature  we  both  loved.  We  didn't 
really  have  set  roles.  Sometimes  she'd  write  a 
scene  and  I'd  respond.  Other  times,  I'd  write  a 
scene  and  she'd  respond.  It  really  was  a  collabora- 
tion in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word." 

A  first  draft  emerged  which  was  promptly  sent 
off  to  New  York-based  producer  George  LaVoo. 
Recognizing  the  potential  of  the  script  and  the 
creative    team   behind   it,   he   signed   on   with 
Gabbert  as  producer.  "The  two  of  them  were 
essential    to    the    script,"   says    Lisanne.    "They 
strongly  encouraged  me  to  bring  in  my  experience 
as    a    documentarian — my    abilities    to 
look  at  real  life  situations  and  people 
and  create  stories  from  these  observa- 
tions of  public  spaces.  That  documentary 
experience  is  what  enabled  us  to  make 
the  script  come  together  as  whole."  After 
many  more  drafts,  a  script  evolved  which 
gave  the  team  the  solid  footing  needed  to 
seek  funding.  Says  Lisanne,  "The  biggest 
challenge  we  had  was  convincing  people  of 
the  narrative  wholeness  of  the  film — that  it 
wasn't  just  three  really  great  Oates  stories 
strung  together.  With  the  bus  station  and  the 
character  of  jimmy,  Tristine  and  I  had  the 
structure  around  which  to  focus  the  stories." 


BY    LlSSA     GlBBS 


Tc 


OLD  IN  A  COMBINATION  OF  FLASHBACK  AND  PRESENT  TIME,  THE 
script  with  which  they  ventured  out  into  the  world  of  finance  and  for 
which  they  found  crew,  cast,  and  funding  centers  around  Judith,  a 
highly  astute  and  observant  sixteen-year-old  girl,  during  a  day  of  wait- 
ing at  an  upstate  New  York  bus  station.  A  series  of  traumatic  family 
events  have  brought  Judith  and  her  older  brother,  Wesley,  to  this  bus 
station  where  they  must  now  pass  the  day.  Wesley  is  off  to  college  and 
Judith  is  returning  to  a  group  home  in  a  nearby  town.  In  transit  and  in 


transition,  Judith  and  Wesley  are  also  returning  from  a  visit  with  their 
mother,  Trix,  at  the  state  mental  hospital.  Taking  that  trip  as  an  initial 
point  of  departure,  this  day  at  the  bus  station  becomes  a  source  of  both 
beginnings  and  endings.  Judith  meets  a  charming  though  enigmatic 
local  boy  named  Jimmy.  Through  Jimmy's  eyes  we  discover  the  stories 
of  the  characters  whose  lives  have  also  brought  them  to  this  transitory 
place.  Quintessentially  Oates-like  in  its  setting,  tone,  and  fascination 
with  the  line  where  public  and  private  meet,  the  script  intertwines 
Oates'  short  stories,  told  through  the  character  of  Jimmy,  and  his  inter- 
actions with  Judith  at  the  bus  station.  True  to  Oates,  the  characters  are 
highly  articulate  and  sensitive  outsiders  who  are  trying  to  make  sense 
of  their  own  lives.  And  true  to  the  strength  of  the  script  and  the  pro- 
duction team  behind  it,  the  characters  were  very  appealing  to  the  sea- 
soned actors  whom  the  Skylers  and  their  producers  approached. 

Late  in  1996,  the  Skylers  sent  Heather  Matarazzo  (Welcome  to  the 
Dollhouse)  a  script  through  her  manager.  She  liked  it  very  much  and 
agreed  to  star  if  funding  came  through.  As  Lisanne  explains,  "We  basi- 
cally found  our  cast  by  sending  a  solid  draft  of  the  script  to  the  actors' 
agents.  Agents  are  looking  for  good  parts  for  their  clients — parts  that 
have  depth  and  dimension."  Bebe  Neuwirth  and  Mark  Blum  (who 
plays  the  parents),  Zach  Braff,  Mary  McCormack,  Chris  Noth,  and 
Celia  Weston  all  came  to  the  production  this  way.  The  stellar  cast  also 
features  the  exceptional  talents  of  two  rising  film  stars  with  very  solid 
stage  experience:  Michael  Weston  in  the  part  of  Jimmy  and  Tristine 
Skyler  in  the  part  written  specifically  for  her,  Irene. 

With  notable  talent  attached,  the  producers  started  approaching 
production  companies.  In  March  of  1998,  coinciding  with  the 
American  Film  Market  in  Los  Angeles,  a  meeting  between  the  pro- 
ducers and  ShadowCatcher  took  place.  This  Seattle -based  production 
company  founded  by  David  Skinner,  Larry  Estes,  and  Scott  Rosenfelt 
was  the  driving  financial  force  behind  Sherman  Alexie's  Smoke  Signals. 
Recently  they  had  initiated  SearchParty,  an  on-going  filmmaker-men- 
toring program  with  the  specific  mission  of  identifying  talented  film- 
makers early  in  their  careers  and  teaming  them  with  like-minded  pro- 
fessionals to  successfully  make  low-budget  films. 

"We  had  approached  ShadowCatcher  because  of  its  literary  connec- 
tions. We  wrote  to  them  after  I  saw  Smoke  Sigt\als  at  Sundance  in 
January  of  1998.  I  thought  that  if  anyone  was  going  to  understand  or 
appreciate  this  film,  it  was  going  to  be  them,"  recounts  Lisanne.  "So, 
we're  at  this  meeting  and  we  sit  down  to  talk.  Roger  [Baerwolt, 
ShadowCatcher's  VP  of  Development]  starts  ripping  apart  the  script 
immediately.  He  was  so  enthusiastic.  I  didn't  know  what  to  make  of  it. 
By  the  end  of  the  meeting  it  was  pretty  clear  that  they  were  going  to 
come  through  with  the  financing.  The  meeting  was  a  good  lesson  for 
me  that  sometimes  the  people  who  are  the  most  critical  or  detailed  in 
their  criticism  are  the  ones  most  likely  to  be  involved  in  the  production 
because  they  take  the  time  and  energy  to  really  think  about  the  script." 
ShadowCatcher  then  teamed  with  Cineville  and  within  months,  cast, 
crew,  and  director  were  shooting  on  the  East  Coast. 

Looking  back  on  the  whole  quest  for  financing,  Lisanne  reflects, 
"One  of  the  biggest  things  I  learned  in  the  process  was  the  importance 
of  making  sure  that  what  you  put  in  front  of  potential  hinders  and  sea- 
soned actors  must  be  something  you're  sure  is  strong  enough  to  pro- 
duce. I  had  great  contacts  from  my  experience  with  my  other  films  at 
festivals  and  through  my  work  as  a  program  consultant  to  Sundance, 
but  you  only  really  get  one  chance  when  you  present  a  script  to  a  pro- 
duction company  or  actor  when  you're  a  first-time  maker.  You've  got  to 
make  sure  that  you  use  that  chance  well.  You  should  always  wait  until 


December    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      33 


the  script  is  at  a  point  where 
\ou're  really  confident  about  it. 
Don't  rush.  Wait  another  month. 
Send  it  to  friends  first." 

The  actual  shoot  went  quickly 
and  smoothly.  With  little  to  no 
time  tor  rehearsals  because  of 
schedules  and  prior  commit- 
ments, the  neophyte  helmer 
seized  the  moment  in  directing 
veteran  actors.  "I  basically  fol- 
lowed a  'less  is  more'  approach 
and  trusted  the  actors  to  be  in 
the  moment,"  she  says.  "Usually 
the  night  before  shooting  a 
scene,  I  would  speak  with  them 
and  try  to  articulate  what  I  want- 
ed by  describing  images  and  feel- 
ings. I  was  fortunate  in  that  I 
found  actors  who  were  very 
much  part  of  my  vision.  Working 
with  Tristine  required  a  shift,  of 

course,  but  she  really  understood  that  even  though  she  had  written  the 
lines  she  was  speaking,  she  was  now  part  of  the  pu::le  and  not  the 
whole  thing." 

As  to  the  differences  between  a  documentary  shoot  and  a  feature 
shoot,  Lisanne  is  quick  to  respond:  "They're  very  similar  in  many  ways. 
In  both,  the  director  must  lead  a  crew  with  confidence  and  share  a 
\"ision  of  storytelling.  In  documentaries,  you  watch  for  the  story  to 
reveal  itself  and  capture  it  on  film,  returning  to  the  editing  room  to 
fine-tune  it.  In  narrative  films,  you  craft  the  story  in  a  script  and  then 
work  with  actors  to  fine-tune  it.  Making  documentaries  really  pre- 
pared me  well  tor  shooting  low-budget  features.  In  both,  you're  always 
working  with  chance  and  looking  tor  ways  to  embrace  happy  acci- 
dents." 


seriously,  right  now  I'm  busy 
editing  Dreamland,  a  feature- 
length  documentary  about  the 
lives  of  chronic  gamblers.  I  tried 
unsuccessfully  to  get  it  funded 
through  ITVS  and  ended  up 
finding  a  new  production  com- 
pany called  Caldera  Productions 
to  come  through  with  the 
money.  I  shot  it  on  16mm  with 
cinematographer  Rob  Bennett 
(Hype)  and  I'm  hoping  to  have  it 
done  in  time  for  Sundance  2000. 
"My  sister  and  I  are  working 
on  a  new  script,"  she  continues, 
"but  I  can't  really  talk  about 
that.  Basically,  I  want  to  keep 
making  films  for  the  rest  of  my 
life.  I  don't  really  have  very  many 
other  marketable  skills.  I've 
spent  the  last  ten  years  training 
to  be  a  filmmaker.  It's  what  I  do. 
Eking  out  a  living  is  hard  when  you're  an  independent  filmmaker,  but 
it's  worth  it  in  terms  of  being  able  to  make  the  films  you  want  to  make. 
Don't  get  me  wrong,"  she  quickly  adds.  "Many  independent  filmmak- 
ers make  the  mistake  of  thinking  that  the  studios  are  somehow  the 
enemy.  They're  not.  It's  not  a  betrayal  to  do  work  that  enables  you  to 
survive.  I'd  gladly  be  a  hired  gun  for  a  little  while — as  a  director  on  a 
music  video  or  commercial — in  order  to  pay  the  bills.  I  mean,  I  did 
temp  work  and  was  Peter  Bogdanovich's  personal  assistant  while  I  was 
writing  Getting  to  Know  You.  Making  independent  films  is  not  easy.  It's 
an  economy  in  which  every  little  beer  counts.  I  firmly  believe  that  film- 
makers shouldn't  have  to  sacrifice  originality  or  doing  something  dif- 
ferently in  order  to  work  for  a  studio,  but  in  my  experience  those  kinds 


B 


Jack  in  Los  Angeles  and  working  with  the  1999  Sundance 
entry  date  as  a  deadline,  editing  began.  Foremost  in  Lisanne  and  edi- 
tor Julie  Janata's  minds  was  the  presentation  of  a  cohesive  feature. 
Seamlessly  linking  Oates'  stand-alone  stories  which  Jimmy  introduces 
to  Judith  and  which  come  to  life  in  their  minds'  eyes  became  the  prin- 
cipal challenge.  Intersecting  narratives  and  a  cast  of  several  central 
characters  required  thoughtful  and  creative  editing. 

Two  work-in-progress  screenings  and  a  fresh-from-the-lab  print 
later,  the  producers  arrived  at  Sundance,  garnering  critical  praise  and 
great  audience  response.  Distribution  deals,  though,  were  short  in 
coming  and  the  film  has  since  undergone  one  more  edit,  becoming 
shorter  in  length  and  structurally  tighter.  "It's  hard  to  think  about  the 
things  we  had  to  lose  to  make  the  film  more  'distributable,'  "  says 
Lisanne.  "But  I  think  what  we  ended  up  with  is  strong.  The  film  has 
now  plaved  all  over  the  world.  It's  in  theatrical  distribution  in  Italy,  but 
for  some  reason,  no  one  wants  to  take  the  risk  of  distributing  it  in  the 
U.S."  ShadowCatcher  is  now  handling  the  theatrical  release  of  the  film 
itself,  which  should  begin  this  winter. 

So  what  does  the  future  hold  for  Lisanne.'  "Well,  we  just  finished 
cleaning  up  from  last  night's  party.  That's  something!"  she  jokes.  "But 


of  sacrifices  aren't  always  necessary.  Anything  good  is  commercially 
viable.  Look  at  The  Blair  Witch  Project  or  the  release  of  Getting  to  Know 
You  in  Europe  as  examples.  If  a  distributor  spends  the  money  on  getting 
a  film  out  there  and  the  film  is  good,  it  will  make  money." 

Is  it  a  coincidence  that  her  latest  film  is  about  gambling?  Laughing, 
she  responds,  "Well,  I'm  a  filmmaker,  aren't  I?" 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  producer  and  a  contributing  editor  of  The  Independent. 


34    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Sl>e  Sop  Sen  (£omm 
of  3nbepenbent  ^ 

by  Steven  C.  Beer,  Esq.  &.  Jesse  Rosenblatt 


Alongside  our  producer  clients,  Rudolph  and  Beer,  LLP  attorneys  have  weathered  numer- 
ous campaigns  m  the  trenches  of  independent  film  production.  On  Slingblade,  Sunday, 
Tumble\veed\  Star  Maps,  Desert  Blue,  and  many  other  films,  we  served  as  trou- 
bleshooters  seeking  to  prevent  problems  that  could  devastate  production.  Through  our 
experiences,  we  have  had  the  vantage  point  to  observe  common  oversights  and  mis-cues. 
The  excitement  of  principal  photography  frequently  seduces  less  experienced  producers  to 
commence  production  prematurely,  leaving  too  many  logistical,  legal,  and  creative  issues 
to  be  resolved  on  the  spot  or  after  the  fact.  Without  the  benefit  of  experience  or  a  crystal 
ball,  it  is  very  hard  to  foresee  certain  problems  m  production  before  they  arise.  This  arti- 
cle identifies  some  of  these  problems  and  offers  practical  insights  about  how:  and  u'hen  to 
best  address  these  matters.  It  is  our  hope  that  by  identifying  these  problems  before  they 
present  themselves,  producers  can  avoid  much  of  the  stress  they  might  otherwise  endure. 


I 


Have  a  "Tested"  Shooting  Script 


As  a  mother  regards  her  child,  recognize  that  you  cannot  be 
objective  about  your  own  script  or  any  screenplay  on  which  you  have 
worked  tor  extended  periods.  Your  script  must  be  extraordinary  by 
every  standard  to  succeed  in  today's  competitive  marketplace.  Similar 
to  a  musical  composition  that  simply  does  not  work,  where  all  ot  the 
vocal  or  production  support  can't  mask  the  flawed  product,  a  poorly 
written  script  cannot  succeed  no  matter  how  much  money  is  spent  on 
talent,  special  effects,  or  other  production  elements.  You  can  always 
benefit  greatly  from  having  a  more  experienced  writer,  producer,  or 
other  industry  professional  with  whom  you  have  a  relationship  read 
your  screenplay  and  make  suggestions.  Also,  avoid  writing  a  script  that 
will  lock  you  in  to  a  cast-dependent  situation,  so  that  your  project 
financing  is  not  doomed  where  a  particular  actor  falls  out  or  cannot  be 
scheduled. 

Tip:  Never  send  your  script  to  potential  financiers  or  talent  until  it  is  in  A+ 
condition.  You  may  never  get  a  second  chance  to  make  a  great  impression. 


n 


The  Budget  Must  Be  Flexible 


Frequently,  a  proposed  budget  doesn't  leave  sufficient  room 
for  unforeseen  contingencies,  such  as  adverse  weather  conditions,  ill- 
ness, or  scheduling  mishaps.  In  reference  to  monetary  issues,  the  main 
goal  is  always  to  make  the  film  as  inexpensively  as  possible.  Less  expe- 
rienced producers  aren't  always  realistic  and  can  overlook  certain  post- 
production  expenses,  such  as  those  incurred  to  meet  a  prospective  dis- 
tributor's delivery  requirements,  clear  music  rights,  or  successfully 
market  a  film  and  enter  it  in  festivals.  In  addition,  particular  locations 
require  a  higher  budgetary  allowance  (i.e.  New  York  City)-  Typically,  a 
10%  contingency  should  be  included  when  preparing  a  budget  to  pro- 
tect against  unforeseen  costs  that  will  inevitably  arise  during  produc- 
tion. Increasing  the  budget  during  production  or  after  it  has  been  pre- 


sented to  financiers  presents  many  challenges  and  risks  credibility. 
Tip:  Hire  a  i  eteran  line  producer  and  production  manager  experienced  on 
projects  of  similar  scale,  budget,  and  location.  Rely  on  their  relationships  with 
local  vendors,  unions,  and  municipal  officials  to  help  smooth  the  logistical 
process. 


Don't  Skimp  on  Key  Personnel 


Producers  frequently  cut  corners  by  limiting  the  number 
and  quality  of  technical  crew  members,  particularly  sound  and  camera 
personnel.  While  minimizing  production  costs  is  sensible,  this  is  a  typ- 
ical area  where  you  can  be  penny-wise  but  pound-foolish.  The  end 
result  mav  severely  impair  the  quality  of  the  film.  Simply  by  protecting 
against  diminished  sound  or  visual  quality  you  can  greatly  enhance  the 
audience's  perception  of  the  overall  film.  In  addition,  by  neglecting  to 
hire  a  qualified  crew,  technical  difficulties  due  to  inexperience  mav 
arise  which  can  actually  slow  down  the  production  process  and  greatly 
increase  costs.  The  crew  expense  should  be  a  fixed  cost  within  the  orig- 
inal budget  and  should  not  be  looked  upon  as  an  opportunity  to  cut 
down  and  reduce  costs. 

Tip:  Spend  more  if  you  must  to  hire  an  experienced  director  of  photography, 
unit  production  manager,  or  other  key  crew  person  when  your  director  is  still 
learning  the  ropes.  They  will  serve  as  valuable  insurance  policies  against  cost 
ovemots. 


December   1999   THE    INDEPENDENT      35 


IV 


Always  Hire  a  Still  Photographer 


Hiring  a  still  photographer  during  production  is  fre- 
quently overlooked.  Not  doing  so  can  be  a  big  mistake,  since  you  will 
need  stills  to  market  the  film  to  distributors  and  then  to  audiences 
once  the  film  has  been  acquired.  Invariably,  the  distributor  will  require 
still  photographs  from  the  film  for  promotional  purposes.  If  suitable 
stills  are  not  available,  you  will  need  to  secure  the  return  of  talent,  who 
may  not  be  available,  and  then  require  them  to  look  exactly  as  they  did 
during  filming  (haircuts,  apparel,  locations,  etc.),  all  of  which  is 
extremely  difficult.  It  is  also  essential  to  make  sure  that  the  producer 
or  the  production  company  owns  the  copyright  tor  the  photos  taken 
during  production.  Again,  the  reason  for  many  of  these  mistakes  is 
that  producers  are  so  anxious  to  actually  complete  the  project  that 
they  don't  think  about  what  will  happen  afterward. 
Tip:  Do  not  use  friends  or  relatives  for  this  important  task  unless  they  are 
qualified.  Use  only  experiericed  production  still  photographers  who  uill  not 
interfere  during  production  and  who  will  deliver  high-quality  marketing' 
ready  slides. 


V 


Formulate  a  Detailed  Marketing 
Plan  Right  from  the  Outset 


Like  a  compass  to  a  hiker,  a  detailed  plan  can  be  a  great 
tool.  From  the  outset,  you  should  determine  what  type  of  film  you 
intend  to  make  and  what  target  audience  you  seek  to  deliver.  These 
are  crucial  decisions  when  seeking  financing  for  the  project  or  even 
when  trying  to  sell  the  finished  film  to  a  distributor.  That  said,  don't 
get  so  stuck  in  the  mind-set  that  your  film  is  only  a  particular  type 
aimed  only  at  a  particular  market.  It  you  do,  you  may  lose  sight  of  the 
fact  that  your  project  no  longer  succeeds  at  its  main  objective — to  suc- 
cessfully tell  a  good  story.  If  your  objective  is  to  obtain  a  first-class  the- 
atrical release,  you  may  need  to  work  with  an  industry-recognized 
director  or  a  cast  with  a  profile.  Therefore,  these  key  elements  should 
resonate  with  your  target  audience.  But  remember — if  your  film  tells  a 
great  story  in  a  compelling  way,  it  may  appeal  to  a  wider  demographic 
than  originally  anticipated,  which  may  require  a  new  marketing  plan. 
Tip:  Consider  which  prospective  distributors  may  be  appropriate  and  keep 
them  posted  on  your  status,  apprising  them  of  your  project's  progress  at  var- 
ious milestones. 


VI 


Do  Not  Send  Sloppy  Cuts 

of  Your  Project  to  Film  Festivals 


Producers  often  impose  pressure  upon  themselves  to 
satisfy  certain  festival  deadlines.  In  their  effort  to  complete  postpro- 
duction,  they  frequently  submit  something  less  than  the  finished  prod- 
uct. Surprisingly,  many  festivals  will  only  take  a  video  print  of  the  film. 
Inherently  this  means  that  those  viewing  will  be  watching  a  copy  that 
has  already  lost  some  quality.  Hence  it  is  not  a  good  idea  to  send  any- 
thing less  than  a  fully  completed  version  of  the  film  to  a  festival 
because  these  are  very  competitive  and  you  will  rarely  succeed  in  over- 
coming a  bad  first  impression. 

Tip:  Finish  with  your  best  foot  forward.  There  is  always  another  festival 
Hold  the  film  until  you  have  accomplished  what  you  set  out  to  do  in  all 
respects. 


vn 


Do  Not  Succumb 

to  Friendly  Distribution  Scouts 


Once  apprised  of  your  project,  distribution  scouts  and 
executives  will  respond  enthusiastically  to  news  about  your  production 
and  request  to  see  production  dailies.  Don't  be  flattered.  They  are 
merely  seeking  a  competitive  edge.  You  must  resist  this  seduction  at  all 
costs,  since  it  almost  always  reduces  your  leverage.  As  a  general  rule, 
do  not  show  distributors  anything  until  your  film  is  completed.  Once 
finished,  you  should  show  it  to  as  many  distributors  as  possible  at  the 
same  time,  either  at  an  industry  screening  or  at  a  festival.  You  should 
not  show  them  anything  until  it  is  finished.  If  the  film  screens  well,  you 
may  entertain  competing  bids  for  your  film,  increasing  the  likelihood  of 
financial  success.  While  there  are  cases  where  sending  out  dailies  can 
generate  a  buzz  or  create  hype  about  a  project  depending  upon  their 
strength  and  quality,  there  are  other  ways  to  achieve  this  result,  such 
as  having  a  good  publicity  campaign. 

Tip:  Keep  distributors  excited  about  your  project  without  revealing  too  much 
until  you  are  ready  to  show  your  finished  film  to  the  industry. 


Vffl 


Do  Not  Include  Expensive  Music  in 
the  Film  to  which  You  Have  Not 
Licensed  the  Rights. 


Music  is  always  a  creative  and  strategic  choice.  Do 
not  assume  that  a  distributor  will  give  you  money  to  pay  for  expensive 
and  unnecessary  music  rights.  Often  the  music  used  in  the  film  will  be 
too  costly  to  deliver  to  a  distributor.  This  could  inhibit  their  desire  to 
acquire  the  film.  While  you  can  use  the  music  to  exhibit  the  film  at  a 
festival  by  obtaining  a  festival-only  license,  you  may  want  to  change 
the  music  if  licensing  the  rights  will  cost  almost  as  much  as  a  distribu- 
tor is  willing  to  pay  for  the  entire  film.  This  will  depend  on  the  nature 
of  the  picture  and  how  much  of  the  sale  value  is  based  upon  the  music. 
Often  minor  changes  can  be  made  without  a  negative  impact  on  the 
film.  If  you  feel  the  music  is  essential,  remember  that  the  publishing 
companies  owning  the  music  rights  don't  have  to  negotiate  because 
they  have  all  of  the  bargaining  power.  If  you  can't  afford  to  pay  their 
price,  they  won't  let  you  use  their  music. 

Tip:  Where  possible,  negotiate  your  licenses  in  advance  so  that  you  under- 
stand wfiat  your  future  music  licensing  costs  will  be. 


K 


Do  Not  Allow  Creative  Personnel  to 
Perform  Services  without  Executing  a 
Formal  Agreement. 


A  producer  should  never  allow  anyone  to  participate  in  the  production 
of  the  film  without  some  form  of  written  agreement  setting  forth  the 
basic  terms  of  their  employment.  You  must  obtain  fully  executed  formal 
agreements,  including  work  for  hire  rights  acquisition  and  assignment 
language  from  everybody,  before  they  first  take  part  in  the  project. 
These  agreements  will  eliminate  any  confusion  later  on  as  to  what  was 
expected  of  them  in  terms  of  performance  and  what  they  expected  in 
terms  of  compensation.  From  a  leverage  standpoint,  it  is  much  more 
difficult  to  get  services  agreements  executed  after  you  have  paid  the 
talent  or  crew  member.  Your  inability  to  deliver  a  crucial  agreement 
can  severely  delay  a  distributor's  willingness  to  compensate  you. 
Expectations  and  relationships  frequently  change  as  the  production 


36     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


progresses,  so  it  is  always  best  to  know  where  everyone  stands  from  day  one. 

Tip:  Approve  and  use  a  standard  crew  memo  with  the  requisite  work  for  hire  and  assignment  language 

before  you  pay  anyone. 


X 


Address  Budgetary  Issues 

with  the  Appropriate  Guilds  and  Unions. 


The  size  or  your  budget  will  impact  your  guild  and  union  obligations.  We  suggest 
that  you  promptly  address  these  issues  since  they  can  determine  the  extent  of  your  obligations 
and  affect  your  budget.  Moreover,  the  failure  to  address  SAG  and  local  union  issues  promptly 
and  honestly  can  eventually  result  in  costly  production  interruptions  when  the  guild  or  union 
eventually  catches  up  to  you.  Many  of  the  agreements  may  depend  upon  where  the  film  is  shoot- 
ing and  its  budget.  These  issues  must  be  carefully  considered  because,  if  after  production  has 
begun  you  determine  that  you  will  be  above  your  stated  SAG  budget  level  (i.e.  Modified  Low 
Budget  or  Low  Budget),  you  or  the  distributor  will  pay  a  penalty.  SAG  collects  double  residuals 
when  you  bump  up  to  the  next  level  after  the  fact.  In  addition,  money  for  the  SAG  bond  should 
be  taken  into  consideration  when  preparing  the  budget  of  your  film  because  this  money  must  be 
paid  at  the  onset  and  will  freeze  a  large  portion  of  your  capital  for  the  length  of  the  entire  pro- 
duction. This  bond  serves  to  protect  the  actors  in  case  there  is  not  enough  money  left  to  pay 
them  in  the  end. 

It  is  also  a  good  idea  to  meet  with  the  local  unions  up  front  to  apprise  them  about  your  pro- 
duction, what  your  budget  is,  and  acknowledging  whether  or  not  their  personnel  will  be 
required.  If  you  are  candid  with  them,  this  will  generate  good  will  that  could  extend  to  flexibil- 
ity about  rates  charged,  in  the  event  you  are  working  with  union  labor.  While  unions  do  have 
certain  parameters  and  limitations,  candid  discussions  often  lead  to  advantageous  deals  and 
constructive  relationships.  Remember  to  keep  written  records  of  every  conversation  with  the 
unions  to  avoid  confusion  as  to  rates  and  conditions  later  on.  Do  not  fudge  budgetary  or  other 
numbers  when  reporting  the  budget  levels  to  the  unions.  They  have  the  ability  to  walk  on  to  a 
set  and  almost  immediately  assess  how  much  money  is  being  spent.  If  you  have  misinformed 
them,  this  could  lead  to  severe  production  difficulties,  often  holding  up  the  project  or  forcing 
you  to  another  location  based  upon  your  budget. 

Tip:  Carefully  consider  your  budget  before  production.  Approach  the  various  unions  and  candidly 
advise  them  of  your  situation  and  anything  you  may  need  from  them.  Being  forthright  with  them  can 
only  help  you  if  subsequently  your  needs  change. 

Finally,  hiring  a  solid  core  of  experienced  and  professional  personnel  is  the  best  tool  to  ensure 
success.  You  can  always  benefit  from  their  experiences  derived  from  prior  campaigns  within  the 
trenches  of  independent  film  production.  Good  luck,  keep  your  eyes  and  ears  open,  and  your 
head  down. 

Steven  C.  Beer,  Esq.  is  a  founding  partner  of  Rudolph  &  Beer,  LLP  who  has  served  as  legal  counsel 
for  such  award-winning  films  as  Slingblade,  Three  Seasons,  and  Tumbleweeds.  ]esse  Rosenblatt 

was  a  Summer  Associate  at  Rudolph  &  Beer,  LLP  who  is  iri  his  third  year  at  Fordlxam  Law  School. 
The  authors  would  like  to  thank  Adam  Abraham,  jana  Edelbaum,  David  Marcellmo,  and  Greg 

O'Connor  for  their  assistance  with  this  article. 


Additional  Tips 


Personnel:  Read  the  credits  of  films  produced  at  levels  similar  to  your  intended  budget,  location, 
subject  matter,  etc.  Ask  it  your  state  film  commission  or  regional  associations  provide  crew  list- 
ings. Ask  for  references! 

Distributors:  For  an  overview,  see  the  AIVF/FIVF  Guide  to  Distributors  (1996)  and  Morrie 
Warshawski's  The  Next  Step:  Distributing  Independent  Video  &  Film  (1996).  Both  titles  are  available 
through  AIVF. 

Music  Licensing:  See  Robert  Seigel's  comprehensive  article  "For  the  Price  of  a  Song:  Music 
Rights  Clearance,"  May  1992,  The  Independent.  See  also,  www.bmi.com  and  www.ascap.com. 

Agreements/Guilds  &  Unions:  See  Eve  Honthaner's  The  Complete  Film  Production  Handbook  for 
a  set  of  standard  memos.  Contact  your  local  film  commission  for  infor  on  other  unions  in  your 
areas.  See  also:  www.sag.org;  www.iatse.lm.com;  www.dga.org,  andwww.wga.org. 

—  Elizabeth   Peters 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      37 


A 


eazsassn--- 


SHADOW  DISTRIBUTION 

BY    LlSSA    GlBBS 


Shadow  Distribution,  Box  1246/17  Railroad  Square, 
Waterville,  ME  04901;  (207)  872-5111;  fax:  872- 
5502;  www.mint.net/movies/shadow; 

shadowd@mint.net;  contact:  Ken  Eisen,  president 

What  is  Shadow  Distribution? 

Shadow  is  a  small  distribution  company 
specializing  in  hand-crafted 
releases  of  specialized  films. 


Who  is  Shadow? 

Ken  Eisen,  president;  Alan  Sanborn, 
vice  president;  Sam  Sanborn,  vice  president,  Promotion 
&  Publicity. 

Total  number  of  employees:  Six. 

How,  when,  and  why  did  Shadow  come  into  being? 

Shadow  was  founded  by  the  co-directors  of  Railroad 
Square  Cinema  in  Waterville,  Maine,  originally  in  1986, 
with  a  reorganization  and  expansion  in  1994.  We  start- 
ed the  company  to  make  available  great  films  that 
weren't  reaching  their  potentially  receptive  audiences  in 
this  country. 

Unofficial  motto: 

Size  does  matter:  smaller  is  better. 

Why  are  you  based  in  Maine?  Is  this  a  rural  com- 
munity? 

Yes,  all  of  Maine  is  a  rural  community.  We're  based  here 
because  this  is  where  we  live.  We  chose  to  live  here 
because  we  love  being  here.  The  woods,  the  waters, 
and  the  beauty  of  Maine  provide  us  with  as  much  nour- 
ishment as  a  great  movie  does.  And  in  these  days  of 
electronic  communication,  there's  no  longer  any  reason 
why  the  personnel  of  a  distribution  company  needs  to 
be  located  in  a  major  city. 

How  many  works  are  in  your  collection? 

Exactly  eight. 

Best  known  title: 

Latcho  Drom. 


Films  you  distribute: 

Tony  Gatlif  's  Latcho  Drom  and  Mondo,  Rocky 
Collins'   Pants   on   Fire,   Paul   Wagner's 
Windhorse,  Ken  Loach's  Carla's  Song,  Eric 
Heumann's  Port 
Djema,     I  Id  i  ko 
Enyedi's    Magic 
Hunter,  and 
Mason's  Waterwalker 

What  types  of  works  do  you  distribute? 

We  distribute  exclusively  feature-length 
films  in  35  mm  (handling  and/or  sub- 
distributing  video,  TV,  and  nontheatrical 
rights).  Many  of  Shadow's  films  have 


had 

a    "political"   or 

"ethnographic"  content, 

but  the  only  real  requirement  for 

our  taking  on  a  film  is  that  we  love 

it. 

What  drives  you  to  acquire  the  films 
you  do? 

See  above.  There  are  fabulous  films  that  we've  passed 
on  simply  because  we  didn't  know  how  to  help  them 
reach  an  audience.  That's  painful,  but  some  pragma- 
tism is  unfortunately  necessary. 

Is  Shadow  also  involved  in  co-production  or  co- 
financing  of  works? 

Never. 

Is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  "Shadow"  film? 

It's  a  fabulous  film  with  a  real  vision  that  resists  easy 
categorization.  And,  though  we  don't  require  it,  we're 
not  specialists  in  "hip"  or  "edgy"  films — we're  inter- 


ested in  films  with  heart  and  vision,  which  is  very  dif- 
ferent than  films  with  sentimentality  and  saccharine 
phoniness. 

What's  your  basic  approach  to  releasing  a 
title? 

Find  the  situation  or  situations  that  will  best 
find  the  film  the  audience  it  deserves. 

Where  do  Shadow  titles  generally 
show? 

Shadow's  films  play  across  the 
country  and  across  a  range  of 
markets,  but  as  inde- 
pendent theater  owners 
ourselves,    our    greatest 
strength  is  with  the  inde- 
pendent theaters  and  those 
rare     committed     chains 
across  the  country.  They  are 
theaters  that  show  films 
because,  like  us,  they  care 
about  them.  For  whatever 
reason,  however,  Shadow's 
ms    have   often    played 
astonishingly  strongly  in  San 
Francisco       and       Northern 
California,  as  well  as  in  Maine 
I     and  New  Mexico. 

Where  do  you  find 
your  titles,   and 
how  should  film- 
makers approach  you  for  consideration? 

We  rarely  look  at  works-in-progress  tapes 
because  we  do  not  offer  completion 
funding.  But  we  do  welcome  submissions 
of  completed  films.  We  attend  many  of  the  festivals — 
Toronto  and  Montreal  being  two  (consecutive)  yearly  rit- 
uals. Most  of  our  films  now  come  to  us  through  those 
makers  who  have  worked  with  Shadow  before,  through 
our  theaters  (Railroad  Square  Cinema)  and  through  our 
annual  film  festival  (the  Maine  International  Film 
Festival),  which  we  hold  every  July. 

Range  of  production  budgets  of  titles  in  your  collec- 
tion: 

We  never  ask  this  question.  This  is,  simply,  not  a  con- 
cern for  us  one  way  or  the  other.  It's  also  our  least 
favorite  question  in  Q/A  sessions  with  filmmakers  at 
festivals. 


38     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Biggest  change  at  Shadow  in  recent  years: 

Probably  the  biggest  change  has  been  the  way  our  film 
festival  has  worked  hand-in-hand  with  our  distribution 
arm.  The  festival  has  given  us  a  venue  to  observe  first- 
hand how  an  audience  responds  to  certain  of  the  films 
we're  considering  picking  up.  Can  you  get  that  at  other 
festivals?  Yes,  but  first,  we  know  our  audience,  since 
we  see  them  year  round,  not  just  at  festival  time,  and 
can  judge  the  strength  and  depth  of  their  response. 
Second,  our  festival  exists  outside  of  the  hype  and 
"buzz"  of  the  big  ticket  festivals;  we  feel  that  this  gives 
us  an  opportunity  to  see  how  well  a  film  is  received,  not 
just  how  well  a  buzz  is  received. 

Most  important  issue  facing  Shadow  today: 

Figuring  out  how  to  keep  reaching  the  audiences  that 
would  be  most  interested  in  our  films  in  an  era  of 
increasing  costs  and  conservatism. 

Where  will  Shadow  be  10  years  from  now? 

In  Maine,  in  the  woods. 

You  knew  Shadow  had  made  it  as  a  company 
when . . . 

our  first  major  release,  Latcho  Drom,  excited  audiences 
around  the  country  as  much  as  it  did  us,  staying  on 
screen  for  literally  years. 

Best  distribution  experience  you've  had  lately: 

Seeing  our  current  release,  Windhorse,  reach  large 
audiences  in  small  towns  across  the  country. 

If  you  weren't  distributing  films,  what  would  you  be 
doing? 

When  I'm  not  distributing  movies,  I'm  watching  them, 
selling  tickets  to  others  to  watch  them,  listening  to  jazz, 
or  watching  New  York  Kmcks  games  on  satellite  TV  (you 
don't  even  have  to  be  in  New  York  for  that!). 

Other  distributors  you  admire: 

Amy  Heller  and  Dennis  Doros  of  Milestone  Films  have 
been  distributing  fabulous  movies  with  even  more  fab- 
ulous integrity  and  friendliness  for  far  longer  than  we 
have.  Dan  Talbot  and  New  Yorker  Films,  who  have  more 
great  films  in  their  archives  than  the  rest  of  the  country 
combined. 

The  best  film  you've  seen  lately  was . . . 

Jos  Stelling's  new  film  No  Trains  No  Planes,  another 
masterpiece  by  perhaps  the  most  criminally  under-  rec- 
ognized director  in  the  world. 

The  difference  between  Shadow  and  other  distribu- 
tors of  independent  films  is . . . 

we  offer  lobsters  and  long  walks  in  the  woods  to  all  who 
visit  us. 

If  you  could  only  give  independent  filmmakers  one 
bit  of  advice  it  would  be  to . . . 

not  make  a  film  for  any  other  reason  than  that  you  love 
movies  and  that  you  have  some  unique  vision  that  you 
have  to  express  in  this  medium. 


CS  ASSOCIATES 

22  Weston  Road 

Lincoln,  MA  01773 

tel:  (781)  259-9988 

fax:  (781)  259-9966 


DISTRIBUTION 

PRE-SALES 

CO-PRODUCTION 


Distributing  outstanding 
documentaries,  restored 
classic  films,  children's 
and  instructional 
programs  for  worldwide 
broadcast  since  1980. 


Send  VHS  submissions  to  Lisa  Carey, 
Director  of  Acquisitions 


NON  LINEAR 
EDITING 


M'Sfl 

V        1         D         E        0  | 

REAL  TIME  TRANSITIONS 


BROADCAST  ONLINE 
3:1  TO  200:1  OFFLINE 


MULTI-LAYERING 


BETACAM   SP   EDITING 
HI    8    &    3/4SP   —   3/4    AB 

ANIMATION  &  GRAPHICS 

DUPLICATION 

TRANSFERS  from  HI8  to  BETA 


Phone  (212)  219-9240 
Fax  (212)  966-5618 


the   twenty-second   annual 


big   muddy    film   festival 

february  26  -  march  5,  2000 


call  for  entries 

deadline:  January  18,  2000 


southern  illinois  university 
dept.  of  cinema  and  photography 
carbondale,  il  62901-6610 


618.453.1482 
fax:  453.2264 
www.bigmuddy.com 
bigmuddy@siu .edu 


sfu 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      39 


JUL 


lU^^J 


1  1    WEEHAWKEN   STREET,  NYC 

—————— — — — — — 


212.691.103 


■ 


Upcoming  titles  to  watch  for: 
Rocky  Collins'  Pants  on  Fire,  perhaps  Shadow's  most 
widely  accessible  film,  a  brilliant  debut  feature  that,  like 
the  best  films  of  Douglas  Sirk  (a  Collins  influence), 
treads  an  amazing  line  between  the  comic  and  the  dra- 
matic. 

The  future  of  independent  film  distribution  in  this 
country  is  one  which  . . . 

the  future  of  great  films  depends  on.  The  big  companies 
don't  care  about  anything  but  bucks.  The  smaller  ones 
do. 


Distributor  FAQ  profiles  a  wide  range  of  distributors  of  inde- 
pendent film  and  video.  Send  profile  suggestions  to  Lissa 
Gibbs,  c/o  The  Independent,  304  Hudson  St.,  6  ft.,  New  York, 
NY  10013,  or  drop  an  email  to  lissag@earthlmk.net 

Lissa  Gibbs  is  a  contributing  editor  to  The  Independent  and 
former  Film  Arts  Foundation  Fest  director. 


40     THE    INDEPENDENT     December    1999 


trrrl-M 


5) 


NEW  YORK  STATE 
COUNCIL  ON  THE  ARTS 

Michelle 


by 


Coe 


NYSCA,  915  Broadway  New  York,  NY  10010.  Main 
Number:  (212)  387-7000;  Individual  Artists 
Program:  (212)  387-7063;  Film  &  Media  Program: 
(212)  387-7058.  Deborah  Silverfine,  Deputy 
Director;  Don  Palmer,  Director,  Individual  Artists 
Program;  Claude  Meyer,  Associate,  Electronic  Media 
&  Film  Program 

MEET  NYSCA  in  our  January  Meet  &  Greet!  Details 
to  come  in  the  Jan/Feb  issue,  on  our  website,  and 
our  Events  Hotline:  (212)  807-1400  ext.  301. 

What  is  the  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts? 

Long  recognized  for  its  leadership  role,  the  New  York 
State  Council  on  the  Arts  takes  particular  care  in  its 
support  of  the  media  arts  and  assists  virtually  every 
aspect  of  film,  video,  radio,  audio,  installation  work,  and 
web-based/computer  projects.  The  Council's  Individual 
Artists  Program  and  Electronic  Media  &  Film  Programs 
go  way  beyond  supporting  only  production:  NYSCA  sup- 
ports artists  in  a  "cradle  to  grave"  system  whereby 
funding  is  available  for  the  full-range  of  production — 
from  project  development  to  completion  and  through 
distribution — to  organizational  projects  that  also 
enhance  the  success  of  artists'  work,  especially  in  exhi- 
bition, and  in  distribution  and  preservation  as  well. 

How  does  NYSCA  rank  among  state  arts  councils  in 
terms  of  overall  budget? 

NYSCA  has  one  of  the  biggest  budgets  for  public  funders 
in  the  arts  in  the  U.S.:  $50.2  million  this  year  (an 
increase  of  $9.2  million  over  last  year).  Few  states 
spend  as  much  either  on  an  absolute  or  relative  per- 
capita  basis.  This  year  the  budget  for  Individual  Artists 
was  $2.1  million,  or  4.7  percent  of  the  agency's  budget. 
This  includes  production  support,  music  and  theater 
commissions,  and  the  Fellowship  Program  run  by  the 
New  York  Foundation  for  the  Arts. 

What  are  the  biggest  changes  that  have  resulted 
from  the  cutbacks,  both  internally  and  in  the  field? 

NYSCA  was  seriously  hurt  by  budget  cuts  in  the  early 
'90s.  Our  highest  budget  was  1989  at  $60.1  million  and 
we're  still  hoping  to  get  back  there.  When  inflation  is 
factored  and  rising  costs  for  virtually  every  budget  item, 
it's  clear  that  we  have  a  way  to  go.  Still,  our  recent 
funding  picture  has  been  very  encouraging. 

How  much  of  your  budget  goes  toward  film  and 
media,  either  to  individuals  or  to  organizations? 


/*\ 


whole  generation  of  artists  grow  up  and  produce  impor- 
tant work. 

Funding  for  film  production  was  greatly  expanded 
beginning  in  1976/77.  Ira  Wohl's  Best  Boy,  Barbara 
Koppel's  Harlan  County  USA,  and  Claudia  Weil's 
Girlfriends  all  received  support  during  that  period. 

The  "bad  old  days"  of  budget 
cutbacks  are  remembered  with 
considerable  chagrin.  And  many 
of  the  changes  that  occurred 
during  that  period  are  still  in 
place.  Most  important,  of 
course,  is  the  level  of  support 
available  to  artists  and  organi- 
zations. The  current  level  of 
support  available  to  media 
activity  is  about  $3  million  com- 
pared to  almost  $4  million  a 
decade  ago.  This  has  resulted  in 
fundamental  changes  in  the 
landscape  and  many  of  the 
organizations  that  were  devoted 
to  helping  artists — especially  in 
areas  of  distribution  and  exhibi- 


NYSCA  program  staffers  Don  Palmer  (above) 
and  Claude  Meyer. 


In  1989  we  spent  $1.03  million  on  Individual  Artists 
Grants  (Film  &  Video).  In  addition,  the  Film  and  Media 
departments  spend  an  additional  $3.3  million  on  orga- 
nizational grants,  some  of  which  was  used  to  support 
the  work  of  independent  producers,  for  example  through 
rental  fees  and  artists'  appearances.  This  also  includes 
residencies  and  workshop  instructors  payments. 

When  and  why  did  NYSCA's  film  and  video  program 
come  into  being?  How  has  it  changed? 

NYSCA  was  one  of  the  first  Arts  Councils  in  the  United 
States  and  from  its  earliest  days  supported  film  and 
video.  Early  grants  included  the  Film  Society  of  Lincoln 
Center,  Cinema  16,  and  Young  Filmmakers  (now 
Film/Video  Arts).  Workshops  and  arts  education  activi- 
ties were  big  back  then  and  so  it's  interesting  that  there 
is  renewed  interest  in  those  areas  today.  More  interest- 
ing is  that  from  those  initial  activities  we've  seen  a 


MEET  NYSCA  IN  AIVF'S  JANUARY  MEET  &  GREET! 

Watch  for  details  in  the  next  issue,  at  www.aivf.org,  and  on  our  Events  Hotline: 
(212)  807-1400  x.  301.  And  see  our  website  for  a  list  of  other  state  arts  councils. 


tion — no  longer  exist.  Grants 
are  smaller  as  well.  When 
adjusted  for  inflation,  much  of 
our  support  is  only  a  fraction  of 
what  it  was  in  the  late  '80s. 
Internally,  staffing  has  been 
greatly  reduced.  In  the  "old"  days  there  were  two  sep- 
arate departments  for  Film  and  Video,  each  with  a  staff 
of  three  people — a  total  of  six.  Now  there  are  two  peo- 
ple in  the  merged  Film  and  Media  Departments  and  one 
person  in  Individual  Artists  Program.  Clearly,  a  lot  less 
time  is  spent  on  each  application — including  individual 
producers  who  often  wend  their  way  through  the 
process,  which  can  be  challenging  alone! 

How  many  media  artists  have  you  funded  since  your 
inception?  What  has  been  the  distribution/exhibi- 
tion path  of  some  of  those  projects? 

NYSCA  has  funded  hundreds  of  individual  productions 
over  the  years.  Village  Voice  critic  Amy  Taubin  put  it  elo- 
quently in  the  'Set  in  Motion'  catalogue  (1994):  "From 
Spike  Lee's  She's  Gotta  Have  It  to  Leslie  Harris'  Just 
Another  Girl  on  the  IRT,  from  Todd  Haynes'  Poison  to 
Jennie  Livingston's  Paris  Is  Burning  from  Bette 
Gordon's  Variety  to  Mark  Rappaport's  Rock  Hudson's 
Home  Movies,  NYSCA  has  been  a  catalyst  for  a  new 
New  York  wave  of  independent  filmmaking.  NYSCA  pro- 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      41 


«--"•' •»•■- --^ 


vided  early  funds  for  films  that  might  otherwise  have 
been  thought  difficult  or  marginal,  thus  encouraging 
more  cautious  and  commercially-minded  investors  to 
come  aboard.  It  threw  its  support  behind  "other"  points 
of  view:  feminist,  gay,  African-American,  Asian, 
Hispanic.  Without  NYSCA  funding  for  production  and 
exhibition,  creative  filmmaking  in  New  York  would  have 
withered  away  years  ago." 

Has  NYCA  been  targeted  over  individual  grants  for 
controversial  projects  the  way  the  NEA  has? 

There  have  been  a  number  of  controversial 
projects  over  the  years.  But  the  Council  has 
always  been  fortunate  to  have  a  very  strong 
Board  of  Directors  led  by  equally  strong 
Chairmen  who  have  eloquently  made  the 
case  for  no  censorship  in  NYSCA's  funding. 
Long-time  Chairman  Kitty  Carlisle  Hart 
articulated  a  clear  policy  that  defended 
artists  rights.  The  Council's  subsequent 
leaders,  Earle  I.  Mack  (1996-98)  and 
Richard  J.  Schwartz  (1998-present)  have 
been  equally  forceful  about  the  Council's 
role  in  supporting  artists'  free  expression. 

NYSCA  has  been  criticized  for  specific 
grants  and  several  times  the  Chairman  has 
testified  in  Albany  about  such  projects.  The 
Council  has  always  emerged  with  its  sup- 
port intact.  We  continue  to  be  optimistic 
that  all  kinds  of  different  voices  will  find 
expression  through  NYSCA  support. 

What  are  the  various  grant  categories 
that  currently  fund  film  and  video 
(including  production,  exhibition, 
preservation,  etc.)? 

In  recent  years  the  Council  has  moved 
toward  streamlining  operations  so  that 
many  groups  who  previously  received  sup- 
port on  a  project  basis  are  now  grouped 
under  this  broad  rubric.  Reading  between 
the  lines,  our  largest  funding  category 
remains  exhibition  which  reaches  virtually 
every  part  of  the  state.  Our  concerns  are  three-fold — 
for  artists,  audiences,  and  organizations  and  it  is  in  the 
exhibition  category  that  these  concerns  come  together. 
From  the  Film  Department  at  the  Museum  of  Modern  Art 
to  small  exhibition  programs — the  1891  Fredoma 
Opera  House  or  the  Mohawk  Valley  Center  for  the  Arts, 
both  of  which  do  small  series — our  funding  supports  a 
wide  range  of  programming.  Independent,  foreign,  clas- 
sic, experimental,  animation — you  name  it  and  it 
shows  up  on  a  NYSCA  supported  calendar.  NYSCA  also 
supports  installations,  audio  art,  and  radio,  for  example 
WJFF  in  Jeffersonville.  The  Council  has  also  been  sup- 
porting web-based  exhibition  projects  in  recent  years. 

Other  active  grant  categories  include  Distribution  for 
organizations  like  Women  Make  Movies  and  Camera 


News,  Preservation  and  Services  to  the  Field  which  deal 
with  equipment  access  and  training. 

It's  important  to  note  that  funding  priorities  are  con- 
stantly evolving.  For  example  in  recent  years  preserva- 
tion has  taken  on  a  new  importance  as  many  video 
works  created  in  the  70's  have  begun  to  deteriorate. 
The  Council  has  also  been  energetic  in  supporting  new 
technology  applications.  The  EMF  Program  was  the 
impetus  for  the  1997  Governor's  Conference  on  Arts 
and  Technology  and  there  have  been  two  separate  fund- 


Does  NYSCA  provide  a  list  of  fiscal  sponsors  or  in 
any  way  help  make  those  links? 

There  is  no  formal  list  of  fiscal  sponsors,  although  the 
NYSCA  Annual  Report  is  a  viable  source  of  potential 
sponsors.  Council  staff  can  provide  some  informal 
advice  on  possible  connections.  [A  fact  sheet  and  brief 
list  of  organizations  offering  fiscal  sponsorships  is 
available  through  the  AIVF  website:  www.aivf.org.] 

Can  the  same  project  come  back  to  NYSCA  at  vari- 
ous stages  of  production?  What  is  the  time  frame 


ing  initiatives  for  technology  related  programs. 

You  mainly  fund  nonprofit  organizations;  can  indi- 
viduals apply  for  funds? 

While  all  of  the  Council's  support  goes  to  not-for-profit 
organizations,  individuals  may  receive  support  through 
sponsored  projects — that  is,  an  application  filed  on 
behalf  of  the  artists  by  an  organization  or  through  sev- 
eral other  re-grant  mechanisms.  Experimental 
Television  Center  in  Owego  [see  "Funder  FAQs,"  July 
1999]  administers  a  regrant  account  which  provides 
modest  assistance  to  individual  artists.  We  also  offer  a 
special  category-.  Distribution  for  NYS  Artists,  which 
provides  modest  distribution  support  for  individual  pro- 
jects. Individuals  can  apply  for  funds  to  the  Individual 
Artists  Program  through  a  fiscal  sponsor  as  well. 


within  which  the 
funds  must  be 
used? 

One  of  the  Council's  best  features  is  its  willingness  to 
support  the  same  project  for  different  stages  of  pro- 
duction: preproduction,  production,  or  postproduction 
or  any  combination  of  the  three.  NYSCA  contracts  gen- 
erally cover  one  year  and  are  based  upon  the  fiscal  year 
of  the  sponsoring  organization.  Individuals  must  have 
completed  the  phase  of  production  for  which  they  were 
funded  before  being  eligible  for  additional  support.  It 
should  be  noted,  however,  since  Film  Production  and 
Media  Production  (video,  multimedia,  new  technology, 
radio,  and  audio  projects)  are  offered  in  alternating 
years,  it  might  not  make  sense  to  apply  for  one  phase 


42     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


at  a  time. 

On  average,  how  many  media  awards  are  given  out 
each  year  to  individuals?  What  is  the  average  size 
of  a  grant? 

The  Council's  maximum  production  grant  is  $25,000. 
Grants  generally  range  from  $7,500  to  $25,000 
depending  on  available  funds.  The  number  of  awards  is 
also  dependent  upon  the  program's  allocation. 

What's  the  ratio  of  applicants  to  recipients  in  your 
division? 

For  the  last  two  years,  there  have  been  37  and  42  recip- 
ients. The  total  expenditures  were  $542,000  and 
$614,000.  The  ratio  of  awards  to  applicants  is  between 
10  and  33  per  cent,  but  this  depends  upon  the  amount 
of  money  available  in  any  given  year. 

What  are  the  restrictions  on  applicants'  qualifica- 
tions (e.g.,  geography,  medium)? 

Restrictions  are  as  follows:  The  applicant  must  be  a 
New  York  State  resident,  and  the  work  cannot  be  a  stu- 
dent project.  Funding  is  not  available  for  projects  that 
are  strictly  for  education  or  training. 

Tell  us  a  little  bit  about  the  review  process. 

An  artist  or  an  organization  with  a  strong  idea  will  get  a 
very  fair  hearing,  maybe  the  most  open-minded,  fairest 
of  any  government  agency  or  private  foundation.  We 
really  try  to  err  on  the  side  of  supporting  our  applicants 
and  do  our  best  to  help  them  succeed.  The  percentage 
of  organizations  that  are  turned  away  is  mimscule.  The 
percentage  of  artists'  projects  turned  down  is  much 
higher,  but  that's  because  there  are  proportionately 
more  applications  for  much  more  expensive  projects. 
Years  ago  we  decided  to  try  to  fund  programs  and  indi- 
vidual projects  in  a  meaningful  way  and  we  have  stuck 
to  our  guns.  We  try  our  best  to  provide  a  level  of  support 
that  will  insure  a  project's  success.  We  try  never  to  give 
a  project  so  little  support  that  it  will  not  succeed.  Along 
the  way,  many  people  look  at  each  proposal  and  the 
process  is  very  open. 

Are  comments  pertaining  to  an  application  avail- 
able to  the  applicant? 

It's  impossible  to  talk  to  every  organization  or  artist  but 
in  many  cases  where  we  think  we  can  help  we  do  offer 
feedback.  Many  groups  receive  letters  which  detail  the 
Panel's  concerns  or  offer  suggestions  for  stronger  pro- 
grams. Artists  are  often  advised  about  how  the  Panel 
reviewed  the  project. 

What  are  some  of  the  common  mistakes  that  appli- 
cants make? 

One  of  the  most  common  mistakes  for  a  new  organiza- 
tion is  to  request  support  for  too  many  things  in  their 
first  application  to  us.  This  goes  for  individuals  as  well: 
it's  always  good  to  appear  focused,  to  demonstrate  that 
you  really  can  do  what  you  say  you  can  do.  There  are 
some  other  mistakes  that  are  almost  not  worth  men- 
tioning. The  bottom  line  is  that  we're  not  looking  for  per- 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      43 


li-r/r-Wii*^) 


I 


INDEPENDENT 
FILM  FE5TIVRL 


Feb.  4-5,  2000  •  Starkville,  MS 


Our  3rd  annual  "Mag"  welcomes  all  lengths,  all 
genres.  Cash  awards,  "Mags"  given.  Entries 
screened  in  1 6mm,  Beta,  VHS.  Directors  who  attend 
stay  free .  No  entry  fee.  Past  winner's  include: 
Mark  Edgington's  "Anna  in  the  Sky";  Eric  Cooper's 
"Jesus  2000";  Kyle  Rankin's  "Mr.  Pennington". 

For  entry  form  write  to: 

Ron  Tibbett,  Festival  Director 

Magnolia  Independent  Film  Festival 

2269  Waverly  Dr. 

West  Point,  MS  39773 

Phone (601)  494-5836 

Fax  (601)  494-9900 

www.magfilmfest.com 


Entry  deadline  March  1,  2000 


SHOOTING 
ONDV? 


Don't  bump  to 
Beta  for  post. 

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poetry  or  playwriting  in  our 
unique  interdisciplinary  MFA 
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$15,000  James  A. 
Michener  Fellowships  granted 
yearly  to  all  candidates  enrolled 
in  the  three-year  program. 


For  more  information,  contact: 

MICHENER  CENTER  FOR  WRITERS 

/.  Frank  Dobie  House 

702  E.  Dean  Keeton  St.  •  Austin,  TX  78705 

512-471-1601  •  bsnider@mail.utexas.edu 

http://uts.ee.  utexas.edu/ '-"writers/ 


THE        UNIVERSITY        OF        TEXAS        AT        AUSTIN 


feet 
proposals,  we're  looking  for  strong  projects.  No  one 
should  ever  lose  sleep  because  of  a  typo  or  a  run-on 
sentence.  That's  not  what  we're  about. 

What  advice  do  you  have  for  media  artists  for 
putting  forth  a  strong  application? 

Be  brief!  Pay  attention  to  deadlines!  Always  give  us  a 
credit  on  the  project!  Always  file  a  final  report  on  time! 

How  are  you  planning  to  handle  the  burgeoning  field 
of  new  media?  How  does  your  Technology  Initiative 
Grant  address  this  issue? 

Organizationally,  the  Council  is  working  across  disci- 
plines in  advancing  the  use  and  understanding  of  digi- 
tal media  and  the  new  technologies.  The  Internet  and 
other  computer-based  applications  are  having  a  pro- 
found impact  on  the  way  the  arts  can  be  experienced, 
created,  and  appreciated.  NYSCA  is  undertaking  a  two- 
year  Technology  Initiative  Grant  to  identify  and  support 
some  of  the  work  in  this  area.  This  first  year  is  focused 
on  the  ways  artists  are  using  digital  technology  in  the 
production  and  presentation  of  their  work. 
Approximately  $300,000  has  been  earmarked  for  these 
projects.  The  applicant  roster  includes  a  strong  pres- 
ence of  media  arts  organizations.  Next  year,  NYSCA  will 
turn  its  attention  to  funding  projects  using  the  web  for 


44     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


Among  the  many  landmark 
films  NYSCA  has  supported 
are  Best  Boy,  a  documentary 
by  Ira  Wohl,  and  Spike  Lee's 
breakthough  film,  She's 
Gotta  Have  It. 


audience  development 
and  services.  NYSCA  is 
also  funding  some  of 
this  development  work 
with  the  New  York  Foun- 
dation on  the  Arts,  sup- 
porting two  rounds  of 
Technology  Planning 
Grants  and  a  new  tech- 
nical assistance  fund 
for  nonprofit  arts  orga- 
nizations in  the  State. 

What  would  people 
most  be  surprised  to 
learn  about  NYSCA 
and/or  its  staff? 

How  many  chances 
NYSCA  takes.  We  are 
often  the  first  support 
for  a  project  and  we 
often  take  a  flyer  where 
other  funders  would  not. 
Moreover,  we  tend  to 
stick  with  organizations 
over  time.  For  example, 
it  takes  years  to  develop 
a  strong  exhibition  site. 
And  very  often  an  indi- 
vidual producer  falters 
at  the  beginning  only  to  come  back  with  really  strong 
work.  The  Arts  Council  is  never  dismissive  and  we 
never  take  artists  or  art  for  granted. 

Other  foundations  or  grantmaking  organizations 
you  admire. 

Jerome,  Andy  Warhol,  Rockefeller,  the  Funding 
Exchange,  and  WNET/Channel  13 — all  organizations 
that  have  displayed  a  real  vision  and  commitment  to 
independent  media  arts.  And  we're  really  excited  about 
the  appearance  of  Creative  Capital  [see  Funder  FAQ, 
April  1999].  Finding  other  funders  for  media  has  been  a 
longtime  struggle.  Over  the  years  we've  made  a  real 
effort  to  try  to  engage  other  funders  although  we've 
moved  forward  only  in  fits  and  starts. 

Famous  last  words: 

The  Arts  Council  represents  the  best  that  government 
has  to  offer.  Our  history  depicts  the  evolution  of  media 
arts  in  New  York  State  and,  in  some  respects,  the 
nation.  We  don't  make  everyone  happy,  but  we  can  point 
to  real  accomplishments  in  film,  video,  and  audio  for 
artists,  audiences,  and  arts  organizations.  Virtually 
every  NYSCA  staff  member  recognizes  the  honor  and 
responsibility  that  goes  with  working  here. 

Michelle  Coe  is  program  &  information  services  director 

at  AIVF.  NYSCA  provides  funding  toward  FIVF  programs  for 

media  artists  of  New  York  State. 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      45 


~i-2i^jjjfj.  y~ 


3 


by   Scott   Castle 

listings  do  not  constitute  an  endorsement.  we 
recommend  that  you  contact  the  festival 
directly  before  sending  cassettes,  as  details 
may  change  after  the  magazine  goes  to  press, 
deadline:  1st  of  the  month  two  months  prior 
to  cover  date  (nov.  1  for  jan/feb  issue).  include 
festival  dates,  categories,  prizes,  entry  fees, 
deadlines,  formats  &  contact  info.  send  to:  fes- 
tivals@aivf.org 

Domestic 


ANN  ARBOR  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  12-19,  Ml.  Deadline: 
Feb.  1.  All  cats  &  genres  of  independent  filmmaking  accept- 
ed In  this  fest  of  16mm  film,  founded  in  1963  &  one 
of  oldest  ind.  film  tests  in  country.  $16,000  in  cash 
prizes  awarded.  Awarded  films  &  highlights  pro- 
grammed into  4-hr  program  that  tours  colleges  & 
film  showplaces  across  U.S.  for  4  months  following 
fest,  w/  rental  fee  of  $2/min.  per  tour  stop  paid  to 
filmmakers.  Cats:  Any  style  or  genre.  Formats: 
16mm.  Preview  on  16mm  only,  no  video.  Entry  fee: 
$32  ($37  Canadian  &  foreign).  Contact:  AAFF,  Box 
8232,  Ann  Arbor,  Ml  48107;  (734)  995-5356;  fax- 
995-5396;  vicki@honeyman.org;  www. 
aafilmfest.org 


awards  to  feature,  short,  and  screenplay  winners.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS,  1/2"  NTSC  only  (no  PAL). 
Entry  fee:  $25.  Films  produced  since  1993  eligible  for  official 
selection.  Contact:  FFIIFF,  Terence  Mulligan,  fest  director,  Film 
Fleadh  Foundation.  29  Greene  St.,  NY,  NY  10013;  (212)  966- 
3030  x.  247;  Filmfleadh@aol.com;  www.FilmFleadh.com 

HUMAN  RIGHTS  WATCH  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

mid-June,  NY  Deadline:  Jan.  20.  Fest  takes  place  at  the 
Walter  Reade  Theater  at  Lincoln  Center  and  is  co-presented 
by  the  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center.  Fest  was  created  to 
advance  public  education  on  human  rights  issues  &  concerns 
with  highlights  from  the  fest  presented  in  a  growing  number 
of  cities  around  the  world.  All  genres  are  included.  Awards: 
Nestor  Almendros  Award  for  $5,000  given  to  one  filmmaker  in 
the  fest  for  courage  in  filmmaking.  One  established  filmmak- 


LONG  LIVE  SUPER  8! 


CLEARWATER  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL, 

Feb.  18-27,  FL.  Deadline:  Jan  15.  Fest  is  seeking 
feature  length,  shorts  &  docs  and  accepting  films 
that  educate,  entertain  &  enlighten  for  various  cats: 
children/family,  action  adventure,  drama,  comedy, 
mystery/suspense,  sci-fi/fantasy  &  foreign  (subti- 
tled or  in  English)  Entry  fees:  $25  (shorts);  $35 
(docs);  $50  (features).  Formats:  16mm.  35mm, 
DVD.  Preview  on  VHS.  Prints  must  be  avail,  by 
deadline  to  be  selected  for  awards  presentations. 
For  entry  form,  contact:  CIFF  Box  537,  Clearwater, 
FL  33757;  (727)  442-3317;  fax:  443-6753;  www. 
clearwaterfilmfestival.com 

CUCALORUS   FILM   FESTIVAL.   May  4-7,   NC. 
Deadlines:  Jan.  15  (early),  Feb.  11  (final).  6th  annu- 
al fest  seeks  independent  work  of  all  styles  &  bud- 
gets. W/  a  focus  on  filmmakers  &  their  work,  fest  is 
in  its  5th  year  &  styles  itself  as  "one  of  the  premiere 
film  tests  in  the  southeast."  45-65  shorts  &  6-8 
features  shown.  Accepts  any  style  or  genre. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  super  8,  Beta  SR  3/4",  1/2".  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  fees:  $15  (early);  $25  (final).  Contact:  CFF,  Box 
2763,     Wilmington,     NC     28402;     (910)     343-5995; 
cucalorus@mailcity.comwww.cucalorus.org 

FILM  FLEADH:  THE  IRISH  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL. 

March  11-14.  NY.  Deadline:  Dec  31.  2nd  annual  fest  open  to 
films  made  in  Ireland,  or  by  an  Irish  filmmaker,  or  by  a  film- 
maker of  Irish  descent  living  outside  Ireland,  or  w/  an  Irish 
theme.  All  genres  accepted  in  the  following  cats:  feature, 
short,  doc,  experimental,  animation.  Screenplay  competition 
open  to  an  Irish  or  Irish-American  writer  or  writer(s)  of  Irish 
descent  living  outside  of  Ireland.  Scripts  must  be  over  80 
pages  &  don't  need  to  be  Irish  themed  to  be  accepted.  Cash 


A  couple  years  ago  the  death  of  super  8  seemed 
imminent.  But  nowadays,  despite  video  mavens  tout- 
ing film's  demise  twice  a  week,  the  Little  Gauge  That 
Could  has  mounted  a  comeback.  "I  thought  it  was 
really  crucial  to  have  a  venue  for  the  small  gauge 
media  arts  people  to  have  their  work  shown — cham- 
pioned in  some  way,"  says  Al  Nigrin,  founder  &  direc- 
tor of  the  United  States  Super  8  Film  &  Video  Festival. 
Kodak  now  manufactures  super  8  in  its  professional 
division,    having  receiv"1 
an  overwhelming  show 
support  for  the  67-year-old 
format,  and  are  themselves 
a  sponsor  of  the  festival.  /£? 

Last  year's  festival  attract-  /^wnfflmiHffliiM 

ed  140  works  from  around  ' ' 

the  world,  with  over  half  .  |j  fj 
originating  on  super  8  film.  \  if  *J  [ 
See  listing.  j*'  ,  *• 


juried  competition  by  active  indie  filmmakers.  Cats:  experi- 
mental, animated,  doc  &  narrative  films.  Int'l  entries  encour- 
aged. Approx.  $2,000  in  cash  &  prizes  awarded.  Entries  must 
have  been  produced  in  last  3  yrs.  Formats:  16mm  &  super  8. 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $20-$40  (sliding  scale).  Contact: 
HIFF  Theater  Arts  Dept,  Humboldt  State  Univ.,  Areata,  CA 
95521;  (707)  826-4113;  fax:  826-4112;  filmfest@axe. 
humboldt.edu;  www.humboldt.edu/~theatre/filmfest.html 

INTERNATIONAL  FESTIVAL  OF  FILM  &  VIDEO  DANCE.  July  7- 
9.  NY  Deadline:  Jan.  17. 5th  annual  fest  will  be  major  survey 
of  dance  for  the  camera  in  the  global  community  of  dance  & 
will  provide  an  overview  of  the  current  trends  &  practices  of 
artists  &  choreographers  working  in  film,  video  &  digital  tech- 
nologies. Cats  incl.  choreography  for  the  camera,  doc  & 
experimental/digital  tech.  Formats  &  preview  on  VHS  (PAL  or 
NTSC).  Entry  fee:  $30.  Contact:  IFFVD,  Heidi  Kinney, 
1697  Broadway,  Room  900;  New  York,  NY  10019; 
(212)  586-1925;  fax:  397-1196. 

KANSAS  CITY  FILMMAKERS  JUBILEE,  April  1-8. 
MO/KS.  Deadline:  Jan.  31  (early);  Feb.  7  (final).  This 
is  the  Jubilee's  4th  year  &  over  $10,000  in  cash  & 
prizes  will  be  awarded.  There  are  two  divisions:  1) 
Kansas  City  Metro  Division  (13  county,  bi-state  KC 
metro  area  residents  only — student  (age  18  & 
under),  8mm,  open  subdivisions):  Features  &  shorts 
completed  since  Jan.  31,  1997.  Cats:  narrative, 
experimental,    animation,    doc.    music    video. 
Formats:  Any  format.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees: 
$15/$20.  2)  Nat'l/lnt'l  Short  Film  Division:  films 
under  30  min.  in  length  completed  since  Jan.  31, 
1998.  Entry  fees:  $20/$25.  Write  on  Film  competi- 
tion. Divisions:  Youth  (18  or  under),  College  (under- 
grad/graduate)  &  Open.  Unpublished  essays/criti- 
cism/profiles/scholarly/academic  work  on  films, 
filmmaking,  filmmakers:  500 
word  limit.   Entry  fee:   $10. 
Deadline:  Feb.  20.  Grand  prize: 
publication     in    MovieMaker 
magazine.  Contact:  KCFJ,  4826 
W.  77th  Terrace,  Prairie  Village, 
KS  66208;   (913)  649-0244; 
KCJub@kcjubilee.org;     www. 
kcjubilee.org 


er  is  also  honored  each  year  w/ 
the  Irene  Diamond  Lifetime 
Achievement  Award  for  their 
body  of  work  that  has  highlight- 
ed human  rights  concerns. 
Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4"  Umatic  video  (NTSC  or  PAL). 
Preview  on  VHS  (NTSC,  PAL  or  Secam)  No  entry  fee.  VHS  pre- 
view tapes  are  not  returned,  they  are  recycled.  Contact: 
HRWIFF,  John  Anderson,  350  Fifth  Ave.,  34th  fl.,  New  York,  N.Y 
10118;  (212)  216-1263;  fax:  736-1300;  andersj@hrw.org; 
www.hrw.org/iff 

HUMBOLDT  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL.  April  4-8,  CA 
Deadline:  Jan.  28.  Now  celebrating  its  33rd  yr,  this  is  the  old- 
est student-run  fest  in  U.S.  Films  under  60  min.  accepted  for 


\-^Jt 


NEW  DIRECTORS/NEW  FILMS, 

March  24-April  9,  NY  Deadline: 
Jan.  5.  Highly  regarded  noncom- 
petitive series  presented  by  Film 
Society  of  Lincoln  Center  & 
Museum  of  Modern  Art. 
Founded  in  72,  fest  presents 
average  of  23  features  &  15 
shorts  each  yr  at  MoMA.  About 
900  entries  submitted.  No  cats;  all  genres  &  lengths  consid- 
ered. Shorts  presented  w/  features.  Films  generally  shown 
twice;  however,  docs  may  be  shown  only  once.  Films  select- 
ed by  3  programmers  at  Film  Society  &  3  curators  from 
museum.  Fest  is  well  publicized;  all  programs  reviewed  in 
New  York  Times  &  Village  Voice.  Generally  sells  out  (atten- 
dance averages  93%  &  estimated  at  25,000).  Entries  must 
have  been  completed  w/in  previous  yr  &  be  NY  premieres  w/ 
no  prior  public  exhibition.  Cats:  short,  feature,  doc.  Formats: 


46     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


35mm  &  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS,  tapes  not  returned.  No 
entry  fee.  Send  SASE  for  entry  form  or  download  from  web 
site.  Contact:  NDNF,  Sara  Bensman,  Film  Coordinator,  Film 
Society  of  Lincoln  Center,  70  Lincoln  Center  Plaza,  New  York, 
NY  10023;  (212)  875-5638;  fax:  875-5636;  sbensman® 
filmlinc.com;  www.filmlinc.com 

NEW  YORK  LESBIAN  &  GAY  FILM  FESTIVAL-THE  NEW  FES- 
TIVAL, June  1-11.  Deadlines:  Dec.  20  (early);  Feb.  7  (final). 
Committed  to  presenting  diverse  &  culturally  inclusive  pro- 
grams, fest  showcases  all  genres  of  film,  video  &  new  digital 
media  (incl.  dramatic  features  &  shorts,  docs  &  experimental 
works)  by,  for,  or  of  interest  to  lesbians,  gay  men,  bisexuals, 
or  transgendered  persons.  Jury  awards  incl.  Best  Narrative 
Feature,  Best  Doc  Feature  &  Best  Short.  Proposals  for  lecture 
&  film-clip  presentations,  curated  film/video  programs  & 
interactive  media  installations  also  accepted.  Formats: 
35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  CD-ROM.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fees: 
$15  (early);  $25  (final).  Contact:  The  New  Festival,  47  Great 
Jones  St,  6th  fl,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212)  254-7228;  fax: 
254-8655;  newfest@idt.net;  www.newfestival.org 

NEW  YORK  UNDERGROUND  FILM  FESTIVAL,  March  8-12, 
NY  Deadline:  Jan.  1  (regular);  Jan  15  (late).  Fest  is  NYC's 
showcase  for  films  the  lay  beneath  the  indie  mainstream, 
taking  place  at  a  number  of  downtown  theatres  &  venues. 
Cats:  narrative  feature,  narrative  short,  doc,  animation, 
experimental.  Awards:  Juried  prizes  for  best  feature,  best 
short,  best  doc,  best  animation,  best  experimental,  plus  the 
Festival  Choice  Award.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2", 
S-8.  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $30.  Contact:  NYUFF,  Ed 
Halter,  341  Lafayette  St.,  #236,  New  York,  NY  10012;  (212) 
252-3845;  festival@nyuff.com;  www.nyuff.com 

ROSEBUD  COMPETITION,  April,  DC.  Deadline:  Jan.  21. 
Rosebud  was  formed  in  '90  to  promote  ind.  film  &  video  in 
the  Washington,  DC  area.  Goal  is  to  honor  "innovative,  exper- 
imental, unusual  or  deeply  personal  work  in  creative  film  and 
video  making."  Competition  accepts  works  completed  or  first 
released  from  Jan.  '98  to  Jan  2000.  Eligible  entrants  are 
producers  or  directors  who  are  current  residents  of  DC,  MD, 
or  VA  (exceptions  made  for  students  temporarily  living  out  of 
the  area  or  those  away  on  work  assignment).  Works  accept- 
ed in  all  cats,  incl  narrative,  doc,  art/experimental,  music 
video  &  animation;  works-in-progress/trailers/promos  wel- 
come if  they  stand  on  their  own.  Any  style  or  genre. 
Nominees  not  selected  by  category,  all  works  compete 
against  each  other.  20  nominees  &  5  winners  incl.  Best  of 
Show,  chosen  by  ind.  panel  of  film  &  video  professionals. 
Awards:  trophy,  cash,  multiple  area  theatical  &  TV  screen- 
ings, cash  &  equipment/supplies  prizes.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  Beta  SR  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25.  Contact: 
Rosebud/ACT,  Chris  Griffin,  Fest  Director,  2701-C  Wilson 
Blvd.,  Arlington,  VA  22201,  (703)  524-2388,  fax:  908-9239; 
Chris@Channel33.org;  rosebudwdc@aol.com;  www. 
members.aol.com/rosebudwdc 

TAOS  TALKING  PICTURE  FESTIVAL,  April  13-16,  NM. 
Deadline:  Jan.  15.  Estab.  as  artists'  colony  more  than  a  cen- 
tury ago,  Taos  is  known  for  eclectic  mixture  of  cultures,  tra- 
ditions &  philosophies.  It  is  in  this  light  that  fest  organizers 
program  over  150  new  indie  films  &  videos,  incl.  features, 
docs,  videos  &  shorts  during  four-day  fest.  Highlights  incl. 
Tributes;  Open  Sheet  screenings  (come-one-come-all  show- 
case for  emerging  filmmakers);  Latino  &  Native  American 


CALL  FOR  ENTRIES 

GEN  ART  FILM  FESTIVAL  2000 

CELEBRATING  A  NEW  GENERATION  OF  AMERICAN  FILMMAKERS 
NEW  YORK  /  APRIL  26-MAY  2. 2000  7  PREMIERES  -  7  PARTIES 

DEADLINE  DECEMRER 15, 1999  (EARLY).  FERRUARY 15. 2000  (FINAL) 

FOR  DETAILS  AND  APPLICATION: 

WWW.GENART.ORG  OR  CALL  212.200.0312 

ALL  SEMES  IF  SHUT  ANI  FEATBIE  HUM  ACCEPTED  INCLUDING  NARRATIVE.  DOCUMENTARY. 

EXPERIMENTAL  AMI  ANIMATION.  [NO  VIDEO  OR  WORK  IN  PROGRESS.  PLEASE  J 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      47 


Q^*-~l£i'-LS  y^UL.^T) 


SCRIPT  CLINIC  DEVELOPMENT  CO.© 

for:  Film  Script  Evaluation,  Consulting  &  Doctoring 

the  Doctor:     KEN  DANCTGER  call:    (212)    387-8753 

Author:    "Alternative  Scriptwriting:  Writing  beyond  the 

Rules"  (with  J.Rush),  The  Technique  of  Film  &  Video 
Editing'*, &  "Writing  the  Short  Film"  (with  P.Cooper) 

Script  Workshops:  London,  Amsterdam,  Berlin,  Sydney, 

Singapore 


SUNDANCE  INSTITUTE 
PRESENTS 


THE  PROGRAM 

♦  Independent  Feature 
Film  Competition 

♦  Premieres 

♦  American  Spectrum 

♦  Short  Film  Competition 
♦   World  Cinema 


JANUARY  20-30 
PARK  CITY,  UTAH 


♦  Frontier 

♦  Panel  Discussions- 
Exploring  issues  and  the 
art  of  independent  cinema 
♦  Piper-Heidsieck  Tribute 
to  Independent  Vision 


FOR  INFORMATION  CALL  801-328-3456 
OR  WRITE 

Sundance  Film  Festival 
P.O.  Box  16450 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84116 
www.sundance.org 


programs,  as  well  as  comprehensive  Media  Literacy  Forum 
w/  panel  discussions,  workshops  &  demonstrations  focusing 
on  state  of  media.  Of  special  interest  is  the  Taos  Land  Grant 
Award  of  5  acres  of  land  to  be  awarded  to  narrative,  doc  or 
experimental  film  or  video,  70  min.  or  longer,  which  takes  a 
fresh  approach  to  storytelling  &/or  the  cinematic  medium. 
Entries  should  have  been  completed  w/in  18  mos.  of  test  & 
should  be  NM  premieres.  Cats:  feature,  doc,  short,  experi- 
mental, animation.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm,  3/4",  1/2". 
Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  Fee:  $25-$35  (no  fee  for  int'l  entries). 
Contact:  TTPF,  Kelly  Clement,  Dir.  of  Programming,  7217 
NDCBU,  1337  Gusdorf  Rd.  Ste.  F,  Taos.  NM  87571;  (505) 
751-0637;  fax:  751-7385;  ttpix@taosnet.com;  www. 
ttpix.org 

THAW  2000,  April,  IA.  Deadline:  Jan.  31.  Fest  celebrating  the 
independent  spirit  of  the  moving  image  seeks  new,  indie  film, 
video,  CD-ROM,  or  web  site.  Entries  must  have  been  com- 
pleted after  Jan.  1,  1997.  Fest  discourages  submission  of 
purely  doc,  educational,  or  industrial  work;  welcomes  stu- 
dent, professional  &  int'l  artists.  For  jurying  purposes,  will 
accept  film  &  video  entries  on  VHS  (NTSC  only).  Digital  work 
may  be  submitted  on  CD-ROM  or  as  URL.  Film  producers 
whose  work  is  selected  will  be  asked  to  provide  16mm  print. 
Awards:  cash  prizes  will  be  awarded  for  exemplary  work. 
Thaw  00  jurors:  Brian  Frye,  Kathy  High,  and  Norie  Neumark. 
Formats:  16mm,  3/4",  1/2",  Beta  SP  CD-ROM,  Web.  Preview 
on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $15  (30  min.  or  less,  or  Digital  Media 
works,  incl.  web  sites);  $30  (works  longer  than  30  min.). 
Preview  on  VHS.  Contact:  Thaw,  Institute  for  Cinema  & 
Culture,  162  BCSB,  Iowa  City,  IA  52242;  (319)  335-1348; 
fax:  335-1774;  thaw@uiowa.edu;  www.uiowa.edu/~thaw 

UNITED  STATES  SUPER  8MM  FILM/VIDEO  FESTIVAL,  Feb. 
18-20,  NJ.  Deadline:  Jan.  21.  12th  annual  fest  encourages 
any  genre  (animation,  doc,  experimental,  fiction,  personal, 
etc)  but  work  must  have  predominantly  originated  on  Super 
8  film  or  8mm  video.  All  works  screened  by  a  panel  of  judges 
who'll  award  $1,200  in  cash  prizes.  Fest  takes  as  its  man- 
date the  spreading  of  the  8mm  word.  A  touring  program  of 
works  culled  from  the  fest  has  travelled  extensively  for  the 
last  five  yrs.  Cats:  Any  style  or  genre.  Awards:  Selected  win- 
ners go  on  Best  of  Fest  Int'l  Tour.  Formats:  super  8,  Hi-8, 
Digital  8,  16mm,  8mm,  1/2",  3/4",  Digital  video.  Preview  on 
VHS.  Entry  fee:  $35  (check  or  money  order  payable  to  Rutgers 
Film  Co-op/NJMAC.  Do  not  send  cash).  Contact:  USS8FVF, 
Rutgers  Film  Co-op/NJMAC,  Cinema  Studies  Program,  108 
Ruth  Adams  Bldg-Douglass  Campus,  Rutgers  Univ.,  New 
Brunswick,  NJ  08901;  (732)  932-8482;  fax:  932-1935; 
njmac@aol.com;  www.rci.rutgers.edu/~nigrin 

VIS.C0M:  THE  PACIFIC  NORTHWEST  FESTIVAL  OF  FIC- 
TIONAL AND  ANTHROPOLOGICAL  CINEMA,  May,  WA. 
Deadline:  Jan  15  (early),  Feb  15  (regular),  March  15  (late). 
2nd  annual  fest  now  accepting  entries  in  three  cats:  1)  fic- 
tion film  &  video;  2)  nonfictional  film  &  video;  3)  screenplays. 
Film  and  video  of  all  lengths  &  genres  accepted.  Feature- 
length  screenplays  accepted  in  standard  format.  Cash  prizes 
in  all  categories.  Formats:  16mm,  35mm,  video.  Entry  fees: 
$10  (early),  $20  (regular),  $30  (late).  Entry  form  avail,  from 
web  site.  Contact:  Vis.Com,  Charles  Spano,  director,  CWU 
Film  Society,  1902  N.  Walnut  #2J,  Ellensburg,  WA  98926; 
tel/fax:  (509)  933-2286  baeckles@cwu.edu;  www.popan- 
thro.homepage.com 


48     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


WASHINGTON,  DC  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  5- 
16,  DC.  Deadline:  Jan.  14. 14th  annual  test  that  brings  "best 
in  new  world  cinema"  to  nation's  capital.  Known  as  Filmfest 
DC,  test  presents  over  65  feature  premieres,  restored  clas- 
sics &  special  events.  All  are  DC  premieres.  Fest  "attempts 
to  represent  the  broad  geographical  diversity  of  world  cine- 
ma— the  newest  films  of  emerging  countries  &  the  latest 
work  from  newly  recognized  young  directors."  Attendance 
last  edition  totaled  34,000.  Fest  brings  together  city's  major 
cultural  institutions,  incl.  DC  Commission  on  the  Arts, 
Smithsonian,  Library  of  Congress,  American  Film  Institute  & 
commercial  movie  theaters.  Special  programs  incl.  Filmfest 
DC  for  Kids;  Global  Rhythms,  series  of  music  films;  Cinema 
for  Seniors  &  regional  focus.  Cats:  fiction,  doc,  animation, 
family  &  childrens'  programs,  educational  panels  &  work- 
shops. Filmfest  DC  is  noncompetitive  except  for  an  Audience 
Award  given  to  the  most  popular  film.  Formats:  35mm, 
16mm,  3/4".  Preview  on  VHS.  Entry  fee:  $25  (features);  $15 
(shorts,  under  30  min.).  Contact:  WDCIFF,  Tony  Gittens,  Fest 
Dir.,  Box  21396,  Washington,  DC  20009;  (202)  724-5613; 
fax:  724-6578;  filmfestdc  @aol.com;  www.capaccess. 
org/filmfestdc 

Foreign 

BERGAMO  FILM  MEETING,  March  18-26,  Italy.  Deadline: 
Jan.  31.  18th  edition  of  the  festival  incl.  the  following  sec- 
tions: Retrospectives,  Cult  Movies,  Cinema  History, 
Competition.  To  enter  the  festival  it  is  necessary  to  send  a 
VHS  of  the  film  w/  a  brochure  in  order  to  be  selected  by  the 
selection  committee.  The  VHS  won't  be  returned.  The  compe- 
tition is  only  for  full-length  feature  films:  no  videos,  docs  or 
shorts.  Awards:  Golden,  Silver  &  Bronze  "Rosa  Camuna"  (the 
symbol  of  the  Lombardia  region)  awarded  by  the  audience  of 
the  festival  (journalists,  critics,  producers,  distributors,  & 
cinema  fans).  Formats:  35mm  &  16mm.  No  entry  fees. 
Contact:  BFM,  Fiammetta  Girola,  Gen.  Secretary,  Via  G. 
Reich,  49,  24020  Torre  Boldone  (Bg),  Italy;  011  39035 
363087;  fax:  39035  341255;  bfm@alasca.it; 
www.alasca.it/bfm 

BERMUDA  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL,  April  14-20, 
Bermuda.  Deadline:  Jan.  15.  3rd  annual  event  in  relaxed, 
intimate  &  casual  setting  is  open  to  all  films  of  all  styles  & 
genres.  Awards:  Jury  Prize,  Bermuda  Shorts  Award  & 
Audience  Choice  Award.  New  &  unknown  filmmakers  wel- 
come. Formats:  35mm  &  16mm.  Preview  on  VHS.  No  entry 
fee.  Contact:  BIFF,  Box  HM  2963,  Hamilton,  Bermuda;  (441) 
293-FILM;  fax:  293-7769;  bdafilm@ibl.bm;  www. 
bermudafilmfest.com 

IT'S  ALL  TRUE  INTERNATIONAL  DOCUMENTARY  FILM  FES- 
TIVAL, April  7-16.  Brazil.  Deadline:  Jan.  14.  Fest  takes  place 
simultaneously  in  Sao  Paulo  &  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  intends  to 
exhibit  fresh  &  original  docs  to  promote  meetings  aiming  to 
improve  the  int'l  discussion  about  the  genre.  Fest  incl. 
Brazilian  &  Int'l  competitions  &  special  retros.  Cats: 
Brazilian  &  Int'l  compeition.  Awards:  Best  Int'l  Doc  &  Best 
Brazilian  Doc.  Formats:  35mm,  16mm  &  Betacam.  Preview 
on  VHS.  No  entry  fee.  Contact:  IATIDFF,  Amir  Labaki,  Fest  Dir., 
Associacao  Cultural  Kinoforum,  Rua  Simao  Alvares,  784/2, 
05417.020,  Sao  Paolo  -  SP  Brazil;  tel/fax:  011  55  11  852 
9601;  itstrue@ibm.net;  www.kmoforum.org/itsalltrue 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

55  E  31  ST  STREET 
SUITE  #1  OH 


212  889-1775 


i  i  ii 


Internationale  KurzfilmtageQkprkaijcpn 

iternational  Short  Film  Festivaf 


Deadline  for 
submissions: 
January  15th  2000 

,    info@kurzfilmtaqe.de 
j   www.kurzfilmtage.de 

Fon  +49  (0)208  825-2652 
J   Fax  +49  (0)208  825-5413 


•J. 


AViO  EDIT  SUITES 

DFFLINE/DN    LINE/3DFX 


Grafix  Suite/After  Effects 
Audio  Design/Mixing/Protools 
V.O,  Booth /Read  To  Picture 


VOICE 


NY  1DDD1 


212.244.0744 


212.244.0690 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      49 


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notices  of  relevance  to  aivf  members  are  list- 
ed free  of  charge  as  space  permits.  the 
independent  reserves  the  right  to  edit  for 
length  and  makes  no  guarantees  about  repeti- 
tions of  a  given  notice.  limit  submissions  to  60 
words  &  indicate  how  long  info  will  be  cur- 
rent, deadline:  1st  of  the  month,  two  months 
prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.,  jan.  1  for  mar.  issue), 
complete  contact  info  (name,  address  &  phone) 
must  accompany  all  notices.  send  to: 
independent  notices,  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  6th 
fl,  ny,  ny  10013.  we  try  to  be  as  current  as  pos- 
sible, but  double-check  before  submitting 
tapes  or  applications. 

Competitions 

$10,000  SCREENPLAY  CONTEST  for  unproduced  feature 
length  scripts  only.  Deadline:  Dec.  31.  $10,000  grand  prize 
must  be  awarded!  All  genres.  No  restrictions.  Winning  script 
(&  others)  may  be  further  optioned  or  purchased  for  produc- 
tion by  Plastic  Entertainment,  Inc.  (you  retain  all  rights  until 
sale  is  negotiated).  Send  script  w/  $40  entry  fee  (check  or 
money  order),  payable  to:  Plastic  Entertainment,  Inc.,  8424- 
A  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  West  Hollywood,  CA  90069. 

AMERICAN  SCREENWRITERS  ASSOCIATION  is  sponsoring  a 
new  contest  called  Screenwntingfrom  the  Soul,  dedicated  to 
finding  "the  most  heartwarming,  soulful  story  of  the  year." 
Grand  Prize:  $500  script  consultation  &  dinner  w/  Richard 
Kreviolin.  USC  Screenwritmg  Professor  &  author  of 
"Screenwntingfrom  the  Soul."  Entry  fee:  $25/ASA  menbers; 
$35/non-members.  Deadline:  Feb.  29.  More  info:  ASA,  Box 
12860,  Cincinnati,  OH  45212;  (513)  731-9212;  john|@ 
asascreenwriters.com;  www.asascreenwriters.com 

FILM  ESCAPADE:  Juried  competition  seeks  shorts  &  fea- 
tures. Cash  prizes.  Cats  incl.  narrative,  doc,  animation, 
experimental,  music  video.  Preview  on  VHS,  16mm.  Entry 
fee:  $15  (shorts);  $20  (features).  Deadline:  Dec  10.  To  enter 
send  SASE  to  Miller/McCann  Film  Escapade,  Box  54320. 
Philadelphia,  PA  19105;  fax:  (610)  992-9128; 
FilmMiller@aol.com;  Dzoga24@aol.com;  www.film 
escapade.freeservers.com; 

HEART  OF  FILM  SCREENPLAY  COMPETITION:  Two  cate- 
gories: feature-length  adult/mature  themes  &  feature-length 
children/family  themes.  Awards:  Cash  Prizes;  participation  in 
Heart  of  Film  Mentorship  Program;  air  fare  (up  to  $500)  & 
accommodations  for  Heart  of  Film  Screenwriters  Conference 
Oct.  1-4,  2000;  Heart  of  Film  Bronze  Award.  Entry  fee;  $35. 
Deadline:  May  15.  For  info:  (800)  310-FEST;  austinfilm® 
aol.com;  www.austinfilmfestival.org 

HOLLYWOOD'S  SYNOPSIS  WRITING  CONTEST:  Why?  To  give 
you  experience,  feedback,  direction  as  to  whether  your  cur- 
rent synopsis  writing  would  make  an  agent,  producer  or 
development  company  sit  up  &  take  notice.  You  may  enter  a 
1  pg.  synopsis  of  a  screenplay  you  already  have  written  or 
intend  to  write.  Judges  evaluate  synopses  on  originality,  mar- 
ketability &  cleverness.  Each  contestant  receives  a  personal- 
ized commentary  on  merits  of  each  synopsis  entered.  Winner 
receives  free  copy  of  Final  Draft  screenwritmg  software 
(value:  $299)  plus  a  free  Script  Detail  of  the  screenplay  of 
your  choice  valued  at  $150.  Deadline:  last  day  of  every 


month.  Only  online  entries  accepted.  info@thesource. 
com.au;  www.thesource.com.au/holly  wood/entry-form. html 

MONTEREY  COUNTY  FILM  COMMISSION  SCREENWRITING 
CONTEST.  Open  to  writers  who  have  not  yet  sold  scripts  to 
Hollywood.  All  genres  &  locations  accepted.  1st  prize:  $1,000; 
2nd  prize  $500;  3rd  prize  $250.  Deadlines;  Dec.  10  (early); 
Dec.  31  (final).  Entry  fee:  $40  (early);  $50  (final).  Contest  is 
limited  to  the  first  500  entries.  Rules  &  entry  forms  at 
www.filmmonterey.org;  or  send  SASE  to;  MCFC,  Box  111, 
Monterey,  CA  93942;  (831)  646-0910;  www.filmmonterey.org 

ORIGINAL  MOVIE  SCENE  CONTEST:  You're  invited  to  craft  a 
sensational  movie  scene  (1,500-2,000  words)  in  which  La 
Grande  Dame  Champagne  is  the  star.  The  winning  scene  will 
be  posted  on  www.clicquot.com  &  the  grand  prize  is  "An 
Academy  Award  Weekend  for  Two."  Send  your  double- 
spaced,  typed,  original  scene  to  Vanity  Fair  Promotion  Dept., 
350  Madison  Ave.,  NY,  NY  10017,  Attn:  La  Grande  Dame 
Contest.  Deadline:  Dec.  31.  More  info:  (212)  888-7575; 
www.clicquot.com 

SCREAMPLAY  COMPETITION:  If  you  love  Twilight  Zone,  The 
Outer  Limits  &  Creepshow,  then  this  is  for  you.  Grand  Prize 
winner  gets  screenplay  produced;  2nd  &  3rd  place  winners 
have  chance  for  scripts  to  be  optioned.  Entries  no  longer  than 
45  pgs.  All  contact  info  must  be  on  front  page  of  script. 
Deadline:  Dec.  31.  Entry  fee:  $20.  Send  to:  Dreamline 
Productions,  4130  Hamilton-Middletown  Rd.,  Indian  Springs, 
OH  45011;  (513)  737-0077;  dreamlineprods@hotmail.com 

SCRIPTAPALOOZA  is  a  company  that  champions  not  only  the 
talented  writer,  but  takes  that  writer  beyond  just  prize  money 
&  a  pat  on  the  back.  We  create  the  golden  opportunities  for 
winning  writers  possibly  to  be  discovered,  get  representation, 
have  their  script  optioned,  or  to  outright  sell  it.  Early  bird 
deadline  postmarked  by  January  2:  $35;  first  deadline  post- 
marked by  March  1:  $40;  final  deadline  postmarked  by  April 
15:  $45.  For  rules,  guidelines  &  appl.,  go  to:  www.scripta- 
palooza.com  or  write:  Scriptapalooza,  7775  Sunset  Blvd. 
PMB  #200,  Hollywood,  CA.  90046. 

Conferences  &  Workshops 
convergence  2000  international  arts  festival, 

Sept.  8-24,  2000:  Providence  Parks  Dept.,  Office  of  Cultural 
Affairs  seeks  assorted  media/mixed-media  proposals.  Work 
will  be  installed  throughout  downtown  area.  Work  must  be 
weather-resisitant  &  able  to  withstand  public  interaction.  All 
proposals  must  be  accompanied  by  samples  of  recent 
work — not  to  exceed  20  slides — reviews  &  resume. 
Requests  for  funding  not  to  exceed  $2,000.  Materials  will  not 
be  returned  without  SASE  w/  proper  postage.  Deadline:  Jan. 
15.  Send  proposals  to:  Providence  Parks  Dept,  Office  of 
Cultural  Affairs,  400  Westminster  St,  4th  fl.  Providence,  Rl 
02903,  (401)  621-1992;  info@caparts.org; 
www.caparts.org 

Films  &  Tapes  Wanted 

AIR  YOUR  SHORTS:  new  public  access  cable  show  seeks 
short  films  to  run  &  filmmakers  to  interview.  No  pay,  just  sat- 
isfaction &  publicity  of  having  films  aired.  Sean  (714)  531- 
7623;  www.shortfilmz.com 


ARC  GALLERY  reviewing  for  solo  &  group  exhibitions.  I 
media  incl.  video,  performance  &  film.  Send  SASE  for 
prospectus  to:  ARC  Gallery,  1040  W.  Huron,  Chicago,  IL 
60622;  (312)  733-2787;  www.icsp.net/arc 

AXLEGREASE,  Buffalo  cable  access  program  of  ind.  film  & 
video,  accepting  all  genres  under  28  min.,  1/2",  3/4",  8mm, 
Hi8.  Send  labeled  w/  name,  address,  title,  length,  additional 
info  &  SASE  for  tape  return  to:  Squeaky  Wheel,  175  Elmwood 
Ave.,  Buffalo,  NY  14201;  (716)  884-7172,  wheel® 
freenet.buffalo.edu;  http://freenet.buffalo.edu/~wheel 

BALLYHOO!  television  show  is  dedicated  solely  to  the  pro- 
motion &  exploration  of  independent  films.  Each  episode 
weaves  together  short  films,  local  filmmaker  interviews  &  an 
exciting  event  or  activity  hosted  by  celebrity  Anne  Deason. 
Ballyhoo!  is  currently  airing  in  Pittsburgh,  Chicago,  Malibu, 
Orlando,  Tampa  &  Austin  (approx.  2.5  million  viewers.) 
Ballyhoo!  celebrated  its  two-year  anniversary  in  May  of  this 
year.  Ballyhoo!  is  accepting  films  &  videos  under  30  min. 
Submit  VHS  tape  &  return  postage  to  Frameworks  Alliance, 
c/o  Ballyhoo!,  1906  E.  Robinson  St.  Orlando,  FL  32803;  (407) 
898-0504;  Ballyhoo@offvf.org 

BIJOU  MATINEE,  showcase  for  independent  shorts,  appears 
weekly  on  Channel  35  leased  access  Manhattan  Cable  South 
(below  86th  St.)  every  Sat.  at  2:30  p.m.  Submissions  should 
be  25  min.  or  less,  on  VHS,  3/4",  or  DV  formats.  Send  copies 
to  Bijou  Matinee,  Box  649,  NY,  NY  10159;  (212)  505-3649; 
www.BijouMatinee.com 

BIT  SCREEN  premieres  original  short  films,  videos  &  multi- 
media works  made  specifically  for  the  Internet.  Looking  for  I 
original  films  scaled  in  both  plot  line  &  screen  ratio  for  the 
Internet;  films  that  challenge  the  assumption  of  bandwidth  | 
limitations.  Want  to  define  the  look  of  a  new  medium?  For 
submission  guidelines,  check  out:  www.TheBitScreen.com 

BLACKCHAIR  PRODUCTIONS:  Now  in  its  4th  year,  org! 
accepts  video,  film,  computer-art  submissions  on  an  on- 
going  basis   for    monthly    screening   program    called 
"Independent  Exposure."  Artists  will  be  paid  honorarium. 
Looking  for  experimental,  erotic,  dramatic,  animation,  under- 1 
ground  works,  but  will  review  anything  for  possible  screening. 
Submit  VHS  (or  S-VHS)  clearly  labeled  w/  name,  title,  length,  i 
phone  number  along  w/  any  support  materials,  incl.  photos. 
Incl.  $5  entry  fee  which  will  be  returned  if  work  not  selected,  i 
SASE  if  you  wish  work(s)  to  be  returned.  Send  submissions  | 
to:  Blackchair  Productions,  2318  Second  Ave.,  #313-A,  j 
Seattle,    WA,    98121.    Info/details:    (206)    568-6051; 
joel@speakeasy.org;  www.blackchair.com 

BOWERY  VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  film/video  works  for 
monthly  screening  at  Dixon  Place.  Looking  for  literate/artistic 
narratives  &  experimental  work.  Occasional  docs  &  longer, 
works  will  be  screened.  Not  looking  for  "calling  card"  shorts; 
send  us  your  more  adventurous  work.  Deadline:  on-going.  I 
Contact:  Send  VHS  preview  tape  w/  SASE  to  Bowery  Video 
Lounge,  c/o  Detour  Film  Video,  151 1st  Ave.  #9,  NY  NY  10003; 
(212)  228-1914;  fax:  228-1914;  david@detournyc.com 

CSUH  CABLENET  TV:  Do  your  films  deserve  an  airing?  a| 
stipend  is  offered  for  films  from  all  genres,  of  any  length  &  in  I 
any  broadcast  quality  format.  To  reach  half  a  million  house- 
holds &  educational  channels  in  the  Bay  Area,  contact: ; 
Noreen  Ash  MacKay  at  CNTV:  (212)  627-9629. 


50     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


D.FILM  Digital  Film  Festival  [www.dfilm.com]  is  a  traveling 
showcase  of  shorts  made  w/  computers  &  other  new  &  radi- 
cal technologies.  D.FILM  was  the  official  digital  film  program 
at  the  1999  Cannes  Film  Festival.  Visit  the  web  site  to  make 
your  own  movie  online  w/  the  Movie  Maker  Game. 

DOBOY'S  DOZENS:  Monthly  showcase  w/  up  to  350  industry 
attendees  seeks  short  films  for  highlighting  works  by  up  & 
coming  filmmakers.  Contact:  Eugene  Williams,  Doboy's 
Dozens,  1525  N.  Cahuonga  Blvd.  #39,  Hollywood,  CA 
90028;  (323)  293-6544;  doboydozen@aol.com 

DOCUMENTAL:  doc  &  exp.  bimonthly  film  video  series  at  LA's 
historic  Midnight  Special  bookstore,  accepting  entries  of  any 
length.  Contact:  Gerry  Fialka  (310)  306-7330. 

DUTV-CABLE  54,  a  progressive,  nonprofit  access  channel  in 
Philadelphia,  seeks  works  by  indie  producers.  All  genres  & 
lengths  considered.  No  payment.  Will  return  tapes.  VHS,  S- 
VHS  &  3/4"  accepted.  Contact:  George  McCollough/Debbie 
Rudman,  DUTV-Cable  54, 3141  Chestnut  St.,  Bldg  9B,  Rm. 
4026,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927;  dutv@ 
drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

EXHIBITION  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  99/00  SEASON.  All 

media  considered  incl.  2-D,  3-D,  performance,  video  &  com- 
puter art.  Send  resume,  20  slides  or  comparable  documenta- 
tion, SASE  to:  University  Art  Gallery,  Wightman  132,  Central 
Michigan  University,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Ml  48858. 

FILMFILM.COM  seeks  submissions  on  an  on-going  basis  for 
its  Internet  24/7  screening  room.  Are  you  ready  for  a  world- 
wide audience?  Seeking  shorts  &  features  of  all  genres. 
Contact:  info@filmfilm.com 

FINISHING  PICTURES  is  accepting  shorts  &  works-in- 
progress  seeking  distribution  or  exposure  to  financial 
resources  for  CLIPS,  a  quarterly  showcase  presented  to  invit- 
ed audience  of  industry  professionals.  All  productions  should 
be  digital.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Tommaso  Fiacchino, 
(212)  971-5846;  www.fmishingpictures.com 

GOWANUS  ARTS  EXCHANGE  is  accepting  submissions  of 
short  16mm  films  &  videos  (up  to  30  min.)  by  NYC  artists  for 
the  Independent  Film  &  Video  Series.  Any  genre  or  subject 
matter.  Deadline:  on-going.  Send  tape  &  SASE  to: 
Independent  Film  &  Video  Series/Gowanus  Arts  Exchange, 
421  5th  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  NY  11215;  info/details:  (718)  832- 
0018;  info@thegowanus.org 

INDEPENDENT  LENS,  a  PBS  series  designed  to  showcase 
the  works  of  independent  film  &  videomakers,  presents  doc, 
short  action  &  fiction  works.  All  genres  &  lengths,  fiction, 
nonfiction,  doc.  or  live  short  action  works  welcome.  All 
lengths,  accepted  but  PBS  has  standard  length  requirements 
which  may  necessitate  edits.  You  must  have  E&O  insurance, 
be  closed  captioned  &  comply  w/  PBS  underwriting  guide- 
lines. We  look  forward  to  seeing  your  independent  work! 
When  sending  in  your  submission,  include  the  following  infor- 
mation: Exact  length  of  program  including  all  production 
credits  &  all  packaging  elements,  brief  description,  names  of 
current  program  funders.  Deadline:  February  15.  Send  VHS 
copies  to:  Caryn  Gutierrez  Ginsberg,  PBS  Independent  Lens, 
1320  Braddock  Place,  Alexandria,  VA  22314;  (703)  739- 
5010;  www.pbs.org 


Betacam  SP 

DV  &  DVCAM 

3/4  SP    Hi-8    SVHS 
Component  Editing 

Transfers,  Window  Dubs 
45/hr   340/day    175/night 


1 123  Broadway,  Suite  814 
New  York,  New  York  10010 

www2.infohouse.com/earthvideo 


212-228-4254 


SON  VIDA  PICTURES 

Online/Offline  Editing 

New  York  City 

(212)  889-1775 


PRODUCTION    POST  PRODUCTION    DUPLICATION 


145  WEST  20TH  STREET    N.Y.,  NY    10011 
TEL:  212-242-0444      FAX:  212-242-4413 


DVD  Independent  Special 

includes  encoding,  authoring  &  one  disc 

15  min. -$800      30  min. -$1200 
60  min. -$1750     90  min. -$2000 


Media  100  Editing 

Production  Packages 

Video  Duplication 

Transfers  &  Conversions 


Film  Festival  Duplication  Special 


20  VHS  Tapes 

w/sleeves  &  labels 

Independents 

Only 


Serving  independent  filmmakers  for  13  years, 
Solar  is  dedicated  to  bringing  the  highest  quality, 
full-service  post-production  support  to  your  project; 
We  combine  top  of  the  line  facilities  with  highly- 
experienced,  creative  Editors,  Mixers,  and  Tech  Support. 


Avid  8000s  and  400s 

Film  Composers 

AVR77 

AfterEffects  Compositing 


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632  Broadway  NYC  10012 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      51 


v  —  y 

INDEPENDENT  RADIO  PRODUCERS  seek  indies  to  work  on 
new  weekly  one-hr  public  radio  program  on  arts  &  culture 
being  launched  in  late  fall  1999.  Interested  in  unconvention- 
al material  that  gets  at  heart  of  the  issue.  Program  aspires  to 
represent  differing  points  of  view  &  multiple  voices.  Content 
should  be  appropriate  for  late  Sunday  morning  slot,  which 
encourages  open-minded  sensibility.  Send  letter  w/  ideas, 
resume  &  sample  tapes  to:  Susan  Morris,  exec,  producer, 
WNYC,  1  Centre  St.,  30th  fl,  NY,  NY  10007.  (No  phone  calls 
please.) 

INDUSTRIAL  TELEVISION:  Cutting-edge  cable  access  show 
is  looking  for  experimental,  narrative,  humorous,  dramatic, 
erotic,  subversive,  anima- 
tion &  underground  works 
for  inclusion  in  the  fall 
season.  Controversial, 
uncensored  &  subversive 
material  encouraged.  We 
guarantee  exposure  in 
NYC  area.  Contact: 
Edmund  Varuolo  c/o 
2droogies  productions, 
Box  020206,  Staten 
Island,  NY  10302; 
www.2droogies.com 


group  shows  of  indie  filmmakers.  We  only  show  works  on 
16mm  w/  optical  track.  Send  films,  together  w/  completed 
entry  form  (download  from  web  site)  to:  Short  Film  Curator, 
Ocularis,  Galapagos  Art  &  Performance  Space,  70  N.  6th  St., 
Brooklyn,  NY  11211;  tel/fax:  (718)  388-8713;  ocularis® 
billburg.com;  www.billburg.com/ocularis 

PARTNERSHIP  FOR  JEWISH  LIFE  introduces  an  ongoing 
series  showcasing  emerging  Jewish  filmmakers'  work  at 
MAKOR.  a  place  for  New  Yorkers  in  their  20s  &  30s.  Now 
accepting  shorts,  features,  docs  &/or  works-in-progress  on 
any  theme  for  screening  consideration  &  network  building. 
PJL's  film  program  is  sponsored  by  Steven  Spielberg's  Right- 


Stand  by  for  Blast  Off 


KINOFIST  IMAGEWORKS 

seeks  work  w/  relevance 
to  alternative  youth  cul- 
ture for  screening  &  distri- 
bution w/in  underground 
community.  OIY,  exp.  & 
activist  work  encouraged. 
Send  VHS  to:  Kmofist 
Imageworks,  Box  1102, 
Columbia.  MO  65205;  kinofist@hotmail.com 

NETBROADCASTER.COM  seeks  films  &  videos  for  streaming 
on  the  net.  Expose  your  feature/short  to  international  audi- 
ence. Seeking  all  genres  &  formats  from  drama,  horror,  indie, 
comedy,  animation,  docs,  experimental,  music  videos,  cable 
programming,  short,  as  well  as  reality-based  videos.  We 
want  it  all!  Netbroadcaster.com  launches  this  fall.  The  site  is 
hosted  by  Alchemy  Communications,  one  of  the  largest  ISPs 
on  the  net.  Contact;  films@alchemy.net 

NEW  VENUE  showcases  movies  made  specifically  for  thr 
Internet,  offering  filmmakers  a  guide  to  optimizing  video  for 
the  web.  Submit  your  digital  flick  for  Y2K  season  NOW — 
QuickTime  or  Flash,  5MB  or  less  (or  15  min.  or  less  for 
streaming).  Contact:  www.newvenue.com 

NEW  YORK  FILM  BUFFS:  Film  society  promoting  indie  films 
seeks  16mm  &  35mm  features,  shorts  &  animation  for  on- 
going opinion-maker  screenings  during  fall  &  winter  seasons. 
Send  submission  on  VHS  tape  w/  SASE  &  $25  admin,  fee  to: 
NY  Film  Buffs,  318  W  15th  St.,  NY.  NY  10011;  (212)  807- 
0126;  www.newyorkfilmbuffs.com 

OCULARIS  seeks  submissions  from  indie  filmmakers  for 
continuing  series.  Works  under  15  min.  long  will  be  consid- 
ered for  Sunday  night  screenings  where  they  precede  that 
evening's  feature  film,  together  w/  brief  Q  &  A  w/  audience. 
Works  longer  than  15  min.  will  be  considered  for  regular 


-'  /        Looking  for  all  the  bells  and  whis- 

\  o/         *'es'  DU*  ('on'*  ^ave  ^e  dough?  For 
***^      t«,     well  over  a  decade,  the  nonprofit 

STANDBY  PROGRAM  has  been  a 
god-send  for  indies  in  postproduction.  This  artist-run  organization 
collaborates  with  commercial  postproduction  studios,  offering  pro- 
ducers access  to  broadcast-quality  post  at     

extremely  discounted  rates  by  scheduling  them 
at  off  hours.  Standby  also  publishes  FELIX, 
Journal  of  Media  Arts  and  Communications,  a 
forum  for  videomakers  to  exchange  ideas  and 
further  the  debate  on  issues  relevant  to  the 
media  arts  community.  See  "Resources." 


eous  Persons  Foun- 
dation. Contact;  Ken 
Sherman  at  (212) 
792-6286;  kensher- 
man@makor.org 

PERIPHERAL  PRO- 
DUCE is  a  roving, 

spontaneous  screening  series  &  distributor  of  experimental 
video.  Based  in  Portland.  OR  &  a  project  of  Rodeo  Film  Co., 
series  seeks  to  promote  experimental,  abstract  &  media- 
subversive  work.  Formats:  16mm,  VHS.  super  8.  Entry  fee: 
$5.  Deadline:  on-going.  Contact:  Peripheral  Produce,  c/o 
Rodeo  Film  Co.,  Box  40835,  Portland.  OR  97240; 
perph@jps.net;  www.jps.net/perph 

PIONEERING  INTERNET  NETWORK  w/  24-hr  on-demand 
access  seeks  art  history  related  film/videos  (English  only)  of 
all  lengths  for  non-exclusive  Internet  only  broadcast  rights. 
Content  will  be  broadcast  in  high-speed  streaming 
audio/video  format  on  its  new  art  history  channel.  No  pay, 
just  satisfaction  &  prestige  of  having  your  work  seen  around 
the  world.  Preferred  AVI  or  Quicktime  file  on  CD,  DVD,  or  Jaz. 
Will  also  accept  VHS,  Beta,  DV,  DVcam  (NTSV  preferred).  For 
additional  info;  tmcoy@FOREIGNTV.com 

PUBLIC  ACCESS  INTERNET  TV  wants  your  home  TV  shows  & 
movies.  5-30+  min.  If  you  have  one  show,  great,  if  you  can 
do  it  weekly,  even  better!  We  are  aiming  for  more  of  an  adult 
viewing  crowd.  Basically  anything  goes  as  long  as  it's  legal! 


Open  your  mind  &  see  what  falls  out.  Also  Flash  anima- 
tions/movies/cartoons/3D-rendered  short  films.  Contact: 
pbtv2@  yahoo.com;  www.members.xoom.com/pbtv2/ 

PUT  MONEY  IN  YOUR  SHORTS:  Centerseat.com  Film 
Festival  is  now  licensing  short  films  for  broadcast  on  its 
December  launch.  No  cost  to  you  ever!  Earn  royalties 
instead.  To  submit  your  film  for  our  premiere  season,  log  on 
to:  www.centerseat.com/indie/submit 

ROGUE  VALLEY  COMMUNITY  TELEVISION  seeks  video 
shows.  VHS  &  S-VHS  okay,  any  length  or  genre.  For  return, 
incl.  sufficient  SASE.  Send  w/  description  &  release  to:  Suzi 
Aufderheide,  Southern  Oregon  Univ.,  RVTV,  1250  Siskiyou 
Blvd.,  Ashland,  OR  97520;  (541)  552-6898. 

SHORT  CIRCUIT,  a  monthly  showcase  of  short  films  &  videos 
produced  by  Films  Arts  Foundation,  screens  monthly  at 
Minna  St.  Gallery.  No  submissions  deadline.  Considering 
works  on  all  subjects  &  in  all  genres.  Films  &  videos  (16mm 
&  3/4",  previews  on  VHS)  must  be  under  45  min.  to  be  con- 
sidered. Showcase  pays  $2/min.  &  covers  all  shipping  costs. 
Preview  tapes  can't  be  returned.  Contact:  fax:  (415)  552- 
0882;  festival@filmarts.org;  www.filmarts.org 

SHORT  TV,  new  NYC  cable  show  (not  public  access)  directed 
to  show  &  promote  short  films,  seeks  submissions.  For  more 
info,  call:  Short  TV,  (212)  226-6258;  www.shorttv.com 

SOUTHERN  CIRCUIT,  a  tour  of  six  artists  who  travel  on  an 
11-day,  9-city  route,  is  now  accepting  applications  from 
film/video  artists.  Submit  appl  form  &  VHS,  3/4",  Beta,  or 
16mm  film  program  of  45  min.  to  2  hrs  in  length  (can  be  cued 
for  a  30  min.  section  for  judging  purposes)  in  addition  to 
resume,  press  materials  &  $20  fee.  Performance  &  installa- 
tion art  not  accepted,  nor  works-in-progress.  (Some  Circuit 
sites  do  not  have  film  projection  capabilities.)  After  pre- 
screening  process,  40  finalists  will  be  judged  by  selection  i 
panel  in  April  2000.  Deadline:  Jan.  15, 2000.  For  appl.  &  info 
contact:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission,  Attn:  Susan  . 
Leonard,  Media  Arts  Center,  1800  Gervais  St.,  Columbia,  SC  j 
29201;  (803)  734-8696;  fax:  734-8526. 

SYNC  ONLINE  FILM  FEST  Nets  first  on-going  film  festival  . 
seeks  short  noncommercial  indie  films  &  videos.  Web  users  | 
can  vote  for  their  fav  shorts  in  each  of  six  cats:  animation,  | 
doc,  experimental,  less  than  a  min.,  narrative,  made  for  the  i 
Net.  New  films  added  each  month  &  there  are  new  winners 
every  mm.  Filmmakers  must  own  rights  to  all  content,  incl.  L 
music.  Send  VHS  &  entry  forms  (avail,  at  site):  Carla  Cole, 
The  Sync,  4431  Lehigh  Rd.,  Ste.  301,  College  Park,  MD 
20740;  info@thesync.com;  www.thesync.com 

TAG-TV  is  accepting  short  films,  videos  &  animations  to  air  li 
on  the  Internet.  Check  out  www.tag-tv.com  for  more  info. 

TIGRESS  PRODUCTIONS  seeking  8mm  or  S-8  footage  of  ' 
42nd  St./Times  Square  area  from  1960s  &  70s  for  doc.  All 
film  returned,  some  paid,  film  credit.  Contact:  June  Lang 
(212)  977-2634. 

TV/HOME  VIDEO  production  company  is  seeking  original 
short  films  (preferably  10  min.  or  less)  for  broadcast  on  a 
new  cable  comedy  series  &  inclusion  in  upcoming  video 
anthology  collection.  Send  films  in  VHS  or  S-VHS  format  to:  t 
Salt  City  Productions/Big  City  TV,  Box  5515.  Syracuse,  NY 
13320;  SCVP@aol.com 


52     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


UNDERGR0UN0FILM.COM  is  creating  a  sophisticated  web 
space  that  will  help  filmmakers  find  work,  improve  their  skills 
&  connect  w/  collaborators,  investors  &  new  audiences.  We 
are  now  working  on  acquiring  experimental  film  libraries  so 
that  today's  emerging  filmmakers  can  see  other  generations' 
visions  of  film  &  look  beyond.  Must  be  Quick 
Time  process.  (212)  206-1995;  www.undergroundfilm.com 

UNQUOTE  TV:  1/2  hr  nonprofit  program  dedicated  to  expos- 
ing innovative  film  &  video  artists,  seeks  indie  works  in  all 
genres.  Seen  on  over  60  cable  systems  nationwide.  Send 
submissions  to:  Unquote  TV,  c/o  DUTV,  3141  Chestnut  St. 
Bldg.  9B  Rm.  406,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104;  (215)  895-2927; 
fax:  895-1054;  dutv@.drexel.edu;  www.libertynet.org/dutv 

VIDEO  LOUNGE  seeks  short  animation,  experimental  or  doc 
videos  for  on-going  series  at  Knitting  Factory.  Send  VHS  tape 
w/  brief  bio  &  SASE  to:  Video  Lounge,  Box  1220,  NY,  NY 
10013;  info@videolounge.org;  www.videolounge.org 

VIDEO  SHORTS  ANNUAL  COMPETITION  seeks  short  videos 
for  juried  screenings  open  to  public.  Ten  entries  chosen  as 
winners;  top  two  receive  $100,  other  eight  receive  $50,  plus 
any  revenue  received  from  rental  or  sales.  Max.  length:  6 
min.  Entry  fee:  $20;  add  $10  for  each  additional  entry  on 
same  cassette;  max.  3  entries  per  entrant.  All  entries  must 
include  entry  form.  Tapes  &  boxes  must  be  labeled  w/  name, 
titles  &  running  times.  Tapes  must  be  in  3/4"  or  3/4"  SP  VHS 
or  S-VHS  or  DV.  VHS  tapes  also  accepted  in  PAL  &  SECAM. 
Incl.  SASE  if  want  tapes  returned.  Deadline:  Feb.  5.  For  entry 
form,  contact:  Video  Shorts,  Box  20295,  Seattle,  WA  98102; 
(206)  322-9010;  www.videoshorts.com 

VIDEOSPACE  BOSTON  seeks  creative  videos  for  fall  &  spring 
programming.  Any  genre  &  length.  Nonprofit/no  payment. 
Send  VHS,  Hi-8,  or  3/4"  w/  description,  name,  phone  &  SASE 
to:  Videospace,  General  Submissions,  9  Myrtle  St.,  Jamaica 
Plain,  MA  02130. 

WGBH-TV,  Boston,  looking  for  films  &  videos  to  be  part  of  our 
annual  broadcast  film  test  "Viewpoint"  to  air  April  2000. 
Series  showcases  work  from  U.S  &  Canada — New 
Engenders  are  encouraged  to  submit.  Doc  or  fiction,  short  or 
features  up  to  90  min.  Preview  on  VHS,  master  format-video- 
1".  Beta  or  D3.  Deadline:  Dec.  3.  Send  to  Chad  Davis, 
Broadcast,  WGBH,  125  Western  Ave.,  Boston,  MA  02134. 

ZAO  an  exhibition  space  which  just  opened  in  Sept.,  current- 
ly accepting  short  film/videos  any  genre  or  subject.  Send  VHS 
tape  w/  biography  &  SASE  to:  Tahari,  ZAO,  1114  Ave.  of  the 
Americas,  NY,  NY  10036,  Attn:  Lisa  Schroeder. 

ZOOM  During  the  70s,  ZOOM  was  a  kids-only  series  on  PBS, 
featuring  kids'  plays,  films,  games  &  more.  ZOOM  is  back  & 
seeking  films,  animations  &  videos  made  by  kids  (some  adult 
supervision  okay).  Every  kid  who  sends  something  will 
receive  free  newsletter  filled  w/  fun  activities  &  you  may  see 
your  film  on  TV.  Length:  up  to  3  min.  Format:  3/4",  VHS,  Hi8, 
S-8, 16mm,  Beta.  Age:  7-16.  Subjects  should  be  age  appro- 
priate. Contact:  Marcy  Gardner,  WGBH/Z00/W,  125  Western 
Ave.,  Boston,  MA  02134;  (617)  492-2777  x.  3883; 
marcygardner  @wgbh.org 

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Best  Prices 

Volume  Service 


IStreamTV 

135  West  20th  St. 

Suite  401  NewYork,  NY  1001 

212  206-1271  Phone 

21 2  206-1 192  fax 

istreamtv@webstock.net 


Finding  Stock  Footage 


that's  delivered  quickly, 
on  budget  and  with  superior 
duality  isn't  an  urban  mvth  it 


takes  Energy. 


the  Largest  c„j  Most  Unique 

Collection  ^/Original  Cinematography 

in  the  World 


•  j  ^r.  XS/1,/^^^^ 

muttiiuju 

1.800.I1V1AGERY/.,,  Vim  Most  Valuable  Resource 

December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      53 


Bill  FDR  ENTRIES 


MARCH  8-12, 

2000 

www.  ny  uff .  com 


DEADLINE  JAN  1 

late  deadline  Jan  15 


(212)252.3845 

festival@nyuff.com 


need.  For  just  $24.95  (plus  $3.05  S&H)  "Annotations:  a  guide 
to  the  independent  press"  can  open  up  a  world  of  diverse  & 
exciting  contacts.  For  order  send  a  check  to:  IPA,  2390 
Mission  St.,  #201,  San  Francisco,  CA  94110-1836;  or  call 
(415)  634-4401;  www.indypress.org 

MEDIAMAKER  HANDBOOK;  The  Essential  Resource  for 
Making  Independent  Film,  Video.  &  New  Media.  Completely 
updated  for  1999.  Includes;  nat'l  &  int'l  film  festival  listings, 
distributors,  screenplay  competitions,  exhibition  venues, 
media  funding  sources,  TV  broadcast  venues,  film  &  video 
schools.  For  more  info,  call;  (415)  558-2126;  www.bavc. 
org/html/forms/mediamaker.html 

NATIONAL  MEDIA  EDUCATION  DIRECTORY  for  1997  avail, 
from  the  National  Alliance  for  Media  Arts  &  Culture  (NAMAC). 
Over  220  full-page  entries  for  individual  &  organizational 
media  educators  nationwide.  Join  NAMAC  to  receive  free 
Directory,  or  order  from  Center  for  Media  Literacy  for  $19.95. 
Contact:  (415)  431-1391;  namac@igc.apc.org 

Resources  &   Funds 

ASIAN  AMERICAN  ARTS  ALLIANCE  offers  two  grant  pro- 
grams; Technical  Assistance  &  Regrant  Initiative  (TARI)  & 
Chase  Manhattan  SMARTS  Regrants  Program.  Total  of 
$75,000  in  awards  avail,  to  NYC  Asian  American  arts  organi- 
zations w/annual  budgets  of  $100,000  or  less.  Deadline: 
Dec.  14.  Contact:  Christy  Carillo,  (212)  941-9208  for  appli- 
cation details  &  deadlines. 

BUCK  HENRY  SCREENWRITING  SCHOLARSHIP:  two  $500 
scholarships  to  support  work  of  students  enrolled  in  screen- 
writing  course  of  study.  Sold  or  optioned  scripts  ineligible. 
Contact:  American  Film  Institute  (213)  856-7690. 

CALIFORNIA  ARTS  COUNCIL  offers  various  grants  &  pro- 
grams for  performing  arts.  Contact:  CA  Arts  Council,  1300  I 
St.,  Ste.  930,  Sacramento,  CA  95814;  (916)  322-6555;  (800) 
201-6201;  fax:  (916)  322-6575;  cac@cwo.com;  www.cac. 
ca.gov 

CCH  MEDIA  PROGRAM  PLANNING  GRANTS  provide  up  to 
$750  to  support  development  of  major  grant  proposal  &  to 
pay  for  background  research,  consultations  w/  humanities 
scholars  &  community  reps.,  travel  &  similar  activities  nec- 
essary to  develop  proposal.  Before  applying,  consult  w/ 
California  Council  for  the  Humanities  staff  member. 
Deadline;  Feb.  1  &  Aug.  1.  Contact:  CCH,  312  Sutter  St..  Ste. 
601,  San  Francisco,  CA  94108;  (415)  391-1474;  in  LA  (213) 
623-5993;  in  San  Diego  (619)  232-4020;  www.calhum.org 

CITIZEN  CINEMA,  INC.;  501[c]3,  nonprofit  arts  education 
org.  dedicated  to  promoting  the  art  of  filmmaking,  is  planning 


Get  Informed! 

AIVF  sends  updates  on  all 

events  &  advocacy  issues  via 

email:  make  sure  we  have  yours! 

members@aivf.  org 


to  establish  filmmaking  workshops  in  high  schools  &  is  look- 
ing for  donations  of  used  16mm  cameras,  sound,  lighting  & 
editing  equipment,  computer  notebooks  &  screenwriting  soft- 
ware in  good  working  order.  Donations  of  equipment  are 
gratefully  accepted  &  tax  deductible.  Contact:  Dan 
Blanchfield,  Exec.  Director,  (201)  444-9875. 

CREATIVE  PROJECT  GRANTS:  Subsidized  use  of  VHS,  inter- 
format  &  3/4"  editing  suite  for  ind.,  creative  projects.  Doc, 
political,  propaganda,  promotional  &  commercial  projects  are 
ineligible.  Editor/instructor  avail.  Video  work  may  be  done  in 
combination  w/S-8,  Hi-8,  audio,  performance,  photography, 
artists,  books,  etc.  Studio  incl.  Amiga,  special  effects.  A&B 
roll,  transfers,  dubbing,  etc.  SASE  for  guidelines  to;  The 
Media  Loft,  463  West  St.,  #A628,  NY,  NY  10014;  (212)  924- 
4893. 

CHICAGO  UNDERGROUND  FILM  FUND:  $500-$2,000  post- 
production  completion  grant  for  any  length  &  genre,  super  8. 
16mm  or  35mm.  Emphasis  placed  on  works  that  fit  CUFF's 
mission  to  promote  films  &  videos  that  innovate  in  form  or 
content.  Deadline:  Feb.  1.  Contact:  CUFF,  3109  North  Western 
Ave.,  Chicago,  IL  60618;  (773)  327-FILM;  info@cuff.org; 
www.cuff.org 

EXPERIMENTAL  TELEVISION  CENTER  provides  grants  & 
presentation  funds  to  electronic  media/film  artists  &  organi- 
zations. Program  provides  partial  assistance;  max  amount 
varies.  Presentations  must  be  open  to  public;  ltd  enrollment 
workshops  &  publicly  supported  educ.  institutions  ineligible. 
Applies,  reviewed  monthly.  Deadline;  on-going.  Contact: 
Program  Director,  Experimental  TV  Center,  109  Lower  Fairfield 
Rd.,  Newark  Valley,  NY  13811;  (607)  687-4341. 

FREE  INTERNET  LISTING  &  EMAIL  ADDRESS  for  all  actors 
technicians  &  organizations.  On-line  artists'  co-op  offers  free 
listing  in  their  Directory  &  Searchable  Database,  free  email 
address  (can  even  be  forwarded  by  fax  or  letter),  free  use  of 
Bulletin  Board.  SASE  to  Jim  Lawter,  37  Greenwich  Ave.  #  1- 
6,  Stamford,  CT  06902;  www.8xl0glossy.com 

INDEPENDENT  TELEVISION  SERVICE  considers  proposals 
for  new,  innovative  programs  &  limited  series  for  public  TV  on 
an  on-going  basis.  No  finished  works.  For  all  queries,  con- 
tact: ITVS,  51  Federal  St.,  Ste.  401,  San  Francisco,  CA  94107; 
(415)  356-8383;  www.itvs.org 

JOHN  D.  &  CATHERINE  T.  MACARTHUR  FOUNDATION  pro- 
vides partial  support  to  selected  doc  series  &  films  intended 
for  nat'l  or  int'l  broadcast  &  focusing  on  an  issue  w/in  one  of 
Foundation's  two  major  programs  (Human  &  Community 
Development;  Global  Security  &  Sustamability).  Send  prelim- 
inary 2-  to  3-page  letter  to;  Alice  Myatt,  John  D.  &  Catherine 
T  MacArthur  Foundation,  140  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Ste.  1100, 
Chicago,  IL  60603-5285;  (312)  726-8000;  4answers 
@macfdn.org;  www.macfdn.org 

MATCHING  GRANT  FOR  RESTORATION  offered  by  VidiPax. 
VidiPax  will  match  20%  of  funding  received  from  govt.,  foun- 
dation, or  corporate  funding  agency.  Individual  artists  need 
nonprofit  fiscal  sponsorship  to  apply.  Video  &  audiotape 
restoration  must  be  performed  at  VidiPax.  Contact:  Dara 
Meyers-Kingsley,  (212)  563-1999  x.  111. 

NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES'  Division  of 
Public  Programs  provides  grants  for  the  planning,  scripting  & 


54     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


production  of  film,  TV  &  digital  media  projects  that  address 
humanities  themes.  Deadlines:  Feb.  1,  2000  (planning, 
scripting  &  production  grants).  Download  applic.  guidelines: 
www.neh.gov/html/guidelm/pub_prog.html;  (202)  606- 
8267;  publicpgms@neh.org 

NEW  YORK  STATE  COUNCIL  ON  THE  ARTS'  Electronic  Media 
&  Film  Program  announces  the  availability  of  up  to  $5,000  in 
funds  for  distributions  of  recently  completed  independent 
media  arts  projects  by  NY  artists.  Open  to  audio/radio,  film, 
video,  computer-based  work  &  installation  art.  Deadline: 
March  1.  For  more  info:  (212)  387-7057;  NYSCA-EMF 
Program,  915  Broadway,  NY,  NY  10010;  dsilverfine@ 
nysca.org;  cmeyer@nysca.org 

NEXT  WAVE  FILMS,  funded  by  the  Independent  Film  Channel, 
offers  finishing  funds  &  other  vital  support  to  emerging  film- 
makers. Focus  is  on  English  language,  feature-length  films 
(fiction  or  non-fiction)  that  will  be  released  theatrically. 
Contact:  Next  Wave  Films,  2510  7th  St.,  Ste.  E,  Santa 
Monica,  CA  90405;  (310)  392-1720;  fax:  399-3455; 
launch@nextwavefilms.com;  www.nextwavefilms.com 

OPPENHEIMER  CAMERA:  new  filmmaker  grant  equipment 
program  offers  access  to  professional  16mm  camera  system 
for  first  serious  new  productions  in  dramatic,  doc,  exp,  or 
narrative  form.  Purely  commercial  projects  not  considered. 
Provides  camera  on  year-round  basis.  No  application  dead- 
line, but  allow  10  week  min.  for  processing.  Contact:  Dana 
Meaux,  Oppenheimer  Camera,  666  S.  Plummer  St.,  Seattle, 
WA  98134;  (206)  467-8666;  fax:  467-9165;  MWitcher@ 
oppenheimercamera.com 

PANAVISION'S  NEW  FILMMAKER  PROGRAM  provides 
16mm  camera  pkgs  to  short,  nonprofit  film  projects  of  any 
genre,  incl.  student  thesis  films.  Send  SASE  w/  55  cent 
stamp  to:  Kelly  Simpson,  New  Filmmaker  Program, 
Panavision,  6219  DeSoto  Ave.,  Woodland  Hills,  CA  91367. 

PAUL  ROBESON  FUND  FOR  INDEPENDENT  MEDIA  solicits 

projects  addressing  critical  social  &  political  issues  w/  goal 
of  creating  social  change.  Funding  for  radio  projects  in  all 
stages  of  prod.  &  film  &  video  projects  in  pre-production  or 
distribution  stages  only.  Grants  range  from  $3,000-8,000. 
Deadline:  May  15.  Contact:  Vivianna  Bianchi,  Program 
Officer,  The  Funding  Exchange,  666  Broadway,  #500,  New 
York,  NY  10012;  (212)  529-5300. 

PEN  WRITER'S  FUND  &  PEN  FUND  FOR  WRITERS  &  EDI- 
TORS W/  AIDS:  Emergency  funds,  in  form  of  small  grants 
given  each  year  to  over  200  professional  literary  writers,  incl. 
screenwriters,  facing  financial  crisis.  PEN's  emergency  funds 
are  not  intended  to  subsidize  writing  projects  or  professional 
development.  Contact:  PEN  American  Center,  568  Broadway, 
New  York,  NY  10012-3225;  (212)  334-1660. 

SHORT-TERM  ARTISTS'  RESIDENCY  PROGRAM  sponsored 
jy  Illinois  Arts  Council  provides  funding  for  IL  nonprofit  orga- 
lizations  to  work  w/  professional  artists  from  IL  to  develop  & 
mplement  residency  programs  that  bring  arts  activities  into 
heir  community.  Each  residency  can  range  from  5  to  30  hrs. 
AC  will  support  50%  of  artist's  fee  (up  to  $1,000  plus  trav- 
il;  the  local  sponsor  must  provide  remaining  50%  plus  other 
ixpenses.  Appls.  must  be  received  at  least  8  weeks  prior  to 
esidency  starting  date.  IAC  encourages  artists  to  seek  spon- 
ors  &  initiate  programs.  Call  for  avail,  of  funds.  Special 


Assistance  Grants  also  avail.  IAC,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  toll-free  in  IL  (800)  237-6994;  (312) 
814-6750;  fax:  814-1471;  www.state.il. us/agency/iac 

SOROS  DOCUMENTARY  FUND  supports  int'l  doc  films  & 
videos  on  current  &  significant  issues  in  human  rights,  free- 
dom of  expression,  social  justice  &  civil  liberties.  Two  project 
categories  considered  for  initial  seed  funds  (grants  up  to 
$15,000),  projects  in  production  or  post  (average  grant 
$25,000,  but  max.  $50,000).  Highly  competitive.  For  info.: 
Soros  Documentary  Fund,  Open  Society  Institute,  400  W.  59th 
St.,  NY  NY  10019;  (212)  548-0600;  www.soros.org/sdf 

SPECIAL  ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  offered  by  the  Illinois  Arts 
Council.  Matching  funds  of  up  to  $1,500  to  Illinois  artists  for 
specific  projects.  Examples  of  activities  funded  are  registra- 
tion fees  &  travel  for  conferences,  seminars,  workshops; 
consultants'  fees  for  the  resolution  of  a  specific  artistic  prob- 
lem; exhibits,  performances,  publications,  screenings;  mate- 
rials, supplies  or  services.  Funds  awarded  based  on  quality 
of  work  submitted  &  impact  of  proposed  project  on  artist's 
professional  development.  Applications  must  be  received  at 
least  8  weeks  prior  to  project  starting  date.  Call  for  availabil- 
ity of  funds.  Illinois  Arts  Council,  100  W.  Randolph,  Ste.  10- 
500,  Chicago,  IL  60601;  (312)  814-6570  toll-free  in  IL  (800) 
237-6994;  www.iinfo@arts.state.il. us 

STANDBY  PROGRAM  provides  artists  &  nonprofits  access  to 
broadcast-quality  video  postprod.  services  at  reduced  rates. 
For  guidelines  &  appl.  contact:  Standby  Program,  Box  184, 
NY,  NY  10012-0004;  (212)  219-0951;  fax:  219-0563; 
www.standby.org 

UNIVERSITY  FILM  &  VIDEO  ASSOCIATION:  student  grants 
avail,  for  research  &  productions  in  following  categories:  nar- 
rative, doc  &  experimental/animation/multimedia.  Deadline: 
Jan.  1.  Contact:  www.ufva.org  (click  on  grants). 

VISUAL  STUDIES  WORKSHOP  MEDIA  CENTER  in  Rochester, 
NY,  accepts  proposals  on  on-going  basis  for  its  Upstate 
Media  Regrant  Program.  Artists,  ind.  producers  &  nonprofits 
awarded  access  at  reduced  rates,  prod.  &  postprod.  equip- 
ment for  work  on  noncommercial  projects.  For  appl.,  tour,  or 
more  info,  call  (716)  442-8676. 

IFFCON  2000  OPEN  DAY  7th  Int'l  Film  Financing  Conference 
announces  an  Open  Day,  Jan.  14  in  San  Francisco;  full  day  of 
panels  &  networking  opportunities  w/  key  int'l  film  financiers  & 
buyers.  Only  day  of  IFFCON  w/  registration  open  to  the  public. 
Registration  fee  is  $150.  (415)  281-9777;  www.iffcon.com 


AIVF  ON-LINE 

Find  back  issues  of  The  Independent,  advocacy 

reports  &  updates  on  AIVF  events,  along  with 

bulletin  boards,  AIVF  member  salons,  and 

databases.  Check  it  out: 

WWW.AIVF.ORG 


We  are  a  facility  specializing  in 

picture  and  audio  post  for  projects 

finished  on  film.  We  offer  full  audio 

services;  sound  design,  foley,  ADR 

and  mixing.  Film  editing  at  24  or  30 

fps  on  high  end  digital  non  linear 

systems  and  full  technical  support  at 

every  stage  of  your  project  Please 

contact  us  for  more  information. 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      55 


S) 


CONTACT:  scott@aivf.org.  DEADLINES:  1ST  OF  EACH 

month,  2  months  prior  to  cover  date  (e.g.  jan.  1 
for  march  issue).  classifieds  up  to  240  charac- 
ters (incl.  spaces  &  punctuation)  cost  $25/issue 
for  aivf  members,  $35  for  nonmembers;  240-480 
characters  cost  $45/members,  $65/n0nmem- 
bers;  480-720  characters  cost  $60/members, 
$90/nonmembers.  incl.  valid  member  id#.  ads 
exceeding  requested  length  will  be  edited.  all 
copy  should  be  accompanied  by  a  check  or 
money  order  payable  to:  fivf,  304  hudson  st.,  ny, 
ny  10013.  to  pay  by  credit  card,  incl.  card  type 
(visa/mc/amex);  card  number;  name  on  card;  exp 
date;  billing  address  &  daytime  phone.  ads  run- 
ning 5+  times  get  $5  discount  per  issue. 

Buy  •  Rent  •  Sell 

CHEAPEST  AVIDS  in  New  York  City.  Off-line  and  on-line. 
Special  prices  for  long-term  rentals  &  AIVF  members. 
Experienced  editors  also  available.  Call  Jonathan  at  (212) 
462-4515. 

DP  w/ Canon  XL- 1.  Beta-SP  deck  rental  avail.  I  shoot  all  for- 
mats: film/video.  Nonlinear  editing  w/  all  video  formats.  12 
yrs  exp.  w/  Academy  Award  nomination.  Affordable  rates. 
DMP  Productions  (212)  967-1667;  www.members.tripod. 
com/~dmpfilm 

FOR  RENT:  OFF-LINE  AVID.  We  will  beat  any  price  either  in 
your  space  or  our  beautiful,  spacious,  and  comfortable 
Chelsea  location  on  West  27th  St.  Avid  400,  Beta  deck,  36GB 
storage.  Free  cappucino.  Call  (212)  579-4294. 

FOR  RENT:  SONY  3-CHIP  DIGITAL  CAMERA  (DCR-VX1000). 
Also  available:  mic,  light  &  tripod.  Negotiable  rates  for  both 
short  &  long-term  rentals.  Please  call  (718)  284-2645. 

FOR  SALE:  Panasonic  AGEZ1  miniDV  Camcorder,  3  chip. 
Batteries.  $1,800.  Call  (203)  266-8313. 

PRODUCTION  EQUIPMENT  FOR  SALE:  UVW  BetaSP 
Player/Recorder  9-gig  Avid  drives,  Sony  EVO-9850,  Hi-8 
deck,  VHS  decks,  Sony  monitors,  Black  burst  generator, 
Macintosh  computers,  misc.  other  production  &  office  equip- 
ment. Call  (212)  267-6750. 

PRODUCTION  OFFICE  SPACE  FOR  RENT:  Share  large  space 
w/  small  production  company.  Three  furnished  offices  & 
shared  reception  as  pkg.  deal.  Office  equip,  in  place.  Steps 
from  most  subway  lines,  near  World  Trade  Center.  Call  (212) 
267-6750. 

SOHO  AUDIO  RENTALS:  Time  code  DATs,  RF  diversity  mics, 
playback  systems,  pkgs.  Great  rates,  great  equipment  & 
great  service.  Discounts  for  AIVF  members.  Larry  (212)  226- 
2429:  sohoaudio@earthlink.net 

VIDEO  DECKS/EDIT  SYSTEMS/CAMERAS  FOR  RENT:  I 

Deliver!  Beta-SP  Deck  (Sony  UVW-1800)  $150/day, 
$450/wk.  DV  deck  $150/day.  S-VHS  off-line  edit  system 
$450/wk.  Sony  DVCAM  3-chip  camera  $125/day.  Lights, 
tripods,  mics  &  mixers.  David  (212)  362-1056. 

WANNA  SHOOT  UNDERCOVER7  Rent  a  broadcast  quality 
Digital  Video  hidden  camera  system  for  only  $250/day.  Use 
as  Purse  Cam,  Shirt  Cam,  or  Tie  Cam.  Used  by  HBO  &  all  the 
networks.  Call  Jonathan,  Mint  Leaf  Prod  (718)  499-2829. 


Distribution 

16  YEARS  AS  AN  INDUSTRY  LEADER!  Representing  out- 
standing video  on  healthcare,  mental  health,  disabilities  & 
related  issues.  Our  films  win  Oscars,  Emmys,  Duponts, 
Freddies  &  more.  Join  us!  Fanlight  Productions:  (800)  937- 
4113;  www.fanlight.com 

A+  DISTRIBUTOR  since  1985  invites  producers  to  submit 
quality  programs  on  VHS  w/  SASE  for  distributor  considera- 
tion. Mail  to  Chip  Taylor  Communications;  15  Spollett  Dr., 
Derry.  NH  03038;  www.chiptaylor.com 

ANGELCITIVIDEO  seeks  films  and  videos  of  all  types  for  dis- 
tribution (323)  461-4086. 

AQUARIUS  HEALTH  CARE  VIDEOS:  Leading  distributor  of 
outstanding  videos  because  of  outstanding  producers.  Join 
our  collection  of  titles  on  disabilities,  mental  health,  aging, 
nursing,  psychosocial  issues,  children  &  teen  issues.  For 
educational/health  markets.  Leslie  Kussmann,  5  Pow- 
derhouse  Lane,  Sherborn,  MA  01770;  (508)  651-2963; 
www.aquanusproductions.com 

ATA  TRADING  CORP.,  actively  &  successfully  distributing 
independent  products  for  over  50  yrs.,  seeks  new  program- 
ming of  all  types  for  worldwide  distribution  into  all  markets. 
Contact:  (212)  594-6460;  fax  594-6461. 

INTERNET  DISTRIBUTOR  seeks  quality  independent  films  for 
home  video  and  other  sales.  We  offer  producers  a  significant 
piece  of  the  gross,  based  on  rights  pkg.  Check  our  web  site 
for  details  &  submission  info:  www.indie-underground.com 

LOOKING  FOR  AN  EDUCATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR7  Consider 
the  University  of  California.  We  can  put  80  years  of  success- 
ful marketing  expertise  to  work  for  you.  Kate  Spohr:  (510) 
643-2788;  www-cmil.unex.berkeley.edu/media/ 

SEEKING  EDUCATIONAL  VIDEOS  on  guidance  issues  such  as 
violence,  drug  prevention  &  parenting  for  exclusive  distribu- 
tion. Our  marketing  gives  unequaled  results.  The  Bureau  for 
At-Risk  Youth,  Box  760,  Plainview,  NY  11803;  (800)  99- 
YOUTH  x.  210. 

THE  CINEMA  GUILD,  leading  film/video/multimedia  distnb, 
seeks  new  doc,  fiction,  educational  &  animation  programs  for 
distribution.  Send  videocassett.es  or  discs  for  evaluation  to: 
The  Cinema  Guild,  1697  Broadway,  Suite  506,  NY,  NY  10019; 
(212)  246-5522;  TheCinemaG@aol.com.  Ask  for  our 
Distribution  Services  brochure. 

Freelance 

35MM/16MM  PROD.  PKG  w/  cmematographer.  Complete  stu- 
dio truck  w/  DP's  own  Arri  35BL,  16SR,  HMIs,  dolly,  jib  crane, 
lighting,  grip,  Nagra . . .  more.  Ideal  1-source  for  the  low-bud- 
get feature!  Call  Tom  today  for  booking.  (201)  807-0155. 

AATON  CAMERA  PKG.  Absolutely  perfect  for  independent 
features.  Top  of  the  line  XTR  Prod  w/  S16,  time  code  video, 
the  works!  Exp  DP  w/  strong  lighting  &  prod  skills  wants  to 
collaborate  in  telling  your  story.  Andy  (212)  501-7862; 
circa@interport.net 

ACCLAIMED  &  UNUSUAL  instrumental  band  can  provide 
music  for  your  next  project.  Contact  "Magonia"  for  demo: 
(781)  932-4677;  boygirl@mediaone.net;  www.magonia.com 


ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER/CONTROLLER:  Experience  in 
both  corporate  &  nonprofit  sectors.  Hold  MBA  in  Marketing  & 
Accounting.  Freelance  work  sought.  Sam  Sagenkahn  (212) 
481-3576. 

ANDREW  DUNN,  Director  of  Photography/camera  operator 
Arri35  BL3,  Aaton  XTRprod  S16,  Sony  DVCAM.  Experience  in 
features,  docs,  TV  &  industrials.  Credits:  Dog  Run,  Strays, 
Working  Space/Working  Light.  (212)  477-0172; 
AndrewD158@aol.com 

AVID  SUITE:  AVR  77  with  or  without  experienced  editor. 
Available  for  long  term  or  short  term  projects.  Comfortable 
room  with  large  windows,  sofa  and  24  hr  access.  Please  con- 
tact Andre  at  Viceroy  Films:  (212)  367-3730. 

AWARD-WINNING  EDITOR,  w/  Avid  and  Beta  SP  facility. 
Features,  shorts,  doc,  music  videos,  educational,  industrials, 
demos.  Trilingual:  Spanish,  English,  Catalan.  Nuna  Olive- 
Belles  (212)  627-9256. 

BETA  SP  &  DVCAM  Videographer  with  both  cameras,  lights, 
monitors,  mics  &  wireless.  Very  portable,  lightweight  &  I'm  fast. 
Experience  includes  documentaries,  industrials,  fundraisers  & 
fashion.  Please  call  John  Kelleran  (212)  334-3851. 

BETA  SP  VIDEOGRAPHER,  skilled  in  everything  from  exterior 
hand  held  to  Rembrandt  interior  lighting  styles,  seeking  inter- 
esting projects  to  shoot.  Has  attractive  Sony  Betacam  SP, 
cool  sets  of  lights  &  sensitive  microphones.  Willing  to  travel. 
Yitzhak  Gol  (718)  591-2760. 

BRENDAN  C.  FLYNT:  Director  of  Photography  w/  many  fea- 
ture &  short  film  credits.  Owns  35  Am  BL3,  Super  16/16 
Aaton,  HMIs,  Tungsten,  &  dolly  w/  tracks.  Awards  at 
Sundance  &  Ramdance.  Call  for  quotes  &  reel  at  (212)  226- 
8417;  web  site:  www.dp-brendanflynt.com 

BROADCAST  ENGINEER,  15  yrs.  exp.  Has  Betacam  SP  loca- 
tion package.  3-chip  mini  DV.  Looking  to  work  on  projects. 
Michael  (212)  691-1311. 

CAMERAPERSON:  Visual  storyteller  loves  to  collaborate, 
explore  diverse  styles  &  formats.  Brings  passion  &  produc- 
tivity to  your  shoot.  Award-winner  w/  latest  Super/Std.16 
Aaton  XTR  prod,  package.  Todd  (718)  222-9277; 
wacass@concentric.net 

CINEMATOGRAPHER  w/  Arri  16SR  Package  &  35IIC,  w/  over 
15  years  in  the  industry.  Credits  incl.  2nd  unit,  FX  &  experi- 
mental. Looking  for  interesting  projects.  Will  travel.  Theo 
(212)  774-4157;  pager:  (213)  707-6195. 

COMPOSER:  Experienced,  award-winning  Yale  conservatory 
grad  writes  affordable  music  in  any  style  that  will  enhance 
your  project.  Save  money  without  compromising  creativity. 
Full  service  digital  recording  studio.  FREE  demo  CD/initial 
consultation/rough  sketch.  Call  Joe  Rubenstein:  (212)  242- 
2691;  joe56@earthlink.net 

COMPOSER:  MFA  (NYU/Tisch)  and  extensive  experience  with 
theater,  dance  &  Sundance  filmmakers.  Will  work  with  any 
budget  in  styles  ranging  from  classical  to  drum  &  bass  to 
African-Hungarian  jazz.  Low  budget  services  include  digital 
studio  &  live  cello.  Contact  Raul  Rothblatt  (212)  254-0155; 
deblatt@interport.net 

COMPOSER:  Miriam  Cutler  loves  to  collaborate  with  film- 
makers: features,  docs.  Sundance:  Licensed  To  Kill ,  Death 


56     THE    INDEPENDENT     December    1999 


THE   ASSOCIATION   OF   INDEPENDENT 
VIDEO   AND    FILMMAKERS 


About  AIVF  and  FIVF 
Dffering  support  for  individuals  and 
advocacy  for  the  media  arts  field, 
Ihe  Association  of  Independent  Video 
and  Filmmakers  (AIVF)  is  a  national 
membership  organization  of  over 
5,000  diverse,  committed  opinionated 
and  fiercely  independent  film  and 
video  makers.  AIVF  is  supported  by 
the  Foundation  for  Independent 
Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  a  501(c)(3) 
nonprofit  offering  a  broad  slate  of 
education  and  information  programs. 

To  succeed  as  an  independent  you 
need  a  wealth  of  resources,  strong 
connections,  and  the  best  information 
available.  Whether  through  the  pages 
of  our  magazine,  The  Independent 
Film  8c  Video  Monthly,  or  through 
the  organization  raising  its  collective 
voice  to  advocate  for  important 
issues,  AIVF  preserves  your 
independence  while  reminding  you 
you're  not  alone. 

Here's  what  AIVF 
membership  offers: 

■ill '3  IjlilV  pb WlJsJjj] 

J  J  FILM  &  VIDEO  MONTHLY 

"We  Love  This  Magazine!!" 
-UTNE  Reader- 
Membership  provides  you  with  a 
year's  subscription  to  The  Independent 
Thought-provoking  features,  artist 
profiles,  news,  and  regular  columns  on 
business,  technical  and  legal  matters. 
Plus  festival  listings,  distributor  and 
funder    profiles,    funding    deadlines. 


exhibition  venues,  and  announcements 
of  member  activities,  programs  and 
services.  Special  issues  highlight 
regional  activity  and  focus  on  subjects 
including  experimental  media  new 
technologies,  and  media  education 
Business  and  non-profit  members 
receive  discounts  on  advertising  as 
well  as  special  mention  in  each  issue. 

INSURANCE 

Members  are  eligible  to  purchase 
discounted  personal  and  production 
insurance  plans  through  ATVF 
suppliers,  including  health  insurance 
and  production  plans  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  low-budget  mediamakers. 

TRADE  DISCOUNTS 

Businesses  across  the  country  offer 
AIVF  members  discounts  on  equipment 
and  auto  rentals,  stock  and  expendibles, 
film  processing  transfers,  editing, 
shipping,  and  other  production 
necessities.  Members  also  receive 
discounts  on  purchases  of  the  AIVF 
mailing  list  and  classified  ads  in  The 
Independent 

WORKSHOPS,  PANELS, 
AND  SEMINARS 

Special  events  covering  the  whole 
spectrum  of  current  issues  and 
concerns  affecting  the  field,  ranging 
from  business  and  aesthetic  to 
technical  and  political  topics. 

INFORMATION 

Stay  connected  through  www.aivf.org. 
Members  are  entitled  to  exclusive 
on-line  services  such  as  searchable 
databases  and  web-specific  content 
published  by  The  Independent. 


We  also  publish  a  series  of 
practical  resource  books  on 
international  festivals,  distribution 
and  exhibition  venues,  offered  at 
discount  prices  to  members  (see  the 
other  part  of  this  insert  for  a  list). 

With  over  600  volumes,  our 
office  library  houses  information  on 
everything  from  preproduction  to 
sample  contracts,  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  the  independent  producer. 

COMMUNITY 

AIVF  Regional  Salons  occur  in  cities 
across  the  country.  These  member- 
organized,  member-run  get-togethers 
provide  a  unique  opportunity  for 
members  and  non-members  alike  to 
network  exhibit,  and  advocate  for 
independent  media  in  their  local 
area.  To  find  the  salon  nearest  you 
check  The  Independent  or  visit  the 
salon  section  of  the  AIVF  website.  If 
you're  interested  in  starting  a  salon 
in  your  area  ask  for  our  startup  kit! 

ADVOCACY 

Over  the  past  25  years  AIVF  has 
been  outspoken  in  our  efforts  to 
preserve  the  resources  and  rights  of 
independent  mediamakers,  as  well  as 
to  keep  the  public  abreast  of  the 
latest  issues  concerning  our 
community.  Recent  activities  have 
included  a  successful  campaign  to 
restore  the  short  documentary  Oscar 
category,  and  to  keep  DBS  providers 
accountable  to  the  public.  Members 
receive  periodic  advocacy  alerts, 
information  on  current  issues  and 
public  policy,  and  the  opportunity  to 
add  their  voice  to  collective  actions. 


MEMBERSHIP  CATEGORIES 

INDIVIDUAL/STUDENT  MEMBERSHIP 

Includes:  one  year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  •  access  to  group  insurance  plans  •  discounts 
on  goods  and  services  from  over  SO  affiliated  Trade  Partners  •  on-line  or  over-the-phone  information 
services  •  discounted  admission  to  seminars  and  events  •  book  discounts  •  classifieds  discounts  • 
advocacy  action  alerts  •  eligibility  to  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  members-only  web  services. 

SUPPORTING  MEMBERSHIP 

All  of  the  above  benefits  extended  to  two  members  of  the  same  household  except  for  the  year's 

subscription  to  The  Independent  which  is  shared  by  both. 

BUSINESS  8c  INDUSTRY/NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATION  MEMBERSHIP 

All  the  above  benefits  (except  access  to  insurance  plans)  with  3  one-year  subscriptions  to 

The  Independent  •  representative  may  vote  and  run  for  board  of  directors  •  discounts  on  display 

advertising  •  special  mention  in  each  issue  of  The  Independent 


LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

Year's  subscription  to  The  Independent  for  multiple  readers 


JOIN  AIVF  TODAY! 


MEMBERSHIP  RATES     Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Individual  □  $55/1  yr.  □  $100/2  yrs. 

Supporting         □  $95/1  yr.  □  $150/2  yrs. 

Student  □  $35/1  yr.  □  $60/2  yrs. 

(enclose  copy  of  current  student  ID) 

Business  &■  Industry  □  $150/1  yr. 

Non-profit  Organization        □  $100/1  yr. 

LIBRARY/UNIVERSITY  SUBSCRIPTION 

□  $75  domestic  □  $90  foreign 


Name 


Organization 

Address 

City 


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ZIP 


Weekday  teL 
Email 


Country 
fax 


MAILING  RATES 

Magazines  are  mailed  second-class  in  the  US 

□  First-class  U.S.  mailing  -  add  $30 

□  Canada  -  add  $15 

□  Mexico  -  add  $20 

□  All  other  countries  -  add  $45 


*  Your  additional  contribution  will  help  support  programs  of 
the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  a  public, 
educational  non-profit  tax  exempt  under  section  501(c)(3). 


\ 


$ Membership  cost 

$ Mailing  costs  (if  applicable) 

$ Additional  tax-deductible  contribution  to  FIVF 

(please  make  separate  check  payable  to  FIVF) 

$ Total  amount  enclosed  (check  or  money  order) 

Please  bill  my    D  Visa      D  Mastercard      D  AmX 

Acct  # 

Exp.  date:        /        / 

Signature 


Make  checks  payable  to  AIVF 

Mail  to  AIVF,  304  Hudson  St,  6th  fl  NY,  NY  10013;  or  charge  by  phone  (212)  507-1400  x236,  by  fax 

(212)  463-5519,  or  via  our  website  www.aivf.org.  Your  first  issue  of  The  Independent  will  arrive  in  4-6  weeks. 


A  Love  Story — Peabody:  The  Castro — P.O.V.:  Double  Life  of 
Ernesto  Gomez  &  more  (323)  664-1807;  mircut@pacific- 
net.net 

COMPOSER:  Original  music  tor  your  film  or  video  project. 
Credits  include  NYU  film  projects  and  CD.  Will  work  with  any 
budget.  Complete  digital  studio.  NYC  area.  Call  Ian  O'Brien: 
(201)  432-4705;  iobrien@bellatlantic.net 

COMPOSER:  Award-winning,  experienced,  will  creatively 
score  your  film/TV/video  project  in  any  musical  style. 
Extensive  credits  include  nationally  released  features,  TV 
dramas,  documentaries,  animation,  on  Networks,  MTV, 
Disney,  PBS.  Columbia  MA  in  composition;  full  digital  studio; 
affordable.  Demo  reel  available.  Elliot  Sokolov  (212)  721- 
3218  or  email  Elliotsoko@aol.com 

COMPOSER:  Perfect  music  for  your  project.  Orchestral  to 
techno-you  name  it!  Credits  incl.  NFL,  PBS,  Sundance, 
Absolut.  Bach,  of  Music,  Eastman  School.  Quentin  Chiapetta 
(718)  383-6607;  (917)  721-0058;  qchiap@el.net 

CREATIVE  DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  lighting  director 
background.  Specialty  films  my  specialty.  Can  give  your  film 
that  unique  "look."  16mm  &  35mm  packages  avail.  Call 
Charles  for  reel:  (212)  295-7878. 

DANCE  CHOREOGRAPHER:  10  yrs  in  NYC  dance/perfor- 
mance/theater, now  moving  into  film/video.  Ready  to  work  on 
your  next  project.  Skilled  in  many  dance  styles,  coaching  for 
actors.  No  tap.  No  job  too  big  or  small.  Call  for  reel  (212) 
465-2536. 

DIGITAL  VIDEO  Videographer/DP  with  Canon  3-CCD  digital 
videocam;  prefer  documentaries;  video-assist  for  films;  doc- 
umentation for  dance  and  performance;  misc.  projects. 
Reasonable.  Alan  Roth  (718)  218-8065  or  email:  alan- 
roth@mail.com 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Award  winning,  exp,  looking 
for  interesting  projects.  Credits  incl.  features,  docs  &  com- 
mercials in  the  U.S.,  Europe  &  Israel.  Own  complete  Aaton 
Super  16  pkg  &  lights.  Call  Adam  for  reel.  (212)  932-8255  or 
(917)  794-8226. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  looking  for  interesting  fea- 
tures, shorts,  ind.  projects,  etc.  Credits  incl.  features,  com- 
mercials, industrials,  short  films,  music  videos.  Aaton  16/S- 
16  pkg  avail.  Abe  (718)  263-0010. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY:  Owner  16mm  Aaton,  plus 
35mm  non-sync  &  hand-crank  cameras.  Experimental  back- 
ground; creative  look.  Shooting  credits  incl.:  features,  shorts, 
promos,  commercials  &  music  videos.  New  York-based,  will 
travel.  Carolyn  (718)  930-7969. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  Beta  SP  production  pkg., 
Sony  VX-1000  digital  camera,  Bolex  16mm  &  super  8  cam- 
eras. Also  lighting/grip  equip.  &  wireless  mics.  Looking  for 
interesting  projects.  Experienced.  Reel  available.  Alan  (212) 
260-7748. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/ complete  Arri-Zeiss  16mm 

pkg.  Lots  of  indie  film  experience.  Features,  shorts  and  music 
videos.  Save  money  and  get  a  great  looking  film.  Willing  to 
travel.  Rates  are  flexible  and  I  work  quickly.  Matthew  (914) 
439-5459  or  (617)  244-6730. 


AVIDS  TO  GO 


Luna  delivers. 


\ 


free  delivery  and  set-up  in  your  home  or  office 

long  term  //  short  term  rentals 
the  most  cost-effective  way  to  cut  your  indie  film 


PICTURES 


212  255  2564 


lEMfflEa 


Film  Video  Arts 


a  nonprofit  media  arts  center 


S      "     * 

■  JI  ■jgjlubJ 

] 

mSm 

^rfl'l 

[TTp^^ 

^:0 

^ 

serving  independents  since  1968 

courses 

camera    rentals 

postproduction 

dubs  &  transfers 

affordable    rates 


212.673.9361 

817    broadway     nyc 


KITCHEN 
CINEMA 


MEDIA  nonlinear  on-line 


editing  suite 


flili 

at    affordable 

rates 

NTSC  &  PAL  Beta  SP 

63  2i£  MicroNet  Data  Dock 

Jazz  Drive  -Mackie  1402  Mixer 

After  Effects 

Editors  available 


149  5th  AVE  -  NYC 
212  253  9472 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      57 


(^^^^W) 


HARMONIC 


Everything 
included. 

Avid  Media 

Composer  Off-line 

at  rates  the  artist 

can  afford. 


kitchen 


225  Lafayette,  suite  1113,  Soho 
Tel:  (516)  810-7238  •  Fax  (516)  421-6923 


Shooting  for#  I 

W'  hy  did  prominent  film  pro- 
ducer Dale  Pollock  leave  24 
active  projects  in  Hollywood  to  be- 
come Dean  of  the  School  of  Film- 
making at  the  North  Carolina  School 
of  the  Arts?  "Because  I  think  we 
have  the  potential  to  be  the  best  film 
school  in  the  world,"  he  says. 
With  12  feature  films  to  his  credit  - 
including  SET  IT  OFF,  BLAZE,  A 
MIDNIGHT  CLEAR,  and  MRS.  WINTERBOURNE 
best-selling  biography  of  George  Lucas,  Pollock  ought  to  know. 

School  of  Filmmaking 

Offering  B.F.A.  and  College  Arts  Diploma 

North  Carolina 
School  of  the  Arts 

For  information  about  our  school  year  or  summer  session,  contact: 
Admissions,  North  Carolina  School  of  the  Arts,  1533  S.  Main  St., 
Winston-Salem,  NC  27 1 27-2 1 88;  336-770-3290;  www.ncarts.edu 

An  equal  opportunity  institution  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina 


and  a 


DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/  own  35mm  sync  sound 
Arriflex  BLII  avail.  Beautiful  reel,  affordable  rates.  Crew  on 
standby.  Work  incl.  several  features,  shorts,  music  videos. 
Travel  no  problem.  Dave  (718)  230-1207;  page  (917)  953- 
1117. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHOTOGRAPHY  w/awards,  talent,  savvy  & 
experience.  Own  Aaton  16mm/Super  16mm  pkg.,  35mm 
package  available.  Call  for  my  reel.  Bob  (212)  989-7992. 

DP  w/  full  postproduction  support.  Experienced  film/video  DP 
w/ 16:9  digital  &  16mm  film  cameras,  lighting/sound  gear  & 
complete  nonlinear  editing  services.  Call  (212)  868-0028 
Derek  Wan,  H.K.S.C.  for  reel  &  low  "shoot  &  post"  bundle 
rates. 

EDITOR  AVAILABLE:  Experienced  award-winning  Avid  editor 
available  to  work  on  interesting  and  innovative  pieces.  Will 
work  dirt  cheap  for  the  chance  to  be  challenged  (docs, 
shorts,  features).  Call  Kevin  (212)  591-0589. 

EDITOR:  Award-winning  director/editor,  whose  last  film  was 
selected  by  Cannes,  seeks  editing  projects.  Avid  available. 
(212)  352-4476. 

EDITOR  WITH  AVID  SYMPHONY  (9000XL):  I  am  an  experi- 
enced video  editor,  willing  to  work  with  an  independent  film- 
maker, free  of  charge,  to  gain  experience  in  film.  My  Avid  has 
complete  24  fps  capability.  Please  contact  Charlene  at  (561) 
744-6704  if  interested  (Jupiter,  Florida). 

ENTERTAINMENT  ATTORNEY:  frequent  contributor  to  "Legal 
Brief"  columns  in  The  Independent  &  other  magazines  offers 
legal  services  on  projects  from  development  to  distribution. 
Reasonable  rates.  Robert  L.  Seigel,  Esq.:  (212)  307-7533. 

EXPERIENCED  CINEMATOGRAPHER  with  crew  &  equip- 
ment; 16mm  &  35mm.  Short  films  &  features.  Vincent  (212) 
995-0573. 

FILM  CONSULTANT:  Award-winning  writer  director  (PBS, 
MTV,  feature  credits)  acquisitions  executive  for  Infinity  Films, 
offers  advice  to  filmmakers,  critiques  scripts  &  films. 
Reasonable  rates.  Nick  Taylor  (212)  414-5441. 

GRANTWRITER/FUNDRAISER:  Extensive  exp.  w/ indie  media 
projects.  Successful  proposals  to  NEA,  NEH,  ITVS,  NYSCA, 
NYCH  &  many  foundations,  excellent  int'l  co-prod  contacts. 
Fast  writer,  reasonable  rates.  W  Bershen,  (212)  598-0224; 
wb22@pipeline.com 

JOHN  BASKO:  Documentary  cameraman  w/  extensive  inter- 
national network  experience.  Civil  wars  in  Kosovo,  Beirut,  El 
Salvador,  Nicaragua,  Tiananmen  Square  student  uprising. 
Equipment  maintained  by  Sony,  tel:  (718)  278-7869;  fax: 
278-6830. 

LOCATION  SOUND:  Over  20  yrs  sound  exp.  w/  time  code 
Nagra  &  DAT,  quality  mics.  Reduced  rates  for  low-budget  pro- 
jects. Harvey  &  Fred  Edwards,  (518)  677-5720;  cell:  (917) 
319-3365;  edfilms@worldnet.att.net 

Opportunities  •  Gigs 

ADVENTUROUS  PRODUCTION/CAMERA  ASSISTANT  wanted 
for  documentary  video  excursions  to  exotic  locales.  No  pay. 
Fax  letter  of  interest:  (203)  226-2396. 

AMERICAN  UNIVERSITY  FACULTY  POSITION  IN  VISUAL 
MEDIA:  Tenure  track  position;  asst.  prof,  in  School  of  Comm's 
Visual  Media  Division  beginning  Fall  2000,  to  teach  undergrad 


58     THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


&  grad  courses  in  full-time  &  weekend  programs. 
Responsibilities:  Teach  Masters  level  &  undergrad  courses; 
advise  students;  assist  in  facilities  &  equip,  management; 
continue  creative,  pro  or  scholarly  work;  participate  in  School 
&  Univ.  activities  &  governance.  Teaching  responsibilities  pri- 
marily in  area  of  video  production,  but  could  incl.  courses  in 
visual  media  incl.  production,  screenwnting,  producing  & 
media  studies.  Other  courses  could  incl.  producing  for  feature 
film  &  docs,  production  planning  &  management,  and  financ- 
ing &  marketing  ind.  productions.  Some  Saturday  teaching 
may  be  req.  Qualifications.-  Substantial  professional  produc- 
tion exp.  in  visual  media  desired.  Teaching  exp.  at  college  or 
univ.  level  req.  MA  degree  in  relevant  discipline  req.,  MFA  or 
PhD  desirable.  Successful  candidate  will  be  appointed  at  the 
rank  of  an  ass't  prof.  Salary  negotiable,  depending  on  qualifi- 
cations &  experience.  School  of  Comm  has  750  undergrad 
majors  &  300  grad  students  in  3  divisions:  Journalism,  Public 
Communication  &  Visual  Media.  Curriculum  vitae/resume  &  3 
letters  of  recom.  should  be  sent  to:  Visual  Media  Search 
Committee,  School  of  Comm.,  American  Univ.,  4400 
Massachusetts  Ave.  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C.  20016. 
Committee  will  begin  reviewing  appl.  Nov.  15.  American  Univ. 
is  an  equal  opportunity/affirmative  action  employer  commit- 
ted to  a  diverse  faculty,  staff  &  student  body.  Women  & 
minorities  are  encouraged  to  apply. 

ANGELCITI  FILM  MARKET  call  for  entries:  Accepting  sub- 
missions of  films,  videos  &  screenplays  of  all  types  for 
Market  in  LA  and  Festival  Tour  (323)  461-4256. 

ASS'T  OR  ASSOCIATE  PROFESSOR  of  Television  Production 
sought  to  teach  hands-on  video  production  classes,  to  direct 
the  TV  production  programs,  and  to  oversee  the  upgrading  of 
the  TV  production  facilities.  Leadership  capabilities  are 
essential.  Must  be  well-versed  in  digital  production  &  digital 
postproduction  techniques  &  technologies.  Duties  will  incl. 
advising  on  graduate  thesis  productions.  A  Master's  degree 
is  required.  Rank  &  salary  will  depend  on  professional  & 
teaching  achievements.  Deadline  for  submission  of  applica- 
tions is  Jan.  15, 2000.  Send  a  cover  letter,  resume,  and  three 
letters  of  reference  to:  Jennifer  Morcone,  Manager  of  Faculty 
Services,  Boston  Univ.,  College  of  Comm.,  640 
Commonwealth  Ave.,  Boston,  MA  02215;  email:  jmor- 
cone@bu.edu;  tel:  (617)  353-8023;  fax:  (617)  353-3405; 
web  site:  www.bu/edu/com 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  WANTED:  Film/Animation/Video 
Dept.  at  Rhode  Island  School  of  Design  accepting  appls  for 
full-time  faculty  position  beginning  Sept.  2000.  Applicants 
should  be  able  to  teach  a  variety  of  animation  techniques,  be 
familiar  w/  new  technologies  &  conversant  w/  live-action 
filmmaking.  Applicant  should  be  able  to  teach  effectively,  cre- 
atively &  meaningfully  at  all  levels  of  animation  production. 
Applicant  should  have  a  working  knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  animation  &  good  sense  of  story  development.  Also  should 
have  a  history  of  personal  work,  exhibition  &  experimentation 
in  animation,  along  w/  college  teaching  experience.  Master  of 
Fine  Arts  degree  or  equivalent  in  personal  artwork  or  profes- 
sional experience  required.  Applicants  should  be  familiar  w/ 
production  in  film,  digital  media,  video  &  audio.  Job  involves 
teaching  intro  film  animation  production  courses  to  both  ani- 
mation majors  &  non-majors,  in  addition  to  other  courses.  To 
apply,  send  letter  detailing  interest  &  qualifications,  curricu- 
lum vita,  names,  addresses  &  tel  numbers  of  three  references 
&  a  videotape  of  personal  work  by  Dec.  1  to:  Ms.  Elsie 
Cimorelli,  Secretary,  Film/Animation/Video  Search,  Office  of 


FILMS    r 


SV  Gksr  2  1st  St.  »  Sum  903  •  Ny,  NY  100  10 

2f2®367®3730 

viceroyfilms@mindspring.com 


Umall  classes  &  tutorials 

in  D  1  G  1  T  A  L 

AUDIO,  VIDEO  &  INTERACTIVITY 

Interdisciplinary  Certificate  Program 

CULTIVATING        TALENT 

Harvestworks  Digital  Media  Arts 

[212]  431-1130 

596  Broadway  Suite  602  inSoHo 

harvestw@  dti.net/www.harvestworks.org 

(      l5»»        r 

*3m^ 

Digital  Media  Arts  Center 

Avid    MC900D,    MCIOOD 

Film  Composer,  Xpness  Plus 

off/on-line  AVR77  S.  3D  DVE 

Digital  Betacam,   Digital  I/O 

DVCPRO,   3/4  SP,   HIS  S.  VHS         VIDE 

transfers  &  duplication  Crush  available] 

Macintosh  graphics  &  After  Effects  compositing 
tape  to  disk  [Jazz,  Zip,   Syquest,   CD-R] 
web  site  design  S.    maintenance 

Betacam  SP  &  DV  field  packages 

offering  special  ra-^es  for  ar-ys'ts  and  independents  since  1  (8t 


212.529.8204 

D V 8 V I D E 0  /  738  BROADWAY  /  PENTHOUSE  /  N V C  Mil  i: 


December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      59 


.^an  t  =•*  i 


E) 


avid  xpress,  avr  77,  54  gig 
film  matchback  option,  after  effects 
beta  sp,  dvcam,  dv,  dat,  3/4,  svhs,  hi8 


$40  /  hour 
$300  /  day 


DGtOUlT  Film  *  Video 


with  fast,  experienced  editor 


212.228.1914 

convenient  east  village  location 


The  Rutgers  Film  Co-op/New  Jersey  Media  Arts  Center,  the  Rutgers  University 
Program  In  Cinema  Studies,  and  Eastman  Kodak  present  the  12th  annual 

United  States 

Super  8 

Film/Video 

Festival 

February  18-20, 2000 

Rutgers  University,  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey 

•Call  For  Entries* 

DEADLINE  for  the  receipt  of  entries  is 
Friday.  January  21. 2000®  5:00  PM  EST 

The  12th  Annual  United  States  Super  8  Film/Video  Festival  is  the  longest  running 
juried  8mm  festival  in  North  America  It  encourages  any  genre  (animation,  documentary, 
experimental,  narrative,  etc.),  but  the  submissions  must  have  predominantly  originated 
on  Super  8mm/8mm  film  or  Digital  8/Hi  8mm/8mm  video.  All  works  will  be  screened 
by  a  panel  of  judges  who  will  award  $2600  in  cash&  prizes.  Last  year's  festival  drew 
huge  audiences  which  viewed  25  finalist  works  out  of  140  entries  from  throughout  the 
United  States  and  Canada  The  Festival  takes  as  its  mandate  the  spreading  of  the  8mm 
word.  Toward  that  end,  the  Rutgers  Film  Co-op/NJMAC  has  sponsored  six  touring 
programs  culled  from  Super  8  Festival  prize  warners  for  the  past  six  years. 

For  More  Information  or  Entry  Forms  Contact  The: 


2000  United  States  Super  8  Rm/Video  Festival 

Rutgers  Film  Co-op/New  Jersey  Media  Arts  Center 

131  George  Street  (108  Ruth  Adams  Bldg/Oouglass) 

New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  08901-1414  U.S A 

(732)  932-8482=pnone;  (732)  932-1935=fax;  NJMAC@aol.com  =email; 

www.rci.rutgers.edu/~nigrin=web  site 


Academic  Affairs,  Rl  School  of  Design,  Two  College  St., 
Providence,  Rl  02903. 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR,  Nonfiction  Film  and  Video 
Production,  tenure  track.  MFA  or  equiv  required.  Univ.  of  IA 
has  an  excellent  facility  to  support  teaching  &  faculty  work  in 
the  arts.  Screening  begins  11/1/99.  Applicants  should  sub- 
mit letter  of  application,  curriculum  vitae,  three  letters  of  ref 
&  samples  of  creative  work  on  VHS  tape  to:  Leighton  Pierce, 
NFP  Search,  Comparative  Literature,  425  EPB.  Univ  of  Iowa, 
Iowa  City,  IA  52242.  EOE/AA 

ASS'T/ASSOC  PROFESSOR,  EXPERIMENTAL  ANIMATION, 

tenure  track.  Significant  record  of  achievement  in  filmmak- 
ing, MFA  or  equivalent  prof.  exp.  and  prior  teach  exp.  neces- 
sary. Expertise  in  experimental  narrative,  optical  printing, 
and/or  computer-based  production  is  desirable.  Send  vitae 
and  names/contacts  of  3  references  by  Jan.  15  to:  Diane 
Kitchen,  Film  Dept,  Univ.  of  Wisconsin-Milwaukee,  Box  413, 
Milwaukee,  Wl  53201.  AA/EOE 

NY-BASED  Suitcase  Productions  is  seeking  Spanish  speaking 
intern  for  social  issue  documentary.  Also  seeking  web  saavy 
intern  to  assist  with  web  site  development.  Fax  resume  to 
attn:  David  at  (212)  647-0940. 

WELL-ESTABLISHED  freelance  camera  group  in  NYC  seeking 
professional  shooters  as  well  as  soundmen  w/  Betacam 
video  experience  to  work  w/  our  wide  array  of  news  &  news 
magazine  clients.  If  qualified,  contact  COA  immediately  at 
(212)505-1911. 

Preproduction  •  Development 

BUDGETS/INVESTOR  PACKAGE:  Experienced  Line  Producer 
will  prepare  script  breakdowns,  shooting  schedules  & 
detailed  budgets.  Movie  Magic  equipped.  MC,  Visa,  Amex. 
Indie  rates  negotiable.  Mark  (212)  340-1243. 

DGA  AWARD-WINNING  Writer/director  looking  to  cofmance 
feature  project.  Must  be  commercial,  main  tream.  If  you  have 
an  entertaining  project  with  some  financing  already  in  place, 
call  (718)  341-2619. 

INTERNATIONAL  PRODUCTION  COMPANY  offers  production 
services  and  personnel  including  directors,  producers  and 
videographers  with  DV  camera  package  in  the  U.S.  &  Europe. 
Pahni  Inc.  (718)  243-0775  or  visit  web  site:  www.pahm.com 

LOOKING  FOR  FILMMAKERS:  B  Commercial  is  up  and  com- 
ing production  company  specializing  in  DV  pre  through  post. 
We  offer  intelligent,  creative  and  technical  support  for  your 
vision,  as  well  as  low  rates  for  NYC.  Whether  you  are  making 
a  feature  or  a  short,  a  documentary  or  fiction,  B  Commercial 
is  your  one-stop  production  team.  Call  for  rates  &  informa- 
tion. (201)  805-4170;  (917)  593-911;  Bmercial@aol.com 

PRO  SCREENPLAY  CONSULTANT  for  major  studios,  indies, 
and  private  clients.  Full  analysis,  commercial  assessment. 
Great  rates.  Act  Four  Screenplays:  (212)  567-8820  (M-F  9- 
6  EST),  web  site:  www.members.aol.com/Actfour4/;  email: 
Actfour4@aol.com 

PRODUCER  WITH  PRODUCTION  OFFICE  looking  for  low 
budget  features  to  produce  in  New  York.  Will  provide  budget- 
ing/scheduling, production  personnel.  Video,  shorts,  and  fea- 
ture experience.  Call  Val  at  (212)  295-7878  or  email  me: 
zelda212@netscape.net 


60     THE     INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


SCRIPT/PACKAGING  CONSULTANT:  Indie  Prod/Develop- 
ment Exec,  formerly  of  Fox  Searchlight  &  Touchstone  is  read- 
ing/advising projects.  How  to  set  them  up  &  get  them 
financed.  Low  fee.  Amesbury  Road  Prods:  (310)  339-3849; 
amesburyroad@hotmail.com 

SU-CITY  PICTURES:  The  Screenplay  Doctor,  The  Movie 
Mechanic:  We  provide  screenplay/treatment/synopsis/films- 
in-progress  insight/analysis.  Studio  credentials  include: 
Miramax  &  Warner  Bros.  Competitive  rates.  Brochure:  (212) 
219-9224;  www.su-city-pictures.com 

POSTPRODUCTION 

16MM  &  35MM  OPTICAL  SOUNDTRACKS:  If  you  want  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  for  your  film,  you  need  a  "High 
Quality"  optical  sound  negative.  Mike  Holloway,  Optical 
Sound  Chicago,  Inc.,  676  N.  LaSalle  St.,  #404,  Chicago,  IL 
60610;  (312)  943-1771;  oreves:  (847)  541-8488. 

16MM  CUTTING  ROOMS:  8-plate  &  6-plate  fully  equipped 
rooms,  sound-transfer  facilities,  24-hr  access.  Downtown, 
near  all  subways  &  Canal  St.  Reasonable  rates.  (212)  925- 
1500. 

16MM  SOUND  MIX  only  $100/hr.  Interlocked  16mm  picture 
&  tracks  mixed  to  16mm  or  35mm  fullcoat.  16mm/35mm 
post  services:  picture  &  sound  editorial,  ADR,  interlock 
screening,  16mm  mag  xfers  (,06/ft),  16mm  edgecoding 
(.015/ft).  Call  Tom  (201)  807-0155. 

AVID  8000  &  1000  SUITES:  Pleasant,  friendly,  comfortable 
Upper  West  Side  location.  On-line  &  off-line,  AVR  77;  reason- 


able &  affordable  rates.  Tech  support  provided.  (212)  595- 
5002;  (718)  885-0955. 

AVID  8000:  Why  rent  an  Avid  Media  Composer  400  when  you 
can  get  an  8000  for  less?  Avid  Media  Composer  8000;  real- 
time fx;  4  channel  pro-tools;  24  hr  access.  Seriously  unbeat- 
able prices!!  (212)  375-0785;  (212)  982-7658. 

AVID  EDITOR;  A  dozen  feature  credits.  New  Media  Composer 
w/  AVR  77  &  offline  rez.  Beta  SP,  DAT,  extra  drives,  Pro-tools 
editing  &  mixing,  and  your  Avid  or  mine.  Fast  and  easy  to  get 
along  with.  Credit  cards  accepted.  Drina  (212)  561-0829. 

AVID  EDITOR  with  own  system:  editing,  training,  skilled  edi- 
tor, lowest  prices  in  NYC.  Third  Eye  Productions  (212)  472- 
3315. 

AVID  IN  BROOKLYN,  or  delivered  to  your  hood.  Call  everyone 
else  and  then  call  us!  We'll  work  with  you!  Avid  1000,  AVR 
77.  Lowest  prices  around!  Your  editors  or  ours.  No  project  to 
small  or  to  big.  Call  Alex  (718)  855-0216. 

AVID  MEDIA  COMPOSER  SUITE:  Online/Offline,  AVR  77, 
Beta  SP  3D  RealTime  Graphics,  Intraframe,  888  Digidesign 
Audio  Interface,  Digidizing  Video  Slave  Driver,  professional 
recording  studio  monitors,  2  x  20"  viewing  monitors,  SMPTE 
viewing  monitors,  DAT  recorder,  16  channel  mixer,  ProTools, 
After  Effects,  Photoshop,  Illustrator.  350  MHz/128  MB  G3. 
Creative,  skilled  staff  editors  or  use  your  own.  Spacious, 
charming  environment.  24  hr  access.  Best  rates  in  NYC. 
tel/fax:  (718)  802-9874. 

BOSTON  MEDIA  100  for  rent.  Unbeatable  indie  rates.  Top  of 
the  line  system;  broadcast  quality;  32  gigs;  Beta  SP  deck; 


tech  support.  Office  w/  24  hr  access,  full  kitchen  &  beautiful 
garden.  Award-winning  editors.  Astrea  Films  (617)  666- 
5122. 

BRODSKY  &  TREADWAY  Film-to-tape  masters.  Reversal 
only.  Regular  8mm,  super  8,  or  archival  16mm  to  1"  or 
Betacam  SR  We  love  early  B&W  &  Kodachrome.  Scene-by- 
scene  only.  Correct  frame  rates.  For  appt.  call  (978)  948- 
7985. 

EDITOR  WITH  EQUIPMENT:  Accomplished  visual  story-teller 
with  feature  &  broadcast  credits;  recent  doc  featured  at 
Sundance  '99.  Will  edit  on  your  equipment  or  my  fully- 
equipped  studio.  Commercial  &  corporate  credits  incl.  major 
agencies  (Young  &  Rubicam,  Warwick  Baker  &  O'Neil,  Seiden 
Group)  &  accounts  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  Weight  Watchers, 
Arm  &  Hammer,  USA  Today,  BMW,  Goldman  Sachs).  Media 
100XR  (300KB),  54GB  storage,  After  Effects,  Beta,  Scanner, 
DAT,  PhotoShop,  Illustrator.  John  Slater:  www.johnslater.com; 
(807-4142. 


MEDIA  100  EDITING  Broadcast  quality,  newest  software. 
Huge  storage  &  RAM.  Betacam,  3/4",  all  DV  formats,  S-VHS, 
Hi-8. . .  Great  location,  friendly  environment  &  low  rates,  tech 
support,  talented  editors  &  fx  artists  available:  (212)  868- 
0028. 

OUTPOST  Digital  Productions:  3  rooms,  New  Iced  Avid  Media 
Composer  V-8  including  AfterEffects  on  Ice,  and  2  MedialOO 
V-5.0.  Broadcast  quality.  Beta,  DV,  Hi8,  VHS.  Lots  of  drive 
space:  great  editors  or  self-operate.  Low  rates,  free  coffee. 
(718)  599-2385.  Williamsburg;  www.outpostvideo.com 


Audio  Post 

Dolby  Digital  5.1 

Mixing  &  Encoding 

to  AC-3  From  Your 

DA-88/DAT/SVHS/CD 

DVD 

Original  Music  & 
Sound  Design 


Production  Ready 

Dolby  Digital  5.1 

Sonic  Scenes,  FX 

&  Ambience 

Vast  Library  of  FX 

for  Documentaries, 

Animation,  Foreign, 

Historical,  Animal, 

SciFi,  and  more... 


WWW.CYBERNDTES.CnMl 

1  -2  1  2-234-8333 


II 


audioa'idi;o 
post  production 


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VoiceWorks® 
Sound  Studios 
212-541-6592 

Media  100  XS  System 

After  Effects /Boris  Effects 
Scanner  /  Photoshop 

Sonic  Solutions 
Digital  Audio  Editing 

Voice  Over  Casting 
Voice  Over  Recording 
Reasonable  Rates!!! 


353  West  48th  Street  2nd  Floor 

New  York,  New  York  10036 

FAX:  212-541-8139 

K-Mail:  vworksC"  aol.com 


S^B!rYam 


We  provide  artists  and 
non-profit  organizations  access 
to  broadcast  quality  video 
post-production  services  at 
discount   rates. 


Film  to  Tape  Transfer  $175/hr. 

DigiBeta  to  DigiBeta  OnLine         $1  20/hr. 
InterFormat  OnLine  Editing  $  85/hr. 

Animation  Stand  $  85/hr. 

Digital  Audio  Post  $  85/hr. 

All  services  include  an  Editor/Operator. 


Contact  Us  for  Services  &  Info. 

PO  Box  184  NY,  NY  10012-0004 
Tel:  212.219.0951 
Fax:   212.219.0563 


www.standby.org 


© 


December    1999    THE    INDEPENDENT       61 


a 


www.aivf.org 


by   Michelle   Coe 

Most  events  take  place  at  the  AIVF  Office: 
304  Hudson  St.  (between  Spring  &  Vandam) 
6th  fl.,  in  New  York  City.  Subways:  1,  9 
(Houston  St.);  C,  E  (Spring  St.);  A  (Canal 
St.). 

AIVF  events  now  REQUIRE  advanced  registra- 
tion and  prepayment.  RSVP  to  the  Events 
Hotline  with  Visa,  American  Express,  or 
Mastercard  info  or  mail  a  check  or  money 
order.  (Please  note:  your  check  must  be  received 
one  week  prior  to  the  event  to  reserve  your  seat. 
Seats  are  sold  on  a  first-come  first-served  basis.) 
The  following  is  a  list  of  events  whose  details, 
upon  deadline,  were  being  confirmed.  Please 
visit  our  website:  www.aivf.org  or  our  Event 
Hotline:  (212)  807-1400  x.  301  for  the  latest 
information. 

December  Events 

ANNUAL  HOLIDAY  PARTY 

SPONSORED  BY 
FOREST  CREATURES 
ENTERTAINMENT 

VC^hen:  Monday, 

Dec.  6,  6:30-9:30  p.m. 

Where:  AIVF  office 

Cost:  Free  to  members 

and  non-members 

To  register/hear  more 

details:  Please  RSVP   (212)  807-1400  x.  301. 

Don't  miss  our  annual  bash  that  keeps  gettin' 
merrier  every  year!  Fabulous  food  and  bever- 
ages will  be  offered — with  good  cheer,  of 
course! 


THE  FIFTH  NIGHT 

SCREENPLAY  READING  AND 
SHORT  FILM  SERIES 

is  an  acclaimed  weekly 
program  (every  Tues  eve 
at  the  Nuyorican  Poet's 
Cafe,  236  E.  3rd  St, 

NYC)  that  presents  readings  of  feature-length 
screenplays,  preceded  by  screenings  of  shorts. 
Insomniacs  and  celluloid  queens  should  stick 
around  for  The  5th  Night  Late  Late  Cine 
Club,  presenting  new  shorts,  old  classics,  and 
trashy  treasures!  For  a  complete  schedule,  con- 
tact Fifth  Night  at 

(212)  529-9329.  AIVF  members  can  attend 
Cine  Club  at  a  discounted  ticket  price  of  $4! 

NEW  FILMMAKERS 

is  an  ongoing  series  screening  shorts  and  fea- 
tures every  Wednesday  eve  at  Anthology  Film 
Archives,  (2  Ave,  at  2nd  St,  NYC;  (212)  505- 
5110)  New  Filmmakers  gives  independent 
film-  and  videomakers  the  chance  to  exhibit 
their  work  to  the  public  and  New  York  audi- 
ences the  opportunity  to  see  outstanding 
new  films  at  the  cheapest  ticket  prices  in 
town  ($5  gets  you  into  both  the  shorts 
program  and  the  featute  film).  To  submit 
your  feature  or  short,  call  (212)  410-9404- 

Coming  in  January 

MEET  &  GREET: 

NEW  YORK  STATE  COUNCIL  ON  THE  ARTS 

(featured  in  this  month's  Funder  FAQ) 

HEALTH  INSURANCE  LOWDOWN: 

Reps  will  explain  new  plans  available  to  AIVF 
members  with  HIP  and  Mutual  of  Omaha-. 

Details  on  these  events  pending  at  press  time; 
check  in  with  www.aivf.org  or  our  Events  Hotline. 

AIVF  Announces:  AFTER  HOURS 

MONTHLY  NEW  MEMBER  ORIENTATION  &  EXTENDED  RESOURCE  LIBRARY  HOURS 

Every  first  Wednesday  of  the  month  from  6-9  p.m.  at  the  AIVF  office  starting  January  2000.  Space  is 
limited,  so  RSVP  ahead  of  time:  212/807-1400  ext.301.  Free  to  members. 

Here's  your  chance  to  utilize  the  Filmmaker  Resource  Library  after  regular  business  hours.  Library  is 
in-house  use  only,  so  bring  change  for  the  photocopier.  New  members,  find  out  all  your  AIVF  mem- 
bership gets  you! 


wmmmmm 

62    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


FIVF/AIVF 

Board  of  Directors  Meeting 

The  fall  AIVF  board  meeting  held  in  New  York  City 
September  25-26,  with  Robb  Moss  (co-chair), 
Diane  Markrow  (co-chair),  Loni  Ding  (co-presi- 
dent), Bart  Weiss  (co-president)  Jim  McKay  (vice 
president  &  secretary),  Robert  Richter  (treasurer), 
Valerie  Soe,  Cynthia  Lopez  (FIVF),  Elizabeth  Peters 
(ex-officio),  and  AIVF/FIVF  staff  attending.  Absent 
were  Lee  Lew  Lee,  Graham  Leggat,  Peter  Lewnes, 
and  Richard  Linklater. 

Peters  introduced  Liza  Donatelli,  who  has 
donated  many  pro  bono  hours  to  produce  the  Self- 
distribution  Toolkit  and  the  Exhibitor's  Guide. 
Peters  noted  areas  ot  significant  progress  towards 
programmatic  and  administrative  goals  that  have 
been  achieved  over  the  past  year.  Finances  will  be 
tight  but  stable  through  the  beginning  of  next  year. 
Program  and  information  services  director  Michelle 
Coe  reported  on  the  AIVF  presence  at  the  IFFM  and 
the  success  of  the  PBS  pitch  sessions.  She  also 
discussed  plans  for  the  upcoming  American  Movie 
benefit  event.  Membership  and  advocacy  director 
LaTrice  Dixon  discussed  outreach  efforts  as  well  as 
improved  administration  of  regional  Salons. 

The  Independent  editor  Pat  Thomson  reported 
the  hire  of  a  second  ad  sales  rep.  She  noted  the 
introduction  of  "opinion  pieces"  by  representatives 
from  the  field,  as  well  as  plans  for  an  historical  col- 
umn to  commemorate  AlVF's  25th  Anniversary  in 
Y2K.  Listings  editor  Scott  Castle  reported  on 
improvements  to  the  festivals  database  and  efforts 
to  build  up  hard  copy  festival  information  in  the 
AIVF  library. 

Board  co-chair  Diane  Markrow  reported  that  we 
were  $180.34  shy  of  the  $100,000  mark  toward 
the  FIVF  Millennium  Fund.  Co-presidents  Loni  Ding 
and  Bart  Weiss  contributed  the  amount  on  the  spot. 
The  board  discussed  election  procedure  and  proto- 
col, as  well  as  excitement  that  such  a  strong  group 
of  candidates  desired  to  work  more  closely  with 
AIVF. 

Board  members  discussed  ongoing  strategic 
planning  and  elected  to  hold  a  special  retreat  in 
early  spring  to  explore  options  for  both  incremental 
and  radical  change  towards  ensuring  that  AIVF 
continues  to  work  in  ways  that  are  most  useful  to 
our  constituency  as  we  head  into  the  new  millenni- 
um. 

The  next  board  meeting  will  be  held 
January  8-9, 


(M 


'£) 


The  AIVF  Salons  provide  an  opportunity  for 
members  to  discuss  work,  meet  other  indepen- 
dents, share  war  stories,  and  connect  with  the 
AIVF  community  across  the  country.  Be  sure 
to  contact  your  local  Salon  Leader  to  confirm 
date,  time,  and  location  of  the  next  meeting! 

See  the  salons  section  at  www.aivf.org 
for  further  information. 

Albany,  NY: 

When:  First  Wednesday  of  each  month,  6:30pm 
Where:  Borders  Books  &  Music,  Wolf  Rd. 
Contact:  Mike  Camoin  (518)  489-2083; 
mike@videosforchange.com 

Austin,  TX: 

When:  Last  Monday  of  each  month,  7  pm 
Where:  Yarbrough  Library,  2200  Hancock  Drive 
Contact:  Rebecca  Millner  at  (512)  388-7605; 
rlmillner(a  hotmail.com 

Atlanta,  GA: 

When:  Second  Tuesday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Redlight  Cafe,  Amsterdam  Outlets 

off  of  Monroe  Dr. 

Contact:  Mark  Wynns,  IMAGE 

(404)  352-4225  x.  12;  mark@imagefv.org, 

geninfo@imagefv.org 

Birmingham,  AL: 

Contact:  Pat  Gallagher,  (334)221-7011; 
sstories@mindspring.com 

Boston,  MA: 

Contact:  Fred  Simon,  (508)  528-7279; 
FSimon@aol.com 

Charleston,  SC: 

When:  Last  Thursday  of  each  month  6:30-8:45pm 

Where:  Charleston  County  Library  Auditorium, 

68  Calhoun  St. 

Contact:  Peter  Paolini,  (843)  805-6841; 

filmsalon@aol.com 

Cleveland,  OH: 

Contact:  Annetta  Marion  and  Bernadette  Gillota 
(216)  781-1755;  AnnettaLM@aol.com, 
OhioIndieFilmFest@juno.com 

Dallas,  TX: 

Contact:  Bart  Weiss,  (214)  999-8999; 
bart@videofest.org 

Denver/Boulder,  CO: 

Monthly  activist  screenings: 

When:  Second  Thursday  of  the  month,  7  pm 

Where:  Rocky  Mountain  Peace  and  Justice 

Center,  1520  Euclid  Ave. 

Other  events:  Call  for  date  and  location. 

Contact:  Jon  Stout,  (303)  442-8445; 

programming@fstv.org  or  Diane  Markrow, 

(303)449-7125 

Lincoln,  NE: 

When:  Second  Wednesday  of  the  month,  5:30  pm 
Contact:  Lori  Vidlak,  (402)  476-5422  or 
dot@inetnebr.com, 
www.lincolnne.com/nonprofit/nifp/ 


Manhattan,  NY: 

When:  3rd  Monday  of  each  month,  5-8  pm 
Where:  Baby  Jupiter,  170  Orchard  Street 
(1  block  south  of  Houston,  2nd  Ave  stop  on  F) 
Contact:  Joe  Sullivan,  212/242-3396 

New  Brunswick,  NJ: 

When:  Last  Wednesday  of  each  month. 
Where:  Cappuccino's  Gourmet  Cafe,  Colonial 
Village  Rte.  27  &  Parsonage  Rd.,  Edison,  NJ. 
Contact:  Allen  Chou  (212)  904-1133; 
allen@passionriver.com;  www.passionriver.com 

New  Haven,  CT: 

Contact:  Jim  Gherer,  ACES  Media  Arts  Center, 
(203)  782-3675;  mediaart@connix.com 

Newport,  RI: 

When:  Second  Monday  of  each  month 
Contact:  George  Marshall,  (401)  861-4445; 
flicksart@aol.com,  www.film-testival.org 

Palm  Beach,  FL: 

Contact:  Dominic  Giannetti,  (561)  575-2020 

Portland,  OR: 

Contact:  Beth  Harrington,  (360)  256-6254; 
betuccia@aol.com 

Rochester,  NY: 

Contact:  Chuck  Schroeder,  (716)  442-8286; 
www.members.tripod.com/rochaivf/index.html 

San  Diego,  CA: 

Contact:  Paul  Espinosa,  (619)  284-9811  or 
espinosa@electriciti.com 

Seattle,  WA: 

Contact:  Joel  Bachar,  (206)  568-605 1 ; 
joel@speakeasy.org;  or  visit 
www.speakeasy.org/blackchair/ 

Tampa,  FL: 

Contact:  Frank  Mondaruli  (813)  690-4416; 
rmondar  1  @  tampabay.rr.com 

Tucson,  AZ: 

When/Where:  First  Monday  of  each  month  from 
6-8  pm  at  Club  Congress,  3 1 1  E.  Congress. 
Contact:  Heidi  Noel  Brozek,  (502)  326-3502, 
bridge@theriver.com;  Rosarie  Salerno, 
destiny@azstarnet.com;  or  visit 
http://access.tucson.org/aivf/ 

Washington,  DC: 

Contact:  DC  Salon  hotline  (202)  554-3263  x.4; 
sowande(5  bellatlantic.net 

Westchester,  NY: 

Contact:  Bob  Curtis,  (914)  741-2538;  reclll@ 
aol.com;  or  Jonathan  Kaplan,  (914)  948-3447; 
jonkap@bestweb.net 

Youngstown,  OH: 

Contact:  Art  Byrd,  The  Flick  Clique, 
artbyrd@mindspring.com,  or  visit 
www.cboss.com/flickclique 


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December   1999    THE    INDEPENDENT      63 


IThe  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  (FIVF),  the  educational  affiliate 
of  the  Association  for  Independent  Video  and  Filmmakers  (AIVF),  supports  a  variety 
of  programs  and  services  for  the  independent  media  community,  including  publication  of 
■      i    i   .  i      ■  -—ji  ±  m  %  k  -  , j^W  j   ^'lL'  Independent   and  operation  oi   the   Festival 

'  Bureau,  seminars  and  workshops,  and  an  infor- 


mation clearing  house.  None  of  this  work  would  be  possible  without  the  generous  sup- 
port of  the  AIVF  membership  and  the  following  organizations: 

Academy  Foundation  Jerome  Foundation 

City  of  New  York  Department  of  Cultural  Affairs  Albert  A.  List  Foundation,  Inc. 

The  Mary  Duke  Biddle  Foundation  John  D.  and  Catherine  T  MacArthur  Foundation 

Forest  Creatures  Entertainment,  Inc.  National  Endowment  for  the  Arts 

Home  Box  Office  New  York  State  Council  on  the  Arts 

Heathcote  Art  Foundation  The  Rockefeller  Foundation 

The  William  and  Flora  Hewlett  Foundation  The  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  the 

Visual  Arts,  Inc. 


W 


NYSCA 


We  also  wish  to  thank  the  following  individuals  and  organizational  members: 

Business/Industry  Members:  CA:  Dinque  Entertainment,  Inc;  Focal  Point  Systems,  Inc.;  Vineyard 
Ventures;  Labyrinth  Productions;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz  Co.;  Marshall/Stewart  Productions,  Inc.;  RJB 
Productions;  CO:  BET  Movies/Starz!3;  Heidi  McLean;  Intrepid  Film  6k  Video  Inc.;  FL:  Green  Solutions; 
Thunder  Head  Productions;  GA:  Mark  Morton;  IL:  Optimus;  MA:  CS  Associates;  MD:  Imagination 
Machines;  MI:  Jes  &  Woodcraft  Video  Prod.  Inc.;  NC:  Richard  Ward;  NJ:  ABCD  Productions  LLC;  Black 
Maria  Film  Festival;  NY:  All  In  One  Promotions,  Inc.;  Arc  International  Entertainment  Corp.;  Asset 
Pictures;  Bagel  Fish  Productions,  Bee  Harris  Productions;  Bluestocking  Films,  Inc.;  Bravo  Film  And  Video; 
The  Bureau  for  At-Risk  Youth;  Catherine  Carey;  Elizabeth  Carmody;  Choices,  Inc.;  Cine  EMod  Inc.; 
Citystuff.com;  Aleks  Decarvalho;  Dependable  Delivery,  Inc.;  Dekart  Video;  Duart;  DV8  Video  Inc.; 
Dynamism;  Ericson  Media  Inc;  The  Filmworkers  Club;  Films  for  Educators;  Fireballs  Films,  Ltd.;  G 
Productions;  Golden  Cinema  Enterprises,  Inc.;  Harmonic  Ranch;  Historic  Film  Archive;  Island  Media 
International;  Jr.  Video;  Julia  John  Music;  Kitchen  Cinema;  Kitchen  Sync  Group,  Inc.;  LD  Media  Corp; 
Mad  Mad  Judy;  Middlemarch  Films;  NYT  Television;  Parallax  Pictures,  Inc.;  Paul  Dinatale  Post,  Inc.;  Pitch 
Productions,  Inc.;  Prime  Technologies;  Remez  Corp;  Sea  Horse  Films;  The  Shooting  Gallery;  Streamedia 
Communications,  Inc;  Stuart  Math  Films  Inc.;  Sundance  Channel  LLC;  Toolbox  Animation;  Tribune 
Pictures;  Undergroundfilm.Com;  WinStar  Productions;  Wonder  Entertainment;  RI:  AIDS  FILMS — RI; 
TN:  Motion  Picture  Prod.;  TX:  Graham  Dorian,  Inc.;  PBLK  Com,  Inc.;  Texas  World  Television;  UT:  Rapid 
Video,  LLC;  WA:  Amazon.com;  Junk  Empire  Motion  Pictures 

Nonprofit  Members:  AZ:  University  of  Arizona;  Women's  Studies/Northern  Arizona  University;  CA: 
Filmmakers  Alliance;  IFP/West;  Film  Studies/UC  Berkeley;  ITVS;  Jewish  Film  Festival;  KOCT;  UC/Media 
Resource  Center;  NAATA;  NAMAC;  Nat'l  Educational  Media  Network;  USC  School  of  Cinema  TV; 
University  of  California;  CO:  Center  for  the  Arts;  Denver  Center  for  the  Performing  Arts;  CT:  Film  Fest 
New  Haven;  GA:  Image  Film  Video  Center;  HI:  Aha  Punana  Leo;  University  of  Hawaii/Manoa;  IL: 
Chicago  Underground  Film  Festival;  Community  Television  Network;  Facets;  MacArthur  Foundation; 
Video  Data  Bank;  Women  In  The  Director's  Chair;  KY:  Appalshop;  MA:  Ling  Bow  Group  Inc;  LTC 
Communications;  MD:  Laurel  Cable  Network;  MI:  Ann  Arbor  Film  Festival;  MN:  Bush  Artist  Fellowships; 
IFP/North;  Intermedia  Arts;  Walker  Arts  Center;  MO:  Webster  University;  MS:  2nd  Annual  Magnolia 
Indie  Festival;  NC:  Cucalorus  Film  Foundation;  Doubletake  Documentary  Film  Fest;  NE:  Nebraska 
Independent  Film  Project,  Inc.;  NY:  AARP  New  York  State;  Andy  Warhol  Foundation  for  Visual  Arts,  Inc.; 
Brooklyn  Film  Institute;  Center  for  New  American  Media;  Cinema  Arts  Centre;  Communications  Society; 
Cornell  Cinema;  Creative  Capital  Foundation;  Crowing  Rooster  Arts;  Dyke  TV  Productions;  Educational 
Video  Center;  Film  Forum;  Film  Society  of  Lincoln  Center;  Irish  American  Film  Foundation;  John  Jay  High 
School;  Learning  Matters;  Magnetic  Arts,  Inc.;  Manhattan  Neighborhood  Network;  MOMA-Film;  Museum 
of  the  American  Indian;  National  Video  Resources;  New  York  Women  In  Film  and  Television;  Open  Society 
Institute/Soros  Documentary  Fund;  Paul  Robeson  Fund/Funding  Exchange;  The  Ross  School  Library;  The 
Roth  School  Library;  The  Standby  Program;  Stony  Brook  Film  Festival;  Squeaky  Wheel;  SUNY/Buffalo 
Dept.  Media  Studies;  SUNY  College/Fredona;  Third  World  Newsreel;  Upstate  Films,  Ltd.;  WNET/13; 
Women  Make  Movies;  OH:  Athens  Center  For  Film  &.  Video;  City  of  Cleveland;  Media  Bridges  Cincinnati; 
Ohio  University-Film;  Wexner  Center;  OR:  Communication  Arts,  MHCC;  Northwest  Film  Center;  PA: 
Carnegie  Museum  of  Art;  PA/Council  On  The  Arts;  Scribe  Video  Center;  Univ.  of  the  Arts;  Temple 
Univ./Dept.  of  Media;  RI:  Flickers  Arts  Collaborative;  SC:  South  Carolina  Arts  Commission;  TN:  Nashville 
Independent  Film  Fest;  TX:  Austin  Film  Society;  Austin  Film  Festival;  Detour  Film  Foundation;  Museum  of 
Fine  Arts,  Houston;  Southwest  Alternate  Media  Project;  Texas  Film  Commmission;  U.  of  Texas  Dept.  Radio- 
TV-Film;  Worldfest  Houston;  WA:  91 1  Media  Arts.,  Center;  WI:  Madison  Film  Forum;  India:  Foundation 
for  Universal  Responsiblity;  Mexico:  Centre  De  Capacitacion  Cinematografica;  Norway:  Hogskulen  I 
Volda/Biblioteket 


The  Millennium   Campaign  Fund   is  a 
3-year  initiative  to  develop  a  $150,000 

cash 


■uJUPJi.l.lUL.Ll 


serve 
for 


re- 
fund 
the 


Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and 
Film  by  our  25th  anniversary  in  the  year 
2000.  Since  its  inauguration  in  1997,  we 
have  raised  more  than  $100,000. 

Our  heartfelt  thanks  to  all  those  who 
have  so  generously  donated  to  the 
Millennium  Campaign  Fund! 

Corporate/Government/ 
Foundation  Contributors 

BET/Encore;  District  Cablevision;  Home 
Box  Office;  New  York  State  Council  on  the 
Arts;  Ovation;  Washington  DC  Film 
Society. 

Honorary  Committee  Members 

(gifts  of  $500  or  more) 

AIVF  DC  Salon;  Ralph  Arlyck,  Timed 
Exposures;  Peter  Buck;  Hugo  Cassirer,  Felix 
Films;  Martha  Coolidge;  Linda  &  Bob 
Curtis;  Jacob  Burns  Foundation,  Inc.;  Loni 
Ding;  Jacqueline  Donnet;  Karen  Freedman 
&  Roger  Weisberg;  Julie  Goldman,  WinStat 
Productions;  David  Haas;  Henry 
Hampton',  Blackside,  Inc.;  Nik  Ives;  Bill 
Jersey,  The  Catticus  Corporation;  Richard 
Kaplan;  Deborah  Kozee,  C6kS  International 
Insurance  Brokers;  Leonard  Merrill  Kurz, 
Forest  Creatures  Entertainment;  Richatd 
Kylberg,  Communicom;  Tom  LeGoff; 
Helaine  &.  Sidney  Lerner;  Ruby  Lerner; 
Peter  Lewnes;  Rick  Linklater,  Detour  Film 
Foundation;  Juan  Mandelbaum;  John  Bard 
Manulis;  Diane  Markrow;  Jim  McKay, 
C-Hundred  Film  Corp.;  Sheila  Nevins; 
Elizabeth  Peters;  David  6k  Sandy  Picker; 
R.E.M. /Athens  LLC;  Barbara  Roberts; 
James  Schamus,  Good  Machine;  Robett  L. 
Seigel;  Liza  Vann  Smith;  Miranda  Smith; 
Michael  Stipe;  Ann  Tennenbaum;  Tower 
Records/  Videos/Books;  Walterry  Insurance 
Co.;  Marc  N.  Weiss  6k  Nancy  Meyer; 
Martin  Wills,  TCI/District  Cablevision; 
Robert  E.  Wise;  Susan  Wittenberg; 
Lawrence  Zicklin,  Jewish  Communal  Fund. 

(*deceased) 

We  also  wish  to  thank  the  individuals  and 
organizations  who  have  recently  made  or 
renewed  generous  donations  of  $100  or 
more  as  MCF  FRIENDS  (9/15/99  to  10/15/99): 

Hugo  J.  Cassirer,  Felix  Films  Inc.;  Karen 
Cooper,  Film  Forum;  Loni  Ding;  James 
Herbert;  Ted  Hope;  Cara  Mertes;  Elizabeth 
Peters;  Robert  L.  Seigel;  Vivian  Sobchack; 
Buddy  Squites;  Pamela  Yates;  Gei 
Zantzinget 


64    THE    INDEPENDENT     December   1999 


ickjtic 


ATTENTION 


**** 


EIEH  &  VIDEO  PRODUCERS 


ERRORS  &  OMISSIONS 
INSURANCE 


ONE  TIME  PREMIUM 


COVERS  YOUR  PRODUCTION 


ANNUAL  RENEWAL  NOT  NECESSARY 


1-800-638-8791 


ura 


INSURANCE  BROKERS 


P.O.  BOX  128,  CLINTON,  MD  20735 
WWW.WALTERRY.COM 


ASSOCIATION       D  F      INDEPENDENT      V  I  D  E  D      A 


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Arthur  Dang 

Documentary  Filmmaker 
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ITVS  helped  me  fu 

Coming  Out  Under  F 

AiVF  supports 
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TOTALLY  INDEPENDENT 


Design  Nik  Ives 


want  to  support  the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film's  Millennium  Campaign  Fund. 


Enclosed  is  my  gift  of  independence 

in  the  amount  of: 


State  . 


Zip. 


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I /We  wish  to  be  listed  in  acknowledgements  as: 


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Honorary 

Committee 

Member 


Make  your  check  out  to  FIVF  and  return  it  with  this  form.  For  more  information  call  (2121  8 07- 1400.  ext.  223. 

the  Foundation  for  Independent  Video  and  Film  is  a  not-for-profit  organization.  Your  contribution  is  tax-deductible.